Named for Richard "Beaver Dick" Leigh's Shoshone wife, Jenny Lake in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park attracts visitors because of its accessibility and central location. Though summertime crowds dim the wilderness ambiance during the daytime, pitching your tent for an overnight stay at Jenny Lake Campground will give you a glimpse of the raw landscape and endless solitude Beaver Dick encountered while guiding trapping parties in the region. The invigorating mountain air will inspire you to park the car and go exploring on foot, by bike or from the duck's eye perspective of a kayak or canoe.
Accommodations
The 49 tent-only sites at the Jenny Lake Campground usually fill before lunch. The camp doesn't accept reservations so get there early. Each site includes a picnic table, fire pit and easy access to flush toilets but no nearby shower facilities. An additional 10 sites accommodate hikers and bicyclists without cars. Recreational vehicles are not allowed at the Jenny Lake Campground.
Cost
The sites at Jenny Lake cost $20 per vehicle per night in September 2010, with a maximum of one vehicle, two tents and six campers allowed per site. Hikers and bikers pay $8 per person per night.
Considerations
Mountain weather can change in an instant so be prepared with clothing and gear for all extremes. Daytime temperatures in the summer can reach into the 80s, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms, then plunge to 40 degrees Fahrenheit at night. You'll want a sleeping bag rated to 30 degrees and a three- or four-season tent. Savvy locals pack gloves, hats and long johns on camping trips, even in August.
Activities
A seven-mile hiking trail around Jenny Lake gains a mild 700 feet of elevation, with inspiring views of the peaks and frequent wildlife sightings along the trail. You can also take a scenic boat ride or rent a self-propelled craft such as a kayak or canoe to explore the shoreline of the glacial lake from a different perspective. An eight-mile paved multi-use pathway that parallels the Teton Park Road provides safe biking from south Jenny Lake to Moose. The Jenny Lake Campground also makes a good base for more strenuous 14- to 19-mile hikes into Cascade Canyon and on to Lake Solitude.
Safety Precautions
Bears live in Grand Teton National Park and will visit campgrounds and picnic areas in search of food. Park regulations require you to store all food and toiletries that are not in immediate use in the bear-proof lockers installed at some of the campsites or in a locked vehicle. If you get caught disregarding this federal law, you could be fined. To stay safe, keep 300 feet away from any wild animal.
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