Construction will cause closures and inconveniences around Jenny Lake this summer/NPS

A comprehensive, multi-year overhaul of amenities around Jenny Lake, the most visited destination in Grand Teton National Park, will have a much larger impact on visitors this summer, with limited parking, a temporary visitor center, and rerouted or closed trails.

The Jenny Lake Renewal Project, an $18 million public-private partnership between the National Park Service and Grand Teton National Park Foundation and its Inspiring Journeys fundraising campaign, will enhance the visitor experience in the Wyoming park with improved trail conditions, restrooms, wayfinding, foot access to the lake, and interpretive information.

This summer marks the third of four major construction seasons for the Jenny Lake Renewal Project. Most of the construction during the past two seasons was limited to trail work in the backcountry areas around Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. While that work will continue this year, construction in the developed area around the visitor center, general store, restrooms, and boat dock will begin this summer.

Visitors will notice limited parking in the South Jenny Lake parking area as approximately 20 percent of the lot’s 300 spaces will be unavailable due to construction staging. To avoid peak visitation and frustration, visitors are encouraged to arrive before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m. There will be extremely limited bus, RV, and trailer parking. Buses and RVs are encouraged to unload and pick up passengers and park elsewhere. Parking will be permitted along the South Jenny Lake access road and the Teton Park Road. Vehicles should be parked so they are out of the travel lane while minimizing disturbance to roadside vegetation. Motorists should slow down and be cognizant of pedestrians while traveling this portion of the Teton Park Road.

On the west side of the lake, there will be no access to the base of Hidden Falls this summer as trail crews restore damaged areas and create a more sustainable viewing area and access trail. Most other trails on the west shore of Jenny Lake will remain open, including Inspiration Point and Cascade Canyon. Many of the trails in the vicinity of the Jenny Lake Visitor Center will be closed all summer.

All South Jenny Lake visitor services will remain open throughout the season, though access routes may be altered. Visitors should follow posted signs and maps to these areas and obey all closures. These open facilities include Jenny Lake Boating, Jenny Lake General Store, Exum Mountain Guides, Jenny Lake Campground, Jenny Lake Ranger Station, and the multi-use pathway. Interpretive rangers, information, and a Grand Teton Association bookstore are housed in a temporary visitor center. Vault and portable toilets, but no flush toilets, are available.

Rangers encourage visitors to the Jenny Lake area to plan ahead, pack their patience, and be safe. Rangers are also happy to recommend other lakeshore hikes in the park that have equally dramatic scenery and fewer disruptions to those who may be interested. More trip-planning information specific to the Jenny Lake Renewal Project can be found at the park’s website.