Inspiration Point — Local services in Driggs

Inspiration point hike combined with the Hidden falls hike is a must do thing inside the Grand Tetons national park. For the trailhead you need to travel by car to the Jenny lake visitor center inside the park. This lake is so calm and has a pristine blue color especially early in the morning thats instantly relaxing. From here there are two options. You can take a boat shuttle to the other end of the lake and start the hike or else take a trail around the lake ( which adds an additional 3 miles to your total hike) to reach the same point at the other end of the lake. We reached before the first boat service started for the day and so we chose to take the trail to reach the diametrically opposite side of the lake from the visitor center. This portion of the trail is fairly flat and easy. Once you reach the other end of the lake, we went along the trail that took us to the Inspiration point where you can get beautiful panoramic views of the Tetons ranges behind you as well as the Jenny lake in front. There are nice spots to sit and relax here as well. We continued further where the trail takes you deep into the Teton ranges. This was really gorgeous and I really enjoyed it. The trail to the Inspiration point is moderately difficult especially because it gets narrow in certain sections and also because it has steps quick forces you to lift your legs for each stride. Also there are switchbacks which combined with the steps can easily make one tired. However there can be mild breezes that blow your way which is very refreshing. On the way back we went to the hidden falls which was beautiful and the water was the right temperature ( not too cold not too hot). After the hike, we took the ferry back ( there is option to just take one way ticket for the ferry) to the visitor center. Once you get out of the Jenny lake visitor center, it joins a scenic drive loop road around the park where you can get majestic views of the Grand Tetons ranges. The two places we stopped to get the best photographs were the mountain lookout and the cascade look out. Be careful inside the parks and also on the hikes since this is bear nation and you are most likely to find them especially if you are hiking early in...

Contrary to the vast majority of positive reviews, my experience may not be popular. Some claim the Inspiration Point is the crown jewel of Grand Teton National Park, but in my opinion, is an overstatement.

You can hug the shore of Jenny Lake and hike to the Inspiration Point (approximately 6 miles round trip). However, there are a lot more the park has to offer. I recommend purchasing round-trip boat shuttle tickets ($20 per adult) which reduce the hike to only 2 miles. That way it is 0.5 mile to the Hidden Falls (absolutely gorgeous) and another 0.5 mile to the Inspiration Point one-way. The shuttle departs every 10-15 minutes, and the ride itself takes 10 minutes. The captain was a wealth of knowledge. Be sure to ask any questions you may have.

In terms of elevation change, it was gradual. The last portion of the trail to Hidden Falls was covered with ice and snow (in May!). After leaving the Hidden Falls, there was another gentle climb to the first unofficial overlook. You can choose to rest before continuing to the destination. Although the trail became more exposed on one-side, I did not have any problems completing the hike as a person with fear of height. Just be careful of every step you make as the surface was uneven. Don't be mistaken, I am not complaining the bird's eye view of Jenny Lake, but the view you get from the Inspiration Point is not better than that of the first overlook. Beyond the Inspiration Point, the trail continued for miles through the Cascade Canyon. Again, it was a winter wonderland and I did not feel comfortable to proceed without the proper gear.

If you simply want a view of Tetons and Jenny Lake, perhaps walking along the shore on the side of the visitor centre is going to serve the purpose. However, if you feel compelled to do the hike, the $20 boat ride is the best investment you can make. Honestly, the view from the Inspiration Point was not spectacular enough to justify the shortcut version of the hike, let alone the original 6...

My husband and I snowshoed all the way to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point yesterday. Unfortunately, because the snow covered most of the trails and we came out on the first day it opened, we were unable to find the Jenny Lake Trailhead from the South entrance that hugs the left side of the lake. Instead we took the trail that looks like the black dotted line more on the left on the AllTrails map (the Western leg of the Hidden Falls loop trail). We followed the tracks of other snowshoes. It takes you up the mountain to incredible views of the lake along the way. Just be aware that at one point, you’re essentially walking across a double black diamond slope over 3-4 feet of snow. After seeing the falls and Inspiration Point, we tried to find the trail that hugs the lake on our way back South (we decided not the do the whole loop around Jenny Lake since it was going to rain), but found bear tracks and decided to turn around and go back the same way we came from. It was difficult to hike this with snowshoes, so it would be incredibly challenging to attempt this without at this time. The bridges that cross the river were also covered in 4...