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Leigh Lake: Paddle and Camp for all Ages

String Lake, Grand Teton National Park, Moran, WY, USA

Depends how long you're staying!

$$

camping, seasonal-activities, parks

 

Need to escape the crowds and immerse yourself into the wilderness? I do! I have loved Grand Teton National Park my entire life. However, I haven’t even scratched the surface. My new favorite “happy place” is Leigh Lake. Whether it’s hiking around the eastern side of the lake or paddleboarding over from String Lake via the portage, Leigh Lake will never disappoint.  

Our most recent Leigh Lake adventure was a family backcountry camping trip to the western side of the lake. There are 3 campsites available, all with bear boxes, bear poles and fire rings. The best part of all, you can’t hike to the sites! You’ll need a canoe, kayak or something of the like to get you and your gear across the lake. Pro Tip: reserve your camping permit in advance if you can. 

 

Here’s our story:

First and foremost, a HUGE “thanks” goes to my husband for making this trip a reality. He’s been paddleboarding to these campsites to “find his calm” for a long time and thankfully he finally decided to share them with us!

One Saturday morning in July, with our 4-year-old daughter and six-year-old son in tow,  we rented a lightweight canoe and dolly from Rendezvous River Sports, packed up our backpacking gear (tent, stove, layers, sleeping bag, pad, cookware, food, water, etc), a paddleboard, and headed out to String Lake.  We started at String Lake around 10 am, mainly so we could guarantee we'd get a parking spot. You’ll almost always see a ton of people right at the parking lot, but remember that as you travel towards Leigh Lake, you will quickly find solitude.  After loading the gear into the boat we put it on String Lake. My husband paddled and the 4-year-old navigated in the front while my son and I gladly opted for the paddleboard and a few extra items in our dry bag (don't forget a drybag!). 

The portage was interesting, to say the least. All four of us carried what we could across the short distance to Leigh Lake. My husband then returned for the canoe and our paddleboard with the assistance of our 6-year-old son. Seeing how easily my husband made the paddle across String Lake in the canoe, I offered to trade spots with him and take the canoe across Leigh Lake. The entire trip from the parking lot to the campsite took us about 2.5 hours. We had perfect weather and minimal winds. Pro Tip: Leigh Lake often has afternoon winds, starting around noon/1:00, which will add time and difficulty to the journey. Start early. 

The campsites on this side of the lake are something from a dream. Easterly views across the lake are stunning and you’re fully surrounded by the vastness of the Teton Range. A multitude of waterfalls and runoff streams plunge into the lake. We all slept like babies to the peaceful sounds of the running water.  

Note: the mosquitoes were not bad. We did experience a few horseflies. We also heard talk about a mama bear and a cub but we did not see them and did not see any evidence of them.

Must-Have Gear:

A backpacking tent, sleeping bags, and pads, camp stove, lighter, food, headlamp, water purifier, rain jackets (even though we didn’t need them they always come along in the summer), sunscreen, bear mace and a towel.
 

Written by Ashley DiPrisco, Jackson Local and Sotheby's Real Estate Agent

Features

Good for All Ages Good for older kids Seasonal
Thoughtfully captured by:
The happyly team

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