String Lake Swimming in Grand Teton National Park

If you’ve ever wondered where to swim in Grand Teton, this is your place.

This past summer we road tripped to Grand Teton in late July, and swimming was a must on our list. We had some fantastic swimming in Yellowstone National Park, and knew we had to keep it going in Grand Teton.

When we were looking for our perfect swimming spot, we wanted:

Accessible (AKA requires almost no hiking)
Clean & Clear (I hate lakeweeds)
Warm (or as warm as an Alpine lake can get)

This can be a pretty tough list to check off for most Grand Teton lakes, but one of them met everything. That lake is String Lake! String Lake is located in the central part of GTNP, below Jackson Lake. It’s a short 30 minute drive from Colter Bay, where we stayed during our visit.

The Way There

The road to String Lake is ridiculously beautiful. Going north to south, on Teton Park road, you’ll run into multiple pull offs. I recommend stopping and taking in the view, you won’t regret it! We went to Mountain View Turnout on this road, just before Jenny Lake Loop Road for sunrise. This was a perfect spot to get some breakfast and enjoy the views on an early morning. We used this turnout to get ready for our hike at Cascade Canyon.

Mountain View Turnout on Teton Park Road

String Lake

Once at the lake, I filled up the floatie I brought. After this trip, I can now confirm that I recommend bringing one. The water was cool, but very pleasant. Having a floatie let me stay a bit warmer while still getting in the water. We were able to stay in the lake until sunset without any issues. The water itself is shockingly clear with an enjoyable sandy bottom.

I’ve heard that the crowds can be busy at this swim spot! The parking lot fills up incredibly fast in the morning, FYI. We had no issues with crowds, but went far later in the day than most people. Don’t be afraid to swim later in the day to make it a calmer experience!

There is a small changing area at the parking lot that was perfect for our needs. Don’t forget to pack out everything that you bring into the lake area, and hope you enjoy this swim spot!