Jackson Lake Hot Springs
Jackson Lake Hot Springs emerges at 162 degrees Fahrenheit along Jackson Lake's northwestern shore in Grand Teton National Park at 6,748 feet elevation. Located two miles from Lakeview Picnic Area via trail, the spring exceeds ambient temperature by 123 degrees in terrain receiving 170 inches of annual snowfall. This represents one of few thermal features in Grand Teton's otherwise non-geothermal landscape.
The spring occupies Jackson Lake shoreline beneath the northern Teton Range in Teton County. At 6,748 feet, the setting supports lodgepole pine and Douglas fir forest transitioning to lakeshore cottonwood and willow. The area receives 34 inches of precipitation annually with average annual temperature of 39 degrees Fahrenheit, creating long winters where thermal features maintain ice-free zones along the lake. Mount Moran and adjacent peaks rise dramatically above the lake's western shore, with Jackson Lake formed behind Jackson Lake Dam.
Access requires two-mile hike from Lakeview Picnic Area along lakeshore trail. Visit July through September when trail remains snow-free and lake access safe. Carry bear spray in this active grizzly bear habitat and make noise on forested trail sections. Lizard Creek Campground provides reservable camping just five kilometers away with Jackson Lake access and Teton views. Combine visit with Yellowstone exploration 30 miles north.
Jackson Lake formed naturally during Pleistocene glaciation and was subsequently enlarged by dam construction completed in 1916 for irrigation storage. The hot springs appear in 1980 NOAA thermal surveys, representing unusual geothermal activity this far north of Yellowstone caldera. Indigenous peoples utilized the Jackson Hole area seasonally, and early trappers worked these waters in the 1800s. Grand Teton National Park absorbed Jackson Lake when park boundaries expanded in 1950.
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Overview The Lizard Creek Campground is located in the northern portion of Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) and provides a convenient basecamp for campers taking day trips to both Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. This 60-site campground sits on the northern shore of Jackson Lake and offers access to the lake waters and views of the northern Teton Mountain Range. The area is frequented by various park wildlife, large and small as well as a variety of bird species. This Campground i...
Jackson Lake Hot Springs sits at 6,748 feet above sea level, way above the mile-high mark. You may not feel the altitude strongly, but hot water still dehydrates you faster at elevation. UV is about 27% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.
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Jackson Lake Hot Springs is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear. The water is dangerously hot — bring water shoes and test pools carefully. Cold air temperatures make a changing robe or warm layers essential.
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