The massive high-altitude marsh out the back door of Jackson Lake Lodge. National Park Service
24 Lunch Tree Hill
Description: A short uphill walk into the park’s history
Start: Jackson Lake Lodge
Total distance: 1.0-mile lollipop loop
Best season: Mid-June through Sept
Maps: Earthwalk Press Grand Teton map; National Park Service handout map; Grand Teton Association’s Colter Bay brochure
Finding the trailhead: Drive 15.2 miles south on US 89 from the park’s northern boundary or 1 mile north of the Jackson Lake Junction with US 287 and turn west into the well-marked Jackson Lake Lodge area. The trail starts on the viewing deck behind the lodge. Park in the Jackson Lake Lodge parking lot to use the restrooms or enjoy the restaurants and gift shops in the lodge. Trailhead GPS: 43.877902 / -110.578244
The Hike
This short hike starts right on the incredibly scenic deck of Jackson Lake Lodge, which overlooks the expansive lake by the same name, with Mount Moran as a backdrop. It’s steep but only a half mile uphill to the interpretive displays on top of the hill.
Lunch Tree Hill marks the spot where John D. Rockefeller met with National Park Service director Horace Albright in 1926 (for lunch, of course) and apparently worked out a plan to create Grand Teton National Park, which Congress did three years later, in 1929. Rockefeller frequently came back to this spot for “renewed inspiration,” but you don’t have to be famous to get inspired by the fantastic view on top of Lunch Tree Hill. Anybody can do that. In fact, it will be hard not to feel a little renewed.
The massive high-altitude marsh out the back door of Jackson Lake Lodge. National Park Service
There are several interpretive displays on the hill, such as those explaining how the lake got its name (from early explorer David E. Jackson) and how the Teton Range got its name, which is a little hard to visualize. The early French explorers thought the range looked like les trois tetons—French for “the three breasts.” Looking at the view from here, you’d say it must have been a long time since they’d seen any. The truth is the mountains were named based on the view from the west side, which makes a little more sense.
Camping: No camping allowed on this route.
Option: If the hike isn’t long enough, you can continue walking north on the ridge on an excellent social trail for about another mile, which would make this a 3-mile round trip.
Miles and Directions
0.0Jackson Lake Lodge
0.3Start of interpretive loop
0.5Main interpretive display
1.0Jackson Lake Lodge