Jenny Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jenny Lake |
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Jenny Lake at the foot of Cascade Canyon
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 Jenny Lake
Location in Wyoming
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| Location | Grand Teton National Park, Teton County, Wyoming, US |
| Coordinates | 43°45′50″N 110°43′48″W / 43.76389°N 110.73000°W |
| Type | Glacial Lake |
| Primary inflows | Cascade Creek and String Lake |
| Primary outflows | Cottonwood Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 2.2 mi (3.5 km) |
| Max. width | 1.2 mi (1.9 km) |
| Surface area | 1,191 acres (482 ha) |
| Max. depth | 256 ft (78 m) |
| Surface elevation | 6,783 ft (2,067 m) |
Jenny Lake is a beautiful lake located in Grand Teton National Park in the state of Wyoming, United States. It's a popular spot for visitors and a key part of the park's amazing scenery.
Contents
How Jenny Lake Was Formed
Jenny Lake was created about 12,000 years ago. This happened during the last Ice Age, when huge sheets of ice called glaciers moved across the land. As the glaciers slowly slid, they carved out the deep Cascade Canyon. They also pushed a lot of rock and dirt, forming a natural dam called a terminal moraine. This moraine then held back the water, creating the lake we see today.
Size and Depth
Jenny Lake is quite large! It covers an area of about 1,191 acres (482 ha). That's like more than 900 football fields! The lake is also very deep, reaching down to about 256 feet (78 m). Imagine stacking 25 school buses on top of each other – that's how deep it is!
Fun Things to Do at Jenny Lake
Jenny Lake is a major attraction in Grand Teton National Park. There are many exciting activities you can enjoy here.
Hiking Trails
The lake is a great starting point for many hiking adventures.
- The Jenny Lake Trail is a popular path that goes all the way around the lake. It's about 7.1-mile (11.4 km) long.
- This trail is considered fairly easy because it doesn't climb too much in height, only about 700 feet (210 m).
- However, if you decide to hike into Cascade Canyon from the lake, the path gets much steeper very quickly!
Boating and Scenic Tours
Jenny Lake is one of only two lakes in Grand Teton National Park where you can use motorboats. The other is Jackson Lake. Both lakes offer scenic boat tours, which are a fantastic way to see the park's beauty from the water. You can even take a boat across Jenny Lake to get closer to the hiking trails in Cascade Canyon.
Climbing Adventures
For experienced climbers, Jenny Lake provides quick access to the main climbing routes on the tallest peaks of the Teton Range. It's a gateway to some incredible mountain adventures!
Water Quality
In 2005, scientists studied the water quality of all the lakes in Grand Teton National Park, including Jenny Lake. The good news is that all the lakes were found to be very clean and natural. They had not been harmed by pollution from the air or water. This means the park is doing a great job protecting its beautiful environment!
How Jenny Lake Got Its Name
Jenny Lake is named after a Shoshone Indian woman named Jenny. She was married to an Englishman named Richard "Beaver Dick" Leigh, who was a well-known mountain man and guide in the area. Sadly, Jenny and her six children passed away in 1876. The lake was named in her memory.
See also
In Spanish: Lago Jenny para niños
