Some of the most beautiful lakes on Earth lie within Wyoming’s two great national parks – Yellowstone and Grand Teton. From the vast inland sea of Yellowstone Lake to the glacial jewels beneath the Tetons, these are bucket-list waters for fishing, paddling, hiking and sheer scenery. This guide rounds them up and explains the all-important park rules. It’s part of our Wyoming Lakes Database.
Yellowstone National Park lakes
Yellowstone Lake is the centerpiece – the largest high-elevation lake in North America, a cutthroat stronghold sitting atop a supervolcano. To the south, Lewis Lake offers boating and brown trout, and serves as the paddle-in gateway to Shoshone Lake – the largest backcountry lake in the Lower 48, with its own wild geyser basin.
Grand Teton National Park lakes
Beneath the peaks lie the park’s glacial jewels: Jenny Lake, with its shuttle boat to Hidden Falls; the grand Jackson Lake with marinas and boating; warm, swimmable String Lake; serene Leigh Lake below Mount Moran; and Phelps Lake with its famous Jumping Rock.
The crucial rule: two different fishing systems
This trips up many visitors: Yellowstone and Grand Teton have different fishing rules.
- Yellowstone requires a Yellowstone National Park fishing permit (not a state license). Native cutthroat are catch-and-release; invasive lake trout caught in Yellowstone Lake must be killed.
- Grand Teton uses the standard Wyoming state fishing license.
- Boats in both parks need a park boating permit and an aquatic-invasive-species inspection.
Safety in the park lakes
These are cold, high-elevation lakes – water temperatures near 40°F even in summer make hypothermia a real danger, and sudden storms build big waves. Both parks are grizzly country, so carry bear spray, store food properly and stay alert on shorelines and trails. Always wear a life jacket on the water.
When to visit
The high country has a short season. Most park lakes are ice-free and accessible roughly June through September, with park roads opening in late spring and closing for winter. Summer is prime for boating, fishing and hiking; early fall is quieter and gorgeous.
Start with Yellowstone Lake and Jenny Lake, see all the best lakes in Wyoming, or head back to the Wyoming Lakes Database.
