Bearpaw & Trapper Lakes Trail

Starting from the popular String Lake Trailhead, this out-and-back route winds through dense lodgepole pine forest before opening up to two of the Tetons' quieter backcountry lakes. The trail follows the western shore of String Lake before breaking off toward Bearpaw Lake, where the forest thins and you get your first real glimpse of the Cathedral Group towering above. Trapper Lake sits just beyond, smaller and more secluded, ringed by conifers and often glassy-still in the morning. The terrain is mostly packed dirt with some root-laced sections and gentle elevation changes — nothing that will wreck your knees. The round trip runs roughly nine miles, making it a solid half-day outing. This one rewards hikers who prefer lakeside serenity over peak-bagging glory, and anyone looking to escape the crowds that mob Jenny and Leigh Lakes just around the corner.