Paddle TodayFind the best paddle near you today

Live score, water level, and weather.

Wyoming | Greater Yellowstone / Jackson Hole

Jackson LakeColter Bay Marina to Hermitage Point shoreline and return

A wind-sensitive Jackson Lake day paddle from the developed Colter Bay Marina toward the Hermitage Point shoreline and back.

Route location

Loading the route map.

Open access map

Plan this route

DistanceAbout 8 lake miles out and back (planning line)
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAbout 3–6 hours depending on wind and shoreline exploration
ShuttleCar shuttle
Grand Teton National Park lake context for a Jackson Lake paddle.
River contextGrand Teton waterway context; not a photograph of the Colter Bay–Hermitage reach or current conditions river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Grand Teton National Park / NPS

Need to know

Why this call
This route is documented for planning, but does not receive a Paddle Today score.
View Primary Source
Embed this route

Route alerts

Email me when this route improves

We'll email you when this route climbs into Good or Strong. Every email includes an unsubscribe link.

We only email on a new threshold crossing.

Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceAbout 8 lake miles out and back (planning line)Colter Bay Marina to Hermitage Point shoreline and return
DifficultymoderatePublished difficulty is a planning classification, not a safety guarantee. Scout current hazards and keep a conservative turnaround rule.
ShuttleCar shuttleNo shuttle for the out-and-back. Stage early at Colter Bay, check marina/ramp and boat-trailer parking, and allow for a long carry from the parking area.
PermitsCheck posted rulesGrand Teton boat permit, Wyoming AIS decal/inspection, PFDs, and current Jackson Lake vessel/parking rules apply. Motors are permitted on Jackson Lake, but this card is human-powered.
CampingOptions nearbyColter Bay campground, cabins, and RV facilities provide a developed basecamp; backcountry camping near Hermitage Point requires an NPS permit. Do not infer shoreline camping rights.
SeasonMay-SepPlan for late spring through early fall only after checking the live gauge, weather, water temperature, wind, debris, and land-manager notices. Shoulder-season ice, snow, and cold water can make a nominally open launch unsafe.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

Waiting on forecast.

Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A wind-sensitive Jackson Lake day paddle from the developed Colter Bay Marina toward the Hermitage Point shoreline and back.

Access map

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

End of map
Start

Put-in

Colter Bay Marina boat launch
Open mapDirections to put-in

Use only the named public or land-manager access; a nearby shoreline is not proof of a legal launch.

Finish

Take-out

Colter Bay Marina boat launch
Open mapDirections to take-out

Confirm seasonal gates, parking, fees, permits, AIS inspection, carry path, and take-out status immediately before the trip.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Choose a shorter tripOptional

Access planner

Choose your launch and take-out

This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.

On-water distance8.0 miMixed access
On-water timeAbout 3–6 hours depending on wind and shoreline explorationFull route option
ShuttleCar shuttleChoose a shorter in/out pair for a shorter day.

Colter Bay Marina boat launch to Colter Bay Marina boat launch is about 8.0 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.

Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Use only the named public or land-manager access; a nearby shoreline is not proof of a legal launch.
  • Confirm seasonal gates, parking, fees, permits, AIS inspection, carry path, and take-out status immediately before the trip.
  • Private banks and easements may constrain landing, scouting, camping, or portage; remain within the authorized corridor.

Watch for

  • afternoon wind, waves, cold water, and lightning
  • low-water ramp closure and marina/parking changes
  • wildlife closures, restricted banks, and turnaround discipline

Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.

Trip schedule

Times use the selected time zone. Check it against the river’s location before saving or sharing.

Browser plans

Browser plans stay on this device. Sharing opens your device’s share tools or gives you text to copy.

GPX unavailable until access and route geometry are established.

Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.

Gauge detail

Water-level history and forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

Checking preferred range.

Checking trend.

------------

Weather

Hourly forecast

Checking weather.

Loading today's forecast.

Next 8 hours

Short-route forecast

Checking the next several hours.

Checking the best short-route window.
----Loading--

Route gallery

Photos

Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.

Grand Teton National Park lake context for a Jackson Lake paddle.
Grand Teton waterway context; not a photograph of the Colter Bay–Hermitage reach or current conditions river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Grand Teton National Park / NPS
U.S. public domain

Sources

Data and sources

Read the access and hazard notes and check the linked guides. We do not issue a daily score for this trip.

NotesWhat to know before you go

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • Official route corridorColter Bay Marina to Hermitage Point shoreline and return; About 8 lake miles out and back (planning line)

    Grand Teton NPS Colter Bay and Jackson Lake plan identifies the access pair and operational character.

    Source

  • Defensible proxy gaugeUSGS 13011000 — Snake River near Moran, WY (proxy for Jackson Lake)

    Gauge is upstream or downstream in the same regulated river system; it cannot substitute for a local scout or dam-release notice.

    Source

  • Threshold postureMinimum-only planning model with no numeric cutoff

    No live scoring is justified from the available route-specific evidence; the model is intentionally planning-only.

    Source

  • Public access controlColter Bay Marina boat launch to Colter Bay Marina boat launch

    Named agency/park access points are retained, including any intentional parking or campground offset from the shoreline.

    Source

  • Safety and land managementPFD, AIS, water temperature, current hazards, and current closures govern the decision

    Review current agency rules, dam/release notices, wind, debris, and private-bank restrictions before launching.

    Source

  • Camping classificationendpoint_campground

    Colter Bay campground, cabins, and RV facilities provide a developed basecamp; backcountry camping near Hermitage Point requires an NPS permit. Do not infer shoreline camping rights.

    Source

  • Image decisionGrand Teton NPS Jackson Lake context photograph

    This photo shows the same watershed, not this exact reach.

    Source

  • Overlap decisionRetained as a distinct access-to-access card

    Adjacent cards have different launch/take-out pairs, operational boundaries, difficulty, or trip length; no duplicate corridor was found in the Wyoming baseline.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

Reports

Paddler reports

See recent photos and notes from people on the route.

Share your trip

Help build the route page

Add photos or send a quick condition report.

Photos

Upload route photos

Add access, hazard, or on-water photos.

No files selected yet.

Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.

More in Wyoming

All 19 routes
Wyoming route guideBrowse every tracked Wyoming route.Greater Yellowstone / Jackson HoleJump to routes in this region.

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Snake RiverJackson Lake Dam to Pacific Creek Landing · about 4 straight-line mi awayEasy · About 5 river milesSnake RiverPacific Creek Landing to Deadmans Bar · about 7 straight-line mi awayModerate · About 10 river milesString and Leigh LakesString Lake canoe launch to Leigh Lake portage and return · about 9 straight-line mi awayEasy · About 3.6 lake/carry miles out and backSnake RiverDeadmans Bar to Moose Landing · about 10 straight-line mi awayHard · About 10 river miles

Quick answers

Jackson Lake paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Colter Bay Marina to Hermitage Point shoreline and return route on the Jackson Lake?

This planning route has no live Paddle Today score. Review the linked water-level sources, current access notices and route-specific hazards before travel.

Where does the Colter Bay Marina to Hermitage Point shoreline and return route on the Jackson Lake start and end?

This route starts at Colter Bay Marina boat launch and ends at Colter Bay Marina boat launch, about 8 lake miles out and back (planning line) on the water.

Is the Colter Bay Marina to Hermitage Point shoreline and return route on the Jackson Lake suitable for beginners?

This is listed as a moderate route. Review the difficulty notes, hazards and current access conditions against your group's skills. No live score assesses this trip.

Flag a change

See something outdated?

Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.

Report a changeEmail update