Wyoming | Greater Yellowstone / Jackson Hole

String and Leigh Lakes

String Lake canoe launch to Leigh Lake portage and return

Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.

Route location

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DistanceAbout 3.6 lake/carry miles out and back
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 2–4 hours plus the boat carry
ShuttleCar shuttle
Grand Teton National Park waterway context for the String and Leigh Lakes paddle.
River contextGrand Teton waterway context; not a photograph of the exact String–Leigh carry 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.
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Gauge history and hourly forecast

Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.

Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view

Recent trend

Checking preferred range.

Checking trend.

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Hourly forecast

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Short-route forecast

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Checking the best short-route window.
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Quick facts and what's next

Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.

DifficultyeasyPublished difficulty is a planning classification, not a safety guarantee. Scout current hazards and keep a conservative turnaround rule.
PermitsCheck posted rulesGrand Teton boat permit and Wyoming AIS decal/inspection are required; human-powered craft only on String and Leigh. Follow current PFD, wildlife, parking, and closure rules.
CampingDay tripDay trip by default. Overnight backcountry camping on Leigh/adjacent lakes requires an NPS backcountry permit; no parking-lot camping.
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.

Upcoming outlook

These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

Waiting on forecast.

Plan your trip

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

Access and shuttle

A hand-launch lake itinerary linking shallow String Lake with Leigh Lake via the established carry from the String/Leigh trailhead.

Plan a shorter segmentOptional

Pick a shorter segment

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

On-water distanceAbout 3.6 lake/carry miles out and backLake to creek
On-water timeAbout 5 to 7 hrFull route option
ShuttleSelf-shuttleChoose a shorter in/out pair for a shorter day.

Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.

Take the plan with you

Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.

Start

Put-in

String Lake canoe launch
Open map

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

Finish

Take-out

String Lake canoe launch
Open map

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

Plan this segment

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

End of map
Access caveats and watch for

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

  • cold water, wind, lightning, and sudden weather
  • mandatory carry/portage and slippery shoreline
  • limited parking, seasonal road closure, and backcountry permit rules

Data and sources

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.

Read quality
Checking live inputs.

Pulling the latest gauge and weather. Usually under 10 seconds.

Gauge inputChecking

Waiting on the gauge read.

Weather inputChecking

Waiting on weather.

Next stepChecking

Waiting on enough data to give the next step.

Today's evidence strength is checking

Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.

  • Checking evidence-strength notes.
Gauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge siteSnake River near Moran, WY (proxy for Teton lake conditions)
DischargeChecking
Gauge heightChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Ideal rangeNeeds paddler reports
Known low-water floorNot calibrated yet
High thresholdNot calibrated yet
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial and local sources
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreNPS String and Leigh Lakes boating and access guidance
Gauge sourceChecking
Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
What 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 corridorString Lake canoe launch to Leigh Lake portage and return; About 3.6 lake/carry miles out and back

    Grand Teton NPS String and Leigh Lakes plan identifies the access pair and operational character.

    Source

  • Defensible proxy gaugeUSGS 13011000 — Snake River near Moran, WY (proxy for Teton lake conditions)

    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 controlString Lake canoe launch to String Lake canoe 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 classificationnearby_basecamp

    Day trip by default. Overnight backcountry camping on Leigh/adjacent lakes requires an NPS backcountry permit; no parking-lot camping.

    Source

  • Image decisionGrand Teton NPS waterway context photograph

    Approved same-watershed context image; it is not presented as a photograph of 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

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Paddler reports

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Photos

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String and Leigh Lakes paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling String and Leigh Lakes?

Paddle Today watches Snake River near Moran, WY (proxy for Teton lake conditions) and uses Not calibrated yet as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.

Where does this String and Leigh Lakes route start and end?

This route starts at String Lake canoe launch and ends at String Lake canoe launch, about About 3.6 lake/carry miles out and back on the water.

Is this String and Leigh Lakes route good for beginners?

This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.

See something outdated?

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