Again, the adults enjoyed the sunrise, sipping on coffee and tea. When the girls woke up, we snuggled for a bit, but when we started to get hungry, we got dressed and headed into Jackson.
I had heard great things about Persephone Bakery, and knew they must be true when we walked up and the line poured onto the sidewalk. However, I quickly learned it was an “order at the counter” place and the line moved quickly as people placed their orders and moved to the outdoor area to sit.
Apparently I’m on a matcha kick, and Persophone’s version, along with the egg and herbed goat cheese omelet were delicious. I do think, understandably, that their baked good stole the show! The girls generously shared nibbles of their chocolate croissant and cinnamon brioche muffin. So good!
Afterwards the girls begged to do a little more wandering of the town, so again we went in and out of book stores, toy stores, art galleries, and the kids’ favorite stop- Mursell’s Sweet Shop.
It was like hopping in a time machine! Next to the modern day decadent chocolate truffles were jars full of candy from yesteryear. Both Hailey and Kaitlyn opted for the same candy buttons I loved as a kid. It was such a fun stop!
After stopping back by the house for a snack, to pack a cooler, and a quick change of clothes, we headed back into the park. Priority number one was the acquire the Junior Ranger books from the visitor center.
Though some of the booklets had us all working on the tasks, it was quite fun that way and forced us all to learn more about the history and natural wonders that surrounded us. I’ve been so impressed by so the national park museums and visitor centers on this trip!
Our first stop was at Menor’s Ferry and General Store, a must-visit spot on the junior ranger activity requirements. Like anything historic, it was fascinating to me to picture life here when this space was up and running, ferrying people across the Snake River.
Inspired by the water and ferry, we took off for our main destination of the day- Jenny Lake!
We were hoping that by arriving later in the day (it was around 3:00 at this point), that some of the crown would be beginning to dissipate. Though the Jenny Lake parking lot was still quite full, we were able to find a spot and walk down to the boat- no line there for a trip across!
We paid our boat fee (total of about $50 for us all, both ways), and enjoyed the breeze and the view on our 15 minute boat ride across the beautiful water.
On the other side, there was a 40 minute wait for the ride back across, and we hoped it, too, would be less by the time we finished our hike.
We took off for the trail towards Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. The hike to Hidden Falls from the Jenny Lake trailhead is about .7 miles, but we opted to continue past it to Inspiration Point, an additional .5 miles with a gain of 500 ft in elevation.
The hike is beautiful and shaded, but the Inspiration Point leg gets a little exposed (hot!) and rocky at parts, but it’s worth it for the view you get at the top!
We stopped at the top for a while, letting the kids climb over boulders, drinking water, and even watching an engagement take place (what a spot to say yes, right?!).
Then we made our way back down the path into the woods to stop and see Hidden Falls for a little while. It was much cooler there and the little rivers that run by the paths are so pretty!
Overall we hiked about 2.7 miles by the time we made it back to Jenny Lake. There was no wait for the boat back across, which was surprising with how bust the trail was, but we were pleased!
Once back across the lake, we piled back in the car and crossed our fingers that the String Lake parking area would not be too crowded. The previous day, all three parking lots were full and people were parked down the main road for quite a ways. Again, we hoped our late afternoon/early evening plan would work… and it did!
String Lake, a smaller and more shallow lake than Jenny or Jackson, was SO much less crowded than the day before. We found a spot and hauled our cooler to the lake edge, where we were able to snag a prime picnic table.
We set up our picnic dinner then enjoyed the most tranquil evening. We alternated eating guacamole with walking in the lake (up to our ankles… in the evening without sunshine it felt so cold)! What a wonderful, relaxed evening it was.
As the sun started to dip, we packed up and took the scenic path home, searching for views and animals. We didn’t see much wildlife beyond some deer, but the view at Cascade Canyon overlook stole the show anyway- breathtaking!
We drove back to our place, and like every night, showered and hit the hay, happily exhausted!
Janelle says
I am LOVING these recaps because it is fun to reminisce about our trip there last fall! When we were at Hidden Falls, we watched a man effortlessly climb all the way to the top of the waterfall, barefoot! It was so entertaining! Such an amazing part of the country!
Brittany Dixon says
No way!! That would have made me so nervous to watch, but how cool to see someone conquer it like that!