0.9 mi of trail, end to end · about 30 ft of climbing · 6,806 ft–6,830 ft · earth surface · trail class Minimally Developed · hiking, horse
Heron Pond - Swan Lake Loop Trail the Park Service's write-up
1-3 Hours · no dogs · Spring, Summer, Fall
Start Colter Bay
A beautiful reflection of the mountain range may be found on Heron Pond on calm days. Photo: NPS Photo/C. Adams
Take an easy loop trail for access to two ponds and views of the Teton Range. From Colter Bay, take the trail to Heron Pond. From there, continue on to Swan Lake before heading back to Colter Bay. The trail winds through forests and wetlands. Swan Lake and Heron pond are both home to birds and other wildlife.
Accessibility The Heron Pond-Swan Lake Loop is an easy, 3.1 mi (5 km) loop hike with 320 ft (100 m) of elevation gain and an average slope of 5%. While the trail is relatively level, trail obstacles, such as exposed roots and rocks, exist.
The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.
