Photographs of Jackson Lake via Wikimedia Commons.
Credit and licence on each image — hover to view, click through to the source.
Jackson Lake covers 25,540 acres in Wyoming and drops to 438 feet at its deepest point. It is a natural lake, which generally means a more stable shoreline and fewer drawdown surprises than an impoundment. Water level is the thing to understand here: the pool can move roughly 30 feet, typically drawn down in autumn. That changes dock function, boat access, and what the shoreline looks like in listing photos versus in person. Water clarity averages around 30 feet, placing it among the clearer bodies of water in the country. Short-term rental posture: Not permitted in park. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.
What stands out
Exceptional clarity, roughly 30 ft
Deep water — 438 ft max
Boating
Fishing
Watch outs
Seasonal drawdown near 30 ft — verify dock reach at low pool
Score breakdown
Water7.9
Recreation7.2
Value3.5
Access6.5
Investment1.7
Each axis is computed by published formula from this lake's own
attributes. How we score.
Water quality grade
Water A
ExcellentClear, low-nutrient water. Typically oligotrophic with high clarity and little seasonal algae.
Water B
GoodHealthy water with moderate clarity. Some seasonal variation, no persistent problems.
Water C
FairProductive water — good fishing, reduced clarity. Algae possible in late summer.
Water D
PoorNutrient-rich or heavily drawn down. Swimmable conditions vary; check before you rely on them.
Computed from measured clarity, trophic state, and drawdown magnitude —
not an opinion. See the formula.
Overall score, 1–10
8.0+
ExceptionalStrong on every axis we measure.
7.0–7.9
StrongClearly above average, usually with one standout axis.
6.0–6.9
SolidA good lake with a trade-off worth understanding.
5.0–5.9
MixedReal strengths and real compromises.
Under 5
CompromisedSomething material — volatility, water quality, or access.
Weighted: water 26% · recreation 22% · investment 20% · value 18% · access 14%.
Fishery
Lake troutCutthroat troutBrown trout
On the water
BoatingFishingTeton viewsPaddling
Live from Jackson Lake near Moran, WY.
This is a lake or reservoir station measuring
reservoir elevation on this water body — direct sensor
readings, not estimates.
6733.72 ft
Elevation of reservoir water surface above datum
2026-10-02
Gauge history
Daily values from USGS. Loading up to one year.
What the drawdown looks like
Full pool vs autumn low · Jackson Lake
The dock sits at full-pool elevation. At low pool the waterline retreats
and the reach to navigable water changes. Scale is illustrative; the 30 ft
figure is from published operations for this lake.
Where it is
True shoreline from USGS NHD
109 km²
The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset,
not an approximation — 644 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic
with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.
Depth profile
Idealized cross-section. Max depth 438 ft,
average 140 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry —
verify at the property.
This lake moves. A drawdown near
30 feet changes dock reach, boat access, and the look of the shoreline.
Tour in the low season, or at minimum look at the gauge history above before you offer.
Dock & shoreline
Permitting authorityNPS Grand TetonWake / speed rulesOpen water
A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with
NPS Grand Teton that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.
Short-term rental posture
Not permitted in park
Generally permitted, but rules change. Confirm the specific municipality and any HOA covenant.
Modeled estimates. Market figures are derived from
lake attributes and regional patterns, not from MLS data. Treat them as a starting point, not a comp.
$920,000
Median waterfront
$6,516
Per shoreline foot
-2.2%
Year over year
144
Est. inventory
74
Avg days on market
$279
Est. nightly rate
Rental snapshot
Modeled occupancy71%Booked nights / yr187Gross revenue$62,845Net operating income$26,778Yield on median price2.91%
