The views from the pass are breath taking, Mt Moran to the north, and the rock needles of Cathedral Group to the south is a sight to behold. Paintbrush Divide, elevation 10,645 ft, is 2.4 miles above Holly Lake. Small meadows contain many wildflowers including the Indian Paintbrush the namesake for the canyon, At 1.6 miles in you will turn right on the Paintbrush Canyon Trail and begin a moderate climb of 4.6 miles where you will pass Holly Lake.Īlong the way, the spectacular views of the steep canyon walls will frame the panoramic views below of Leigh and Jackson Lakes. For that reason, it's advisable to get an early start and try to cross the open divide by noon, the top of a mountain is not a place to be in a Teton thunderstorm.įrom the parking lot take the east side of the String Lake forest trail and cross the bridge between String and Leigh Lakes. Thunderstorms are common in the afternoon for most of the summer. Higher up you’ll find the alpine country, with its talus slopes, glaciers, and globe flowers, Glacier Lilies, and Alpine Forget-me-nots, the park flower. In Cascade and Paintbrush Canyons you will see boulder fields and subalpine forests of fir, Engelmann Spruce, Limber and White Bark Pines Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels, American Pikas, and Yellow-bellied Marmots may be seen in the area. ![]() After August it is easily traversed without an ice axe, trekking poles are always useful on extreme day hikes and make the small snow excursions even easier but it might not hunt to have an ice axe along if you go earlier than August. A snowfield makes the trail a bit tricky as you cross the Divide until early August. Also, it’s steeper which is more pleasant to go up than down, and gets the hard part over with while you are still fresh. ![]() It's best to go up the Paintbrush Canyon first because it allows turning around if the quicker if ice/snow at the divide is a problem. The Paintbrush Divide trail makes up the first part of a great loop hike that carries you across the Divide (10,720 feet), passing Lake Solitude as it winds back down to the Cascade Canyon. Hidden Falls Cascade Canyon grand Teton National Park
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