Can you do this?
The Paintbrush–Cascade Loop — what it takes
Counter-clockwise, you climb Paintbrush Canyon, cross the divide, drop to Lake Solitude, and return down Cascade Canyon — one of the best loops in the range without the full traverse. It suits very fit day hikers ready for 4,000 feet of climbing at altitude, or backpackers wanting one big night out. The divide is the crux and it is no place to be slow or late.
- Distance 19 mi
- Time 1 long day, or overnight
- Permit Permit if overnight
- Season Mid-July – Sept (divide snow)
Paintbrush Divide at 10,700 feet holds a steep snow slope into mid- to late July most years — the single thing that closes the loop, and where an ice axe and self-arrest skills earn their weight. Done as a long day, no permit is needed; camp at Holly Lake or Lake Solitude and you need a backcountry permit.
The route, in order
How the route runs
Each stop below is a real place on the park's map — walked in sequence, with how long you spend at each.
- Paintbrush Canyon - Cascade Canyon Loop 10–12 hr (day)
The loop
From the String Lake trailhead, climb Paintbrush Canyon to the divide — the long, sustained ascent that sets up the whole day. Go counter-clockwise so you hit the snowy divide while it's still firm in the morning.
- Lake Solitude Trail 1 hr
The high lake
Over the divide and down to Lake Solitude at 9,000 feet, set under the north side of the Tetons — the turn-around feel of the loop and the natural lunch stop.
- Cascade Canyon Trail 3–4 hr
The descent
The long, gentle drop down Cascade Canyon past the waterfalls, with the Grand and Mount Owen overhead the whole way down.
- Jenny Lake Trail 1–2 hr
The return
Reach Jenny Lake at the bottom of Cascade Canyon; take the boat shuttle across to String Lake or walk the lakeshore back to close the loop.
Before you can go
Permit & logistics
The loop is doable as one long day with no permit; an overnight at Holly Lake or the Cascade camping zone needs a backcountry permit (recreation.gov). [VERIFY: the current Paintbrush Divide snow advisory and the backcountry permit window against NPS Grand Teton before publishing.]
Plan B
If conditions turn
A multi-day route has more ways to go wrong than a dayhike. Here is what forecloses it — and your move when it does.
- Snow on Paintbrush Divide
The divide's north-facing snow slope lingers into July and can require an ice axe and self-arrest skills; a slip there is serious.
Instead: Wait until the divide melts out (late July onward), or turn the climb into an out-and-back to Holly Lake and skip the divide.
- Running late on the climb
It's a 19-mile day at altitude; hikers who start late get caught by afternoon storms on the exposed divide.
Instead: Start before dawn, or split it into an overnight with a backcountry permit at Holly Lake.
Make it happen
Reserve your spot
The route is decided. The only thing between you and the trail is the permit — settle it now, while it's fresh.
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