![]() After cutting off that hellacious segment, however, we enjoyed a much more peaceful hike as we finished the last couple miles along Jenny Lake’s northwest shore. While it was probably only about a mile where the trail got painfully busy, it felt like an eternity. Needless to say, we opted to take a fork to the left and return directly to String Lake without visiting the overcrowded hotspots. Many visitors take the 12-minute boat shuttle across Jenny Lake to make the easy, two-mile round-trip walk to the falls and overlook. The two landmarks – a viewpoint overlooking Jenny Lake and a 100-foot cascade – are two of the most popular spots in the Tetons. That last short portion of trail along Cascade Creek is home to Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls. I was not at all comfortable with the throngs on people on that last section of trail, and we hastened our already quick pace just to get away from everyone. So much so, that for the first time in four months of hiking, we were forced to put on our masks. Unexpectedly, after a really beautiful, tranquil hike, the approach to Jenny Lake became appalling crowded. While we chose to continue up Paintbrush Canyon, a quick detour past the lakeshore wouldn’t have added any extra mileage to the route (as noted on trail map). Around 5.5 miles from the trailhead, the trail split with an optional detour leading to the shore of Holly Lake. The forest quickly thinned as the trail climbed more steeply through the canyon, gaining 3,200 vertical feet over the next 4.5 miles. Hiking this direction allowed us to ascend the steeper section of trail first, and to enjoy continuous views of Grand Teton and the Cathedral Group as we descended through Cascade Canyon on the return.įor the first 3.5 miles, the trail climbed gently through the forests along the shore of String Lake to Paintbrush Canyon, offering a quick glimpse of Leigh Lake. The trail climbs and leaves the views of the lake as it. Though the trail is close to the busy String Lake area, the west side of the String Lake Loop Trail is wild. The String Lake Trail approaches the shore of the lake and then begins a climb. The trail can be hiked in either direction, and we ultimately opted to hike counterclockwise. This very strenuous 20 mile loop takes you up Paintbrush Canyon, over Paintbrush Divide to Lake Solitude, and down Cascade Canyon. At 0.20 mile from the Jenny Lake Junction the String Lake Trail crosses the creek from Laurel Lake. Parking is fairly limited, so we’d recommend getting there early to secure a spot. Starting at the head of Paintbrush Canyon at String Lake is by far the best way to go, mainly because. The trail to Paintbrush Divide begins at the String Lake Trailhead, just north of Jenny Lake. We feel the absolute BEST direction to go is the latter.
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