Boise, ID: Lake Solitude, Grand Teton National Park, WY
The Tetons are showy enough to make roadside views almost as good as the backcountry ones. Almost. This wilderness lake is a haul to reach, but the journey is just as good as the destination.
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Get here
Distance: 18.3 miles
Type: Loop
Time: 2 days
Trailhead: Paintbrush Canyon
Do it Take the Jenny Lake Trail 1.9 miles south to Cascade Canyon; veer west on the Cascade Canyon Trail. Near mile 5.9, split off north onto the Lake Solitude Trail and take it about 2.5 miles to Solitude. Retrace your steps here for a 17-mile out-and-back, or circle back through Paintbrush Canyon on one of the prettiest stretches of trail in the National Park System. To do that, pick up the Paintbrush Divide Trail from Solitude (mile 8.4) and head east. Pass Holly Lake in the shadow of 11,539-foot Mt. Woodring at mile 12.1 before hooking up with the String Lake Trail at mile 16.4. Take it 1.5 miles to the Jenny Lake Trail and retrace your steps to the trailhead. Get exact beta at backpacker.com/LakeSolitude.
Trail Facts
- State: WY
- City: Boise, ID
- Distance: 18.3