Paintbrush Canyon Is Grand Teton’s Most Colorful Hidden Trail: Authorities confirm

Tucked into the northern end of Grand Teton National Park between Rockchuck Peak, Mount Saint John and Mount Woodring lies Paintbrush Canyon, a valley most park visitors never bother to find. While the majority of hikers gravitate toward the more popular trails further south, this canyon quietly earns its name each summer as its slopes ignite in red blooms of Indian paintbrush — the wildflower Wyoming designated as its state symbol back in 1917. The trail begins at Leigh Lake, at the canyon’s base, and climbs through terrain that shifts dramatically with every mile gained.

The landscape owes its shape to glacial activity that sculpted the valley roughly 15,000 years ago, leaving behind steep walls and rocky bowls that now frame the hiking route. Those famous red blooms that carpet the hillsides each summer are not actually petals — they are modified leaves called bracts. The plant carried cultural significance for Native American tribes, who used it for dyes and medicinal purposes, and a widely shared tribal legend holds that a boy’s scattered paintbrushes stained the land with sunset hues. The hike itself kicks off at the String and Leigh Lakes Trailhead, where the path hugs the shore of shallow, clear String Lake beneath the towering silhouette of Mount Moran, the park’s fourth-highest summit. The early going is shaded and relatively flat before the trail begins its serious climb, with Leigh Lake and Jackson Lake gradually appearing through the trees behind you. Around the midpoint, the route reaches Holly Lake, a compact alpine pool enclosed on three sides by granite hills with Mount Woodring looming sharply overhead — a natural rest point where many hikers choose to stop and turn back. Continuing upward, the trail crosses scree fields and skirts snowfields that can persist well into summer, with narrow ledges and stiff winds greeting those who push toward Paintbrush Divide at 10,700 feet, one of the highest points on any maintained trail in the park. From the divide, Mount Moran, Mount Woodring and Rockchuck Peak anchor a full panoramic view stretching north over glaciers and ridgelines. The descent from the divide drops approximately 1,600 feet over about two miles to Lake Solitude, a high-alpine pool at roughly 9,035 feet where Grand Teton, Mount Owen and Teewinot rise directly across the water. The full loop then continues down the glacier-carved U-shape of Cascade Canyon, where Cascade Creek runs loud and white alongside a trail lined with monkshood, fireweed and monkeyflower, with Grand Teton growing larger straight ahead with every downhill step. Moose appear regularly near the lower canyon and lakes, and huckleberry-dense stretches attract grizzly bears in late summer, making bear spray a necessity throughout the route.

Many hikers who have walked trails across the park say Paintbrush Divide is the finest viewpoint in Grand Teton.

The full Paintbrush-Cascade loop measures approximately 20 miles with around 4,480 feet of elevation gain, and most hikers require between 11 and 14 hours to complete it — many opt to split it into an overnight trip using a backcountry permit. The out-and-back to Holly Lake alone runs about 13 miles round trip for those not committing to the full circuit. Paintbrush Canyon generally draws fewer visitors than the adjacent Cascade Canyon, offering a more solitary experience across a route that moves through shaded forest, open wildflower meadows and exposed alpine tundra in a single outing. Late July through early August typically marks peak bloom, though timing varies with snowmelt each year. The trailhead is located at the String and Leigh Lakes parking area in the park’s northern section; a park entrance fee applies. Snow can linger on Paintbrush Divide into July, and the National Park Service advises carrying an ice axe and crampons when conditions warrant. Pets are not permitted. Confirm current trail conditions with a ranger before departing.