We knew this was going to be a big day – but we weren’t really prepared for how big! On paper, the distance was significant – nearly 20 miles – and the elevation gain was over 4,000′ – significant from any perspective.

In retrospect, this hike has consistently remained in our top-5, even years later. The views were phenomenal, the trail conditions were consistently good (no bouldering, like in New Hampshire!), and for us, the weather on the day was stunning – all combined for a memorable hike.

We got an early start at 7:30 am, with the temperature at just 32 degrees.   Yes, we had to run the defroster in September to clear the windshield!    The Tetons are on the western edge of the timezone, so sunrise/sunset are shifted later (compared to New England).  So, after stopping for a few sunrise photos, we arrived at the trailhead beside Leigh Lake.

Without delay, we packed up and were off on the trail and were treated to an early glimpse of wildlife as we saw a half dozen deer grazing in the woods to the right of the trail. They seemed unfazed by our presence.   Not much later, we heard some branches crunching in the woods, and looked up to see a large buck or moose loudly galloping through the woods alongside the trail!  No doubt a bit more startled than the deer.

Our first big waypoint was Holly Lake, at roughly 9,000 feet, sitting at the foot of a peak and bordering the treeline – above which, not much was growing.    From the lake, it was a steady hike upward, crossing a stretch of trodden-snow and then following a very pebbly, cliff side trail as it made its way up the mountain with numerous switchbacks.    At one point we nearly lost the trail at a switchback and attempted an upward scramble before another hiker pointed out the pinpoint turn we had missed.   Before long we reached Paintbrush Divide, a ridge walk with views of canyons on either side.

With about 1/3 of the hike behind us, the balance of the hike was a long gradual walk down. A rocky cliff side descent with more switchbacks brought us to Lake Solitude, where we stopped for a lunch break. From there we followed the Lake Solitude trail to the Cascade Canyon trail, which brought us “out of the range” through the Cascade Canyon to Jenny Lake via a long steady woods walk with a gradual descent the entire 5+ miles.

The final few miles followed the shoreline of both Jenny Lake and String Lake, trails that were reminiscent of our treks in Cinque Terre.

The books had talked about this hike as being one of the premier hikes in the park.   We had a stunning day for weather, an ideal temperature for hiking, and crystal clear skies.    In all, we logged over 19 miles and, according to Jeanne’s Fitbit, over 47,000 steps in 9 hours.   We limped back to the car giving some second thoughts to our hike plans for the following day, though definitely satisfied with the day’s accomplishment!