The hike througt Cascade Canyon to Solitude Lake is one of the most beautiful hikes in Grand Teton National Park, in our opinion the most beautiful in the park. It offers breathtaking views of Grand Teton (4,199 m), diverse flora and fauna, a quiet creek running through a beautiful canyon, and several waterfalls. And the highlight of the show, the mountain lake Solitude awaits us at the end of this superb hike.

Early in the morning, we take the first shuttle boat at Jenny Lake to get to the start of the hike on the other side of the lake. This way we escape the tourist crowds and enjoy the beautiful reflections on the surface of the lake, which is very still in the morning. Once on the other side of the lake, the trail leads us first trough the forest where the first few meters of elevation change await us. We then enter Cascade Canyon. The path along the river leads us among forests and clearings. It is not uncommon to encounter bears or moose and we are lucky to actually see a moose.

At the end of the canyon, we start the ascent to Solitude Lake with the Grand Teton summit in the back. The last few meters of the hiking trail are still covered with snow and the lake is mostly covered with ice. We linger a bit in this sumptuous landscape and have our picnic lunch there.

The hike can be continued by passing the Paintbrush Divide and hiking through the Paintbrush Canyon in order to form a loop and avoid returning through the same trail. This very long and strenuous circuit would have been our first choice without hesitation. Since the snow still covers a large part of this section at the beginning of July, we however choose to return via Cascade Canyon.

On the way back, the view on Grand Teton is exceptional and the blooming mountain flora contributes to the beauty of the landscape. For the last few miles, we take the trail to Inspiration Point with a great view of Jenny Lake and pass by Hidden Falls. Even though this section is very touristy and we are far from being alone on this part of the trail, the detour is really worth it. We also take the shuttle boat on the way back and end the day with a nice and quiet crossing of the lake.