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Amazing scenery! by Vashti  Overview
A beautiful hike through Cascade Canyon alongside Cascade Creek with snow-covered mountains, seasonal waterfalls, and animals! An amazing hike to do alone or as part of a loop. Hike The trail begins shortly after Inspiration Point. To get to the junction, you can start from the Jenny Lake Trailhead and walk on the Jenny Lake trail around the southwestern part of the lake, or you can take the ferry across Jenny Lake and start from the boat dock and shave off 2.4 miles. The description to Inspiration Point is described within the Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point Guide.
After passing the breathtaking views (and hordes of people) at Inspiration Point, continue along the trail following the signs for Cascade Canyon. At the junction, turn left/west to start along Cascade Canyon. You cross a wooden boardwalk-like bridge that takes you over a shallow stream. The hike is along Cascade Creek and can be muddy in spots in the early summer/spring. There was some snow in spots, but it was on its way to melting away. The creek views and sounds are beautiful, as are the breathtaking mountain views. The Tetons are surrounding you on this trail, and they are majestic! There are many snowmelt waterfalls along the way along with streams coming into the creek. We saw a lot of marmots on the trail as well as moose. As the trail continues on, it moves into the forest, but the stream is still next to the trail. The Cascade Creek trail ends 4.5 miles in at a junction with the aptly named North Fork Cascade Trail and South Fork Cascade Trail. Heading north can take you to Lake Solitude, or continuing, a loop is possible, returning on the Paintbrush Canyon Trail back to the Jenny Lake trail. Due to a late start, we hiked down Cascade Creek short of the junction as an out-and-back. I can't wait to head back and do the entire loop through this spectacular area! Note Best to start this hike earlier in the morning for several reasons. The canyon is wide open, so hiking in the full sun can get hot fast. Another reason is parking. The most likely parking location is Jenny Lake, and the area is IMMENSELY popular. The parking lot is very large, but it fills up quickly. Think hordes of people enjoying the amenities in this location: visitor center, park shop, short and long day hike possibilities, boat ride, picnic area, and more. NPS recommends hikers carry bear spray in this area. Also, bring bug spray as well as sunscreen. Check out the Official Route and Triplogs. Leave No Trace and +Add a Triplog after your hike to support this local community. One-Way Notice This hike is listed as One-Way. When hiking several trails on a single "hike", log it with a generic name that describes the hike. Then link the trails traveled, check out the example. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
