Cascade Canyon

Up again at sunrise, but this time, the destination was Jenny Lake and Cascade Canyon. When I finished the trail around lunchtime, I saw a parking lot so crammed with cars that I thought there was a circus nearby. Once again, so glad I arrived early.

The trailhead is located on the other side of Jenny Lake from the parking area. You can either hike there or take a boat shuttle that leaves every 20 minutes or so. I took the boat. Not because I’m lazy but because I wanted to get the view of the mountains from the lake, which I highly recommend.

Once embarked at the other side of the lake, the hike begins with a rather steep ascent to Inspiration Point, passing Hidden Falls. I don’t understand why there aren’t more accidents on this part of the trail. In some sections, you walk along a narrow, rocky path with nothing but a drop-off to your right. If you’re even slightly afraid of heights, it can be quite terrifying. But when (if) you make it to the top, the view is magnificent—a panoramic sight of Jenny Lake and the surrounding area.

After reaching Inspiration Point, the trail continues into a massive canyon, Cascade Canyon. The path goes straight through it, offering stunning scenery with mountain ranges on both sides throughout the hike. Truly majestic and worthy of a scene from The Lord of the Rings. The trail goes for about 2.5 km in total, but I turned around halfway. The landscape doesn’t change much along the way so I felt satisfied with what I’d seen at that point. The total hike was about 10 km, and the quality of the views is, again, off the charts.

I argue that this trail is a must if you’re visiting the Tetons. It offers almost everything you’d want out of a hike. I starts off with a bit of climb, but the actual hike through the canyon is an easy walk. And if you make it to Lake Solitude, be sure to jump in and go for swim to get the complete experience.