Hello

Can anyone recomend a backcountry hike for one night in teh tetons? I am looking for a scenic route with maybe 6-8 miles in and out. any ideas?
Jamie

I suggest you get a copy of the book Teton Trails by Katy Duffy and Darwin Wile. It's available (for $6.95, I think) from the Grand Teton Natural History Association at
http://www.grandtetonpark.org
The Teton is a hiker's paradise! We haven't taken that long a hike, but have enjoy many, many shorter ones in the Teton.

My husband just did a trip like that last June. He had it totally mapped out. I will get the info for you and post it.
He says it was hands down the most beautiful hiking he has ever done and he has hiked all over Europe, Yosemite etc.

Here is the info from my husband:

If you are looking for an in and back out hike instead of round trip hike with different starting and ending points, then I think the best one is up through cascade canyon from Jenny lake trail head, leigh lake trail head, or string lake trailhead. They are all about the same distance apart.

You first hike around Jenny Lake (no mattter what trail head you choose) and then up cascase canyon. Before entering cascade canyon, I would stop at inspiration point for a good view of Jenny Lake and the open valley behind it. This part of the hike that is around the lake and to the mouth of the canyon is about 2 miles and about 1/3 is up hill where you ascend maybe 800 ft.

You then walk through cascade canyon which is about 4.5 miles with about another 800 ft ascent (not too bad at all).

From here, you can decide to go about 1-2 miles to the left up to South Fork Cascade camping zone (right behind the Grand Teton), or to the right 1-2 miles up to North Cascade Fork camping zone. I personally thought that the North Cascade Fork was prettier and it is less of an ascent than South Fork. However, it will depend more on where you can get a camp site. Jsut hike back out the next morning.

The most important thing is to get to the national park lodge before they open to get in line for a camping permit. I believe you can book ahead of time, but you will need to check out the national park webpage at nps.gov. You can also get maps and everything else at that site.

That would be the best one day in and one day back out hike I can think of in the Tetons as it is not alot of elevation ascending and it takes you right through the heart of the park. It is also one of the prettiest parts of the park I saw, and I hiked about 65 % of the trails all through the Tetons. I loved looking down North Fork Cascade towards the back of the Tetons from Solutide Lake. One thing you could do is set up camp in one of the lower camp sites in the North Fork and then keep hiking up the North Fork with just a water bottle and camera up to lake solitude then back down to your camp site.

One thing I would recommend if you do not reserve a camping space is that if you are there a few days earlier than your hike, go and get the camping permit. Because you have to get the permits the morning of the first day you start your hike, I know some people would get a permit for two nights in some open camp zone that is usually available(Alaskin Basin) and then get the third night for where they really wanted to stay. They never used the first two nights, but did it just to be able to reserve the one they wanted three days out in advance. The permits are free and to be honest, no one ever checked, but I wouldn't take my chances.

Lastly, I would start early so that you can get to your camp zone as early as possible. There are not many camp sites in the camp zone and they fill up quickly, at least the good sites do.

I guess it all depends on when you plan to go. I was there in August which is a very busy time. If it is not a busy time, you shouldn't have a problem.

Hope that helps. I would visit nps.gov and the Grand Tetons site and look at the map in the backpacking section that shows mileage and all the trails. It is a good one to bring with you. I would also call the park and talk to them soon to plan it all out.

I've taken almost every part of that hike (at separate times!) and give a hearty endorsement of it.

I also give a hearty endorsement to the Cascade Canyon / Lake Solitude hike. My wife and I did it as a loooonnnng day hike (took about 8 hours up and back). There were several small groups we chatted with when we reached the lake that had camped in the North Fork camping zone, and were then going up to Lake Solitude, and then over the ridge and hiking back down Paintbrush Canyon to complete the loop. This sounds like what you are after, and the scenery is absolutely stunning.

Thank you so much for all the great info. That sounds like a perfect hike and I would think we would probably continue to lake sloitude and loop out the next day via paintbrush canyon. sounds beautiful.

one more question. after camping at the north fork campsite, how long is it to lake solitude and then to return on the paintbrush canyon trail? is it possible to return in the one day? what is the difficulty of that return hike?
jamie

I concur with bmillersc. I did the Cascade Canyon/Lake Solitude hike two summers ago. Beautiful scenery. It is a quick overnighter. The view from the top is awesome. Treat yourself to breakfast at Doornan's one morning. The food is alright (pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, coffee, hot chocolate) but the view from the picnic tables is the best.