The reason this canyon is called Paintbrush Canyon is because it is usually filled with wildflowers. I’m assuming the snow is what’s left of an avalanche that came down the ravine and took out a lot of these trees.īy the way. In the above photo you can see all this and piles of snow. Photo by: Marc BowenĪs I looked to my right I could see more damaged trees and tree stumps. Not too far after I crossed the bridge the canyon opens up for a short way and I noticed a lot of the trees here were leaning way over to my left, all in the same direction, or were completely broken off. To the right of the bridge Paintbrush Canyon Creek streams off in the direction of Mount Moran. This bridge (above) was the second bridge I crossed at this point in my hike.ĭirectly to the left of the bridge is a beautiful little waterfall. (Above photo) Just off this part of the trail I saw that someone had their tent pitched facing down the canyon so that they would wake up to this view in the morning! Photo by: Marc Bowen – Leigh & Jackson Lakes in the distance Some are first-come-first-serve and some sites can be reserved. There are a few campsites in this area of Lower Paintbrush Canyon. Photo by: Marc Bowen – Lower Paintbrush Canyon campsite area The water had a slight aqua tint to it making the falling water very nice to look at. I could hear Paintbrush Canyon Creek long before I was able to see it. Photo by: Marc Bowen – Paintbrush Canyon Creek I wasn’t stressing it because there were plenty of hikers ahead of me and behind me. No ripe berries on them yet that I noticed but a good place to make a lot of noise to avoid surprising a bear. The plants were as high as my head in some places. In this area of the trail the huckleberry plants are huge. Photo by: Marc Bowen – Huckleberry plants can grow to 6.5 feet tall Moran from Paintbrush trailĪnd Rockchuck Peak to the left of the trail. Moran through the trees to the right of the trail.
Photo by: Marc Bowen – Huckleberries along Paintbrush Canyon trailĪt this point I had a few glimpses of Mt. Photo by: Marc Bowen – Leigh LakeĪ little distance up the trail from the beautiful Leigh Lake views the trail began to turn toward Paintbrush Canyon and was almost overgrown with huckleberry plants in some places. Along this part of the trail I enjoyed brief views of Leigh Lake and the valley and hills to the east. Photo by: Marc Bowen – Leigh Lake outletĪfter I crossed the foot bridge across the Leigh Lake outlet I followed the trail in a gradual climb through Lodgepole pine forests and then took a right fork in the trail at the Paintbrush Canyon Trailhead. Go right if you want to go to Leigh Lake and the Leigh Lake portage area or left across the foot bridge to the String Lake Loop trail and the Paintbrush Canyon trailhead. At this point in the hike there is a fork in the trail. String Lake and Leigh Lake are connected by a short but wide stream. To read more about that hike please click the link Hiking the Leigh Lake Trail to Bear Paw & Trapper Lakes. I have hiked this trail before on the way to Leigh Lake, Bear Paw and Trapper lakes. Mount Moran was very beautiful in the morning light.
8 miles the trail follows along the shores of String Lake and there are some great views of Mt. I parked in the String Lake parking lot and then began hiking the Leigh Lake Trail. To get to the Paintbrush Canyon Trailhead I drove through the Moose Wyoming entrance on Teton Park Road, then turned left on Jenny Lake Road (which is a beautiful scenic loop drive by the way), then right on String Lake Road. I do enjoy seeing wildlife, just not in my headlights on a winding mountain road in the ‘wee’ hours of the morning. The road over the mountain between Swan Valley and Victor, although a slightly shorter drive time, tends to have more animals on the road before daylight (in my experience). I have been choosing to go to Jackson by way of Rexburg and Driggs in the early mornings to avoid animals on the road. The drive just before sunrise is beautiful as usual. I left home this morning at 4:30 am so I would arrive at the trailhead by 6:30 am.
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