Lake Solitude in Wyoming 2025
A beautiful and secluded alpine lake
Best time: July–October
Lake Solitude is located in Grand Teton National Park near Alta, Wyoming, at the head of north Cascade Canyon. A small and beautiful lake attracts many visitors over the summer hiking season. It can be reached from the Cascade Canyon trailhead near Jenny Lake. A scenic trail, 16-mi (26-km) in length both ways, lies through Cascade Canyon and North-Fork Cascade Canyon.
The trailhead to Lake Solitude trail is located at South Jenny Lake. Visitors can take a ferry across the lake to make their hike shorter. Hikers proceed along the south-west shore where they see a beautiful waterfall before climbing to the valley of Cascade Canyon. The trail provides fantastic views of the Tetons: the Teewinot Mountain and Grand Teton. On the way, hikers will see many campsites suitable for an overnight stay.
Lake Solitude is a perfect natural lake with a cirque basin. Many swim in its chilly waters to refresh after the hike. A large section of trail is usually covered with snow well into June, so the best time to hike this trail is from July through October. Wildflowers usually appear in July and August. But beware of summer thunderstorms during that time. They typically happen in the afternoons.
