Paintbrush Canyon Trail - Upper
What to Expect
Safety Advisory
Afternoon thunderstorms are common from July through September, and the upper canyon is fully exposed above treeline with zero shelter — check the forecast and plan to be off the divide by early afternoon.
Snow coverage on the approach to Paintbrush Divide can obscure the trail and create steep, icy traverses well into summer. Without traction devices, a fall could send you sliding hundreds of feet over rock. Turn back if conditions exceed your comfort level.
This is prime grizzly and black bear country. Bear spray should be accessible, not buried in your pack, and make noise on blind corners — the boulder fields create plenty of them.
Trail Details
Pro Tips
Most hikers tackle this as part of the full Paintbrush-Cascade loop (counterclockwise), hitting the upper canyon in the morning when snow patches are firmer and the western exposure hasn't turned the scree into a solar oven.
Microspikes or lightweight crampons are borderline essential through mid-July — the final push to Paintbrush Divide holds snow long after the lower canyon has melted out, and a slip on a steep snowfield up here has real consequences.
Holly Lake makes an ideal staging point: refill water, eat something substantial, and assess conditions above before committing to the upper section. The lake itself sits in a stunning glacial cirque worth photographing with the Tetons reflected in early morning light.
