Paintbrush Canyon is located in Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton National Park is a United States National Park located in northwestern Wyoming, U.S. The Park consists of approximately and includes the major peaks of the long Teton Range as well as most of the northern sections of the valley known as Jackson Hole. Only south of Yellowstone...

, in the U. S. state of Wyoming

Wyoming

Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...

. The canyon was formed by glacier

Glacier

A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...

s which retreated at the end of the last glacial maximum

Last Glacial Maximum

The Last Glacial Maximum refers to a period in the Earth's climate history when ice sheets were at their maximum extension, between 26,500 and 19,000–20,000 years ago, marking the peak of the last glacial period. During this time, vast ice sheets covered much of North America, northern Europe and...

 approximately 15,000 years ago. The canyon lies between Rockchuck Peak

Rockchuck Peak

Rockchuck Peak is located in the Teton Range, Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The mountain is immediately west of String Lake and south of Paintbrush Canyon. The summit is north of Mount Saint John....

 and Mount Saint John

Mount Saint John

Mount Saint John is located in the Teton Range, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, northwest of Jenny Lake. The mountain towers above the northwest shore of Jenny Lake, and along with Symmetry Spire and Rockchuck Peak, form a massif which looms to the north above Cascade Canyon...

 to the south and Mount Woodring

Mount Woodring

Mount Woodring is located in the Teton Range, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. The mountain is immediately west of Leigh Lake and is sandwiched between Paintbrush Canyon to the south and Leigh Canyon to the north. The best access to the summit is from Paintbrush Divide along the Paintbrush...

 to the north. Leigh Lake

Leigh Lake

Leigh Lake is located in Grand Teton National Park, in the U. S. state of Wyoming. The glacially formed lake is wide and slightly longer in length from north to south. Situated just southeast of Mount Moran, the lake is at the terminus of both Paintbrush and Leigh Canyons...

 is at the base of the canyon to the east. Popular with hikers

Hiking

Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...

, the canyon is part of a popular circuit hike of 19.2 miles (30.9 km) which is rated as very strenuous and includes a total elevation change of 3845 feet (1,172 m) due to the ascent to Paintbrush Divide 10720 feet (3,267.5 m). Views from Paintbrush Divide include Lake Solitude

Lake Solitude (Wyoming)

Lake Solitude is a lake located in Grand Teton National Park, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The in circumference natural lake is situated at the head of north Cascade Canyon and is a popular destination for hikers and backpackers. From the Cascade Canyon trailhead on the west shore of Jenny Lake,...

 (which is also passed on the circuit hike) and of Mount Moran

Mount Moran

Mount Moran is a mountain in Grand Teton National Park of western Wyoming, USA. The mountain is named for Thomas Moran, an American western frontier landscape artist. Mount Moran dominates the northern section of the Teton Range rising above Jackson Lake. Several active glaciers exist on the...

 to the north and the Cathedral Group

Cathedral Group

The Cathedral Group is a term applied to a collection of most of the tallest mountains of the Teton Range, all of which are located in Grand Teton National Park, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The collection of mountains known as the Cathedral Group are classic alpine peaks, with pyramidal shapes...

 including Grand Teton

Grand Teton

Grand Teton is the highest mountain in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park, and a classic destination in American mountaineering.- Geography :...

 to the south. An ice axe

Ice axe

An ice axe, is a multi-purpose ice and snow tool used by mountaineers both in the ascent and descent of routes which involve frozen conditions. It can be held and employed in a number of different ways, depending on the terrain encountered...

 may be necessary for hikes in the early summer. The Paintbrush Canyon Trail is part of the Teton Crest Trail, which spans the southern section of the Teton Range

Teton Range

The Teton Range is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in North America. A north-south range, it is on the Wyoming side of the state's border with Idaho, just south of Yellowstone National Park. Most of the range is in Grand Teton National Park....

 from Teton Pass

Teton Pass

Teton Pass is a high mountain pass located in the Teton Range in western Wyoming, between the towns of Jackson, Wyoming and Victor, Idaho. The pass provides access from the Jackson Hole valley to Teton Valley of southeastern Idaho, which includes the Grand Targhee Resort and the town of...

 along Wyoming Highway 22

Wyoming Highway 22

Wyoming Highway 22 is a Wyoming state highway in Teton County. WYO 22 spans from Idaho State Highway 33 at the Idaho-Wyoming state line to the concurrency of U.S...

 to String Lake

String Lake

String Lake is located in Grand Teton National Park, in the U. S. state of Wyoming. The natural lake is located at the outflow of Leigh Lake. A small wetland area is on the northwest side of the lake and is prime moose habitat. A short half mile long creek connects String Lake to Jenny Lake to the...

, a total distance of 39 miles (62.8 km).