Darby Canyon trail to wind cave, 7 miles with 2024ft elevation change. The temperature is in the 80s by the time we finish and the sun is blazing. We are done for the day but glad to have made the trek and glad that we got a pretty early start.
Like most trails from this side of the Tetons, we access the higher slopes by following canyons cut by fast flowing creeks. 
Today, early in the walk, the trail takes us up the walls of the canyon well above the creek bed. The views are lovely as we cross meadows interspersed with treed areas and open rocky outcroppings. We first hear the waterfall exiting the cave then spot the opening in the cliffs above us. The last half mile or so is a steep mix of rock steps and tree root tangle that takes us to just over 8700 feet in elevation. There is a bit of puffing but we make it. Folks claim they scale the slope up to the entrance to walk then crawl to the back of the cave where the opening reduces to a couple feet in each direction. It looks like today water would be running around our feet the whole time. 
We settle for the gurgle and splash of the falls and the lovely view from below. We scan high meadows for wildlife both going and returning but none make an appearance. Guess there are too many places to hide. It is great to spot whatever is out there but it is even fun to look for them.
The night sky is phenomenal. Countless stars with a broad sweep of the milky way. Beautiful!
Teton Canyon along the south fork of Teton Creek. We set out along the creek through towering pines with a much lighter understory than other recent hikes. It is cool and lovely. There is a fair amount of traffic on the trail but Kent and I are alone on a stretch and we hear a loud huff.
Maybe 100ft to our right along the creek bank are two moose, a mature bull with a good start on a rack and a juvenile. They browse with an eye on us for a bit before moving on when more hikers arrive. We get a good look and some nice pictures. We move on too. Pines give way to wide open mountain meadows backed by majestic cliffs, blanketed with wildflowers, and often cut through by a ribbon of willows lining the banks of smaller streams. We find a perfectly placed butt rock and relax taking in the view. 
Kent muses that it seems a perfect moose spot and not 5 minutes later a cow moose emerges from the willows moving nervously and even challenging a pair of hikers who are on the trail fairly close. She runs at them, not really charging but seemingly telling them not to get any closer then turns and collects up her young calf that has been hidden along the creek. They both head upslope and disappear into the denser undercover. All is well and it is a great encounter, for US.
one more lovely meadow and a lunch stop at the intersection with Devils Staircase 
trail before we reverse course for a nearly all downhill stroll back to the trailhead.
Palisades Creek Trail. The creek is roaring, we have had quite a bit of rain in the area the past week. It is a bit muddy underfoot and we are grateful to have the benefit of bridges at the various crossings along the way. Sometimes the water is right at our feet, others the trail is higher up slope along the bottom edge of soaring cliffs. Our goal today is lower Palisades Lake where we settle in along the boulder strewn shore to watch for critters after spotting a grouse on the trail. Chipmunks show up in mass begging for our lunch. Geese, common goldeneye and mallards are trailing their young around. We are very surprised to first hear then spot
pica busily gathering wildflowers and leaves for their den. Previously, we have only seen them at much higher elevation. This is moose territory too but none show their faces today.
flowing water and catches bugs. There are many perfect looking spots in this creek and finally I spot one of the little guys resting on a root ball out in the stream. Yeah! Nine miles. We’re glad to get the boots off.
slope of Clear Creek up through a heavily forested ravine. The sound of water tumbling across rocks is our near-constant companion. My kind of trail! We start with a creek crossing then move into heavy aspen and willow so thick and untamed that it is encroaching on the trail. We don’t have any trouble following the path but the vegetation is wet and we are now too. We break out the raincoats when a light rain moves in but continue to move up along the creek. The rain stops as quickly as it began. Aspens have thinned and we are surrounded by pines now. Scat and animal tracks confirm that wildlife appreciates this area too. It looks like we’re moving through the home of moose, elk, deer, bear, and probably fox. We come upon scattered forest clearings where tall grasses are dotted with a rainbow of wildflower colors. Woodland birds dart about rarely stopping long enough to even attempt identifying them. 
Kent does get a good look at this Western Tanager. It is getting muddy and badly eroded making it hard on the ankles. We turn back after 2 ¾ miles. It has been a good morning.