Matt and Alice took this photo of our motorhome and pick-up with the bikes on the back as we left Yellowstone. Only seven miles of highway separate Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, so we did not have far to go. The drive took awhile, though, as six of those miles were torn up and under heavy construction.
This highway is known as the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, in recognition of Rockefeller’s gifts of land to Grand Teton and other national parks. In 1929, the central peaks of the Teton Range and half a dozen lakes at their base officially became Grand Teton National Park. But this did not preserve a complete ecosystem nor protect mountain views from valley development. Rockefeller quietly bought up 35,000 acres of farm and ranch land and donated the property for an expanded park. This took time and was not without opposition—particularly from cattlemen—but most would agree it was worth it. Since the establishment of the park, tourism has surpassed cattle ranching to become the economic foundation of the region. We didn’t travel far and spent the first night at Flagg Ranch Campground. Matt and Alice treated us to drinks to celebrate our 43rd wedding anniversary. We built a campfire and made s’mores after dinner.
Next day, Friday, we settled at Colter Bay Campground, which is at an elevation of 6800 feet. The sites are all slanted and terraced which gives you great privacy. We drove south to Jackson Hole to do some exploring and grocery shopping. Alice and I snapped photo after photo of the beautiful jagged mountains beside us. We both commented that they looked like someone had painted a backdrop, they were so perfect. The 2.7 billion-year-old rocks found in the core of the range are some of the oldest in North America, but these mountains rank among the youngest in the world. Upon entering the city, we had to have our pictures taken under the elk antler archway.
I also took this photo of the green ski hills behind the town. Snow King Resort is open for skiing from Nov. 25 through March 27. As thriving as the town is today, Jackson Hole is isolated by its surrounding mountains and has such a harsh climate that it was one of the last areas of the lower 48 states to be settled.
Right outside the city sits the National Elk Refuge. This nearly 24,000 acre site serves as an annual winter range for 5,000 to 10,000 elk. At the end of the winter season, local Boy Scout troops gather and auction off the elk antlers that are naturally shed every spring. They donate 80% of their profits to buy supplemental winter feed for the elk. The top buyers usually come from Asia, where antlers are considered to have medicinal value.
We stopped by the Snake River on the way home. The river does not look very powerful, but there are warnings at all the launch sites and in the camping literature, that only experienced floaters should attempt this swift, cold river as it has many braided channels and debris jams. This did not stop Matt from wading out into the middle!
Last stop of the day included a visit to the marina at Colter Bay. You can rent a canoe, kayak, motorboat or take your own boat out onto Jackson Lake. Again, please notice those gorgeous mountains in the background.
We set out the next morning, Saturday, and took the Jenny Lake Scenic Drive. We had had to get out of the car at the Cathedral Group Turnout where Grand Teton and its flanking peaks, Teewinot and Mount Owen, were just begging to be photographed.
We all noticed a black stripe at the top of one of the mountains. No wonder we could see it. We found out later that this black dike is 150 feet wide and was once molten magma that squeezed into a crack when the rocks were deep underground and was subsequently lifted skyward by movement on the Teton fault.
We next stopped at the Jenny Lake Overlook and were rewarded with more stunning views.
We took the 10-minute shuttle boat ride across Lake Jenny to the mouth of Cascade Canyon. We undertook what they described as a “moderately strenuous” hike UP to Hidden Falls—mostly at Hank’s urging! It was worth the trip and we were amazed to see people climbing the face of the mountain across the way from the falls. There is a mountain-climbing school in the park.
After catching our breath and taking the shuttle back, we stopped at Jackson Lake Dam. We saw some fish being caught and then witnessed the neatest thing. An osprey had swooped down and snagged a fish. As he came up out of the water, 2 bald eagles attacked him and took away his catch. They went down the riverbank to eat it and were too far away for us to capture them on camera.
In an effort to see the elusive moose we were told were everywhere in the park, we stopped at the historic Jackson Lake Lodge. Its six-story picture windows in the lobby afford stunning views of the majestic Tetons rising above the lake. Cold beer, great potato snacks, but no moose were spotted. We went home to grill buffalo steaks for our dinner.
Sunday both couples did their own thing. One thing we both enjoyed was the David T. Vernon Indian Arts Museum at the Colter Bay Visitor Center. Its collection of Indian artifacts are beautifully displayed. Visiting Indian artists from around the country demonstrate and sell their artwork in the lower level of the museum.
Our only disappointment at Grand Teton NP was the fact that we did not see any moose. Well, Alice and I did see one—but it was on the wall at the Jenny Lake Visitor Center. We did hear that because of the rainy spring and summer, the moose have not had to leave the woods to forage for food. Or maybe they were underwater when we were looking for them. Did you know that moose can browse underwater for aquatic plants, diving for them in water over 18 feet deep, staying underwater for nearly a minute?
Bears continued to be a problem in this park as well. Warnings were posted everywhere and, once again, great care had to be taken with food stuffs and grills. We laughed nervously at the rules that were posted for staying safe in Bear country—like Never Approach a Bear (like we would!) and If You Encounter a Bear, DO NOT RUN (can you imagine standing still while the bear decided what to do with you?) Luckily, we never had to use these rules.
I will leave you with yet a few more of our favorite pictures taken in this magnificent park.
Now onto Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.
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