Grand Teton National Park
Grand Tetons from the Snake River Overlook (made famous by Ansel Adams)
Driving from Yellowstone, we saw more bison napping on the side of the road. Then out of nowhere there was a woman with a stop sign, and we watched horses cross the highway from a dude ranch, cowboys and all. This would not be the first time we saw this on the trip. We would encounter more horses and cows being herded across highways several times on our route. The backdrop of this was the Grand Tetons; it felt like a movie!
After we got settled into our hotel, we walked around town for a bit. We took photos in the square with all of the elk horns. There is a massive elk refuge outside of town. All of these horns are picked up after the elk naturally shed them. The Boy Scouts and Rotary Club put them all together, and now they are some of the most photographed spots in town!
Our first meal in Jackson was at Hatch. This was a fabulous Mexican spot with safe food for M. We all really enjoyed our meals (my huckleberry margarita was amazing!). Once dinner was done, we were ready to order dessert and the power went out! A thunderstorm knocked out power in downtown for about 15 minutes. We learned this was a common occurrence, and everyone seemed unbothered by it. We chatted it up with the table next to us, and then the power came back on. My kids will talk to anyone, so they regaled this couple with our adventures so far and our plans.
Before we hit the National Park, we wanted to take a day in Teton Village. At first we were confused because we all thought the famed Jackson Hole ski resort was in Jackson. We could see a ski hill from our hotel room, but it was Snow King, not Jackson Hole. Whoops! We piled into the car and headed to Teton Village. Teton Village was a scene. It was filled with tons of mountain bikers. In the summer, the mountain converts to a mecca for mountain bikers. You have your bike, ride the chairlift, and take off down the trails. After a leisurely lunch, we drove back to Jackson, stopping at Whole Foods to grab supplies for our hikes the next day. We spent the remainder of the day wandering around town. It was lovely to relax and enjoy the day. We had dinner at Hand Fire Pizza. They do an excellent job with handling cross-contact for pizza. We enjoyed watching the pizzaiolos make pizza in this historic theater-turned-restaurant.
The next day we had a full day of hiking planned. We filled our packs with water, made sure everyone had snacks, and had lunch items ready to go in the car. M was very worried about encountering bears. We stopped at a local outdoor store so Mike could purchase some bear spray for peace of mind. When we parked at the Taggart & Bradley Lakes loop, we encountered some young women packing up to leave after camping for a few days. They talked with M and ended up giving her their bear bells. They attached the bells to her pack so she jingled every time she walked. She felt more comfortable with these on and knowing Dad had bear spray. The loop had us walking over waterfalls, on rocks, and through the forest. The whole time we had Grand Teton staring back at us. The day was perfect: tons of sunshine, not too hot, and not crowded with hikers. We completed the loop and had a car lunch. This is where my “Go-Box” for Celiacs comes in clutch. I had everything M needed to keep her full. We were often in remote places with no access to safe food, so we needed to be prepared at all times! We made tuna with almond crackers, had nuts, dried fruit, and of course some chocolate. R and Mike made sandwiches from supplies we grabbed at the grocery store.
Our next stop was Mormon Row. I’m a total history buff; I’m one of those people who read all the plaques on the side of the road. I love the history preserved inside the park. Mormon Row was settled in the 1890’s; it consisted of 27 homesteads. Today, the John Moulton Barn is one of the most photographed sites in Grand Teton National Park, and it’s not hard to see why.
When we left Mormon Row, our next stop was the Snake River Overlook. I wanted to stand in the same spot Ansel Adams took some of his photographs in the 1940’s. When I was a teenager and into my twenties, I had framed prints of Ansel Adams Teton photographs. Somewhere along the way of life, I lost track of them and no longer have them. But now, I have my own. This entire trip was jaw-dropping scenery along the way. Each park was so different and yet equally beautiful.
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