Big Sky Country - 2016
Yellowstone National Park, WY to
Grand Teton National Park, WY
Day 19 - September 5
On the Southern Entrance road leading out of Yellowstone National Park, here is Lewis Falls, on the Lewis River
The headwaters of the Snake River, in John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, which resides as a 20 mile stretch dividing Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks
When we arrived in Yellowstone National Park 8 days ago, the Southern Entrance was closed due to this fire. There is still smoldering, and we see fire camps for the firefighters, but all is pretty calm
Welcome to Grand Teton National Park!
One of our first glimpses of the Grand Teton range. It’s an explosive first sighting across Jackson Lake
The view from inside Jackson Lake Lodge. John D. Rockefeller designed the lodge so that this room would have the perfect view of the Teton Range. Check
The view of the Tetons from just outside the Jackson Lake Lodge
The Teton Range
Across Jenny Lake to the Tetons
You just can’t stop clicking the shutter
The Craig Thomas Visitor Center is tremendous. We watched the movie of the Tetons. At the end of the movie, the curtains are pulled back to reveal the real thing. Stunning
This is a famous barn, photographed often. It is on the Antelope Flats Road, and is part of an old Mormon settlement. Obviously the barn has been renovated from its original. We will return when the sky and lighting is better
View of Jackson Hole from Mt. Piste, the top of the ski mountain above our hotel. A beautiful gondola ride
The Bistro atop Mt. Piste, where we have dinner
The Deck, which sits just outside the Bistro on Mt. Piste. We were going to eat here, but it is 38 degrees. This is the last night of the season for The Deck
Heading back down the gondola, this is a view of Teton Village and our hotel, the Teton Mountain Lodge
Day 19 - September 5
Yellowstone National Park to Grand Teton National Park
We awake to cold temperatures this morning in Yellowstone – 32 degrees. It had snowed in the hills above us overnight. And while leaving town, it snows very lightly. Fall is arriving in the frozen north!
As we drive south toward Grand Teton National Park – only about 2 hours away – the skies clear a bit. Upon turning a corner in the highway, we are met with Jackson Lake and the Grand Teton mountain range behind it. What a glorious sight! Although only a 50-mile long mountain range, the Tetons are striking – there are no foothills; they jut up from the western shore of Jackson Lake abruptly and majestically. The jagged peaks of Grand Teton and Mt. Moran, the highest peaks, are covered in clouds. The next couple of days are forecasted to be mostly sunny, so we plan to get up early tomorrow and take the 42-mile loop. For today, we scope out the park, which is not that big.
We check into our hotel – the Teton Mountain Lodge – which was built primarily as a snow ski lodge. We decide to take the gondola ride up the mountain for dinner. It was fantastic up there – great food and a wonderful view of Jackson Hole, the valley below.
Grand Teton National Park
Day 20 - September 6
A little frosty this morning. Tonight, I park the car facing into the morning sun
I had posted a picture of this famous barn yesterday.
Here it is again with a better view of the mountains
Which one do you like best?
Right next door to the barn (actually, there is a pink house in between) is this house/outhouse. Only for the hardy
Squinting. This was a tough picture for Kathy to compose. Because of the sun, she had to guess where the Grand Teton mountain was in the background. Nice guess!
A zoom in of the glacier on Grand Teton mountain.
It has receded rapidly in the past 40 years
The Snake River reflecting the Teton range at Schwabacher’s Landing. If you visit Grand Teton, take the 2 mile dirt road from the 42-mile loop road in the morning. Wow
Another reflection shot in the Snake River. This one is from Oxbow Overlook, 10 miles down the road from Schwabacher’s Landing
Leek’s Marina - this cute little marina on Jackson Lake is toward the northern end of the park. When we drove in yesterday, we noticed there was a pizzeria here. They were still open - will close for the season at the end of the week; the pizza was delicious!
On top of Signal Mountain, elevation 7,700 feet.
Beautiful view of the Teton Range and Jackson Lake
From the summit of Signal Mountain, a view of Jackson Hole to the south toward the city of Jackson
Day 20 - September 6
Grand Teton National Park
Today we take the 42-mile loop. One side of the loop travels east of the Snake River, and gives a more distant view of the Grand Teton Range; the western side drives along the very base of the range – it’s in your face.
We travel back to Antelope Flats, for two reasons: to see wildlife (we see none), and to get a brighter view of the Tetons with the famous barn in the foreground (success). The sky is cloudless, and the sights of the mountains will be glorious today.
Following the barn, we travel up the eastern portion of the loop. We stop at Schwabacher Landing. It is a very calm portion of the Snake River – small fishing boats can be launched here. The river gives a stunning reflection view of the Tetons. Next is the Snake River and Oxbow Overlooks.
For lunch, we return to Leek’s Marina and their pizzeria. It is open for this week only, then it closes for the season.
A great pepperoni and Canadian Bacon pizza.
Our final stop is Signal Mountain. A 5-mile steep drive up the mountain for fabulous views of Jackson Hole (the valley) and the Teton Range with Jackson Lake in the foreground.
Back to the hotel about 3 pm, and I spend the rest of the afternoon catching up with this blog!
Grand Teton National Park
Day 20 - September 6
Grand Teton Mountain, blowing its top
On the Jenny Lake Ferry early. The Cascade Canyon Trail starts on the other side. The trip is less than 10 minutes
Crossing the lake; that’s Cascade Canyon.
I’ll be hiking a portion of the way into it
The Inspiration Point Trail.
The Cascade Canyon Trail starts at Inspiration Point
The last part of Inspiration Point Trail is up the side of the mountain on this craggy path. My weak ankles and sense of balance were put to the test
Cascade Canyon from Inspiration Point. Walking that way…
Jenny Lake from Inspiration Point, about 9:30 am
I walked about 2 miles of the Cascade Canyon Trail. Most of it was forested, and you couldn’t see the canyon itself very well. I keep hoping I would turn the corner and see it
That’s Mt. Owen with the snow on it. Just to the left of it you can see Grand Teton Mt. peaking up. To the far left is jagged Teewinot Mt
I turned a corner, and there it is! A large meadow replaces the forest, gracing me with a beautiful view of the canyon
The Cascade Creek in the foreground
The meadow ends, and it’s back to the forest. This is where I decide to turn around. You can take this trail another 2 miles to a fork. The right fork is a very steep trail that leads about 4 miles to Lake Solitude. That would have been about a 16-17-mile round tripper for me. ‘Nuf said
Mt. Owen in my face. Grand Teton Mt. behind it to the left
Jenny Lake from Inspiration Point, now about 11:30 am
Jackson Lake is a natural lake that was made larger with the addition of the Jackson Dam in the early 20th century. That’s the Snake River - many small fishing boats of all kinds are launched here
This is the view out the large sitting area inside the Jackson Lake Lodge. The room was built to gift patrons the perfect view of the Grand Teton Range. We stay here many hours today
Thought I would post this funky panorama. The four windows sections are really a straight viewing line across the back of the hotel
Went outside the hotel and took this panorama, catching the entire 50-mile Grand Teton Range
This was taken through the window in the Mural Room, where Kathy and I had a window seat lunch
After lunch, we sat outside on the back porch of the hotel. You can gaze…
…and gaze forever
We have been searching high and low for wildlife in Grand Teton. We know they’re there, we are just getting shut out. So…we see an antelope on the side of the main highway, and stop. Got to get a picture of something…
This is a good stop for wildlife, so we stopped here for a bit.
All we saw were some ducks and this blue heron (believe me)
Day 21 - September 7
Grand Teton National Park
Up early – 6:15 am – to hit the Cascade Canyon Trailhead. The Inspiration Point Trail starts across Jenny Lake (via ferry) from the Jenny Lake Visitor Center, and the Cascade Canyon Trail starts at Inspiration Point.
We have gone by the visitor center the last two afternoons, and it was impossibly crowded. No parking spots. So getting there early in the morning is imperative. Kathy and I both ferry across, but since Kathy’s knee is acting up, she is only going to walk around the trailhead area, then take the ferry back and wait for me.
I head up Inspiration Point Trail. It is a steep trail, about a mile up to Inspiration Point, which gives beautiful views of Jenny Lake to the east, and the canyon to the west. From Inspiration Point, Cascade Canyon Trail begins and continues for about 4 fairly easy miles to a fork. From the fork, another trail takes you 4 more very steep miles to Lake Solitude. I don’t have the time to do all that (or maybe the energy), so I travel up Cascade Canyon Trail about 2 miles. This may be my favorite trail ever. Gently sloping uphill into the canyon, it follows a lovely stream. At first the path is taking me through thick forest, and I can’t see much. I hope it will open up to reveal the canyon, and finally it does! Into a large meadow, I am now surrounded by steep mountain slopes on both sides. Incredible!
Back from the hike (about 5 miles), Kathy and I make our way to Jackson Lake Lodge. The large lounge area has huge windows that offer a marvelous view of the Grand Teton Range. We arrive at about 11 am, and don’t leave until 4:30 pm, having lunch there. The Grand Teton Range is one of those natural scenes (I think of Crater Lake and Lake Louise) that you can gaze upon for hours – spellbinding.
Leaving the lodge, we make a slow ride back to the hotel, watching for wildlife, which has been scarce for us at this park so far. The only wildlife we see is a lone antelope. We will keep searching!
Grand Teton National Park
Day 21 - September 7
The beginning of the Phelps Lake Trail. Pretty thick forest,
with an occasional small sage meadow
After 1.5 miles, you are rewarded with this view - Phelps Lake.
A pretty large lake, it is perhaps 3 miles long and 1 mile wide
As you see from the background, this lake sits in the southern portion of the Grand Teton Range - not where the most dramatic peaks are
A short portion of the trail along the lake goes out into this marshy meadow, thus the walkway
Looked left and right for bear and moose. Nothing
At the far (west) end of the lake. The mountain range is behind me
Back around toward the east end. Such deep blue
The western end of the lake. This portion of the trail does not come close to the shore; instead, it climbs a bit, and you can look down on the lake - through the trees
The old guy had to have some balance here. Felt like Simone Biles, without the flips
Walking along the southern shore, on the way back to the trailhead
The eastern shore, near the mouth of the lake, which feeds a creek
This was taken from the northern shore, at Hickory Point
I’ve made it around the lake - this is the eastern shore, near the mouth of the lake
Bear prints, near the shore
Panorama from the eastern end. How clear is that water?
Back at the trailhead, 7.5 miles later. Whew!
One of Kathy’s high school friends, Laurie Talbott, was just here a few days before us. She lives in Winter Park, Colorado. Too bad we missed her! But she gave us some great tips about navigating Grand Teton National Park. And she recommended Liberty Burger in Jackson.
After a 7.5-mile hike, I’ll take the double, and a couple of those onion rings!
Our hotel was here in Teton Village, below the ski area. Nice hotel, but a little bit of a pain to get in and out of the park
The lobby of our hotel, the Teton Mountain Lodge
On the wildlife hunt in the late afternoon
A moose calf! We were on a very narrow road, and EVERYBODY stopped. What a mess! But it was worth it
I owe you a better blue heron picture. Here you go
For those of you who have been bombarded with our Meadview sunset pictures - well, we like sunsets. Here are a few with the sun dropping behind the Tetons
Sunsets are beautiful everywhere, aren’t they?
The aftermath
Day 22 - September 8
Grand Teton National Park
When we entered the park earlier this week, the ranger at the Visitor Center mentioned that his favorite lake hike was Phelps Lake, which is just up the road from our hotel. Today, I will attempt the hike. Looking at the map, it is a 6.5-mile loop around the lake. Kathy will stay at the hotel to rest her knee – we have a short hike scheduled for tomorrow that she wants to try. I figure I will take the loop trail part way up one side of the lake, then return.
I get to the trailhead at 8:50 am. The sun is bright in the sky. This trail and lake are just too beautiful; I text Kathy – “take your time” she says. Ok, let’s take the entire loop. The pictures will tell you how beautiful it is. The entire hike, with a couple of extra offshoots along the way, is 7.5 miles; when I’m done, my dogs is pooped. I haven’t hiked that far in years! It is mostly level – only one section has a bit of a climb. I thought for certain I would see wildlife. Well, I did – one chipmunk and 3 birds. I did see a bear print though!
Once back to the hotel, I clean up and we head into Jackson, about 12 miles away, to Liberty Burger, which was recommended to us by a friend of Kathy’s who was here in the area only a few days ahead of us. Tasty!
Then, in search of wildlife. We have seen amazing wildlife in our 3 weeks. We only wish to complete the checklist with bear and moose. We take a very bumpy, dirty, narrow road near our hotel. At one point, the road is jammed both ways. Why? A moose calf about 100 yards off the road. It’s not a bull moose, but we will take it. We continue on; no bear, but as a bonus for our efforts we are treated with a gorgeous sunset. Nice way to complete the day!
Grand Teton National Park
Day 23 - September 8
These three peaks, from left to right - Teewinot Mt., Grand Teton, and Mt. Owen, are known as the Cathedral Peaks. These are the peaks presented to me when I hiked Cascade Canyon Trail (which is to the right) a couple of days ago
String Lake, near famous Jenny Lake. I like this lake better. It’s smaller - you can get it all in
String Lake
At String Lake
Grand Teton and String Lake
Hi Kathy!
Along the String Lake Trail. This fawn, his sibling, and their mom, held up the hike for awhile
While driving, we saw this guy and his friend fencing with their antlers. We made a U-turn, but they had finished
Our second trip to the Leek’s Marina Pizzeria.
Food, scenery, and company - can’t be beat!
We will still stop for any wildlife - antelope. There were a few of them along the main highway
Day 23 - September 9
Grand Teton National Park
Today is our last day in Grand Teton – tomorrow we drive to Salt Lake City to catch a ride home. What a trip it’s been!
A fairly simple day today. We first visit String Lake, a small lake that is on the Jenny Lake loop and sits below the Cathedral Peaks: Grand Teton, Mt. Owen and Teewinot Mt. The lake, as its name implies, is very narrow – maybe 200 yards across. But it’s not that long either – about 1 ½ miles. We walk along part of its length. So pretty, with the mountains in the background.
We visit Leek’s Marina again for a pizza. They close for the season in 2 days. From there, an afternoon lounging at Jackson Lake Lodge, gazing through their huge windows at the mountain range.
On the way back to our hotel, we make one last, desperate trip into the area where wildlife is supposed to be found, but are shut out again. Our one (very minor) disappointment for the trip is that we did not see any bear, and saw only one moose calf.
Grand Teton National Park, WY to
Yorba Linda, CA
Day 24 - September 10
We did see a moose calf the other day. Here’s a bull moose! Well, just a metal cut-out of one…
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Snake River Canyon, along Highway 89, south of Jackson. The leaves are turning!
Snake River
We must have seen bike racers for about 50 miles. It must have been a Century Run. And with some brutal hills
With bike racers on one side of this mountain road, this mountain sheep was running up the other side
The bike race is still going on as we enter into Montpelier, Idaho. Main Street is blocked, and we are detoured to the right. Well, this semi had a little trouble negotiating the turn, and ditched it. Fortunately, he left just enough room behind him for the cars to continue on the detour and detour around him
Kathy makes it to Idaho!
We are on a street where Wyoming is on one side of the road; this farm is on the other side, in Idaho
Bear Lake, which straddles Idaho and Utah
Day 24 - September 10
Grand Teton National Park, WY to Yorba Linda, CA via Salt Lake City, UT
Our last day! We leave Grand Teton about 9 am and make our way south through beautiful canyons and farm country in Wyoming, Idaho and Utah.
The Snake River forms the first canyon we travel, followed by a valley of farms. Then, into another mountainous area - this time there are bike racers trudging up the hill. This goes on for at least 50 miles. Thousands of riders, a tough race. Sure glad they were going the other way - cars and trucks going with the riders were having a tough time getting around them.
The final canyon was the prettiest of all - the Logan River Canyon, leading into the Utah town of Logan. Beautiful Logan River cuts through the mountains.
In Logan we stop a Logan’s Heroes, a true hole-in-the wall sandwich shop. Pretty crowded, so you knew the food was good. We each had a sub sandwich.
Our flight home from Salt Lake City was uneventful - we are home in Yorba Linda by 9:30 pm.
Such an amazing trip! It feels like we have been gone for months. We drove 3,642 miles in a Chevy Cruz (it did great!) and listened to 986 songs from our 1,600 song “Ric & Kathy’s Travelsongs” playlist!
What amazing country! We feel very blessed to have been given the gift to experience it!!