2018-20
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| sunset on my last day at Grand Tetons NP |
Jackson Wyoming
Grand Tetons
National Park
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Grand Tetons National Park
photo ops abound from anywhere in the park |
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| Gros Ventre |
Campground: Gros
Ventre (National park campground) $15 senior rate. Dump Station and
water available. No reservations, 1st come first served.
Campground: Buffalo
Bill State Park, Cody Wy. $17 (no hookups). Water and dump station
available. $5 extra if electric site available. Northfolk
campground has all pull-thru sites.
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| hwy 26 heading towards the Grand Tetons |
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| thousands of acres of lush farmlands along hwy 26 valleys |
From Idaho
Falls/Rigby Idaho, heading east/south east on hwy 26 before heading
north on 191 into Jackson Wyoming and Grand Tetons NP, hwy 26 is one
of the prettiest routes I’ve ever taken. Wide valleys filled from
horizon to rising mountain ranges with the lushest farm lands I’ve
ever seen. Thousands of acres on either side of the highway. By
heading east I’m on the side of the highway where most of the
pull-outs are located making it easy to stop and take a few pictures
and just drink in the awesome 360 degree views. The two lane highway
follows the Snake River, a magnificent river rushing along in a hurry
to get where it’s going. The closer I get to the 191 exit I’ve
noticed many forest and rivers edge campgrounds. Some boondocking
sites, others are forest campgrounds, all at very reasonable rates.
A huge lake created along the Snake River via a dam really
complements the stunning views. And hardly a town or cross roads
within 25 or more miles in either direction. The lake is pristine,
nary a cabin or cottage within view. With some planning, I’d very
much like to come back to this area and do some camping. Realizing
I’d need to stock up on food supplies and be prepared to be quite a
distance from any civilization. But what a stunning setting to
settle into one day, at least for a while….
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| hwy 26, Snake River/lake, not a cabin in sight |
Distance Traveled:
114 miles
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| First views of the Tetons from the campground |
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| my view from my back window of the camper |
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| first moose siting on this trip, less than a mile from campsite |
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| Downtown Jackson Wyoming |
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| view thru one of four antler arches in central park, Jackson Wy |
Now my GPS said it
would take just over 2 hours, but with all the stops along the way it
took more than 3 hours. But I finally drove through the town of
Jackson (which most people call Jackson Hole). Winter months this is
a skiing paradise for the well healed customer. During the summer
it’s crowded with tourists coming to vacation in the Grand Tetons
and Yellowstone just up the road. High end restaurants on every
corner, many not opening until 5pm. Not a burger king or Mc Donald's
to be found anywhere. (later I found a Wendy’s and McDonald’s on
the edge of town) How do I know, as I inched along the main road
through town. Well I’ve been here in the past and I can tell you
it’s only getting more crowded, or maybe it’s the time of year.
In any case, the sidewalks and pedestrian crossings are packed. And
the road I’m on through town is bumper to bumper traffic trying to
just get out to town.
Note: there is
ample parking about a block or two off the main streets including a
few small city parking lots. Three hour parking limit.
15 miles out of
town, I’ve arrived at the campground. Easy check in. And after
having to go up front a second time to pick a different site, the
first one they selected for me was impossible to back into, I settled
in to my site. Lots of open space, great views and plenty of
sunshine for my solar panels. Yup, I’m a happy camper.
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| Pendelton Store |
In town, I walked
into the Pendelton Store, one of only a few independently owned
Pendelton stores in the country. They even have two of their own
designed wool blankets. Store owners proud of their store and should
be. They tell me the summers have more crowds, but the winters with
the ski crowd is busy as well, just a different (well to do) crowd.
At the Dollar Tree
store, yes it’s the only dollar store in town, the cashier told us
that Jackson has 36 billionaires living in town. The most
billionaire’s of any town in the world. The man who started Dollar
Tree stores even lived here in Jackson Hole until he passed away in
recent years. She also told someone interested in moving to Jackson
about property. The cashier said, land in the area is currently
going for a million dollars an acre, and a city block in town starts
at one million dollars on up.
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| millionaire's homes overlooking the campground I'm staying in |
Stories from Jackson Hole Wyoming
Talked to a young
mom with two kids, one young boy had dislocated his shoulder and was
in a removal cast. They live here year round, and she said the
winters are a bit too long for her taste, even though they do love
skiing in winter. Asked about the ground squirrels which I’ve
noted are everywhere, especially at the campground and just about
everywhere I’ve been touring. She said they have a barn cat, who’s
very happy with the whole situation.
Idaho Falls is the
closest place to find a Walmart and other big box stores. So once or
twice a month the locals travel to Idaho Falls for serious shopping
as Jackson has a lot of tourist shops, art galleries and designer
restaurants, but few everyday shops.
Mosquito’s are
present even during the day time. Very small little buggers. A
breeze helps, but don’t stand still for too long or they’ll find
you (or me).
A local country
station that bills itself as Country music that still sounds like
Country, KJAX 93.5. Nice to find a local station that fits the local
area so well.
I’ve seen moose,
deer, pronghorn antelope and elk but no moose this time around.
Perhaps in the next couple of days. I’m sure they need a break
from we tourists.
Taking a few
back-roads in the area, I’ve seen some pretty country, all with
views of the Grand Tetons. Some of the original Mormon Settlement
farms have been preserved and are now a part of the national park,
though most are not available to tour the interiors. Great
opportunity to take some great pictures of the old barns, homesteads
and out buildings. Even toured some old log cabins in disrepair and
a warm spring that was created only about 100 years ago when they had
a big landslide in the area.
The Grand Tetons
National Park is the only national park with it’s own airport.
Making for a convenient way for all those billionaire’s to fly
their private jets into Jackson hole.
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| great fishing spot and moose watching |
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| prong horn |
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| river out of Jenny Lake |
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| one of my favorite shots |
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| elk |
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| downtown Jackson's famous 4 arches |
and then I have to show just a few more shots of the Teton area:
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| a photographers dream location |
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this warm spring was created about 100 years ago
after a massive mountain slide |
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| views of the Tetons from every vantage point along my touring route |
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| another favorite shot |
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| love it |
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blue birds were so active and colorful
when they spread their wings |
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| your classic shot that everyone takes |
Distance Traveled:
161 miles
to Cody Wy
Now where did I
leave off on my journey…. I was heading north on 191 through The
Grand Tetons NP and hadn’t seen a bison. By the way, these
national parks are big, I’d been traveling for about 40 minutes,
still in the Grand Tetons when I noticed a bunch of vehicles on the
side of the road, usually my best bet for spotting wildlife. And
there they were, a whole heard of buffalo. Not the largest herd I’ve
seen by any means, but still great to see.
A short while later,
on the turn off heading toward Yellowstone NP, I had to stop and take
a couple of really classic shots of the Tetons with a lake
reflection. I’m sure you’ve all seen this shot, and it would
make any amateur photographer a professional for at least a day.
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| really.... what NOT to do |
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and yes, the bison is looking at her
any moment now....... and she could be done for |
Now I know you won’t
believe this but I’m actually just passing through Yellowstone
which of course will take a couple of hours, not including the
obligatory stops along the way. Now you know Yellowstone is noted
for all the hot springs, geysers, waterfalls and gorgeous high
country lakes. But I had to stop for all the wildlife and
wildflowers everywhere. Bison, Elk resting in a thicket of burned
out trees and young grizzly bears enjoying a bed of tall grass. A
huge bison was munching on grass at a most picturesque backdrop of a
placid lake, with spruce trees lining the far shoreline, lupine
wildflowers covering the landscape and there I witnessed idiots, yes
you read that right, idiots, one after another walking right up to Mr
Buffalo as big as a house, taking their selfie shots, mere feet away
from being mauled to death. Ignoring what the buffalo was up to as
they adjusted their cell phone to they could get just the right
picture for posting to their friends and family. Clueless,, I tell
you, they were clueless. And only a couple of weeks earlier two
people were mauled by a bison in the park.
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another classic shot that make every photographer
a professional at least for the day |
Back in my truck
towing the camper through Yellowstone, taking a route through the
park I’d only partially been on in the past as I was heading
towards the eastern entrance and Cody Wyoming. I’d make a couple
more stops to watch Elk and a couple of young grizzly bears that were
finally pushed out by mama bear. Yes even mama bears need to push
their kids out to go on their own after a couple of years.
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| elk in repose |
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| show off |
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| young grizzly bear, recently pushed out of home |
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| lupine and yellow daisy's |
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| Lupine everywhere the forest fire was |
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| heading to Cody Wy |
After passing
through a couple of road construction sites in the park and did I
mention much of the narrow two lane road had no shoulders with
potentially dangerous drop off, what they usually call “soft
shoulders”. Let’s just call it what it is, Non-existant
shoulders.
Climbing up the
final leg through the eastern entrance, I drove to the top of a
mountain pass around the 8,500 ft height and their along with a nice
pull-out where snow drifts. What fun to walk on snow and even make a
snowball and throw it. Some kids even slid down the snow right on
their pants, getting a bit soaked along the way, but loving every
second of this most unexpected summer joy.
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| a bit of unexpected fun! |
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| too much fun |
Cody Wy
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| across from my campsite, Cody Wy |
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Doug, Susan, and Michael (photo by Michael)
all happy campers |
I’m staying at a
nice State Park about an 18 minute drive into town, where I’ve met
up with Michael and Susan (Desert Trails Rv friends). Catching up
on how their summer travels are going and surprised that they have
gotten a second camper (travel trailer) just to travel around in
during the summer months. It’s smaller that their 36ft (?) fifth
wheel camper and makes it easier to get in and out of all the
campgrounds along the way. Actually a number of full time Rv-ers
have opted for owning two campers, one for long term stays and the
other for more adventurous travels. There are just so many ways to
do this Rv lifestyle.
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oh, and on laundry day, I met this wonderful couple
from California traveling on their 3 wheel bike
Cody Wy |
Many more photos:
