August 25 – September 1, 2024
Arrival
I left Curt Gowdy around 7AM – it was a 6+ hour drive to Grand Teton. Speed limit on I-80 in Wyoming is often 80 mph, I do not exceed 70 mph which means the driving time estimated by Google maps is up to 30 minutes shorter than what it takes me.
I took the picture of the sign later in the week when I wasn’t towing the trailer.
My reservation was at Colter Bay Campground. It is the furthest campground when you enter the park from Jackson Hole. I passed numerous turnoffs with views of the Teton Range and also passed a herd of Bison. I didn’t want to stop while towing the trailer so made note of places to come back to.
This is my first no hook-up site – no water, no electricity, no sewer. There are flush toilets nearby but showers cost $5 at the visitor center. At Curt Gowdy the showers took quarters and I could get a decent shower for three quarters.
I got set up and walked to the Visitor Center for a park pin (my 3rd) and got some pictures of the range.
Monday was a rainy day
I decided to spend the day exploring the park by car, scouting trail-heads, and getting supplies. Jenny Lake is the epicenter of the park and there is a visitor center there. A few trail-heads originate there – the trail up Cascade Canyon (passing Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point) and the trail to Moose Ponds. The ranger I talked to had recently hiked the loop up Cascade Canyon and back via Paintbrush Canyon. My plan is in/out Cascade one day and in/out Paintbrush another day. These are each 10-13 miler hikes. The trail-head to Cascade Canyon is on the opposite side of Jenny Lake and there is a shuttle boat that that takes 5 miles off the hike. Tomorrow I’ll take the shuttle.
Here are a few pictures from morning drive and Jenny Lake.
In the afternoon it cleared a bit and I hiked towards Hermitage Point which was accessible from the campground. Here are pictures from that 6 mile hike.
And I purchased the necessary supply for the next few day’s hikes:
Cascade Canyon
The trail-head for Cascade Canyon is on the opposite side of Jenny Lake from Visitor Center. It is accessed by a 2.5 mile walk around the lake or by a shuttle boat. The round trip shuttle boat cost is $20 – as I approached the ticket counter the guy in front of me asked about a veteran’s discount (I didn’t hear the answer). So when it was my turn I asked and the salesperson said it is free for veterans. I should remember to ask more often.
As the shuttle approached the landing the captain pointed out the “Cathedral Group” of peaks – the tallest of the Teton Range. They are the peaks in the left half of the picture below – from left to right Teewinot, Grand Teton and Mt. Owen. Gand Teton is the tallest but from this angle it does not appear so.
The first site along the trail is “hidden falls”. These hidden falls are a lot less hidden than the hidden falls of Curt Gowdy.
From there the trail climbs up the side of a cliff to “Inspiration Point”.
From there the trail winds its way through the canyon generally following the mountain stream the feeds hidden falls. It is a 4.5 mile hike in (and 4.5 back out). You can also connect to other trails and make it a ~20 mile loop. I hiked the 4.5 in and 4.5 out. Many of the hikers at inspiration point choose to return to the shuttle and skip the long hike.
Here is the sign after the 4.5 mile hike in.
I took fewer pictures on the hike back to Jenny Lake.
At the end of the trail on the back to Jenny Lake – literally a few hundred feet from the shuttle boat, and literally 5 feet off the trail this bull moose was attracting quite a crowd.
Mule Deer
That night while sitting by the camp fire my camping neighbor pointed out these mule deer right at my camp site.
Moose Ponds
I was looking for a relatively easy hike after the Cascade Canyon 9 miles. Moose Ponds fit the bill.
And I got to see a moose and a calf. Unfortunately I left my DSLR at the trailer so the best my cell camera do at the distance is below. The calf was hiding in the tall grass.
That night back at the trailer I had to hook up the generator for the first time. I am parked so in the shade that I’m getting very little power out of the solar panels. I did learn that if I switch the Victron into “charge only” and disable the inverter the batteries will last much longer. I probably;y could have gone the week without the generator had I known that from the start.
Paintbrush Canyon to Holly Lake
This is going to be my longest and highest hike of the trip so far.
It starts out easy enough around Leigh and String Lakes. It was early and the reflections of mountains on the lakes made for some great pictures.
But then the switchbacks started. It seemed at every switchback I’d stop and take another picture.
And there were mountain streams.
And after 6 plus miles you finally reach Holly Lake.
And after a break and a snack you start the long trek back down.
Jackson City
The “gateway city” to Grand Teton National Park is the Jackson, WY. The day after my hike up Paintbrush Canyon I drove into Jackson for a look. I also wanted to get a picture of the Bison I had seen the day I entered the park. Jackson is mostly tourist town with many galleries. I walked around, visited a brewery, and picked up some fresh coffee beans.
The antler arches are on the fours sides of the town square.
And the bison I saw when I entered on the first day were out agaain.
Lakeshore Trail
On my final day at Grand Teton National Park I hiked trails. First, the very easy Lake Shore Trail. This trail is right at the Colter Bay Village where I was staying and I hiked it early in the morning.
Grand View Point Trail
The second hike of my last day in the Teton’s was the Grand View Point Trail. This trail is short in distance but almost completely up hill. The ranger that recommended this trail mentioned that it was truly bear country. I kind of wanted to see a bear but all I saw was bear scat. The ranger also mentioned the bears were active because it is berry season – you can see that in the scat.
And that ended my week in the Teton Range. Tomorrow I head a couple hours south – a good thing since several mornings I woke up to 28 degrees.