Grand Tetons National Park: The Grandest Peaks Rising Above Jackson Hole

"The Teton Mountains are, to my way of thinking, quite the grandest and most spectacular mountains I have ever seen ..."

John D. Rockefeller, Jr

From the moment we caught our first glimpse of the majestic peaks, we had to agree! With no foothills, the Teton Range seems to just spring up 6000 feet directly from the valley floor of Jackson Hole. The peaks of this beautiful mountain range first appear just south of Yellowstone National Park and stretch to the town of Jackson, Wyoming ... 40 miles down the road. 

John D Rockefeller, an early 20th century conservationist and philanthropist, played an important role in preserving the area surrounding the Grand Teton mountain range for all to enjoy today. In 1929, the original national park included just the mountains and glacial lakes. But Mr Rockefeller felt strongly that the surrounding valley known as Jackson Hole also needed to be preserved as it served as an important winter habitat for the herds of elk, bighorn sheep, and other wildlife that spent their summers high in the mountains. Under the guise of "The Snake River Land Company", he anonymously purchased acres of homesteaded land when it came up for sale. In 1943, he donated these 32,000 acres of land to the federal government in order to expand the protected area of the national park.

And as we began our 50th national park visit, we are grateful for these conservation efforts that preserve these "Grandest Peaks" for all to enjoy today.

I have to admit, I would have been very content to just gaze up at the majestic peaks the whole time we were there as their beauty just mesmerized me.

But there was so much more beauty to discover on the hiking and biking trails and in the surrounding area.

The Grandest of Hiking

Grand Teton is blessed with an abundance of scenic hiking trails. One of the most popular hikes lies in the middle of the park starting at the Jenny Lake Visitors Center. From there you can take a boat across the lake ($12 one way or $20 round trip), or you can walk the relatively flat lakeside trail 2.5 miles to a trail that leads up to Hidden Falls,

... which is really only hidden only if you don't want to make the half mile uphill climb. From there, it's even more of an uphill climb to Inspiration Point.

And if that viewpoint inspires you to seek out even more amazing sights, a further uphill rock scramble will reward you with breath-taking sights when you reach Cascade Canyon.

And of course, there are "bonus" sights along the way like lounging moose wondering why you are working so hard on such a lovely and hot day.

And if you really don't want to wait in the LONG line to catch the boat ride back, you can complete the circle around Jenny Lake. Prophylactic Tylenol is very helpful for aching feet,

... but your hiking partner may still wonder how his "Energizer bunny" can be so slow!

And be warned, the up-close views of those "Grandest Peaks" will provide the incentive to take on another trail.

We highly recommend the Taggart and Bradley Lake trails,

... but there really isn't a bad view on any of the Grand Teton trails. 

The Grandest of Bike Trails

Grand Teton National Park has a bike path that runs from the Jenny Lake Visitor Center south to the city of Jackson, Wyoming. Our electric bikes handled the headwinds and occasional hills and allowed us to visit the bustling town of Jackson.

We learned about the continuing wildlife conservation efforts with a visit to the National Elk Center,

... and Doug was rewarded for his extreme patience in hiking with another craft brewery coaster to add to his collection. 

The "Grandest" of Roadside Dining

Taking your kitchen along with you is one of the best ways to dine in any national park, and the rays of the setting sun behind the mountains made for a perfect ending of our day. As the crowds cleared out, we enjoyed the tranquil views at various pull-offs in the park.

The Grandest of Accommodations

Alright, maybe that is stretching the truth a little, but we were able to enjoy some spectacular views from our various "backyards" at Colter Bay and Gros Ventre Campgrounds. Using the app "Wandering Labs", Doug was able to snatch some last-minute openings at these popular national park campgrounds. 

From our campsite along Jackson Lake, we were able to take a two mile hike around the bay. And if Doug happened to forget to bring the bear spray, we were positive to run into this fellow who liked to frequent the area.

The Grandest of Ski Resorts ... Even in the Summer

Jackson Hole Ski Resort, a popular winter ski destination, is located in the mountains just south of the national park.

With summer hiking and mountain biking trails, the resort's gondolas are busy year-round transporting tourists up for spectacular views

and nightly entertainment.

The Greatest of History

Jackson Hole was originally settled by ranchers and farmers who put up with extreme weather conditions and isolation. The buildings that still remain on "Mormon Row" reflect one of the last areas of the lower 48 states to be settled.

Permanent homesteaders first arrived around 1884 but soon discovered the many hardships caused by harsh winters and short growing seasons. Thanks to the foresight of people like John D Rockefeller, this desolate farmland was transformed back into ...

The Grandest of Natural Beauty

... for all to enjoy!

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