Advertisement
Published: October 14th 2015
Grand Teton National Park
An amazing National Park that must be on your bucket list.Before we begin this blog, I feel compelled to explain that it will be pretty epic. Our Sep/Oct 15 road trip through the Great Plains to Yellowstone and back again was probably the best road trip we have ever done – we had the most amazing experiences that will stay with us (particularly the boys) for a long time, and as a result, there’s a lot to write about.
For ease of reading, we will break the blog up into three sections – the first will be the road trip across the Great Plains and into the Grand Teton National Park. The second and longest part will be on our time in Yellowstone. The third and final part of the blog will be our journey back through Montana, Wyoming and into South Dakota where we spent a number of days exploring the Black Hills, known predominantly for the Mount Rushmore National Monument.
We’ve written it more as a diary to remember the trip by, and it will hopefully continue to remind the boys of the great experiences that we had in addition to them remembering that they learned how to play ‘Sorry’ (board game) properly
Watching Madagascar
This was how the kids saw the Great Plains - Madagascar over and over again. and watched endless Madagascar movies... BUT we hope our friends and family enjoy reading it too.
Day 1 – Fort Leavenworth to Random spot on I-80 (North Platte)
We left Fort Leavenworth rather late on a Sunday afternoon as we’d had some good friends from DC (Chris and Cassie) visiting for the weekend. After dropping them at the airport we started furiously packing in a vain attempt to get away by 2pm. With our brand new touring additions (in car DVD players for the kids) fitted to the seats, we eventually left the post at about 4pm.
The boys were travelling well with the screens which left us wondering why the hell we hadn’t bought them years earlier! As a result we were able to pound the highway and get some pretty good miles behind us despite the late get-away. The driving task in front of us was bang on 1000 miles (1600km) or 16 hours of driving which we wanted to complete by the evening of the second night. We munched down on Fiona’s packed dinner in an effort to get as far as we could on Day 1.
Blood Moon
The Blood Moon before the Lunar Eclipse - the closest the Moon has been to earth for a while. An added bonus on our journey was a lunar eclipse and a ‘Blood Moon,’ which we stopped to enjoy a little after 9pm. We made it a little further than night, calling it a day after about 6 hours of driving and crashed at a cheap Super8 interstate hotel at North Platte.
Day 2 – North Platte to Grand Teton
The next morning we rose to ‘enjoy’ a classically horrible US cheap hotel breakfast which consisted of sugar compressed into various forms of food extract, and some appalling coffee. Fortunately we’d planned ahead and bought our own cereal so could actually enjoy our morning meal! We crammed the food into our heads and hit the road with about 9 hours of driving time ahead of us.
Once again the boys made the most of the DVD players, and with a few enforced breaks, they made their way through Madagascar 1, 2 and 3.
We stopped for lunch at the pretty Lincoln Memorial on the I-80 in a stunning part of Wyoming. Adorned with a large carving of Lincoln’s noggin sitting atop a giant bronze wall overlooking
Lincoln's Head Mk I
Lincoln gazing out across the Wyoming Interstate. It had previously sat at the highest point of the Lincoln Memorial Highway and was relocated to the interstate when it opened. the highway, the stop was a welcomed break from the road. We sat out in the brisk wind quickly making some sandwiches from the esky before ducking into the visitors centre.
As we moved further into Wyoming the scenery became much more engaging, with ever rolling hills starting to punctuate the monotony of the prairie we experienced through much of Nebraska. These rolling hills grew into mountains as we approached the Rocky’s. The road was flanked by broad grassy plains, coupled with serious snow fences along the highway; which indicated just how severe the winters in this region could get.
With only a short distance to go, we seized the opportunity to enjoy some Asian cuisine in Middle America and stopped for dinner at the Thai Chef in Lander. The experience was complete with Monday Night Football blearing over the TV and we watched our newly adopted Kansas City Chiefs get pummeled (booo!)….but on the plus side the food was excellent.
Following dinner we drove the remaining distance through the night, winding our way through what was obviously a beautifully scenic drive that we could enjoy none of in the dark.
Grant Teton National Park
After 16 hours we made it! With full bellies, the kids quickly nodded off and we arrived at the Luton’s Teton Cabins just outside of the Grant Teton National Park at 9pm.
Day 3 – Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Our cabin was a pricey yet spacious and nicely appointed place to lay our heads, and it was a welcomed break from almost 20 hours in the confines of the car. We enjoyed a generous sleep in and went to check in at reception and were greeted with breath taking views of the Grand Tetons only a matter of miles from the Cabins.
The Tetons are one of the younger ranges in the Rocky Mountains, and are certainly not the tallest, but a complete absence of foothills sees them rise 7,000 feet above the valley floor and surrounding lakes. Coupled with their craggy and rugged appearance, the Grand Teton’s provide a dramatic and breath taking back drop to the surrounding region know as Jackson Hole.
We made our way into the park and invested in an annual pass that provide access to all US National Parks; which would prove a worthy purchase. We made
Oxbow Bend
The view of Mount Moran across one of the several waterways in Grand Teton. our way towards Colter Bay in the north of the park, rubber necking the whole way. Luck was with us, and we had a perfect autumn day with clear skies and very comfortable temperatures, so the mountains looked absolutely stunning. It took serious discipline not to be snapping photos every thirty seconds as the entire place looked like a postcard. Truth be told, we failed the discipline test and took photo after photo, particularly at the stunning Oxbow bend overlook - in which Mount Moran was reflected in the clear waters of one of the many streams feeding Jackson Lake.
We visited the ranger station at Colter Bay and again enjoyed amazing views of the mountains reflected in Colter Bay. At the Ranger Station the boys were introduced to the Junior Ranger Program, which almost all National Parks in the US offer. The kids complete a workbook during their stay in the Park and at the end they show the completed work to a Park Ranger who asks them all about their stay and then leads the kids in saying the Junior Ranger pledge. They are then awarded a Junior Ranger badge and a patch – needless
Mount Moran Again
Mount Moran again, from the back of the Colter Bay Visitors Centre to say the kids were very excited to pick up the workbooks and do the first activity – a scavenger hunt through the Visitors Center. Mum, who was seriously challenged by the questions designed for 4-6 year olds, was slightly less enthusiastic J
After racing around to complete the scavenger hunt, we bought some Bear Spray (yes, it does really exist) and headed off on a 2-mile hike around Colter Lake. We hiked about a mile and enjoyed a picnic lunch on an isolated lakeshore before throwing stones into the lake for half and hour (a funny reminder of what Nick used to do when he was a toddler at Coogee Beach with sand). The hike back proved a little too much and both boys had a meltdown within 400 meters of the finish! (lesson learned – take bribes in the form of ‘energisers’ ie chocolate to finish longish walks!)
We then decided to head to Jackson Lake Lodge which had an elaborate lounge with huge glass windows overlooking the mountains. On the drive there we caught a glimpse of a Coyote and some Prong Horned Deer grazing in the Sagebrush but no sign
Lunch Break on our Hike
Yet another a few of Mount Moran across the lake. of the larger Elk, Bison, Moose or Bears. Finally, we drove up Signal Mountain, which provided commanding views over the Jackson Hole basin. By this stage the little blokes were exhausted and just wanted to get back to the cabin, so we obliged and headed for home. Dan put the apron on and made a good mess while pulling together some Spag Bol which we ate outside watching the sun set over the mountains before playing a game of ‘Sorry ‘ and putting the kids to bed.
Day 4 – Grand Teton
Having spent the bulk of day 3 in the northern part of the park in the shadow of Mount Moran, we decided that today we would head south to get a closer look at the impressive Grand Teton itself, the only peak to break the 13,000 feet barrier in the range.
On the drive through the park we stopped at an original settlers cabin which remained from the time before the Jackson Hole basin was purchased by Rockefeller and preserved as a National Park. The simplistic and rugged nature of the cabin was a stark reminder of how harsh
Settlers Cabin
Life in this environment must have been tough! the environment is that region could be, and just how tough the lifestyle was for those living on the frontier.
After a quick stop at an overlook over the Snake River, we arrived at the Jenny Lake Visitor Centre where the kids finished all their requirements to become Grand Teton Junior Ranges and get their badges and patches. They were incredibly proud of themselves and Fiona and I decided that we need to buy the kids small hiking backpacks that we can put all their patches on to show where they have visited.
We then drove towards String Lake to enjoy a much shorter hike than the day before (lesson learned!). We stopped for lunch at a picnic area and watched squirrels, chipmunks, birds and ‘the famous grouse’ running around the picnic area. We then enjoyed a beautiful stroll along the shores of the String river where we were treated to spectacular views of Grant Teton and the surrounding peaks reflected in the still, clear waters of the lake. The boys had a great time exploring the trail and throwing rocks into the water at every opportunity.
After the hike we
Jenny Lake Visitors Centre
The Boys and the Moose! The only one we saw the whole time! headed out to the Jenny Lake Lodge and along easily the most scenic drive in the park. On the way, we came across two female Elk one the side of the road. In the rush to get a photo, Fiona managed to spill almost the entire contents of her water bottle all over the floor of the car, which also drenched the kid’s recently completed junior ranger books and our travel books.
After recovering from the drama, we stopped at a stunning scenic overview which sat atop a bluff overlooking Jenny lake and the epic range just beyond. It was incredibly serene and relaxing – the perfect place for Nicky to run over screaming ‘Need to poo, need to poo, NEED TO POO!’ at the top of his lungs. So it was back into the car, and with the foot down, we hammered the rest of the scenic route and returned to Jenny Lake Lodge so Nicky could do what he does best. However, all was not lost – the Lodge had a big porch with hand made rocking chairs overlooking the mountains, and most importantly, a beer dispensary. So we (I) enjoyed a beer on the
Parents Photo!
It's not often we get a photo of just us, particularly one in such an amazing place! porch of the lodge, soaking up the brilliant sunshine with the most amazing of views in the world.
After the refreshing ale we returned to the scenic lookout where we were accosted by the friendliest group of grey nomads (who seemed to make up the vast majority of tourists) who were interested in our accents, and astounded by our story. After a long chat, they took our photo and thanked us for our service to the military and headed off. We did the same and went back to the cabin enjoyed left over Thai and Spag Bol, again watching the sunset, before what was quickly becoming a compulsory pre-bedtime game of ‘Sorry’.
Day 5 – Grand Teton to Yellowstone East Gate
We enjoyed another sleep in and rose to pack our stuff into the car and head for the south gate of Yellowstone National Park. The two parks are adjacent to one another, so it was a pleasant and easy drive to get from one to the other. Despite this, not many of Yellowstone’s 3 million annual visitors make their way down to the spectacular Teton’s. We sat in
String Lake Hike
Paddy enjoying the view on our better of the two Teton hikes! the car reflecting that Yellowstone was going to have to be truly special to even compete with our experience at Grand Teton, it was really that good.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.061s; Tpl: 0.022s; cc: 14; qc: 19; dbt: 0.0284s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
