Growing up in the west and spending most of our time here, there is a great partiality to the scenery and sights of the west.  Especially the lands within our National Parks (NP).  It is impossible to visit this area and not have your breath taken away by the stunning sights in every direction!!  During the next 10 days E & G shared this with the granddaughters (and their parents) and watched them giggle with excitement around every turn;-)!!

Humans going back 10,000 years must have felt the same as they began visiting the Jackson Hole area.  Various bands of Paleo-Indians made summer camps near the Tetons soon after the last major ice age (about 10,000 years ago).  But, because the winters are so severe, long-term residency really did not occur here until about 120 years ago.  Then hunters and trappers found the area lucrative.  And in 1872 President Ulysses S. Grant declared neighboring Yellowstone the world’s first national park and drew attention to this part of the country.  The result was a new industry in the region – tourism!

Thankfully, the Tetons received some protection in 1897 when Congress created the Teton Forest Reserve followed by the creation of a NP in 1929.  But at that time the NP only included the central peaks of the Teton Range and half a dozen lakes.  It was a very rocky road (no pun intended) to get to the park we know today, including an intervention by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., at one point, to acquire land and donate it back to help in the preservation and creation of the park.   Finally in 1943 President Roosevelt used a  presidential proclamation to create a National Monument leading to the park of today in 1950.  Thank goodness!!

With no foothills to obstruct views, the jagged peaks and deep canyons of the Teton Range rise abruptly from the Jackson Hole valley creating striking, magnificent sights that take your breath away;-)

 

There was a lot of exploration of the various landscapes ‘housed’ in the Grand Tetons NP. First up – the lakes, ponds and wet meadows of the area surrounding our campground at Coulter Bay.

Then we were off across Jenny Lake and into the forests to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point.

One thing learned on drives and hikes through the park – one never knew what animals might appear around the next corner – –

 

As anyone who knows us might guess – we did NOT let any grass grow under any feet on this trip!!  So another hike was on the agenda.  This one around String & Leigh Lake with the reward of lunch at Jenny Lake Lodge;-)

 

Throughout the trip, the girls became Junior Rangers at both the Tetons and Yellowstone.   This required many activities, observations and ranger talks.  One requirement in the Tetons was to ‘feel the water in a glacier made lake’.  So, here we are – –

 

The word for our entire trip became – “fortuitous”!!  It was used many times and laughed over a lot.  One of the first such times was on a stop at Oxbow Bend to get this stunning picture of Mt. Moran and its reflection in the very still water – –

– – – only to find nesting grey herons across the way – –

 

That was NOT the only fortuitous animal sighting!!  Our first morning we happened into Jackson Lake Lodge just as the Jackson Hole Raptor Rescue organization was beginning  a raptor talk – today’s topic was owls.  Everyone was so impressed with the presentation and the birds, the schedule was modified to attend the presentation in Jackson the following day on other raptors.  Again – the girls loved it!  Especially talking to the handlers about everything from feeding to cleaning up the habitats.  In fact – after these talks, we became ‘The Owlheads’, as our heads needed to swivel like the owls in order to spot animals on the drives through the parks;-)!!

Jackson Lake Lodge also provided the only moose sighting of the entire trip;-(  Although we looked and looked – this was it – –

 

BUT – there were many fortuitous bear sightings, all of which were very exciting!!

 

Uh oh!  Last night in the Grand Tetons and we had not visited an historical sight for the Junior Ranger badge;-(  So, after a quick dinner ‘The Owlheads’ were off to the Cunningham Cabin, one of the best of the few remaining homestead cabins in Jackson Hole.  J. Pierce Cunningham established the surrounding land as the Bar Flying U Ranch in the 1880’s when he arrived here from New York at twenty years old.

 

Having all the requirements of the Junior Ranger program completed, we were back at the campsite for dessert – warm cookies ‘cooked’ over the campfire with ice cream;-)

 

 

Before we left the area, there had to be a picture in Jackson with all those elk antlers!

 

And finally (after that quick visit to the Cabin) at 8AM on the morning we left the Tetons – there was a swearing in ceremony at the Ranger Station and we had new Junior Rangers.

 

What a wonderful and fortuitous five days in the Grand Tetons!  Several hikes, many animal sightings, stunning scenery, lots to learn and warm campfires.  Could Yellowstone possibly be any better?!?!  We are off to find out.

See ya in Yellowstone – E & G and all ‘The Owlheads”