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From Wikipedia – Grand Teton is the tallest mountain in the Teton Range. The park’s historic Jackson Hole and reflective piedmont lakes teem with endemic wildlife, with a backdrop of craggy mountains that rise abruptly from the sage-covered valley.
- Established: 02/26/1929
- Annual Visitors: 3,491,151
- Size: 310,044 acres
Travel Day – Baker, NV to Evanston, WY (9/22/20)
We had many very cool cloud formations today. This was looking at the Wyoming visitor center near sunset. 
This was a store on the Nevada/Utah border. They made their expectations clear, even if their spelling was a bit off. 
More pretty Utah mountains 
Rangeley at a State Park just past the Provo Pass 
Rangeley loves the streams. This is at Bear River State Park in Wyoming. 
The elk at Bear River State Park 
The Bison in front of the Wyoming Visitor Center
We drove 300 miles from Baker, NV to Evanston, WY. Ironically about 290 miles was through Utah.
Travel Day 2 – Evanston to Jackson, WY
Idaho on the left of the road, Wyoming on the right. We have seen tons of signs “Pass With Care”. We are waiting to see one that says “Go Ahead, Pass Recklessly”. 
Sign Says “World’s Largest Elkhorn Arch” 
Rangeley enjoying yet another river hike!! 
Rangeley got this 6′ stick …. 
and proceeded to carry it down the trail. 
National Forest sign. We like the bit of humor. 
A vertical greenhouse beside the Jackson parking garage. They sell the produce on site.
We drove the final 200 miles to Jackson. The road was along the border so we started in Wyoming, went back into Utah, then back to Wyoming, then into Idaho before returning into Wyoming. We stopped for a geocache in Idaho. We have been getting a cache in each state we pass through.
Day 2 in Jackson
Elizabeth and Rangeley at the base of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort 
The gondola was running but no dogs allowed. 
The resort from the access road 
An old tram car. The Arial Tramway gains 4,150 vertical feet, the most of any lift in the western hemisphere. 
Rangeley doesn’t see the need for bridges. 
Hey mom, wait for me! 
I caught up to her… dinner!
Grand Teton NP – September 25, 2020
We have had three days of free-for-all. The longest time yet without visiting a National Park. We planned a bit of extra time to travel and enjoy Jackson, WY. What a fun town and area with the Teton Mountains, evergreens, the aspens leaves turning and a population with a strong, relaxed outdoor vibe! We have seen Moose at dusk (see Gary’s pictures of the nursing babe! in slideshow above); we have been doing shopping, laundry, Rangeley hikes near lakes and streams near and in the woods. We walked through the main section of Jackson, went to Jackson Hole Resort / Teton Village, visited Mormon Row settlement and have taken drives around the surrounding area.
Our oldest son Cooper and his wife Chelsea were just here this summer. They said that downtown Jackson would remind us of Old Town Scottdale (we all live in Phoenix so the Scottsdale area is familiar to us). We agree. Jackson has an upscale rustic western cowboy feel. Some of the sidewalks are boardwalks, great metal work and cafés. There are art, jewelry and cowboy boots and clothing stores along with the local tee shirt shops. Dogs are prevalent on leash at every corner, on some restaurant patios, and allowed in some of the hotels. But Jackson has the most posted regulations re: dogs I have ever seen in a town yet. It’s known as a very dog friendly town but many, clear, posted, regulations. Dogs are not allowed in any of the public in-town parks or greens.
Just outside Jackson proper is the National Elk Refuge which proudly boasts one of the largest collection of elk in the world! It draws over 5000 elk each winter to the 24,000+ acre spread designated in 1912!
We have had the most comments, about Rangeley’s color and look, in one location here yet! Many statements like: “I want a Silver Lab!”, or the common: “Is that a Weimaraner lab mix?” We draw quite a bit of attention: “A puppy!”; “Beautiful boy!”; and “What kind of dog is that?”. We are assured by many that we are the proud parents of a great looking pup.
Since this is a Grand Teton NP post, I guess you want to hear we actually drove to Jenny Lake Visitor Center inside the park! I got our pin, postcard, stamp and map. As usual we stuck to the “Paws on Pavement” NP policy…. Well… MOST of the time! We walked along Jenny Lake enjoying the gorgeous Tetons towering behind the cold shimmering waters, small stony beach, evergreens and large boulders. There were very few people at the end of the paved section and the water was calling! Rangeley has a water obsession so after a few stick tosses, bounding splashes and retrievals on the flexi lead, Gary ‘over tossed’… once or twice… and the slow current pulled the tree limb beyond the lead’s length. I “oked” him being unhooked (to Gary’s astonishment as I am a rule follower) and off Rangeley swam to get the stick and return to us for more of the same game! Don’t tell the park rangers! : )
We have thoroughly enjoyed a herd of buffalo, antelope and elk grazing, geese swimming in lulls in the Snake River, hawks and more. We are all in our favorite park yet!
I stopped at a butcher and bought Rangeley some small (ribs?) raw buffalo bones. He seems to be even more attached to me lately….wonder why!?
We drove out Antelope Flats Rd to Mormon Row Historic District established as a Historic location in 1997. What a wonderful step back in time where I can see, feel and am impressed with the ‘simple’ way of life, hard work, dedication and love for the wilderness these people made for themselves (see photos). If you wish to read more about Mormon Row: https://www.nps.gov/grte/learn/historyculture/mormon.htm
We took a picture at the famous antler arches intown Jackson. There are four, one at each corner, as you enter Washington Memorial Park, in the center of downtown. According to a Yellowstone website advertising the surrounding things to do (Yellowstone NP boarders Great Teton NP), the antlers are woven and constructed around a metal arch. The Jackson Hole Boy Scouts collect 1,000-2,000 lbs. of antlers from the National Elk Refuge each year! Additional racks are bought from dealers all over the western mountainous areas culminating in 10,000-12,000 antlers total for each arch! It is predicted that the newest arches that were started in 2007 and finished in 2013, will remain stable for all to enjoy until 2040.
I hope you have enjoyed the several slide shows with captions that Gary has added above, depicting a smattering of our visit to Jackson over the last four days. Tomorrow we head to Yellowstone!
Not all those who wander are lost.
J. R. R. TOLKIEN
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