Today I flew two-thirds of the way across the country, crossed the Continental Divide three times, admired deep turquoise and emerald geothermal pools, and watched a couple of small geysers erupt. Yes, it was a great start to the next week and a half in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks… but I am exhausted, so this first blog post will be short and sweet!
Fortunately, I had read about the hazy/smoky conditions in the Jackson Hole area yesterday so I knew not to get my hopes up for clear blue skies with picture perfect views of the towering peaks of the Teton range rising above the valley. Still impressive, but the smoke does a number on the photographic beauty I was hoping for.
I was up at 3AM this morning to catch a 5:30AM flight out west. Logan Airport wasn’t too crowded (though every seat on my commuter jet flight to Chicago was filled), but the crowds were definitely back to pre-pandemic levels at O’Hare! The flight to Jackson Hole was decidedly less crowded and I ended up with an entire exit row to myself! I was craving a hot dog for lunch and Dornan’s Chuckwagon in the tiny village of Moose seemed like the perfect stop. Sadly, the Chuckwagon didn’t open until noon so I settled for a mediocre turkey, gouda, and dried cranberry sandwich (smothered much too liberally with mayo) from the deli instead. I ate at a picnic table overlooking the hazy Teton range and got my bearings for the day.
Since the drive from Jackson to Gardiner, Montana – where I’m staying the first two nights – is almost 4 hours without stops, I knew I needed to focus on driving and save the sightseeing for the rest of the trip. I did make two stops along the way, both in Yellowstone: one at Black Sand Basin and one at Firehole Spring along Firehole Lake Drive. The color of the hot springs was stunning and much bluer skies prevailed the further north I traveled. I even got to see some bison, elk, and a moose along the way!
I hit my metaphorical wall around 4:30 this afternoon and was ready to call it a day. I stopped at the Gardiner Market for some breakfast food for tomorrow and at the Follow Yer’ Nose BBQ food truck for some dinner to bring back to my hotel room. I’m hoping for an early start tomorrow, but time will tell how well that plan is followed!
Traveling with Laura 