Ride ‘em, cowboy! Any guesses as to what I did tonight? (Hint: it involves horses, bulls, barrels, and lassos.) You’ll have to keep reading to find out the answer.
I had planned to go out to breakfast this morning, but my plans were foiled when I arrived at my chosen restaurant a little after 6 and found they don’t open until 6:30. Instead, I picked up packaged mini donuts at a convenience store and headed for the park. Since I now had some extra time before I had planned to start hiking, I decided to visit Mormon Row with its historic, picturesque barns. The drive out of Jackson was fog-filled and had me wondering if I would even be able to see anything. No need to worry. As soon as I rounded the bend in the road and started climbing out of the valley, the ground fog was confined to the valleys and made for a beautiful morning scene. The low lying fog, combined with the sun just hitting the peaks of the rocky Tetons was a great way to start the day.
Mormon Row was first settled by Mormons arriving from Utah to establish a community in the 1890s. Today, the area is part of the National Park and includes several picturesque barns and homesteads.
I spent some time taking pictures of the barns and then drove over to the Chapel of the Transfiguration. I was the only one there when I arrived, so I was able to take some pictures and enjoy my breakfast looking out over the Tetons in relative solitude. The Chapel of the Transfiguration is another iconic Grand Teton photo spot, with the dark wood log structure set against the backdrop of the mountains. Inside, a window with a small cross creates a perfect frame for the Teton Range beyond.
My big adventure for the day was a hike to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point overlooking Jenny Lake. I knew to get there early in order to find parking and arrived around 8AM before the lot filled up. While most people opt to take the boat shuttle across the lake to shorten the hike, I chose to walk the whole way around the southwestern part of the lake. The trail starts from the boat dock and passes into the forest for a while before emerging again near the lakeshore. While not overly steep, the hike to the western boat dock is filled with undulating hills, lake views, berry patches, and wildflowers.
From the boat dock, it is another 1.1 miles up to Inspiration Point. The climb starts slowly, but the final section to the point is up some pretty rugged terrain to the lookout. You can also continue climbing past Inspiration Point into Cascade Canyon. I opted to turn back instead of going further up. By the time I was done, I had hiked about 6 miles and that was plenty for me.
While Yellowstone was crowded, I always felt like there were places and areas to escape the crowds. By contrast, Grand Teton NP is absolutely mobbed. On the way to Inspiration Point I saw only a few other hikers; on the way back, it was a near steady stream of people heading up and back. Driving out of the large parking lot, the main road was lined with cars for about a half of a mile in each direction. Jackson Hole Airport is also located within the park boundaries (it existed before the land was claimed by the National Park), so any moments of solitude are easily broken by the roar of a jet engine as a 737 passes overhead.
The town of Jackson is similarly mobbed. I drove around for 20 minutes and through three parking lots before finally finding a spot to park. The sidewalks are crowded and there are lines of people waiting to get into restaurants. We’re not in West Yellowstone anymore. I stopped in Jackson for another huckleberry shake from Jackson Drug (not quite as good as Jackson Lake Lodge and highly overpriced) and a walk around the town square. Then it was back to my room to rest and shower and enjoy dinner at Miazga’s before tonight’s planned activity: The Jackson Hole Rodeo.
I’ve only attended one other rodeo in my life; the last time I was in this area and spent a night in Cody to see the Cody Nite Rodeo. I don’t know much about rodeos (though I did read up before going), but it was really fun to watch all of the events. They had everything from barrel racing to bull riding to calf roping. I had a great time and stayed until close to the end. It was a unique experience I definitely don’t get to see at home!
Traveling with Laura 