Mormon Row, Bridger-Teton NF, Moose Wilson Road and Taggart Lake

One day I took a scenic drive towards Jackson, WY.

The Snake River runs over 1,000 miles, starting in Yellowstone NP, running through Grand Teton NP, turning at Jackson and heading into Idaho and eventually into the Columbia River which runs into the Pacific. There is good reason it is called the 'meandering snake'.

Town Square in Jackson.

North of Jackson, 13 Mormon homesteaders formed a community which was originally named by the U.S. Postal Service as Grovant.  The area is now called Morman Row and you can walk through and experience life as it would have been in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Part of the John Moulton homestead.

If you continue east from Mormon Row, you will leave Grand Teton NP and enter Bridger-Teton NF.  Here is the Gros Ventre River before it runs into the Snake.

Atherton NFCG on Lower Slide Lake, just 6 miles east of Mormon Row.  Lower Slide Lake was created in 1925 when one of the largest earth movements in the world dumped rock, dirt and debris from 9,000 feet to the valley below, damning the Gros Ventre River.

One of the fast moving creeks along Moose-Wilson road.

A moose in Moose.  This bull moose was in the Snake River at the bridge just outside of Moose, WY, inside Grand Teton NP.

Taggart Lake Trail is supposed to be one of the more popular and well traveled trails in the park.

The parking lot was full, assuring me I would not be hiking alone.

I crossed several steams like this on the hike.  But there were bridges, I didn't have to get my feet wet.

Self portrait with the Tetons in the background.

Taggart Lake at 6902 feet.

The colors on these flowers were so brilliant red. It was a wonderful hike and whenever I found myself alone on the trail, I just started singing.  I know that would scare away any bears!

Menors Ferry

Siting my first Elk of my visit.

J. Pierce Cunningham settled in this area in the 1880s.  Originally opposed to expansion of Grand Teton NP, he later became an advocate and along with 97 other ranchers signed a petition to sell their lands to form a national recreation area.

The Cunningham cabin was a dogtrot style cabin.

A replica of the original ferry which William Menor built to ferry settler of the Jackson Hole Valley across the Snake River.  He charged 50cents for a wagon or 25cents for a horse and rider back in the late 1800s.

William Menor's general store, now a gift shop.  

He built a well next to the Snake River to filter muddy water during spring runoff.

The cables and workings for the ferry crossing.  Usually the park provides an opportunity to experience this ferry crossing using the replica ferry, but this year the river has been too high.  They expect to maybe put in the ferry in several weeks, but I'll be gone.

Where they launch the ferry into the river.

Jackson Hole homesteader Geraldine Lucas used this Alaskan dog sled to carry supplies and visit neighbors in the early 1900s.

Prior to 1916, visitors to Yellowstone NP rode in this wagon.

Early 1800s mountain men used boats like this, called a bull boat, to carry furs and goods along the river.  Made from buffalo hides pulled tight over a willow frame, the fur trappers learned this skill from the local indians.

More blooming flowers.

The Maud Noble cabin, where in 1923 a landmark meeting was held with the superintendent of Yellowstone NP where a plan was launched for the creation of Grand Teton NP.  Maud Noble bought the ferry and store from William Menor in 1918.

The Chapel of the Transfiguration Episcopal.  Also located at Menors Ferry, it is open daily for visitors to come in and pray and services are held Sunday mornings.

Jenny Lake

The bears have been a big problem in the park this year and they advise carrying bear spray and not hiking alone.  Well, since I am traveling by myself at this time, all of my hikes were either ranger led hikes, like Jenny Lake, or at one of the more popular, busy hiking areas.

Taking the ferry across Jenny Lake to the start of the trailhead.

Hidden Falls.

This marmot was hiding in the roots of the tree at the base of the falls.  

At 7220 ft, and Inspiration Point.  I left the ranger led hike at this point and continued for a couple more miles into Cascade Canyon.

There were lots of blooming flowers along the way.  I think this is a wild rose.

My first glimpse into the canyon.

Blooming Columbines.

I kept hoping to see some beaver in this pond, but I didn't.

Looking down the canyon to the glacier.  This was about where I turned and headed back.  I was seeing fewer and fewer people, and I wasn't feeling as safe as I had earlier even if I did carry bear spray.

Grand Tetons-Signal Mtn and a horseback ride

Fancy says she's all ready to go exploring.  Dogs are not allowed on any of the hiking trails or outside the parking lots, but today I was just going to do a little exploring by car anyway.

One of the first places I found was Cattleman's Bridge.

I was curious about where this road went.  There were no signs, no indications it went anywhere, but it ended up at Cattleman's Bridge, although there are no remaining signs of the bridge anymore.  Located on a bend of the Snake River, it was one of the prettiest spots in the park.

  

I signed up for a dinner horseback ride.  Here are the horses, all waiting.

As seen above, my horse was Tatertot.  I believe he got this name because of his color

You could also choose to ride on the wagon.  They used Percheron draft horses to pull the wagon.

It was about a 3 mile ride and took us about an hour to arrive at our dinner destination.  Notice the feed bag on the horse?  It wasn't there to feed the horse, but to keep the horse from nibbling grass, twigs, etc., along the way.  It also kept the horses from biting each other, which I was glad of, since one of the other horses tried to bite mine on the way back.

Our dinner setting.  Isn't that a great view.

And the dinner was pretty good too. 

This Sage Grouse was showing off as I drove up Signal Mountain.

From the top of Signal Mtn you can see the sage brush flats.

And the sun sets on the Tetons.

Grand Tetons and Yellowstone-Finally!

It really is a shame, that someone of my age has never been to Grand Teton National Park or Yellowstone National Park.  Both are icons of the National Park system, but finally, I am here.  The next several blogs will be devoted to my week stay at Coulter Bay, which I used as a base to explore both Grand Teton and Yellowstone.  But first, I had to get there.

Leaving Ft. Robinson, I traveled across Hwy 20 through Wyoming, spending the night at Wind River Casino in Riverton.  Then is was just a short distance across the Rockies, before arriving at my destination.  I just loved the various color variations on these mountains.

 

Standing at 9583 feet on the Continental Divide.

Just a wonderful view of the wild flowers in bloom in the high Rockies.

And then just down the road, there they were, the Grand Tetons.

Finally, I made it.

Coulter Bay is located on Lake Jackson, with a beautiful view of the Tetons.

The road to my campsite.

And here I am, parked for the next week.

I spotted this deer one morning on my walk with Fancy.

Another morning, again on my walk with Fancy, there were this pair of fox cubs.  Yes, I am still in the campground.

This guy is located outside my door and drives Fancy crazy.  She thinks she can dig down and catch this guy, even though he has at least 3 different holes in which he appears.

This deer was strolling through the campground last evening.

And I just had to take a picture of this unusual RV.

And Sunday morning I attended the church services at the amphitheater.

There is so much right here in the campground, it's a wonder I needed to go anywhere to enjoy the beauty of this place.  But there is so much more to report on.  Keep watching for more of the wonders of Grand Tetons and Yellowstone.