“Tony, there’s something out there!”
It was around 2 am when I was awakened by Amanda’s panic. I’m sure it’s nothing, I thought, as I rolled over in our sleeping bag. But the rustling outside of our tent grew closer and more intense. We sat there in complete silence, not daring to move a muscle or whisper another word, while the possibilities raced through my head. A moose? Could be. The Grand Teton Strangler? No such thing. A grizzly bear? We’re screwed…
Ever since visiting Moab in 2016 it has been a mission of ours to visit every US National Park. A healthy obsession, even, if there is such a thing.
After picking up this map for Amanda’s birthday later that year, the push pins started to steadily accumulate. Always up for a road trip, anything within a 12 hour drive from Denver became fair game. The possibilities seemed endless.
This eventually led us to one of the parks near the top of our wish list since starting our quest: Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
Park #14 on our national park tour. We’re jumping right into the action, Star Wars Episode 4 style.
As far as mountain ranges go, the Teton Range has to be one of the world’s most stunning. Unlike most mountains, the Tetons have no obscuring foothills. Instead, they tower dramatically over the valley floor below, 7,000 feet into the sky. The jagged peaks are both inviting and intimidating at the same time.
Often overshadowed by its infamous neighbor, Grand Teton National Park is deserving of its own recognition and is absolutely worth a visit independent of Yellowstone. If you have a full week to group them together, that works too.
On our drive into Jackson Hole we were full of anticipation of the weekend ahead of us. This excitement was soon subdued when the conversation turned to the fact that this was our first time camping and hiking in grizzly territory.
The first order of the day was finding a campsite to call our home for the next three nights. Landing a site in Grand Teton National Park can itself be quite an adventure. While there are 6 campgrounds in the park, they are all first-come first-serve, no advance reservations are accepted.
With the national park system seeing record numbers of attendance, this has created somewhat of a nightmare when arriving at the park with hopes of grabbing a campsite. First-come first-serve has come to mean “be lucky enough to drive past a campsite at the same moment someone is leaving.”
Whether or not we are loving our National Parks to death is a topic for another time, but just be aware that if you are planning to camp inside Grand Teton National Park, be there early (before noon), and also have a backup plan.
Basically, do the opposite of what we did. After arriving to the park after 3 pm and driving around for at least 2 hours throughout the different campgrounds only to see a “campground full” sign at each one, it was time for plan B – dispersed camping.
While most National Parks have developed campsites, US National Forests allow for dispersed, primitive camping (primitive meaning no facilities). One upside: this usually means free camping. If you are also running into the same predicament at Grand Teton National Park and can’t find a campsite, the Bridger-Teton National Forest is right next door to the national park and provides plenty of camping opportunities.
As much as I like to picture myself as a young Bear Grylls, this was actually our first time dispersed camping but it worked out perfectly. We found a spot a few miles up the road from Gros Ventre Campground. I have also heard of some scenic spots in the Antelope Flats and Shadow Mountain areas. If you need a bathroom with running water and a flush toilet, you can always plan a stop at the park’s visitor centers before you head into the wilderness for the day.
One more tip: if you can’t find a campsite inside Grand Teton National Park and are unsure where to go next, ask a park ranger for camping recommendations, most will be happy to help!
With our campsite situation solved, next up was a trip into Jackson to pick up a canister of bear spray. Basically pepper spray for bears, studies have shown bear spray to be a highly effective way to stop a charging grizzly. While a grizzly encounter was unlikely, it was best to be prepared.
“Think we should also get these bear bells?” Amanda asked. I was reminded of the joke about how to identify the difference between black bear feces and grizzly feces: black bear droppings are smaller and contain lots of berries and fur. Grizzly bear droppings have little bells in it and smell like pepper.
“The bear spray should do,” I said.
There are numerous ways to spend your time exploring Grand Teton National Park. Our favorite: hiking. If you only have one day to hike in the park, I highly recommend making the trek to Delta Lake.
Somewhat of a hidden gem, Delta Lake is one of the most challenging yet rewarding hikes in the national parks. After 4.5 grueling miles of uphill hiking, you are rewarded with a beautiful turquoise lake nestled below one of the most picturesque backdrops in the national parks.
For a place this stunning, Delta Lake feels like a well-kept secret. In fact, most people we ran into gave us looks of confusion when we mentioned our hiking destination. One reason why this is the case is that there is no official trail to the lake. You won’t find Delta Lake trail on the park map. Instead, you find the lake by splitting off the main path onto a trail that is unmarked and not maintained. I guess you could say it’s off the beaten path (cut me a break, I’m new at this). Another reason Delta Lake flies under the radar is that the hike is strenuous.
For those of you prone to blisters: beware. Amanda developed these bad boys during the climb up to the lake. Let it be known that despite the agony, and to her credit, she did complete the hike. A makeshift attempt to alleviate the rubbing on her heels taught us that duct tape does everything except prevent blisters.
(The only thing worse than her blisters is this picture quality)
Allow me to reiterate: the hike to the lake is very challenging. Shortly after departing the Lupine Meadows trailhead parking area, the trail starts a steep uphill climb and does not relent until you reach the lake. It’s a leg burner.
The switchback where you split off onto the “unmaintained” trail isn’t too hard to locate if you’ve done your homework. With some decent route finding skills, this path will lead you up, over and around fallen trees, scrambling through a boulder field, and, eventually, to a spectacular, secluded lake at the base of the Grand Teton. You have arrived.
Some words of caution: this hike is for experienced hikers, and should not be attempted with children (mainly due to the boulder field). Make sure to bring bear spray and keep it easily accessible, as bear activity is common in this area of the park.
Delta Lake is one of the best views in the national parks. There is a part of me that believes the park rangers are keeping Delta Lake unmarked in an effort to keep the area in pristine condition. Going off-trail to a secluded lake is an adventurers dream, and Delta Lake preserves that opportunity for those who search out that experience. I’m going to keep telling myself that at least.
What do you get when you combine beautiful scenery and a great chance to see wildlife with a relatively easy 9 mile day hike? Cascade Canyon, Amanda’s favorite hike in Grand Teton National Park.
Cascade Canyon has everything you would want from a hike in the Tetons: mountains, a gorgeous river, wildlife, and waterfalls.
Starting from Jenny Lake, I highly recommend taking the shuttle boat across the lake to the start of the Cascade Canyon trail. Not only does it knock off 2 extra miles (each way), you can’t beat the peacefulness of being on the lake in the morning before the hustle and bustle. Make sure to catch the first departing ferry (the 7 am shuttle is just $5 round-trip for cash payers), and keep track of time so you don’t miss the boat on the way back.
After disembarking on the far side of the lake, you are met with an initial incline before the trail levels out, leading you through a tranquil glacier-carved canyon. Hiking alongside the water provides great opportunity to spot wildlife on the trail. We were fortunate to spot a few moose and were told, or perhaps warned, by fellow hikers that bears regularly frequent the area.
You can add serious miles, and memories, to your day by continuing on to Lake Solitude, making it a 16 mile round trip hike. We boarded the ferry in the morning with Lake Solitude in mind, but with forming blisters (see above) and the goal of Delta Lake the next day, decided Cascade Canyon was more than sufficient for the day.
Before heading home, you absolutely must visit Mormon Row at sunrise. The sunrise part is bold for a reason; standing among the historic settlements while the first rays of sunlight illuminate the mountain peaks is serene.
Settled in the late 1890s by Mormons from the Salt Lake area, Mormon Row is home to what some say is the most photographed barn in the world.
In a surreal but comforting way, the experience felt like traveling back in time for a brief moment.
The barn, the Tetons and the soft morning light make for a photographer’s dream. It’s impossible to take a bad picture here. While we were the only ones there with just a cell phone camera, it was still worth every minute of lost sleep.
One of my favorite things about traveling is when a place exceeds the already high expectations you have going in. Grand Teton National Park shattered them – the mountains more imposing, the views more dramatic, the wilderness more wild.
Truth be told you don’t need to wander deep into the mountains to be in awe of the Tetons, but those who do are sure to be rewarded.
And if nothing else, the origin of how the Tetons got their name is always good for a chuckle.
Those who have packed far up into grizzly country know that the presence of even one grizzly on the land elevates the mountains, deepens the canyons, chills the winds, brightens the stars, darkens the forest, and quickens the pulse of all who enter it.
– John Murray
…So there we sat in the darkness of our tent on that fateful night, pulses quickened, listening intently as I wondered if we were about have a real life re-enactment of Dicaprio in the Revenant.
With a knife in one hand and bear spray in the other… the wind didn’t stand a chance.
Live to fight another day.
Leave a reply