Grand Teton National Park - Gros Ventre Campground 9/14 - 9/23

From: casarollnotes.blogspot.com 

Tim and Linda Bunyan

The park's largest campground and closest to the town of Jackson surrounded by sagebrush and grasses and a front-row seat of the Grand Teton and Blacktail Butte.








This is our view from our Travel Home!

It is Sunday; perfect that we attend church at the Chapel of the Transfiguration.  It is a small log chapel in Grand Teton National Park, in the community of Moose.  Opened in 1925 the chapel is sited and built to frame a view of the Cathedral Group of peaks.

Menor's Ferry Historic District

A hidden gem, Bill Menor's original 1892 rustic-style General Store, whitewashed from limekiln; his homestead along the banks of the Snake River.

Friendly and welcoming, inside a period-dressed couple told us stories and showed us wares found inside.  Bolts of fabric, spurs, and jarred jams and jellies.   We purchased some honeysuckle pop (a modern shelve ware)!

We strolled in the Menor's Ferry Historic District.  Menor's Ferry was a river ferry that crossed the Snake River.  Bill Menor chose a location to homestead where the river flowed in a single channel.  He operated the ferry until, 1927 when a bridge was built.  The store and ferry drew homesteaders and dudes, ordering supplies and crossing the river.  

Bill Menor also served as postmaster.  

The early days of Jackson Hole: Cattle ranchers ferried their cattle across the Snake River.

 JY Ranch on the south end of Phelps Lake is the first dude ranch in Jackson Hole.
Struthers Burt, biography, published "The Diary of a Dude Wrangler" in 1924.

 Robert G. "Bob" Stanton now retired, served for four decades in the United States National Park Service.
He began, as many Park Rangers in the National Park System, as a Seasonal Park Ranger in 1962.
Appointed as the Director of the Park Service, serving 1997-2001.

This building, once the entrance station that welcomed visitors to Grand Teton National Park.     New buildings replaced this historic kiosk moved here at the entrance to Jenny Lake Visitor Center to continue to serve its original purpose -- to welcome visitors.

Jenny Lake Boating: The Shuttle Boat takes Tim and me across the Lake to a starting point for the Jenny Lake Trail with a 5-mile loop around the lake with the altitude increasing rapidly once at Cascade Canyon.   

  12-minute shuttle boat across Jenny Lake.

At the Jenny Lake Trailhead.  We chose the option of taking the shuttle boat across the lake to Cascade Canyon Trailhead. We begin our hike to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point.

Hiking through the conifer forest, there are huckleberry patches along the trail, which the bears love to eat.

  It is September, few berries remain.

Cascade Canyon Creek.

Viewing the area of this extremely impressive waterfall, Hidden Falls drops about 200' in a series of steps. Along the Cascade Canyon Trail to viewing the 100' Hidden Falls!

 I am in my happy place with Hidden Falls in the background.  This rocky and rugged trail climbs up to Inspiration Point built by Civilian Conservation Corps workers in the 1930s.

 

  Backcountry walk to Inspiration Point.

  Inspiration Point!  Most popular and a lofty perch for outstanding views of Jenny Lake, Jackson Hole, and our Gros Ventre mountain range at our RV Site!  We went a short hike further and noticed a Work Camp of Civilian Conservation Corps workers stacking rocks along the trail.
 

Work Camp along the trail.  Civilian Conservation Corps workers Conservation Corp

 maintaining the trail.

 The Boy Scout ventures off the beaten trail to view the canyon stream up close.

 The perfect weather turns cloudy in the late afternoon, so Tim and I shuttle boat our return to the Visitor's Center  Just in time before the downpour of rain!

We explored the Grand Teton wilderness and now spend some time, at a lower elevation, along the shoreline of Jenny Lake, and at the cafe and patio of the Visitor Center.

Walking along the shore of Jenny Lake! 

The times and styles rush by The moccasins worn by the Shoshone women.

NEXT DAY We spend time toward the significance of the conservationists Olaus Murie and his wife Mardy Murie.  They are an influential team in the establishment of an ecological approach to wildlife management.  Olaus Murie was and president of the Wilderness Society and he and his wife advocated for the preservation of wildlands in America.

Their home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 We joined staff, in the living room, to enjoy the docent-led tour of the Murie's home and complex.  It remains a base camp for scientists and conservation leaders for discussion and debate striving to protect wilderness--a vital component of the American landscape.

Tim stamping our National Parks book to commemorate our being here to honor  Olaus Murie and his wife Mardy Murie.  

 The wood carving and words of wisdom at the Murie Ranch.

We drove up the long, narrow, and steep Signal Mountain Summit Road to the isolated summit of 7,720' elevation, Signal Mountain, where one can become at 'eye level' to the mountain tops and trees.  Best spot to take a picture of the mountains and well worth the drive.

 Cell tower on the top and you can get a signal.

Mormon Row Historic District

 The T.A. Moulton barn on Mormon Row is the most photographed barn in America!

 Blacktail Buttes and Mormon Row structure of the John Moulton ranch in Antelope Valley, in Grand Teton National Park.  The alluvial soil was more suitable than most locations in Jackson Hole for farming yet hampered by a lack of readily available water.  Arriving in the 1890s from Idaho, the Mormon homesteaders created a community called "Gros Ventre".  The Mormon settlers tended to create clustered communities, in contrast to the isolated homesteads more typical of Jackson Hole.

 Morman Row demonstrates original homesteads established in 1890.  Few remain, yet awareness of their cultural value the remaining 6 have been maintained so visitors can get a glimpse into the past of Jackson Hole.


J. P. Cunningham Cabin.  Went we went walking in the open field to this cabin, we felt as though we were the only people to have ever visited this homestead. 

It is a double-pen log cabin built as a homestead in Jackson Hole and represents an adaptation of an Appalachian building form.  John Cunningham arrived in 1885 and subsisted as a trapper until he established the Bar Flying U Ranch in 1888.  He and his wife grew about 100 acres of hay to provide feed for 100 cattle.  He was also the justice of the peace and postmaster and game warden at various times.

Hike to Taggart Lake

There is so much to explore in Grand Teton National Park.  We chose the right places to spend our days.  Just south of Jenny Lake is the smaller but magical Taggart Lake.  Reaching 1/2 miles into lodgepole pines and beautiful aspen forest, and open fields., the secluded lake gave us incredible, close-up views of the Grand Tetons.   

Our two choice locations to gaze upon the Grand Tetons is at Jackson Lake Lodge and from this trail at Taggart Lake.  The Tetons remain visible along the entire route, making for a wonderful backdrop throughout the hike.

The trail intersects the Taggart Lake - Beaver Creek loop. 

This pristine lake is not harmed by air pollution.  We found a spot and just took in the scenery and a mirror-like image on the water.  The panoramic views do not get old.  It is quiet with nothing to dislike about our hike on the Taggart Lake Trail.

We took a drive into Jackson, 'the city'.

  We went to Jackson Playhouse for dinner and a play and stepped into the past.

  The building is Jackson's oldest.  Originally, 1915, a livery stable then became a Model T Ford Dealership in 1920.  1930 a bowling ally and in 1948 the first piano player from New York City came and transformed the mercantile into a theatre!

   Vicki Garnick met us at the entrance and has been the proprietress since 1978.  Tim and I had an entertaining evening with people brought together through art, fine dining, laughter, and community.  The waiters sang while serving and after dinner were the actors on stage in the playhouse!

NEXT DAY: Teton Village

We drove 12 scenic miles northwest of Jackson to Teton Village.  The largest and most popular ski area in Wyoming.  It is Fall season so we spent a coup[le of glorious hours walking the expansive grounds.  With very few visitors before the ski season, we had great views and could see how divine this complex is and how it waits to be filled with eager skiers.  We dined at the Mancy Moose Saloon, our table next to the rock fireplace, a perfect atmosphere for fine dining.

Members Only Club.  Doors are locked, soon to open in a month!

 On the return drive from 'the city' of Jackson Hole to our Campsite at Gros Ventre, we spotted Moose eating branches among the tules along the river.

The large Moose walk in an awkward manner.  Their legs jointed and are long, with heavy front chests and huge muzzles and horns that appear to exhaust the moose while walking along Flat Creek.  Of course, they are over 100' from us; yet they appear massive and pop their head out of the bush and seem to be showing off their grazing capabilities.

We pass through the Teton National Park along The National Elk Refuge created in 1912 to protect habitat and provide a sanctuary of one of the largest elk herds on earth.

We make a stop at the beautiful (must stop)

National Museum of Wildlife Art.

 National Museum of Wildlife Art.  There is much brilliant ado about local wildlife here; however, this artwork of the lion caught my eye as my friend, Val Warner's paintings can stand up to this masterpiece!  This reminded me of her paintings of lions.

Downtown Jackson:

Vertical Harvest Greenhouse delivery van.

Market at Vertical Harvest building in Jackson.

We toured and found it interesting how growing carousels work.  This greenhouse sells locally grown, fresh vegetables year-round to Jackson area restaurants, grocery stores, and directly to consumers.

Vertical Harvest Greenhouse delivery van.

We took a drive into Jackson Hole, 'the city'.

of Jackson.  We went to Jackson Hole Playhouse for dinner and a play and stepped into the past.

  The building is Jackson's oldest.  Originally, 1915, a livery stable then became a Model T Ford Dealership in 1920.  1930 a bowling ally and in 1948 the first piano player from New York City came and transformed the mercantile into a theatre!

   Vicki Garnick met us at the entrance and has been the proprietress since 1978.  Tim and I had an entertaining evening with people brought together through art, fine dining, laughter, and community.  The waiters sang while serving and after dinner were the actors on stage in the playhouse!

From the city of Jackson Hole...back to our RV Camp at Gros Vente

We find the Jackson Hole Hootenanny ("The Hoot") every Monday from 6-9 at Dornan's in Moose, WY.  A hootenanny, an informal gathering with folk music and cowboy steak and beans served at picnic tables around the stage.   

 Locals return and come often to perform!  Introduced to the stage by first name only!

 A great place to hang out with the locals for an entertaining evening of Folk Music!

 Next DAY:

Since (2017) Tim and I began our Travel Tours, we have been fans of Sean and Kristy's informational videos.  We discovered shared values and experiences reading their website: LongLongHoneymoon.com. 
C.S. (Sean) and Kristy Michael are world travelers and currently, having spent their wedding night in their newly purchased recreational vehicle--a 25-foot Airstream travel trailer they continue to travel across America.  Their long long honeymoon journey has stretched over 100,000 miles and 49 States!

Sean, a writer and filmmaker totes his video camera everywhere, relentlessly documenting the experience.  Their blog explores the lighter side of RV life, or as his wife, Kristy says, "the fun stuff!"

Life should be a long long honeymoon!  

LOLOHO MEETUP!  We joined Sean and Kristy at the upper deck at Dornan's in Moose, Wyoming on Sunday, September 22 from 507PM.  The pizza was hot, the beer was cold and the view was spectacular.  By way of FB, blog, webpage invitation, nearly 30 RV (FB, blog, and website) followers came together in face-to-face conversation 

at Dornan's with Sean and Kristy.  

We compared our travel stories and shared travel experiences of freedom, discovery, and respect of America.  It is only 15 minutes to drive to Dornan's from our travel home Tim and I are staying in the same RV Campground, Gros Ventre, as Sean and Kristy.  Some RVers came from as far away as 50 miles at the Mammoth North entrance to Yellowstone Park! 

"We have fallen heirs to the most glorious heritage a people ever received, and each one must do his part if we wish to show that the nation is worthy of its good fortune." -Theodore Roosevelt