Final stop on my solo roadtrip through montana and wyoming
The finale of this grand solo road trip visiting 3 national parks is Grand Teton National Park. This road trip has been better then I could have imagined. There are many high lights driving from Colorado up through Montana to Glacier National Park and back down to Wyoming. Experiencing the natural wonders of the three national parks, the many small and interesting western towns, and the abundant wildlife are why this road trip is a must do. I outline the entire journey in my Solo Road Trip post. This road trip was mostly smooth sailing except for one totally preventable misadventure. Keep reading to find out more.
Wild west solo roadtrip continues with the grand tetons
This road trip gives you a masterclass in National Parks. It is a National Park kick starter tbh. A few days in Glacier – mind blowing, a few days in Yellowstone – coolaf and now Grand Tetons. Remember when I suggested being flexible, going with the flow and be open to speak with others? Well all of that lead to a new friend, some unplanned hikes and some unlikely famous grizzly bear sighting (see below).
looking for brown bears
So after all of that excitement and actually spotting 399 and her 4 cubs, my new friend was going to be looking for more bears and so I joined her on a hike. She carried bear spray and a little knife. Not convinced that would be enough if we encountered an angry grizzly but ok I’m in. It turns out that Lisa comes to this area yearly and captures some exciting photos every year of wildlife – black and brown bears, moose, wolf, birds of prey etc. We started off on our hike through the vibrant colors of fall. There were even other photographers capturing the fall foliage. The weather was perfect at this time of year. A puffy and wool shirt did the trick until my last hike.
My friend has had bear encounters in this area before, she said she made sure the bear knew she was there by making noise while getting off the path. Today we did not see any other bears. We hiked for a few hours. I was a bit nervous about running into wild grizzly bears so was not totally disappointed. At the end of our hike, Lisa recommended a hike just outside of the Grand Teton Visitors area. So now I have my unplanned next stop. I drove around Grand Teton for a few hours before sunset checking out the views of the Teton mountain range, some wild horses and an original western hut.
The Grand Teton
It’s a mountain yo! It’s the highest elevation of the peaks in the Teton’s at 13,775 feet. The Teton Range includes eight peaks over 12,000 feet high. The Grand Tetons are a stunning, jagged range in northwestern Wyoming featuring the towering 13,770-foot Grand Teton peak, pristine alpine lakes, and the Jackson Hole valley. With any terrain this high it is smart to be prepared. Snacks, water, rain gear, warm clothes etc. Managed under the National Park Service, the area spans nearly 310,000 acres and sits just 10 miles south of Yellowstone National Park. Snake river winds through the valley. There are many hikes at varying difficulties to choose from. Jenny Lake offers boat rides, scenic loops, and trails leading to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. There are horseback rides, bike and balloon rides, as well as scenic drives. This is where my next adventure begins.
Hiking in the Teton's
After a rainy night sleeping in the back of my car I woke up early and started my drive to the trail head for my hike to a lake high up in the Grand Tetons. When I pulled into the parking lot I grabbed my rain jacket and my light back pack with my water, snacks etc. I was glad that I had a rain jacket even though I grabbed an old jacket of my daughter which was child size. No worries, luckily it fit with only my wrists exposed. I walked through the parking lot looking for the trail head. The hike is lovely as you go up the trail through tall pine trees. Once you get further up you can see Jenny Lake below. I was alone on the trail until I passed two men heading down with a snowboard and skis on their backs. Note to self…snow!! The trail was damp and there were clouds hanging low. Feeling prepared with my hiking boots, sturdy leather North Face hikers with ankle support, I continued up. The trail I was following cut off from the main trail and was blocked by a few fallen trees. I pushed on and could see clouds and mist ahead. The trail was steep and damp with granite rocks starting to appear. Then the trees stopped and as I was emerging out of the forest the hail began. When I looked for the trail it was gone and in its place a mountain of rocks, yellow and red scrub brush and some scattered trees. I looked across at the mountain of boulders and scree trying to determine which way I should be heading. There were granite cliffs beyond this boulder mountain. I spotted a cairn (a rock pile used as markers of a trail), about 50 feet up the hill. This was a bit of a climb. One foot at a time. Up up and away I went, curious and cautious.
the most gorgeous lake
The last bit of the steep hike was quite a scramble exacerbated by the rain and hail. Finally I reached the precipice and began walking down where there was a little stream. I walked a bit further and the view opened up to a fogged in lake with the most surreal light aqua color water. There were a few people leaving because it was now snowing. Alone again. I made it. I could see fog all around concealing the mountains that surrounded the lake. I could also see trees and rocks that were close by. Anything further was a mysterious site. As I looked at the skies I could see clouds and fog slowly drifting. I decided I would wait for the sun to come out. Perfect! The snow and rain stopped and it was becoming brighter. Perfect! I am going to get to see this beautiful spot!
Exit stage left
Lunch on this lake, taking in the breathtaking beauty was definitely a high light. And now the easy part (so I thought). Getting out of there and heading back down to the parking lot and civilization. I started down the scree trying to be careful not to slip. I was concentrating on my steps and forgot to look around to see where my entry point (exit route) would be. It seemed very steep and I thought to myself this is maybe too far down? That is when I lost my footing on some slippery wet foliage and flew down the hill Indiana Jones style, grabbing for tree roots to slow my surge. I dug my feet in and somehow stopped. Ouch! my finger was jammed and bruised, otherwise I was ok. Now I looked around and nothing looked familiar. I could either hike up or head down (staying put is the go to safe suggestion). Running down on the left were some pretty exposed cliffs. Below me it looked like flat terrain so that is where I headed.
And just like that I was lost! Sure I could hike back up the scree but that option was no option as I was a bit tired. I decided to sit on a rock and think about what to do next. Unfortunately my phone was low on battery, no gps and no signal. I could not look up anything but was able to make a phone call to a friend and get the park ranger phone number. So lucky to speak with the park rangers who asked for my GPS coordinates (which were on my iphone) and told me to stay put and wait for them to hike up.
As I was waiting and checking out my area I heard voices. I started up the hill again and there was a couple. They were lost as well! I told him that the park rangers were on the way and we all waited for our saviors. I have been lost before but never where I had to call for help. I usually have a very good sense of direction but a new forest environment is tricky. I should have paid more attention heading on to the scree realizing that the entry was hidden. The Grand Teton park rangers were amazing. They found us and brought us out and off the scree onto the trail descending down the mountain.
