Grand Teton National Park

We are currently in Wisconsin, but I'm going to backtrack a few days to fill in our Grand Teton and Yellowstone adverntures.

We drove up from Logan on the 9^th and spent the 9^th and 10^th at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. The 9^th was a 3-state day: Utah, Idaho (Way to go! I-da-ho!*) and Wyoming. Idaho and Wyoming were new states for me and the kids. Dan of course went through them during his bicycle cross-country trip.

We stayed in Teton Village, at the base of the mountains. There was a tram that went up to a nearby peak, and paragliders would launch from the top and paraglide down into the meadow in front of our hotel. We would shout up helpful guidance. “Left! Left! Leeeeeeft!” They all seemed to make it safely, I'm sure in large part due to our expert instructions.

 View of a paraglider from the hotel parking lot.

We drove into the Park and to Jenny Lake, where we took a boat across the lake to the foot of the Tetons. We then hiked to the Hidden Waterfall. The trail was fairly rocky and steep, and Charlie gave up about ¾ of the way up. He was enticed to go the rest of the way with a few Nutter Butters, which we had wisely brought along for strategic purposes.

 

Alice at Hidden Falls.

On the way back from Hidden Falls

In the evening we drove down a few miles from Teton Village to have dinner at the Calico restaurant. Dinner was good, but the highlight was the moose we saw munching on some bushes by the side of the road.

The next day we drove up to Colter Bay for some canoeing. My Uncle and I paddled one boat with Charlie in the middle, and my Aunt and Dan paddled the other canoe, with Charlie in the middle. The kids had canoed before, but for some reason they were both concerned about the canoes tipping. This was the conversation for most of the 1-hour ride:

Charlie: “WE’RE TIPPING!”

Me: “We’re not tipping.”

Charlie: “WE’RE TIPPING!”

Me: “We’re not tipping.”

Charlie: “WE’RE TIPPING!”

Me: “WE’RE NOT TIPPING!” etc.

Our Canoe

The Grand Tetons were gorgeous

After the canoe ride we went down to the swimming area and the kids played in the water while the adults hung out at the picnic bench a ways back and did play-by-play commentary of the beach action.

 

A girl and her sticks in Colter Bay

After dinner we went into Jackson and walked around the town square.

Antler arch!

Animal tally for Grand Teton: moose, elk, chipmunks, and a mountain lion spotted by Alice, Principal Animal Spotter.

*quote from Ham in Toy Story