| s/y Nine of Cups Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming May 2012 |
| More National Parks? More American Odyssey trip? Roadside Americana? Birds of North America? Wildflowers of North America? |
| Grand Teton National Park encompasses ~ 310,000 acres and includes the major peaks of the 40-mile (64 km) long Teton Range as well as most of the northern sections of the valley known as Jackson Hole. Only 10 miles (16 km) south of Yellowstone National Park, the two parks are connected by the National Park Service managed John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. These three protected areas in conjunction with surrounding National Forests constitute the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, which at nearly 18 million acres is one of the largest intact mid-latitude temperate ecosystems in the world. The park was created in 1929 to protect the Teton range and six glacial lakes. It was expanded significantly in 1950 to its present size. |
| Grand Teton National Park is named for Grand Teton, the tallest mountain in the Teton Range. The naming of the mountains is attributed to early 19th-century French speaking trappers— "les trois tetons" (the three breasts), later anglicized and shortened to Tetons |
| Grand Teton is an almost pristine ecosystem and the same species of flora and fauna that have existed since prehistoric times can still be found there. More than 1000 species of vascular plants, dozens of species of mammals, 300 species of birds, more than a dozen fish species and a few species of reptiles and amphibians exist. |
| The photogenic old Moulton barn on Mormon Row |
| We drove the scenic Rockefeller Parkway into the park from the north. There was still lots of snow and several of the visitor centers and exhibitions were not open for the season. No matter, the scenery in itself was nearly overwhelming. The view of Jackson Lake and the Tetons were gorgeous on a crisp, cold, clear and calm day in May. |
| We saw quite a few moose...some browsing, some drowsing and some handling the mail. |
| A Grand Teton traffic jam |
| Once again, buffalo roamed free |
| A 43-mile scenic loop drive was a lovely way to spend the day. Stops at the Visitor's Centers alerted us to animal sightings. Abundant turnouts and overlooks along the way afforded us the opportunity to see most of the highlights of the park. Grand Teton the highest of the Teton range looks regal (right) at 13,770' above sea level. |
| Oxbow Bend of the Snake River |
| A helpful yellow-headed blackbird picks bugs off our car grille. Right, a delicate yellow fritillary blooms. |
| Next national monument/park on the itinerary... Fossil Butte. It's reallly not very far away...why not come with us? |
| What to say about such an incredibly beautiful place? We needed more time to just sit and soak it all in. Viewing it in different seasons and just different times of the day would be incredible. This is a "must-return" kind of place because once is definitely not enough. |