Our Adventure to the Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks

Our Adventure to the Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks

 

My family, like others this summer, had to revise our travel plans. After talking and doing some research and seeing some other travel posts on social media, we decided that it was a good time for us to head out west and explore the Teton Valley.

 

Summary of our 7-day adventure

Day 1- Estes Park, Co.

Day 2- Rocky Mountain National Park

Day 3- Cody, Wyoming

Day 4- Yellowstone National Park

Day 5- Grand Tetons National Park

Day 6- St. Mary's Glacier

Day 7- Flight Home

 

So our adventure began by researching a good plan to see everything since we only had a week, we were going to need flights, rental car, hotels (we do not have a camper), and park access. We decided to fly into Denver, where we would stop at the Rocky Mountain National Park first. Then head to Yellowstone National Park, then to the Grand Tetons National Park and finish the trip back in Denver with a short trip to St. Mary's Glacier trail. It would be a 7-day 1400 mile loop while encompassing three states (Colorado, Wyoming, Montana). 

 

So while I drove from place to place, Courtney began documenting our family adventure. Stella and Elliot were quite content to sit in the back and look out the window occasionally. It was truly amazing to see how the landscape changed as we drove across the state of Wyoming. You go from mountains in Colorado to rolling hills for as far as you can see, to vast canyons with rivers winding through at the bottom. It is most certainly a drive I will remember for a lifetime. 

 

We left Cincinnati on an early afternoon flight and headed to Denver, landing just an hour after we left Cincy (got love that time change). After picking up the rental car, we headed to Este Park, Co. While heading to the motel, we stopped to check out the Stanley Hotel. It was famously in The Shining and Dumb and Dumber. Due to the current state of things, the check-in time at the motel is pretty strict, so we waited until it was time and then headed to the Alpine Trail Inn, it is not much to look at from the outside, but the rooms were nicely renovated and provided us with a mountain view out our front door. And it was just 30 minutes from the entrance to the Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). After we checked in, we went to explore what Este Park had to offer. We found and played Putt-Putt at Fun City. It was a picturesque course nestled alongside the Big Thompson River. We stopped at The Barrel (Estes Park Craft Beer Garden and Hall); for a drink and to try the Mexican food at the La Cocina De Mama food truck that happened to be parked; at the beer garden. The tacos (my favorite) and nachos were excellent. We only walked in a couple of stores, but it was getting late, it had already been a long day, so we headed back to the Alpine Inn. We had an early day since our timed entry into RMNP was at 6 am. 

 

The next day we are up and at it early, repacked the car, and got into the RMNP just before 6 am. As we were driving through the park, we were able to get a sunrise picture just as the sun came over the mountains. Our mission for the day was to get to Bear Lake and do the hike up to Emerald Lake. We arrived at the parking lot for Bear Lake around 6:30 am and it was already full. So after driving around and taking a short hike around Sprague Lake, we found a Park in Ride shuttle that would take us to Bear Lake. While Bear Lake was the closest lake, we chose to hike up to Nymph Lake, then to Dream Lake and on to Emerald Lake (Elev. 10,110 feet). The hike was about 3.4 mi. in total; it provided us with some of the most magnificent views we could imagine. As we hiked up to each of the lakes, the scenery got better, better. The water was crystal clear and, you could see the trout swimming in the water. The kids insisted on putting their feet in the very chilly water, cause well really, why not. The hike down seemed easier since we picked up all that oxygen we lost going up, so the kids thought, ha. We drove around the park a little more, enjoying the views of the meadows and marsh areas, looking for wildlife but no luck. So we left the park and headed north to our stopping point for the night Douglas, Wyoming (home of the Jackalope).

 

After a quick overnight that the Hampton Inn in Douglas Wyoming, where we had some pretty tasty gas station pizza for dinner, and steak and eggs taco breakfast. We had about a 4 hours drive to our next stop, Cody, Wyoming. As we drove, we passed through part of the Wind River reservations, then a stop at the Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, Wyoming. Home to The World's Largest Mineral Hot Spring. It ended up being a nice place about halfway to Cody to get out and stretch our legs and see a hot spring. Courtney and the kids were able to wade in the runoff from the hot spring that was flowing into the Bighorn River. It had the temperature of bathwater at that point. Some of the other spots got as hot as 126 degrees. The kids said it smelled like rotten eggs. We all hopped back in the car and headed for Cody, Wyoming, named after Buffalo Bill Cody, who founded the town in 1896. Cute town, lots of history. We walked around the town, going in and out of the shops. We stopped in the Wyoming Trout Guides Shop for some local trout flies, to help us hopefully catch some fish. While walking around, we stopped at The Meatery for some lunch, and that certainly hit the spot! On this night, we were staying at the Bill Cody Ranch, and we had a sunset horseback ride scheduled. Admittedly this was the first time as a family we have been on horses. We were all assigned horses (Gus, George, Hungry, and Annie).

 

We hopped on, with some help from the wranglers, then we were given a few pointers on how to steer the horses, and off we went into the canyon valley. The ride lasted for about 2 hours. We crossed a stream 5 or 6 times, wandered through a field of sagebrush, we heard some rumbles of thunder off in the distance from a passing storm. The air got chilly as the sun dipped behind the canyon walls, but it also illuminated the walls with beautiful orange and red color.

After the ride, the kids ran down near the lobby where they learned to rope like a cowboy and cowgirl; then they sat down in front of the first pit for some s'mores. Since our ride happened around dinner time, we were starving and needed to find food. Just down the road was a place called the Trail Shop restaurant. I had a steak, Courtney had pork chops, and Stella had Shrimp Cocktail, then Elliot fell asleep at the table. After our bellies were full, we headed back to our quaint 2-bedroom cabin for a nice restful sleep. With no A/C, we opened the windows and let the cool night air in to give us some relief from the warm weather of the day. 

 

Up early (there is trend forming), we packed the car, stopped at the lobby to drop off our key, and pick up our bag lunches for the day. It was Yellowstone Day, and we could not wait to get there. Our drive from the ranch took us in through the East Entrance. As we were driving, I stopped the car on the side of the road so we could get our fly pole again and see it today would be our lucky day. Sadly it was not but, the experience and the memories will last forever. Back in the car, we entered the park and began our tour of the lower Yellowstone loop. 

 

As you enter from the east, the most prominent feature is the Yellowstone Lake, which was very impressive. We pulled into a parking lot with beach access so the kids could get out and check out the wave crashing ashore. We continued around to the Fishing Bridge Visitor Center, where we could feel the park getting busier. As we head north on the loop, we stopped at the LeHardy Rapids, which are within the Yellowstone River (Longest Undammed River in the US). In the spring, this is where you can see the trout leaping and swimming upstream. I could stand there and listen to that water rush by all-day. After our quick hike, we were back in the car. We pulled up to the Hayden Valley overlook where we saw our first herd of Bison. We saw a couple of solo Bison along the roadside, snapped a couple of photos but, we kept our distance. Our next little hike was at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, specifically Artist Point (Disney Reference). The canyon has to be one of the most beautiful places in our country. The canyon is roughly 20 miles in length, 1000 feet deep, and 1500- 4000 feet wide. There are also two waterfalls; the upper falls have a drop of 100 feet, the lower falls drop is a little over 300 feet. Fun Fact, there is no place where you can see both falls at the same time. Artist Point is a popular destination, so be patient. The driving inside Yellowstone is vast and takes time. As a perspective, if you drive the lower loop without stopping, it will take you 3.5 hours. That is crazy. 

 

After leaving the canyon village, we went west to the Norris Geyser Basin. Again, the parking lot was full, and we needed to drive around a couple of times before finding a spot. We walked down the boardwalk to see the world's tallest active geyser, Steamboat Geyser. This geyser is not as predictable as Old Faithful, but it can erupt up to 3x the height. It has frequent minor eruptions of 10-40 feet, but a major eruption, which can happen anywhere from 4 days to 50 yea
rs, can reach up to 300 feet in the air. We just missed the last major eruption on Aug 4, 2020, by three days. (so close). Since we were not waiting around for the next eruption to happen, we left and drove south to the Midway Geyser Basin, home to the Grand Prismatic Spring, one if not the most famous hot springs. Now, this hot spring is stunning, but if you want to see it, in all its glory, you need to hike up to the overlook. Pro tip: If you hike to the over-look in the afternoon, the view is better than in the morning.We left the Midway Geyser Basin and headed back north and left the park to go to our next hotel, which was in West Yellowstone. We stayed at the West Yellowstone Lodge, large rooms, great price, and a place to lay our heads for the night. We wandered around town, had some dinner, and then headed back into the park for some night time photography. One of my goals for this trip was to be able to see the Milky Way in the night sky. OMG, the night sky did not disappoint. I feel like there were five billion stars in the sky.

The Milky Way was so stunning, and I can not believe we were able to see in person. Courtney and Stella stayed awake while I took photos of the stars. Sadly, Elliot fell asleep again. The cherry on top was when Stella and I were looking up; we saw a shooting star in the sky. By now, it is very late, and tomorrow will be another early day in the parks.

We are up early again; we stopped at a local gas station for sandwiches and snacks for the day. As we drove through the west entrance that morning, you could tell how alive Yellowstone is. Since the temperature was chilly, you could see the steam from all of the geysers and hot springs across the landscape.
Our goal was to get to Old Faithful before the crowd because we had another busy day awaiting us. We arrived about 30 minutes before the next eruption, (yep) they have it timed out pretty well. We walked over to the left side of the boardwalk and sat down on a couple of benches. This area was less crowded than the front and center section. While we waited, I walked over and looked at the Old Faithful Lodge, (which is where Disney got their inspiration for the Wilderness Lodge). Unfortunately, it was closed due to the virus, so I had to take a picture through the windows. I walked back over to the boardwalk, met up with the family, and watched the Old Faithful eruption. I have to say it was just ok, do not get me wrong, it is a stellar sight, guess I was expecting a little more.

Back in the car, we drove south towards the Tetons. The views were scenic; the trees, the valleys, the meadows are just something we are not used to seeing. We stopped at one of the continental Divide signs; the Continental Divide is where the earth separates the watersheds that drain into the Pacific Ocean from those river systems that drain into the Atlantic Ocean. We also stopped at Lewis Falls and climbed out on some old trees in the middle of the Lewis River (Named after Meriwether Lewis, of Lewis and Clark) to get a good picture of the kids and the waterfall. Courtney stayed back just in case. The south entrance/exit of Yellowstone seems to blend right into the Grand Tetons National Park, which was our next stop on our journey. 

 

As we were driving into the park, the mountain range seems to shoot right up out of the ground. I pulled off a couple of times to take pictures of the mountain and Jackson Lake. We came up to Colter Bay Village and stopped to some exploring and hiking in and around Jackson Lake. I stopped at the visitor center to verify the trail we wanted to take. Lakeshore Trail is a 2-mile loop with some of the most beautiful views you will ever experience. The trailhead starts behind the visitor center then heads out along the shoreline, across a causeway between the two islands, through a conifer forest, and then you come to a rocky beach area. 

 

Looking from left to right, you will be able to see Teewinot Mountain, Grand Teton, Mt. Moran, Bivouac Peak, Eagles Rest Peak, and Ranger Peak rising above the Jackson Lake western shore. The kids had an absolute blast on the beach, played in the water, skipped stones, made a Cairn, and just enjoyed our time at the beach. We hiked back to the car, and after a quick wardrobe change, due to all that playing the lake, we drove around the east side of the park. This drive gave us some of the best panoramic views of the Tetons.

Our next hike was at Schwabacher Landing; this is a popular hike to get some great landscape pictures, with some fantastic reflections of the mountain range, since the water is so still. There were rumors that this is the place to see a moose, but we were not lucky enough to see one this time. This area is very peaceful and quiet; it is also a popular spot for weddings. The last stop of the day was at the T.A. Moulton Barn; this iconic barn is all that remains from the Moulton homestead that they formed in 1912. People from far and wide come here to see, photography and paint this barn with the Grand Tetons as its backdrop. We left the barn and drove south to the Flat Creek Inn; it is between the park and Jackson Hole. A great location, this way we, do not have to deal with the Jackson traffic in the morning but, we are close enough to drive into town for dinner and shopping. The room was nice and clean, and the beds were comfy, and at this point, that is all we needed. 

 

As dinner time approached, we drove into Jackson, found a parking spot (no easy task). The town was teeming with people eating dinner, shopping and, just enjoying the pleasant evening outside. We put our name in for a wood fire pizza joint called Hand Fired Pizza and, it was in the historic Teton Theater. While we waited for our table, we walked around browsing in stores trying to find some souvenirs. I saw the Wort Hotel, which is where you will stay if you take the Wyoming Adventures By Disney trip. We saw the famous antler arches that are on each of the Town Square. I am sure this is quite the ski town during the winter months. Finally, we received the text, which meant our table was ready. We ordered the Meatbawls pizza, and it was excellent, highly recommend you stopping by if you are in Jackson. After dinner, it was off to bed because it was going to be another early morning into the park.

When planning our trip, we made sure to allow some extra time in any of the parks if need be. Well, we needed more time in the Grand Tetons National Park. We packed up the car and checked out of the hotel and headed to Jenny Lake. We were trying to beat the crowd because we knew we were hitting the popular spots in the park this morning. The views were even better on this day.

 

We started our morning by hopping on the boat to the trail for Hidden Falls; (the boat ride cost about $50 a family round trip). In the end, riding the boat will save you about 4 miles of hiking. You can always hike one way and take the boat the other way if you want. After crossing the lake, the trail is about 1 mile. As you hike up, you encounter some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere. You cross over the Cascade Canyon Creek a couple of times as you ascend to the falls. There were quite a few people on the trail this morning. We get up what I called the most popular hidden falls anywhere. I snapped a couple of pictures, and it was time to hike down the trail. As we make our way down the hill, we find a great family picture spot that has the forest and the Cascade Canyon Creek rushing down behind us. It will be a great memory of this hike. After a quick break, we finish our trek down at the boat dock and then head back by boat across Jenny Lake. The line waiting for the boat was already twice along as it was when we sailed earlier.

We left Jenny Lake and made a family happy to find a parking spot. I could not believe how busy the parking lot had gotten. Our next stop was String Lake, which is an outflow for Jenny Lake. This lake is only about 6 feet deep, so it is great for paddleboarding. We did not do this activity, but there were plenty of people that were. Being that is was Sunday, there seemed to be a lot of families spending the day at the lake. There was a park ranger at the entrance of the parking lot. She told us that the lot filled up a 9:30 am and that she did not expect a spot to be open till around 4:00 pm. We asked if we could check just in case, she said yes, so we drove around the parking lot, but there were no spots. Just as we were about to give up, we spotted and couple leaving and we pulled into their parking spot. The kids and Courtney get out of the car, and we hike around String Lake looking for a place to do some fly fishing. We find a couple more park rangers that they tell us about a spot over by where our car is parked. We walk over that direction and found a social trail that led us down to the creek. Elliot and I decided this was a great spot to get into the water and do some fly fishing. We were standing in the creek, the sound of the rushing water around our legs, and the view of the Tetons in front of us, which will be a wondrous memory for both of us. Courtney and Stella were hanging out on the bank. They were enjoying the weather and views as well. As I was helping Elliot, I turned to look at the shore. When I turned back, he was in the water and not happy. So after we talked and he calmed down, we made our way to the shore and then walked back to the car for him to change. I am so glad we did not give up on finding a parking spot.

As we left the String Lake area, we passed cars parked anywhere and everywhere they were allowed. It was about lunchtime, and we had decided to drive straight through to Denver (eight hours). We stopped at the Creekside Market and Deli (a recommendation from some friends that had been to the park a couple of weeks earlier); we grabbed some drinks and some deli sandwiches for the ride. This place is a must-stop if you are near Jackson. Great value, great food, and excellent staff that is ready to help.

 

I drove eight hours across the state of Wyoming again, which was not too bad. We decided to do this to give us time in the Denver area and to help relax before and do some laundry before heading home. We stayed at a Dury Inn and Suites, a nice hotel, comfy beds. It had a pool that was both inside and outside, which the kids thought was high class. The Dury Inn and Suites also offers free breakfast and a free happy hour in the evening. 

 

On our last day, we relaxed in the morning, Courtney found a laundry mat close by (the hotel laundry machines were broke). That afternoon, on another recommendation, we drove up to St. Mary's Glacier. As we were driving, I saw a sign for Two Brothers Deli, thinking we would need some food while we were on the hike. I pulled off that exit, and we stumbled upon Idaho Springs, Home of the Gold Rush. What a charming mountain town. We parked and walked to the deli; the town had all the streets blocked off so that no cars were allowed, and the restaurants could have outdoor seating. Since we had to pay for parking, we chose to eat at the restaurant, the food was good, and everyone ate everything. I would call that a win! Then we walked around and looked in some of the local shops. What a happy accident that we had found this restaurant and town. After lunch, we got in the car and drove up to the glacier. We parked the car at the trailhead ($5), grabbed some water, and then started our hike. This was by far the most rugged trail we had been on the whole trip. It was like a dump truck stopped at the top of the trail and dumped an entire load of rocks down the hill. As you hike up the path, it can get confusing so, do not be afraid to ask if you see someone else coming down the hill. We had to stop a couple of times to catch our breath and let the kids rest. Once at the top, you come over the ridge, and as you pass through some trees, the lake appears, and then you see the glacier. Wow, what a cool (pun intended) place. I took plenty of pictures, the kids and I put our feet in the water. There was a wedding going on, and I cannot believe she hiked up there in her wedding dress. On the far side of the lake, some people were jumping off a rock into the water. We walked around the lake and hiked up to the glacier. The views from the glacier back across the lake were magnificent. It would also mark our highest hike at 10,320 feet. We all got on the glacier, packed together a couple of snowballs, and watched few skiers glide down too. We could not have asked for a better way to end our adventure.

We drove back to the hotel; had some dinner, and then the kids swam before it was time to go to bed. Our flight left Denver mid-morning, which meant we could sleep in just a little. We arrived home late afternoon do to the time change. 

 

We had a great time on this trip. We saw a lot of new things and had some incredible new adventures, which made memories that will last for a lifetime. I highly recommend that if you have never been out to this part of the country, plan a trip soon. I will be putting together some dos and don’ts. Then some tips and tricks on how to vacation in Wyoming. If a trip like this sounds like something you are interested in, I would love to help you plan it.