Grand Teton National Park

20-21 July

Our first night in Grand Teton National Park was interrupted in the most spectacular way to the sound of howling coyotes at 230am, and our first real understanding that despite our comfy hotel bed, outside the door was a real wilderness.  

We finally awoke at 530am for another early start grabbing coffee from the lodge lounge before heading off to our morning destination of Oxbow Bend, a viewing area over Snake river.  Not the most original name for a river but those Native Americans told it like it was.

Here we saw elk across the lake, pelicans, Uinta ground squirrels and views of the Tetons reflected in the river.

From here we headed to Jenny Lake and the start of our first hike of the trip. We grabbed a takeaway breakfast where I resisted such fare as cheese and peanut butter crackers, and chicken in a biscuit (yes, I said biscuit).  Our hike lead us around Jenny lake for around 2.5 miles and up to a waterfall and a view over the lake at Inspiration Point.

About halfway around we saw a large pile of droppings by the edge of the lake; really fresh and really grassy.  This is where I told my first lie of the trip.  Jo asked me what I thought it was. We agreed on some sort of deer.

They were actually Grizzly bear.   This was only revealed later when we overheard some other walker talking about the “Fresh Grizzly Crap” on the trail.

We saw pika, a small gerbil/rabbit type mammal, together with butterflies and Golden Mantled ground squirrels.

About halfway through our walk a small lone child, about four years old wandered by carrying a bag of food.    We weren’t sure whether the food was to distract the bears, or a side dish to the child main course.  Either way the parent didn’t arrive until a good few minutes later accompanied by three other children with bags of food.   Another walker had already run after the child and we asked the mother if she was missing a little boy carrying a bag of food. “What did he look like?” she said.  “A bear snack” I wanted to say but resisted, wondering just how many of her lone children did she think were walking around bear country on their own with bags of food.

We arrived at Inspiration Point and fantastic views of Jenny Lake, and followed the same path back to complete our 6 mile hike.

From here we drove south to Jackson, a winter ski resort and summer tourist town where we spent the afternoon exploring.  On the way back to Jackson Lake Lodge we saw a few lone Bison, and finished the evening counting mosquito bites and studying our new companion, the Mac's Field Guide to Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks Mammals.