Mountain Views & Hidden Falls in Grand Teton National Park
If you haven't been keeping up with my adventures this summer, in May I was given the opportunity to travel to Wyoming through a grant from MSU as research for a novella I'm writing. Our journey took us out to Yellowstone National Park (you can read that series here), and after four days in Wapiti and the park, we packed our bags to head down to Jackson, Wyoming, which sits at the southern entrance of Grand Teton National Park.
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Grand Teton National Park is named for Grand Teton, the highest peak in the Teton range. The origins of the name are peculiar, dating back to 19th-century French-speaking trappers, who are said to have called the range les trois tétons, or the three teats, due to their shape. Americans anglicized the spelling and shortened it to Tetons.
Grand Teton is majestic, rising out of the glacial valleys to a height of 13,775 feet. The snow-capped peak contrasted with the lush green spring grass to give an almost Sound of Music effect. We used the turnout at Oxbow Bend to get a beautiful view of the Snake River with the mountains in the background.
Then, we took a hike through Schwabacher's Landing, which provided picturesque views of the mountains and pine forests reflected on the river. It was an intensely serene landscape—the kind of Romantic painters and poets—and I could have spent hours strolling alongside the ponds and streams, listening to the trill of birdsong.
Our last hike of the day was at Jenny Lake, where you can take a ferry across the breadth of the Lake, do a short hike up to the breathtaking Hidden Falls, then either return by ferry or hike around one half of the lake back to the parking lot. Well, we arrived (after being detoured for a moment by a moose and her baby napping in a thicket of trees) just in time for the last ferry across, as it was about to storm. The ride was bumpy, spray from bouncing over waves smacking me in the face, and when we arrived at the dock on the other side, all of the workers piled back on the ferry and left the way we'd come. That, with the bear warnings and impending storm, was a little ominous.
However, there was nothing to fear except being rained on, and the long windy hike back was well worth it for the stunning waterfall, tucked in dense forest along Cascade Creek, dropping 100 feet to water-worn boulders below. We also quickly found that this area of Cascade Canyon was prime yellow-bellied marmot habitat and saw many furry friends scurrying under and over the rocks.
Compared to the six hours of driving in Yellowstone every day, driving through Grand Teton seemed to fly by, so we found ourselves in Jackson with plenty of time for dinner. Jackson is much more touristy (and affluent) than Cody, where we stayed while touring Yellowstone, so its streets are lined with boutique shops, clothing stores, and upscale restaurants. It was definitely a different vibe than the saloons and "Grandma's cooking" type of places we were used to seeing in Wyoming.
Our last morning, we ate breakfast a cute French bakery (Persephone), then began our 13-hour drive to the halfway-point of Lincoln, Nebraska. And in true Wyoming form, a bear friend was munching on the side of the highway on our way out of Grand Teton.
In 1885, inspired by a visit to Wyoming, naturalist John Muir wrote, "Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away like autumn leaves."
Grand Teton National Park 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 1,000 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 park is also home to about a dozen glaciers. Glaciers are sensitive indicators of climate change because they respond to both temperature and precipitation. The largest in the park, Teton Glacier, is 3,500 feet long and 1,100 feet wide. However, researchers have concluded that at its current rate of recession due to global climate change, it will have vanished in 17 to 62 years.
I'm thankful to have been able to see this park while its spectacular array of flora and fauna, as well as its glaciers, still exist; however, future generations may not be so lucky. To learn more about how you can contribute to the preservation of our nation's most beautiful and precious resources, go here or consider donating to the National Park Foundation.
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