Grand Teton National Park
Personal Notes: 2004 Canyon Country Tour
This page contains our personal notes from our visits to Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming during our 2004 Canyon Country Tour.
Friday, August 27, 2004
Moose-Wilson Road
2:03 p.m.
We entered Grand Teton National Park and began traveling along the Moose-Wilson Road, a very rutted, potholed dirt and gravel route. We had seen moose and elk in this area the year before and hoped that we would see some this year. We stopped at the moose observation turn-out, but no luck. I think that it was too late in the day.
Moose Visitor Center
2:40 p.m.
We reached the Moose Visitor Center at the junction of Highways 390, 89, 26, and 191. We stopped to use the restrooms and to look around. We then drove to the south entrance of Grand Teton National Park and entered again, taking the Teton Park Road toward Jenny Lake.
Cottonwood Creek Picnic Area
About five miles inside of the Moose Entrance we found a picnic area near Cottonwood Creek. There were several people using the area, but there was still one table left in the shade. We had sandwiches and chips, etc. The views of the Tetons was spectacular, and if we had more time we could have explored around the creek some.
3:40 p.m.
We finished lunch, loaded up, and continued our journey.
String Lake Picnic Area
3:55 p.m.
We arrived at the String Lake Picnic Area where we walked along the lake for a short ways and had excellent views of the Tetons across the water. It was sunny, with some clouds, but the air was a little chilly. We watched a squirrel in the picnic area eat pine cones. Hana seemed to enjoy the squirrels quite a bit. I spoke to a woman in a wheel chair while I was waiting for Anne to come out of the restroom. She wanted to get larger tires on where wheels so that she could go out on some hiking trails.
Heading to Yellowstone
4:36 p.m.
We left the picnic area and continued north. We spotted a coyote along the road, just taking its time as it walked through the tall grass. At Jackson Lake we noticed that there is not much lake left. It is almost completely dry.
At Jackson Lake Junction we turned left onto Highway 89, 191, and 287 and headed north toward the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway. After we entered the Parkway we ran into road construction. But we got lucky and got to the end of the line just as the other cars were coming through. We had almost no delay at all.
Monday, August 30, 2004
From Yellowstone
From Yellowstone we headed back south along the same route that we took when we drove in. We got lucky with the road construction going out, getting in at the tail end of a group moving south. We drove through the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway once again, then entered Grand Teton National Park.
Willow Flats Overlook
9:45 a.m.
We stopped for photos of the Grand Tetons at the Willow Flats Overlook. At Jackson Lake Junction we went east on Highway 26 and 287.
Oxbow Bend Turnout
9:50 a.m.
A bunch of cars had stopped along the road at the Oxbow Bend Turnout. The occupants were observing a moose in the water. I saw it as we drove by, eating along the edge of a stream. But, by the time we got stopped and walked back to where the others were, the moose had moved into tall brush and we could no longer see it. That was a bit of a disappointment.
At Moran Junction we turned south on Highway 26, 89, and 191.
Teton Point Turnout
10:10 a.m.
We stopped at the Teton Point Turnout for photos. The mountains looked great, with few or no clouds. We were also able to get a good look at the Snake River valley below.
We then passed Gros Ventre Junction and left Teton National Park. We drove along the National Elk Refuge, but didn't see any elk there.
