Tag Archives: pronghorn antelope

Grand Tetons: Mormon Row, Snake River and Jackson Hole

1-dsc_0075

Heading north towards the Snake River Overlook, I had several places I wanted to visit along the way, starting with the Chapel of the Transfiguration.  This small church, sitting at the base of the Grand Tetons, draws visitors with its beautiful views.  From the window behind the altar, a picturesque scene provides an unobstructed panorama of the Grand Tetons.   I imagine I would have been distracted by this picturesque scene while attending church here, but then again, it would always be a reminder of God’s beautiful creation.

2-dsc_0078a

Located in the park’s Moose area, the Chapel of the Transfiguration is an Episcopal Church located just inside of the South Entrance.  Erected in 1925, this congregation an active community providing services for both Episcopalians as well as Eucharists during the summer season.

3-dsc_0079a

Traveling north, I found a short detour that led me to Mormon Row.  During the summer months, this area is one of the best places to see bison and small herds of pronghorn antelope.   It is the perfect backdrop for photographing the farm structures that were once home to Mormon settlers in the early 1900s.

5-dsc_0080

At the last minute, I decided to take the one-mile gravel road to Lower Schwabacher Landing, once used as a starting point for rafting trips.  Here, artists once painted some of the most familiar sites of the Teton Range and remains a perfect picnic spot to enjoy the view of the peaks.

6-dsc_0085

I finally reached my afternoon destination. Made famous by world-renowned,  photographer, Ansel Adams, the view of Snake River is spectacular.  I can clearly see why  photographing the overlook has become an obsession for photographers.   I spent a few moments imagining myself as an early explorer, witnessing this view for the first time, but needed to start making my way towards Rendevous Mountain at Jackson Hole.

7-dsc_0092

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is more popular with skiers during the wintertime, but during the summer a gondola ride up to Rendezvous Mountain is irresistible. The Bridger Gondola provides breathtaking views of the resort below taking only 9 minutes to reach a climb of over 9,000 feet.

8-dsc_0100

The gentle hum of the gondola is therapeutic as the climb continues upwards affording unobstructed sights of Teton Village below.  Open only from 4:30PM to 9PM during off-season hours, there is a snack shop and restaurant for taking in the views.    It is a perfect time to reflect on all that I experienced here in Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone.  I am already looking forward to a future visit where I have promised myself to hike more, explore more and make it another trip to remember.

What are some of your most memorable visits to Grand Teton?  What would you add to your itinerary on your next visit?  I would love to hear about your adventure if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below!  Many thanks for reading about my adventure to Grand Tetons National Park!  Wishing you many Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Grand Teton National Park
PO Box 170
Moose, WY  83012
Telephone:  307 739 3399

  • Admission Fee:   Each entrance fee covers 7 days of park entry.  Private Vehicle: $35; Motorcycle:  $30 and Hiker/Biker: $20  which only applies to visitors 16 years old and older entering the park by foot, bicycle, etc.    An annual Pass for Grand Teton National Park is $70 which is valid for one year through the month of purchase. The Grand Teton National Park accepts the America the Beautiful Pass which allows access to over 2,000 federal recreation sites for a cost of $80 which is valid for one year through the month of purchase.  Check out their website for more information:  https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm
  • Hours:  Open daily, 24 hours;  Refer to the Grand Teton National Park website for the operating hours of the Visitor Centers.
  • Amenities:  camping, hiking, boating, skiing, biking, bird watching, climbing and mountaineering, fishing, horseback riding, scenic drives, wildlife viewing, Visitor’s Centers which provide interpretive exhibits and park information and Ranger programs. Guided tours are also available in the park.
  • Scenic View:  Scenic drives throughout the park include the Teton Park Road, Jenny Lake Scenic Drive and Signal Mountain Summit Road.
  • Length of Visit:  To maximize your visit to Grand Teton National Park one would need at least a couple of days to experience all that the park provides.
  • Tips for Your Visit:  The park is open year around, but winter time can be a challenging during snow and ice. If you are looking for animals, winter is the time that they hibernate.   Spring is a wonderful time to visit because you can see newborn babies.  When viewing wildlife, you must stay 100 yards from bears and wolves, and 25 yard from all other animals in the park.  For photographers, you may already know that dawn and dusk are the best times to photograph animals and you will want to bring a telephoto lens for capturing them from far distances.  Signal Mountain is perfect for sunsets.

Chapel of the Transfiguration
Grand Teton National Park
Chapel of the Transfiguration Road
Moose, Wyoming  83001
Telephone:  307 733 2603

  • Admission Fee:  Free
  • Hours:  Besides the church services, the hours of operation are not posted.  I arrived at 9AM during the weekday and it was unlocked.
  • Scenic View:   Gorgeous view of the Grand Tetons from the large picture window
  • Length of Time to Spend Here:  Less than an hour.
  • Tips for Your Visit:  The Chapel of the Transfiguration is an active congregation and church services are offered on Sundays at 8AM and 10PM during the summer season. The church played a major role in the movie, Spencer’s Mountain, featuring Henry Fonda and Maureen O’Hara.

Mormon Row
Grand Teton National Park
Located outside of Moose Junction
Moose, Wyoming  83001

Lower Schwabacher Landing
Grand Teton National Park
Moose, Wyoming  83001

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
Tram Address:
3265 West Village Drive
Teton Village, Wyoming  83025
Telephone:  307 733 2292

  • Admission Fee:  Free; Additional charge for tram tickets ($35 for round trip access; $84 to ride all summer)
  • Hours:  Open daily from 9 – 5; Refer to the website for winter/ski hours
  • Amenities:  Tram/Lift tickets, Grand Adventure Pass, Bike Rentals, Paragliding, Kids Summer Camps, Daycare, Lodging, Spa, Vacation Rentals, Restaurant (at the base of the mountain and at the top). Great for hiking, biking and skiing!
  • Scenic View:   Gorgeous view of the Grand Tetons and the surrounding area from the top of the lift
  • Length of Time to Spend Here:  Varies depending on activities
  • Tips for Your Visit:  Tram/Lift tickets are free after 5PM.  Be prepared for the elevation as it may cause some shortness of breath.   Some shops and restaurants at the top of the lift close at 5, but there are restaurants at the base of the resort as well.  Piste was opened until 9PM during the summer.

Note:  The information I have provided does not include the winter season as I visited during the summer.  Visit the resort’s website for more information regarding ski packages, etc.  https://www.jacksonhole.com/

Where to Stay:

Teton Mountain Lodge & Spa
3385 Cody Lane
Teton Village, WY  83025
Telephone: 307 201 6066

Where to Eat:

The Deck @ Piste
Rendezvous Mountain
Jackson Hole, Wyoming 83025
Telephone:  307 732 3177

I ordered the Southern Belle made from White Wine with Orange and Passion Fruit. In addition, I had a glass of Henry Estate Pinot Noir to accompany my House Meatballs and Fries.

For more information about Grand Teton National Park, visit the park’s website at https://www.nps.gov/grte/index.htm.

9-dsc_0118

 

10-dsc_0122

 

11-dsc_0134

 

12-dsc_0138

 

100-dsc_0077

 

101-img_1040

 

102-dsc_0103

Mammoth Springs, An Apocalyptic Fairytale

1-dsc_0710

Arriving into Mammoth Hot Springs, there was a large crowd of visitors standing around the center of town.  From a distance it was difficult to see what was taking place downtown, but as I drove closer, I noticed a large bull elk and his harem.  Roaming the Parade Lawn were about twenty beautiful females.

The crowd began to push in and as they moved closer to the elk, a park ranger warned the group to move away from the herd.  Clearly ignoring the warning sign placards, guests seemed to have forgotten that bull elks can become unpredictable when provoked and dangerous if startled.  I thought it best to leave the potentially dangerous situation and decided to explore the Hot Springs of Yellowstone.

2-dsc_0712

Situated at the north end of Yellowstone, Mammoth sits at an elevation of over 6,000 feet.  One of the most photographed areas of the park, it is known for its multi-layered colors created by volcanic chemicals.

3-dsc_0720

The orange limestone terraces glowing in the sunlight were bold in comparison to the white chalky substance. Created by algae and bacteria, there is a strong contrast between the colors that stand out from the rest of the scene.  A continuous mist was rising up from the stepping stones as if to reach the sun and stars.  Unlike the other features in the park,  the view seemed as though I had just landed on another planet.

4-dsc_0726

The scenes of the park took my breath away.  A lone tree sprouted up from the white limestone against the blue sky creating an image that could only be painted by a surrealist.   As if rising out of a fairytale book,  I was sure that nymphs or sprites could appear at any moment.

5-dsc_0730

Located on the Upper Terrace of Mammoth Springs is the New Blue Springs.  Without one speck of blue to be seen, this monochromatic contrast with colors of white and orange would seem most likely to exist on planet Mars.

6-dsc_0745

Approaching the last formations of limestone,  I found this area to be one of the most unique collection of springs.  Unequivocally unique in its design, they are one of the many reasons that four million visitors arrive in Yellowstone National Park each year.

Have you had the opportunity to visit Yellowstone National Park?  What were the highlights of your trip?  I would love to hear about your adventure if you would kindly leave your experience in the comments section below. Many thanks for taking the time to read about my fabulous trip to Yellowstone National Park and wishing you many Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Yellowstone National Park
PO Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190
Telephone:  307 344 7381

  • Admission Fee:   Each entrance fee covers 7 days of park entry.  Private Vehicle: $35; Motorcycle:  $30 and Hiker/Biker: $20  which only applies to visitors 16 years old and older entering the park by foot, bicycle, etc.    An annual Pass for Yellowstone National Park is $70 which is valid for one year through the month of purchase. The Yellowstone National Park accepts the America the Beautiful Pass which allows access to over 2,000 federal recreation sites for a cost of $80 which is valid for one year through the month of purchase.  Check out their website for more information:  https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm
  • Hours:  Open daily, 24 hours;  Refer to the Yellowstone National Park website for the operating hours of the Visitor Centers.
  • Amenities:  camping, hiking, boating, skiing, biking, bird watching, climbing and mountaineering, fishing, horseback riding and llama packing, scenic drives, wildlife viewing, Visitor’s Centers which provide interpretive exhibits and park information and Ranger programs. Guided tours are also available in the park.
  • Scenic View:  Take in the view of Grand Prismatic Spring from the Overlook off of the Fairy Falls Trailhead.  For the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River, you can see this beautiful waterfall from several locations offering different views of the falls:  Brink of Lower Falls, Lookout Point, Uncle Tom’s Trail and Artist Point. Check out the stadium seating at Old Faithful for a front row seat of this geyser that erupts every 35 to 120 minutes.  The park’s Twitter account, @GeyserNPS, the Geyser Activity Page on their website or the Geyser App lists the predicted times for Old Faithful.
  • Length of Visit:  Three days is recommended to see all of the attractions at Yellowstone.
  • Tips for Your Visit:  The park is open year around, but winter time can be a challenging during snow and ice. If you are looking for animals, winter is the time that they hibernate.   Spring is a wonderful time to visit because you can see newborn babies.  When viewing wildlife, you must stay 100 yards from bears and wolves, and 25 yard from all other animals in the park.  For photographers, you may already know that dawn and dusk are the best times to photograph animals and you will want to bring a telephoto lens for capturing them from far distances. Summer is the busiest time for the park you may find road construction and traffic.

Where to Stay:

I was fortunate enough to stay at one of the lodges at Yellowstone.  I absolutely loved staying at the park and have Melba Coleman to thank for assisting me in my reservation.

Where to Eat:

Lake Yellowstone Hotel Dining Room
Yellowstone Park, WY  82190
Telephone:  307 344 7311

For a light lunch, I ordered the charcuterie plate which included meats, cheeses, olives, walnuts and whole grain crackers.  It was the perfect location to enjoy the park sitting by a large viewing window, mesmerized by the spectacular view.

Disclosure:   Please refer to our blog disclaimer tab for more information.

100-dsc_0727

101-dsc_0734