OT: National Parks trip help
- Thread starter El-Jefe
- Start date
There was an old Jewish couple that lived past our back fence there. My mom befriended them and we had dinners together every now and then. They had this frightening wolf-dog hybrid kept behind a high fence that would come at us like Cerberus as we slinked past his cage.
Anyway, that wasn’t the scariest part. The old woman was. She thought I was too skinny so practically locked me into rooms with massive amounts of food - like a mountain of strawberries - and told me “eat, bubula, eat!”. I did what I was told.
I wonder why they stayed In Poland (or came back) - I guess, despite the horrors, it was home and they weren’t leaving for anything.
Yes, obvious but worth repeating.Going out on a limb, eh?
What struck me recently was this info, which is shown in Wiki,
Nobel Prizes[note 1] have been awarded to over 900 individuals,[1] of whom at least 20% were Jews although the Jewish population comprises less than 0.2% of the world's population.[2] Various theories have been proposed to explain this phenomenon, which has received considerable attention.[3] Israeli academics Dr. Elay Ben-Gal and Professor Yeshayahu Leibowitz, curious about the phenomenon, started to form an encyclopedia of Jewish Nobel laureates and interview as many as possible about their life and work.[4]
Jews have been recipients of all six awards. The first Jewish recipient, Adolf von Baeyer, was awarded the prize in Chemistry in 1905. As of 2019, the most recent Jewish recipient was economics laureate Michael Kremer.
Jewish laureates Elie Wiesel and Imre Kertész survived the extermination camps during the Holocaust,[5] while François Englert survived by being hidden in orphanages and children's homes.[6] Others, such as Walter Kohn, Otto Stern, Albert Einstein, Hans Krebs and Martin Karplus had to flee Nazi Germany to avoid persecution.[7][8][9] Still others, including Rita Levi-Montalcini, Herbert Hauptman, Robert Furchgott, Arthur Kornberg, and Jerome Karle experienced significant antisemitism in their careers.[8][10]
How many potential Nobel prize winners were lost in the Holocaust?
I am assuming she had witnessed the horrors of starvation in the War and, in her mind, feeding and nurturing you was one way, whether consciously or not, to deal with those memories. At least that is what the junior psychologist in me guesses.
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Sadly, I only know a few words now. I was 5 and lost fluency months after returning home from our 1 yr stay.
Wish I could learn. Only the older folks spoke it at times when I was younger. Other than food names, the only thing said in my house was "gowno" when I asked what was for dinner and my Mother was joking or pissed.
Do Duolingo. That’s how I’m learning Spanish. Free app
A lot of Latin American baseball players learned English by watching TV.
So I recommend watching the Spanish channels. If nothing else, the scenery on their soap operas has to beat any app. (And you can justify it -- "I'm trying to learn Spanish!")
Haven't read through all the post. One suggestion is WA. Mr. Rainier and other parks east/South/North of Seattle. And the Olympic peninsula. You could take a fairy on a day/overnight trip to Victoria, CA. (leaves out of Port Angeles). Port Townsend is a cool city. Also by Port Angeles is the Olympic hotspings...everybody is naked. Might not be the best idea with corona going around. LOL. Drive around the peninsula. Hike to the ocean and camp on the beach.. Also on the Olympic peninsula is the Hoh rainforest.
Yeah, I do that now and then. Need to finish El Chapo in espanol.
Watching those channels is sometimes funnier if you don’t know a thing. For example, turned on some show called Guerros de los Sexos and there’s a gorgeous girl with a low cut tank top herding goats on stage into a pen to beat a certain time. Everyone’s jabbering like crazy. Or watch Don Julio on Sabado Gigante and all the random stuff going on
In mid-April 2007 a few friends and I flew into Seattle, rented an SUV, and drove down to San Francisco, taking our time along the coast. I had a college roommate friend in Seattle, a cousin with a huge ranch an hour outside of Portland (Beaverton, decent wrestling school, both he and his two sons were solid wrestlers), so both those stops were great.
The narrow two-lane road to Crater Lake was bordered by snow walls, which grew to 8 feet by the time we made it all the way up. The weather for the drive was overcast and dense but we figured it'd clear up when we reached the top. It did not. Visibility was maybe twenty yards. Despite putting in all the work (it was a bit of a detour on the way to SF), we bore witness to zero of the majesty that is Crater Lake.
Redwoods were amazing though.
Unfortunately, one of my friend's stepfather passed away just after the Redwoods stop. We didn't have to be in SF for another week but we drove straight there, where he and the other friend flew back to NY early. I hung out in SF for the week, which isn't the worst city to spend a week by yourself.
I won't go near that lake....it's haunted by Lady of the Lake!Yes. Lake Crescent is a beautiful part of that loop around the Olympic park.
LONG POST!
May of 2019 my oldest daughter graduated from the US Coast Guard Academy in CT. Her first assignment was Kodiak, AK...it was her first choice! She likes cold weather and the great outdoor...so why not the Last Frontier...AK?!
We live in southern Ohio along the Ohio river. In fact, from my office I can see the hills of Kentucky. She did not want to drive her car the entire way to AK alone, so she asked me to go with her. Never being that far west, I was all in!! She also informed me that we would stop at various landmarks along the way. I was excited about seeing all of these landmarks.
We left Ohio early one morning. Our first stop after about 8 hours of driving to spend the night was a campground in Oelwein, Iowa. During the night at this campground, I thought I heard the breeze through the trees whispering... Heeeeessssss stalling!!!
Unlike Mike Evans I was impressed!!Next destination was Sioux Falls, SD. On our way we spent several hours in the Badlands....awesome place!! The terrain seemed from another planet....worth the visit!! Then on the Mount Rushmore. That was fabulous!!! One of those locations I had dreamed about visiting...It was an emotional moment for me to share that experience with my daughter. We also spent several hours in Custer State Forest. The Black Hills are beautiful!!!
Next destination...The Tetons and Yellowstone. Another one of those locations I had dreamed about visiting. We camped at Lizard Campground at the north end on the Tetons for several days. Hiked the area in the Tetons...beautiful...saw a bear while hiking but no problems..the mosquitos were more ferocious than the bears!! Yellowstone was awesome...Old Faithful, the buffalo, and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Unfortunately, we could only spend a day each in the Tetons and Yellowstone but memorable and worthwhile!!
Then on to Canada. Stayed at campground southeast of Calgary. Next day...on to Grand Prairie, Alberta. However, she wanted to stop in Edmonton to check out a huge mall. It was incredible...water park, hotel, petting zoo, and a hockey rink (makes sense...Canada)!
After leaving Grand Prairie, we entered the Alaskan Highway at Dawson Creek. Stopped for photos!! We stayed in a hotel in Fort Nelson, BC. After camping for the last 8 days, we were ready for a hotel!! While in Fort Nelson we were able to watch native North Americans play some of their traditional games. It was a neat experience! One the natives talked to me about the game and culture.
The next day we traveled to Teslin, Yukon. On our way we stopped at the Laird Natural Hot Springs!! We spent about an hour in the hot spring!! That was an awesome experience. In Teslin we visited an Native Museum and drove around the local community.
Our last stop on the Alaskan highway was at Beaver Creek, YK at a hotel called Buckshot Betty's. Driving the Alaskan Highway was an awesome experience!!! This is some very remote wilderness....very little services and a lot of wildlife. You certainly need to plan your fuel stops wisely!!! We used the Milepost magazine to help navigate the highway. It also provided a lot of history about the highway. As my daughter drove (fyi...she drove the entire trip herself...fine with me because I was able to do a lot of rubbernecking), I would read the history or points of interest about the highway.
Next day we arrived in Anchorage. We stayed with a friend for a couple of days to rest, oil change, fix a cracked window (compliments of the Alaskan Highway) and to sight see. Beautiful....glaciers and in June...snow capped mountains.
Then on to Homer, AK to catch the car ferry to Kodiak. The ferry trip was about an 8-9 hour trip. She secured a small cabin for us to sleep in during the overnight trip. Beautiful waters, mountains, sea otters....just breath taking.
We get to Kodiak. We met up with her supervisor who takes us on a brief tour of the town of Kodiak and then to the Coast Guard base and her cutter the Alex Haley. I had the awesome opportunity to tag along on the tour of the cutter.... I tried real hard not to be an annoying parent at this point!!!
Unfortunately, I was only able to spend a couple of days with her on Kodiak but were able to explore a couple of neat places while I was there.
I flew home. Memorable trip!! So glad to do it!!
My wife and I just returned from Kodiak about 2-3 weeks ago to visit her. Jefe the restrictions were tough. I will have to share that story another time.
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Awesome story!LONG POST!
May of 2019 my oldest daughter graduated from the US Coast Guard Academy in CT. Her first assignment was Kodiak, AK...it was her first choice! She likes cold weather and the great outdoor...so why not the Last Frontier...AK?!
We live in southern Ohio along the Ohio river. In fact, from my office I can see the hills of Kentucky. She did not want to drive her car the entire way to AK alone, so she asked me to go with her. Never being that far west, I was all in!! She also informed me that we would stop at various landmarks along the way. I was excited about seeing all of these landmarks.
We left Ohio early one morning. Our first stop after about 8 hours of driving to spent the night was a campground in Oelwein, Iowa. During the night at this campground, I thought I heard the breeze through the trees whispering... Heeeeessssss stalling!!!
Next destination was Sioux Falls, SD. On our way we spent several hours in the Badlands....awesome place!! The terrain seemed from another planet....worth the visit!! Then on the Mount Rushmore. That was fabulous!!! One of those locations I had dreamed about visiting...It was an emotional moment for me to share that experience with my daughter. We also spent several hours in Custer State Forest. The Black Hills are beautiful!!!
Next destination...The Tetons and Yellowstone. Another one of those locations I had dreamed about visiting. We camped at Lizard Campground at the north end on the Tetons for several days. Hiked the area in the Tetons...beautiful...saw a bear while hiking but no problems..the mosquitos were worse than the bears!! Yellowstone was awesome...Old Faithful, the buffalo, and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Unfortunately, we could only spend a day each in the Tetons and Yellowstone but memorable and worthwhile!!
Then on to Canada. Stayed at campground southeast of Calgary. Next day...on to Grand Prairie, Alberta. However, she wanted to stop in Edmonton to check a huge mall. It was incredible...water park, hotel, petting zoo, and a hockey rink (makes sense...Canada)!
After leaving Grand Prairie, we entered the Alaskan Highway at Dawson Creek. Stopped for photos!! We stayed in a hotel in Fort Nelson, BC. After camping for the last 8 days, we were ready for a hotel!! While in Fort Nelson we were able to watch native North Americans play some of their traditional games. It was a neat experience! One the natives talked to about the game and culture.
The next day we traveled to Teslin, Yukon. On our way we stopped at the Laird Natural Hot Springs!! We spent about an hour in the hot spring!! That was an awesome experience. In Teslin we visited an Native Museum and drove the local community.
Our last stop on the Alaskan highway was at Beaver Creek, YK at a hotel called Buckshot Betty's. Driving the Alaskan Highway was an awesome experience!!! This is some very remote wilderness....very little services and a lot of wildlife. You certainly need to plan your fuel stops wisely!!! We used the Milepost magazine to help navigate the highway. It also provided a lot of history about the highway. As my daughter drove (fyi...she drove the entire trip herself...fine with me because I was able to a lot of rubbernecking), I would read the history or points of interest about the highway.
Next day we arrived in Anchorage. We stayed with a friend for a couple of days to rest, oil change, fix a cracked window (compliments of the Alaskan Highway) and to sight see. Beautiful....glaciers and in June...snow capped mountains.
Then on to Homer, AK to catch the car ferry to Kodiak. The ferry trip was about an 8-9 hour trip. She secured a small cabin for us to sleep in during the overnight trip. Beautiful waters, mountains, sea otters....just breath taking.
We get to Kodiak. We met up with her supervisor who takes us on a brief tour of the town of Kodiak and then to the Coast Guard base and her cutter the Alex Haley. I had the awesome opportunity to tag along on the tour of the cutter....tried real hard not to be an annoying parent at this point!!!
Unfortunately, I was only able to spend a couple of days with her on Kodiak but were able to explore a couple of neat places while I was there.
I flew home. Memorable trip!! So glad to do it!!
My wife and I just returned from Kodiak about 2-3 weeks ago to visit her. Jefe the restrictions were tough. I will have to share that story another time.
To set up your story for the restrictions, here are the entry requirements for Alaska:
- Negative test result within 72 hrs of departure: free to go.
- Test within 72 hrs, waiting for results: quarantine until results arrive. If negative, free to go. If positive, 14d quarantine.
- No test within 72 hrs: $250 test at arrival station. Quarantine until results arrive or (if positive) 14d. No statement of how long you can expect to wait for test results.
- Everybody: re-test after 7d and 14d in the state.
Japan. To watch DT finally get Oly Gold. Le sigh....
Today, we'd be in #32, Singapore, visiting with a fantastic Aussie friend I made during a semester in Adelaide almost 30 years ago.
Oh, man. I'm still scrolling through this thread...will list my countries when I get caught up, but this hit me for a quick storytime!
I had a killer trip to Thailand in 2002. I was playing in my first ever NFL suicide pool--pick one team to just win baby, each week. Played through my HS buddy's finance bros. $100 buy-in, they had around 34 players. That fall, my kiwi buddy had shot out an email asking was "anybody up for New Year's in Thailand." So I was doing great, staying away from "obvs" picks, and watched each week as 50% of the league got eliminated. Made it to the final 2, and thought I'd offer the other finalist a split; he accepted, and I "won" $1,800! Thailand, here I come!
Did NYE in Koh Samui with the kiwis. Got housed on Mehkong whiskey & tried to go to the Full Moon Party on Koh Panghan; they didn't want to, so I went alone (bad choice #1). Took a 40min 'cab' ride to the ferry dock. The line was crazy long & the ferry super slow. I walked up toward the front of the line to check out the ferry when it docked, and a group of Scandinavians (still on my bucket list, so I didn't know how to tell them apart), I *guess* thought I was trying to cut in line. Big viking looking dudes with huge smiles and a mostly relaxed attitude tried to bumrush me into the ocean. I shot a blast double on a medium-sized guy, but there were like 6 of them and they just picked up over their heads, walked into the sea a bit & chucked me. It was surreal. I was scared, but they were all laughing, were unfazed when I kicked one dude in the head, and they never swung on me. Still, soaked to the bone, in my hiking boots in the ocean, I cursed them fiercely, and told myself I'd swim to the f**kin party. I had never measured it, of course, so I had no idea it was about 5miles, longer than the 4-mile Bay Bridge Swim I was too chicken to attempt when my tri buddies did, but the island *looked* big/close enough, so...off I went. Eventually fatigue and my disappearing buzz brought me back to the reality that I was alone in the light of the full moon in the South China Sea and good sense told me to return to shore. I landed, climbed through some jungle, found a road, and headed south again. Met two wild dogs. One was cool and rolled with me, kind of. Another was a real d**k and I had to scare him off with exaggerated alpha shouts and human growling. Eventually, I stumbled across a party in the woods, big ten, 20some people. I was so beat & burnt out & done, that I just walked up and asked for help. Used the little bit of Thai I'd pulled from the Lonely Planet & kept saying my home spot, Lamai Beach. A couple a bros drove me back there in their pickup and I gave them the last of my wet/dried money, and slept for 24hrs.
This sounds like an Archer episode.
In all seriousness, that night probably was for the best. Being drained from that gauntlet might have kept you out of those notorious Full Moon Party drunken tourists play with fire stunts.
Thank you El-Jefe for teaching me how to post photos. These are from my recent visits to Crater Lake, Redwoods and Bandon, Oregon. It was a wonderful vacation trip.
HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, All I see are red X's. Sorry about that. I shall endeavor to remedy the current state of affairs.Thank you El-Jefe for teaching me how to post photos. These are from my recent visits to Crater Lake, Redwoods and Bandon, Oregon. It was a wonderful vacation trip.
Much better!
Nice, not very windy at Crater Lake that day. You got some great reflections off the water. (@tikk10 Not to rub it in or anything, this is what you missed out on.)
I haven't decided yet, though I have a ton of good research compiled for future trips.
Really wanted to do Oregon -- Crater Lake, the coast, dip into CA for Redwoods -- but concluded it was too much driving for me to do by myself. Plus flights into Bend and Medford are inconvenient -- I'd lose both the first and last days for flights. Flights to Portland are much better ... except for the Portland part.
Next up was Colorado, Wyoming, S. Dakota -- Badlands, Devil's Tower, Rocky Mt National Park, Colorado Springs. (Plus Carhenge in Nebraska.) But my wife wants to see Mt. Rushmore, and I don't see myself going there twice ... And nixing that in favor of other Colorado parks re-introduces the "too much driving by myself" issue.
So now I'm thinking Yellowstone -- though I've barely started looking into it. The park does have passes available throughout most of October. Unfortunately, much of the region is seasonal and closes after mid-to-late September (Cody WY especially has a bunch of neat stuff that won't be open then). But maybe that will help constrain me to a trip I'll want to repeat with my wife later. And maybe hotels in Jackson will be down to $500/night in early-to-mid October, before winter hits.
Really wanted to do Oregon -- Crater Lake, the coast, dip into CA for Redwoods -- but concluded it was too much driving for me to do by myself. Plus flights into Bend and Medford are inconvenient -- I'd lose both the first and last days for flights. Flights to Portland are much better ... except for the Portland part.
Next up was Colorado, Wyoming, S. Dakota -- Badlands, Devil's Tower, Rocky Mt National Park, Colorado Springs. (Plus Carhenge in Nebraska.) But my wife wants to see Mt. Rushmore, and I don't see myself going there twice ... And nixing that in favor of other Colorado parks re-introduces the "too much driving by myself" issue.
So now I'm thinking Yellowstone -- though I've barely started looking into it. The park does have passes available throughout most of October. Unfortunately, much of the region is seasonal and closes after mid-to-late September (Cody WY especially has a bunch of neat stuff that won't be open then). But maybe that will help constrain me to a trip I'll want to repeat with my wife later. And maybe hotels in Jackson will be down to $500/night in early-to-mid October, before winter hits.
Option 5:
www.nps.gov
https://www.nps.gov/ever/index.htm
Congaree National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
Astonishing biodiversity exists in Congaree National Park, the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States. Waters from the Congaree and Wateree Rivers sweep through the floodplain, carrying nutrients and sediments that nourish and...
https://www.nps.gov/ever/index.htm
Yellowstone isn't really closed...
Just don't hit a buffalo.
True enough, but that's not what I meant.Yellowstone isn't really closed...
Just don't hit a buffalo.
The parks (Yellowstone and Teton) themselves are open. But so much of the rest of the area closes in September.
Also I gotta admit -- I'm a cold weather wimp. Yellowstone surely is beautiful that time of year, and maybe I'll go see that scenery someday. But I'd much rather spend winter in someplace much warmer (and ideally some place that is tolerable in winter but intolerably hot in summer).
I have a home in Jackson, WY. Since you’re unlikely to travel there on your upcoming trip, I won’t waste your time with my recommended spots and activities. However, if you ever decide to visit GTNP and YNP (and you should), let me know and I’ll be happy to share my thoughts. They’re special places.
No no no! That's exactly where I'm looking into going. Early-to-mid October, because Yellowstone reservations are sold out in Sept.
I'm just not interested in going there during the winter. (And a little disappointed that some things I might want to see will be closed by the time I get there -- but I'll have to cope with that.)
Looking at the 7-10 day range, though that's a little flexible. Willing to expand the radius somewhat if the extra distance is worth it. (Bozeman, Cody, Craters of the Moon? other?)
Should also note: I'm dealing with some leg issues, so I will need to keep hikes short. Let's say max 1.5 mi roundtrip, and not terribly steep.
Please share your thoughts!
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Sorry for the slow response. I’ve been laid up with an injury, but I’ll definitely get back to you. Give me a few days.
Option 4. Though there is a bit of driving, it’s interesting driving. And, if you go to Yellowstone, you will be doing a lot anyway. I prefer glacier to Yellowstone. Unfortunate that Waterton is closed.
EJ,
I cut and pasted the following from a recent email I sent to a friend traveling to Jackson Hole. They were staying in Wilson, a nearby town. The hikes I mention are probably longer than what you want. I'll come back with a few ideas for you under a separate message.
Aardvark is right -- Glacier is prettier than Yellowstone. But it's a long drive from Jackson (~ 8 hours), and it's a lot farther north, so the weather is iffy this time of the year.
I'm not sure what you're most interested in, but here’s a list of some of the things you might want to look into. Some of them may be closed because of the virus and/or the season, so check before you go.
The Bird
Located a few miles south of “downtown “Jackson, it has a great deck to sit outside, eat a burger, and have a beer. A lot of locals come here. Very casual.
Nora’s Fish Market
It’s in Wilson. We haven’t been there, but it is supposedly a great place for breakfast and lunch and always has a crowd.
Pearl Street Bagels
Great for coffee and bagels, and they open at 6:30 am. There’s one in Wilson and one in “downtown” Jackson.
The Stagecoach
In Wilson. Supposed to be a lot of fun. It has live music and is another favorite of the locals.
In Jackson
The Snake River Brewery - We eat there more than any other place. It’s been closed off and on this summer due to Covid. The steak tacos are the best item on the menu.
StillWest Brewery – At the base of Snow King (the in-town ski hill). Nothing beats a cold beer, a grilled cheese sandwich, and a bowl of tomato soup after a ~ 15-mile hike in the mountains.
My wife thinks The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar is a lot of fun. (It isn’t really my cup of tea.) It has live music, dancing and great people watching. Their website will tell you who is playing and what time they come on.
IMO, food in Jackson Hole is just fair. And service is just meh. But you don't go to JH for the food. All the places listed above are very casual.
If you go into Grand Teton National Park (and you definitely should), you will have to buy a pass, which can be purchased at the gate or any visitor center.
If you want to go hiking, two of the easier hikes in GTNP that you might consider are Jenny Lake and the Rockefeller Preserve. Both can get crowded. Jenny Lake is nice because it can be shortened by taking the boat shuttle. Be sure and check out Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. All the way around the lake is 7 miles. The Preserve hike is ~ 3 miles long and gives you a great view of Phelps Lake. The Taggart and Bradley Lake hike is also inside the park. It can be up to 5 miles long but shortened if you only go around just one of the two lakes. Beautiful views of the Tetons.
The canyon hikes are the best - Cascade, Garnet (not Granite), and Death Canyon are our favorites - but they are long hikes and, of course, at altitude. There can be snow above 8,000 feet. All of the trails are well maintained and marked. I highly recommend them but only if you’re reasonably fit.
Also inside the park: Dornan’s Pizza is a great place to get a bite to eat, have a beer and sit outside with amazing views of the Tetons. The pizza is okay, but the views are spectacular. DO NOT eat at the Chuckwagon next door.
Moose Wilson Road is great for viewing wildlife. Dawn and dusk are best.
It’s a longer drive, but the north end of the Park is also beautiful. Jackson Lake Lodge has amazing views of Mt. Moran. There are also hikes up that way. Colter Bay/Lakeshore Trail is flat and about 2.5 miles long.
If you go hiking, always bring bear spray and bug spray.
In town, a lot of people love the hike up Snow King. The views from the top are great, but it’s a workout.
There is also whitewater rafting on the Snake River. The water level is low this time of the year, but it’s a pretty canyon with a few class III rapids (notably Big Kahuna). Since the water level has dropped so much, you could also paddle duckies down the Snake (in May and June the Snake is really pumping and the whitewater is much more difficult). You can rent duckies from Rendezvous River Sports. You don’t really need a guide, but they do help with logistics, and, of course, they know the river and the location of all the major rapids. Ask for Jon Wiedie and tell him I sent you.
Good fly fishing this time of the year. Flat Creek and the Snake River are both good spots. Fish Creek is out your backdoor. Hook up with one of the local outfitters for more info. (When the whitewater kayaking is good, the fishing stinks. When the fishing is good, the whitewater kayaking isn’t.)
There's also good mountain biking. I'd recommend Munger Mountain (just south of Wilson) and Bridger-Teton National Forest (on the east end of Jackson). There are a couple of outfitters in town that rent mountain bikes (Hoback Sports for instance).
A few years ago, my son and I did the Via Ferrara climbing course at the Teton Mountain Resort and enjoyed it. It's fun and very safe. Here’s a link with more details: https://www.jacksonhole.com/via-fer...MI2s7m4avN6wIV0__jBx1cAAwPEAAYASAAEgJPFPD_BwE
The closest grocery store is probably Albertsons. There is also a store called the Whole Grocer (similar to Whole Foods but privately owned and operated). Both are in Jackson.
Yellowstone is contiguous to GTNP. It’s unique but can be quite crowded. Hopefully, the crowds will have subsided by time you visit. Hayden and Lamar Valleys are great for wildlife viewing. The Upper and Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River are spectacular! Mammoth Hot Springs is worth a visit -- strange and kind of eerie. All of the geo-thermal activity in YNP really does make it different than any other place I've ever seen, and Hayden and Lamar are called the American Serengeti for a reason.
All of the big attractions at YNP are easily accessible, and the hikes for/around them are short and relatively flat.
That's all for now. I'll be back with a few recommended hikes in GTNP and a few places you might want to visit outside of Jackson Hole.
I cut and pasted the following from a recent email I sent to a friend traveling to Jackson Hole. They were staying in Wilson, a nearby town. The hikes I mention are probably longer than what you want. I'll come back with a few ideas for you under a separate message.
Aardvark is right -- Glacier is prettier than Yellowstone. But it's a long drive from Jackson (~ 8 hours), and it's a lot farther north, so the weather is iffy this time of the year.
I'm not sure what you're most interested in, but here’s a list of some of the things you might want to look into. Some of them may be closed because of the virus and/or the season, so check before you go.
The Bird
Located a few miles south of “downtown “Jackson, it has a great deck to sit outside, eat a burger, and have a beer. A lot of locals come here. Very casual.
Nora’s Fish Market
It’s in Wilson. We haven’t been there, but it is supposedly a great place for breakfast and lunch and always has a crowd.
Pearl Street Bagels
Great for coffee and bagels, and they open at 6:30 am. There’s one in Wilson and one in “downtown” Jackson.
The Stagecoach
In Wilson. Supposed to be a lot of fun. It has live music and is another favorite of the locals.
In Jackson
The Snake River Brewery - We eat there more than any other place. It’s been closed off and on this summer due to Covid. The steak tacos are the best item on the menu.
StillWest Brewery – At the base of Snow King (the in-town ski hill). Nothing beats a cold beer, a grilled cheese sandwich, and a bowl of tomato soup after a ~ 15-mile hike in the mountains.
My wife thinks The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar is a lot of fun. (It isn’t really my cup of tea.) It has live music, dancing and great people watching. Their website will tell you who is playing and what time they come on.
IMO, food in Jackson Hole is just fair. And service is just meh. But you don't go to JH for the food. All the places listed above are very casual.
If you go into Grand Teton National Park (and you definitely should), you will have to buy a pass, which can be purchased at the gate or any visitor center.
If you want to go hiking, two of the easier hikes in GTNP that you might consider are Jenny Lake and the Rockefeller Preserve. Both can get crowded. Jenny Lake is nice because it can be shortened by taking the boat shuttle. Be sure and check out Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. All the way around the lake is 7 miles. The Preserve hike is ~ 3 miles long and gives you a great view of Phelps Lake. The Taggart and Bradley Lake hike is also inside the park. It can be up to 5 miles long but shortened if you only go around just one of the two lakes. Beautiful views of the Tetons.
The canyon hikes are the best - Cascade, Garnet (not Granite), and Death Canyon are our favorites - but they are long hikes and, of course, at altitude. There can be snow above 8,000 feet. All of the trails are well maintained and marked. I highly recommend them but only if you’re reasonably fit.
Also inside the park: Dornan’s Pizza is a great place to get a bite to eat, have a beer and sit outside with amazing views of the Tetons. The pizza is okay, but the views are spectacular. DO NOT eat at the Chuckwagon next door.
Moose Wilson Road is great for viewing wildlife. Dawn and dusk are best.
It’s a longer drive, but the north end of the Park is also beautiful. Jackson Lake Lodge has amazing views of Mt. Moran. There are also hikes up that way. Colter Bay/Lakeshore Trail is flat and about 2.5 miles long.
If you go hiking, always bring bear spray and bug spray.
In town, a lot of people love the hike up Snow King. The views from the top are great, but it’s a workout.
There is also whitewater rafting on the Snake River. The water level is low this time of the year, but it’s a pretty canyon with a few class III rapids (notably Big Kahuna). Since the water level has dropped so much, you could also paddle duckies down the Snake (in May and June the Snake is really pumping and the whitewater is much more difficult). You can rent duckies from Rendezvous River Sports. You don’t really need a guide, but they do help with logistics, and, of course, they know the river and the location of all the major rapids. Ask for Jon Wiedie and tell him I sent you.
Good fly fishing this time of the year. Flat Creek and the Snake River are both good spots. Fish Creek is out your backdoor. Hook up with one of the local outfitters for more info. (When the whitewater kayaking is good, the fishing stinks. When the fishing is good, the whitewater kayaking isn’t.)
There's also good mountain biking. I'd recommend Munger Mountain (just south of Wilson) and Bridger-Teton National Forest (on the east end of Jackson). There are a couple of outfitters in town that rent mountain bikes (Hoback Sports for instance).
A few years ago, my son and I did the Via Ferrara climbing course at the Teton Mountain Resort and enjoyed it. It's fun and very safe. Here’s a link with more details: https://www.jacksonhole.com/via-fer...MI2s7m4avN6wIV0__jBx1cAAwPEAAYASAAEgJPFPD_BwE
The closest grocery store is probably Albertsons. There is also a store called the Whole Grocer (similar to Whole Foods but privately owned and operated). Both are in Jackson.
Yellowstone is contiguous to GTNP. It’s unique but can be quite crowded. Hopefully, the crowds will have subsided by time you visit. Hayden and Lamar Valleys are great for wildlife viewing. The Upper and Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River are spectacular! Mammoth Hot Springs is worth a visit -- strange and kind of eerie. All of the geo-thermal activity in YNP really does make it different than any other place I've ever seen, and Hayden and Lamar are called the American Serengeti for a reason.
All of the big attractions at YNP are easily accessible, and the hikes for/around them are short and relatively flat.
That's all for now. I'll be back with a few recommended hikes in GTNP and a few places you might want to visit outside of Jackson Hole.
Short hikes in GTNP (listed from shortest to longest):
I've also done some lake kayaking in YNP. It's the quickest way to access the backcountry. I wouldn't go without a guide. If you're interested, Rendezvous River Sports in Jackson can set you up.
One last recommendation: the rodeo in either Jackson or Cody is a little slice of Americana. In Jackson, Wednesday and Saturday are rodeo nights during the summer, though it was cancelled this year due to Covid.
- Schwabacher Landing - flat and short with great views of the Tetons. Good place for photos. Frequently spot moose and elk.
- Hidden Falls/Inspiration Point - if you take the Jenny Lake ferry, this is about a 2 mile hike. The portion leading up to Inspiration Point is fairly steep.
- Colter Bay - there are a number of different hikes in this area, ranging from a mile or so to ~ 10 miles. All are relatively flat. I recommend the Heron Pond - Swan Lake Loop. Great views of Mount Moran.
- Rockefeller Preserve Center - the hike (Lake Creek - Woodland Trail loop) to Phelps Lake is about 3 miles round trip, but if you have someone drop you off at the intersection of the trail and the park road (Moose-Wilson Road), then you can shorten the hike by a mile or so. Have them drop you before parking the car (parking along that section of Moose-Wilson Road is verboten.)
- Drive from Jackson north to YNP. Exit the east entrance, driving to Cody. Take the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway through Cooke City to the northeast entrance to YNP. Proceed to either Mammoth Hot Springs (MHS) or head south to Yellowstone Falls (this section of the park might be closed -- if so, MHS is the only option besides turning around and retracing your route). See map: https://www.codyyellowstone.org/the...MIlc28wtHr6wIV9AiICR0v_w5wEAAYASAAEgJYYfD_BwE
- Drive from Jackson through Craters of the Moon to Sun Valley, ID. IMO, Craters of the Moon do not warrant a separate trip. Sun Valley has an artsy feel, much different than either Jackson (adventure-sports enthusiasts & environmentalists; most liberal town in a very red state) or Cody (an authentic cowboy town).
- Jackson to YNP to Glacier National Park - might be too much to fit into your itinerary but Glacier is spectacular. Roughly a 6.5 hour drive from YNP. Whitefish, MT is a cool little town just outside of Glacier and is a good base for activities in the park. Setting aside the uniqueness of YNP and judging the parks from just an aesthetic point of view, Glacier > GTNP > YNP. For wildlife viewing, which is always hit or miss, YNP is tops.
I've also done some lake kayaking in YNP. It's the quickest way to access the backcountry. I wouldn't go without a guide. If you're interested, Rendezvous River Sports in Jackson can set you up.
One last recommendation: the rodeo in either Jackson or Cody is a little slice of Americana. In Jackson, Wednesday and Saturday are rodeo nights during the summer, though it was cancelled this year due to Covid.
Thanks! Good stuff in both posts.
Trip appears to be shaping up as: 2d in Grand Teton, 4-5d in Yellowstone. If there's a little slack, first up = Grizzly/Wolf Preserve in West Yellowstone, 2nd = Elk Preserve and the Wildlife Art Museum in Jackson, 3rd = Bozeman.
Maybe add a day for Cody (etc.). Was originally going to nix that -- far out of the way, too many things (like the rodeo) closed by then. Big draw was Beartooth Hwy, but that's a huge risk of snow closure on my dates. Will have to think about Chief Joseph.
Glacier will have to be a separate trip. It is far, but really I'd rather wait until Prime Minister Blackface allows Americans across the border to see Waterton Lakes on the same trip.
Got a good laugh about the food comments. Had already accepted that this trip could be a lot of burgers, pizza, and snack bars. Which I guess helps offset the cost of lodging.
Sounds like a post covid group trip to me. Also, I'd Have to Eat at the Cuckwagon now!
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