There they are! The Tetons!! We woke at 4 a.m. to get going towards Moose WY as we had a scenic river float scheduled for 6 a.m. We were to arrive by 5:30 a.m. The drive is about 20 minutes, but we also needed to pack everything for the day as we weren’t coming back after the river float. We were headed right into the park!
Driving the dirt road into the southern edge of GTNP, it’s dark and we see… deer. Exciting.
Our Scenic River Float was through Solitude Float Trips . Here’s a snapshot of their website:
I found them online by simply doing a few searches regarding activities to do in Jackson and the Tetons. Incredibly great experience! I was curious if the 6 a.m. float was ideal regarding sunrise time, and so I sent an email to the company asking a few questions. They responded right away and were so very helpful! I highly recommend! Our tour was on August 31st, so we had the last 6 a.m. tour of the season! Our guide met with us in Moose then drove us north to Deadman’s Bar where we boarded our rafts to float and we were off, moving very fast down the Snake River!
Middle and high clouds were moving in and out throughout the morning, so there were times we had some lucky breaks allowing the sun to shine beautifully between such clouds; then at other times the majority of the sky would be overtaken by clouds, blocking the sun and making for a slightly muted view… but still considering, it was absolutely beautiful and stunning! I can only imagine how much more incredible it is when atmospheric and sky conditions offer a brilliant display of light and color beaming across the mountains!
Coming around the corner, the Tetons will be visible soon!
Our tour guide was awesome! He offers these tours throughout the day, floating down the Snake River three or four (maybe more?) times every day! Super knowledgeable about the area and I love when locals and tour guides get excited about the awe of nature even though they see it every single day; he was so mesmerized by the view of the Tetons and got so happy when a moose was visible in the distance. I feel when I go to NYC and see a local, they’re soooo incredibly bored with what is exciting to an out-of-towner… “Oh, yeah, Times Square. So what. Blahhh.” In all fairness though, the Tetons and everything so stunning in the surrounding nature here in GTNP would never get old. Times Square on the other hand, yes, I would be over seeing that every day real quick.
So pretty! Great way to start the day and begin our Grand Teton National Park exploration!
After our Snake River Float, we stopped at Dornan’s for breakfast! This place has everything! As our River Float guide had said, “they’re printing money over there”. They have an outdoor eating area, “cowboy cooking” as they call it at Chuckwagon-Grill, you can get breakfast, lunch, brunch, dinner while also having the option of pizza and pasta at another restaurant. There’s a wine shop with a huge selection, over 1500 wines! A bike and boat rental shop, grocery and deli, gas station, all the essentials at a last chance stop before entering the park! And it has some incredible views of the Tetons! Look at my mountain man!!!! 
We had breakfast and then bought bear spray. I probably could have asked our Snake River Lodge Resort’s front desk if they happened to have any donated bear spray because it cost $50 and you can’t pack it in your suitcase. So at the end of our trip, we gave ours, brand new, to the front desk and the man working was so very used to accepting it.
Here are some photos of Dornan’s below but these are from two days later when we stopped by to refill our gas. That day was very clear with sunshine, blue sky and perfect warm mountain weather!
After our Chuckwagon Breakfast (which was good but not fantastic; pancakes or french toast depending on which “meal” you ordered, with an egg and sausage or bacon, again depending on which meal. Kind of limited to what you can order, plus I felt if you were to make a special request, you’d confuse the hell out of the staff. Sorry, but true.). Now we’re headed out to hike GTNP! We drove to Taggart Lake Trailhead, grabbed our backpacks filled with our hiking necessities and we were ready!
We began at Taggart Lake Trailhead taking the trail to Taggart Lake then on to Bradley Lake:
Taggart Lake Trail is an easy hike that offers some amazingly beautiful views, taking you to Taggart Lake. Then you can keep going to Bradley Lake where it gets a little more challenging and the trail gets more quiet. Our early morning start had us seeing only a handful of other hikers to start, but when were coming back at this same point by midday, the trail was much more congested! As we continued more on the trail, it would thin out and mostly be just Dan and I as we kept going more into the park! I found so many great trail maps and info at www.tetonhikingtrails.com Great place to get an idea of distance you’ll be hiking, what you will see and the benefits of one hike or another. Map below is from the site, it’s a zoomed in snapshot of where we parked and hiked. We weren’t in the park for a lot of days; hiking today, mountain biking tomorrow, half marathon the next day, then headed home. So today, I wanted to see a lot! Limited time can make it tricky regarding when to turn around and where to keep going. I decided we’d park at Taggart Lake Trailhead, hike to Taggart Lake, then keep going to Bradley Lake. Once there we’d turn around, come back to the trailhead where our car is parked, but take the opposite trail around so to get a different view and experience coming back. In this area we hiked a little over six miles.
Below is a pic I took at the Trailhead. Once we made it to Bradley Lake, we were considering hiking on to Lupine Meadows Area then to Jenny Lake… but we had our car parked at Taggart Lake Trailhead. I wasn’t sure how we’d get back to it from Jenny Lake and I also wanted to hike around Jenny Lake to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point AND then go on north to Jackson Lake to see that part of the park, and have something to eat at Jackson Lake Lodge. If we would’ve hiked there and hiked around the lake and then tried to hike back to the car, it would’ve been very late and dark, we probably would’ve gotten stuck out in the middle of GTNP at night without the proper preparations to camp overnight. I also wanted to drive back south coming from Jackson Lake Lodge to stop at the iconic scenic overlooks such as Snake River Overlook (you’ll see at bottom) made famous by Ansel Adams.
Here we go, heading out at around 9 a.m. Not too many on the trail, it’s chilly but warming up! We’ve got plenty of layers on to start, but they are peeled off as we go! It was all so beautiful and such a great day! As we were hiking, we’d talk loud at times, then we’d get quiet then realize we needed to make noise in case a bear was nearby, so we’d talk loud again and every so often Dan or myself would yell out a “WOOOOOAAAAA!!!” or a “HEY BEAR!!!!” We didn’t see any wildlife.
Taggart Lake, crystal clear glacier mountain water!
Onto Bradley Lake:
Water is crystal clear here too! We actually drank some of this water… you’re not supposed to do this without having a filtration in your water bottle or a purification tablet to drop into the water as as it can make you sick. We were curious of the taste and just took a swig. It tasted so clean and good. And we didn’t get sick. But don’t do that.
Taking a break at Bradley Lake to decide if we could hike on to Jenny Lake or should we turn around. We turned around. Good idea! I wanted to see a lot more of the park, not get stuck somewhere at dark!
So happy!!!
Heading back from Bradley Lake we took a different trail to get a different experience. Always fantastic!!!
We got into our car, then parked at Jenny Lake trailhead and began our hike on the Jenny Lake Trail around Jenny Lake to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. This area is very touristy with non-hikers at the beginning as there is a boat to bring people to Hidden Falls. But as you get hiking more onto the trail it thins out in numbers of people. Until you get to Hidden Falls as that’s where the boat docks. It’s really beautiful and a must see. It’s a popular place and one of those spots locals probably avoid, but as a one-time visit, don’t miss it!
We got to this trail by about 1 p.m. and hiked about another four miles.
We were finally ascending to get some good views at a higher point and that was great! Look how far away from the side I am. This was a little steep and I don’t do so good on high edges. Still loved it though!
Hidden Falls!
We rode the Jenny Lake Ferry Boat back to the Jenny Lake Trailhead to where our car was parked. It was a great way to see Jenny Lake for sure and an easy way to get back if you needed a break or were pushed for time, as we were, to get to another part of the park. I still wanted to go north to Jackson Lake and then see the overlooks!!!
Made it back to the car, took the drive north to finish-up at Jackson Lake Lodge!
Had some lunch and a well-deserved beer! With a fantastic view!
Jackson Lake Lodge is definitely cool to see, but it wouldn’t be a place Dan and I would stay. I was considering it, but it seemed more for a relaxed crowd. Quiet, calm, families very young (babies) to rather not so young (grandparents). If my Dad was still alive and were taking this marathon trip with me as he had done so many times to my other destinations in the past, this would be a great place for him, as he was battling Parkinson’s in his later years. He would be able to take an easy trail into the park, enjoy an incredible view and rest in the quiet lodge.
Made our way back driving south along US Highway 26/89/191, stopping at the Snake River Overlook! Below is a map of GTNP I found at www.bestofthetetons.com
And the same map with scenic overlook locations added!
Below is a map of GTNP with the blue color being our drive to meet our Scenic Float Guide, then them driving us north to where we boarded our rafts then floated down the Snake River. The green color is then us, driving to trailheads and walking around, then driving around and back. We did so much but look at how much MORE there is to the park we didn’t even touch!
I took soooo many photos! I love this day! One of my favorite days! Of my life! I got to be in nature, surrounded by indescribable beauty, seeing sights I’ve wanted to see for so as long as I can remember and experiencing and sharing it all with the love of my life! Enjoying it all while also getting a great workout in! I love the feeling of pushing myself and not just… sitting. Hiking Grand Teton National Park was amazing! Everything needed to fulfil my well-fit part of life! Fresh mountain air, sunshine (and some clouds), serene scenery, ample time to clear my mind and talk with Dan, movement to get my heart pumping, my legs stretching, my body feeling good! And the knowing that there are wild animals, grizzly and moose, exactly where we were kept my adrenaline pumping and my mind clear! I was very much in the moment, aware of my surroundings! Great for not only my physical body but also my mind and soul, fulfilling not just my well-fit part of life, but my well-defined part of life too! My mental health! My happiness! My foundation! Such a fantastic fulfilling meaningful way to contribute to My Whole Well-Being!!! On to tomorrow for ANOTHER EPIC day! More Well-Fit and Well-Defined adventures!!