Grand Tetons (Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming)

When visiting Yellowstone, it is always worth taking the time (even if out of the way) to drive up through Grand Teton National Park, which is directly south along the highway. The Teton Range rises up magnificently over the lush landscape to heights hovering around 13k. This was our next stop on our journey.

We arrived in the gateway town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming and quickly found accommodations for the night. Camping would have been preferable, but campgrounds book quickly in this part of the country. After checking in, we chose to drive part of the way toward Yellowstone to enjoy the spectacle of the Tetons. They do not disappoint. The landscape is something out of a dream, with the ability to capture the amazing colors of the local wildflowers and a steep and snow-covered mountain range all in the same picture. Most of our time was spent simply enjoying the views of this place.

We did however, decide to go off-roading a bit when we saw a gravel road, which followed the canyon rim along the Snake River below. This was a very pleasant and scenic drive, and offered us a number of amazing views. In addition, we were witness to a number of Turkey Vulture's swarming some type of carrion below us. We also had the opportunity to see an elk on a ridge in the distance.

We returned to town and had a wonderful dinner at one of the local establishments, and then hit the hay in preparation for the next day, when we would enter the first and perhaps, grandest of all national parks, Yellowstone.