The Grand Tetons

Grand doesn’t do the Tetons justice, but it’s a start. They are a short crow’s flight from Yellowstone and, while considerably smaller than their sister national park to the north, possessed of a spectacular charm all their own, not to mention a rich and colorful history. One of the Tetons’ gems is Jenny Lake, named after a Shoshone Indian, who helped pioneers explore and settle the area in the late 1800s. She along with her six children died from the smallpox in 1876. You can take a shuttle to the west side of the lake and then hike a number of trails from there. And if you get to the dock by 7 am, which I did, the round trip is only five bucks; after that it’s 15! Wildlife abounds: moose, elk, cheeky marmots, deer, foxes and, of course, grizzly bears. Colorful alpine flowers are seemingly everywhere. A friend from Acton, who grew up in Wyoming and often hiked in the Grand Tetons, recommended a number of hikes. I took his advice on several, and they were all beautiful. Thanks, Don! This is the first time on my trip I’ve spent more than two nights in one place (three). I could have easily stayed here a week!