We were out of the cabin by 7:30 and shortly headed south towards Grand Teton National Park. Our first stop was at the continental divide, where part of Isa lake drains to the Mississippi and the other to the Columbia.
These longer drive days really highlight just how large the park is. We stopped at West Thumb to hike the two mile Yellowstone Lake Overlook Trail, and the vegetation, enormous lake, and microclimate made it feel completely different from the previous area. It was a pretty hike and no one else was on it. We also walked the West Thumb Geyser Basin before getting back on the road. The combination of hydrothermal features and lake scenery was great! There is also thermal activity in parts of the lake, including an area where tourists used to cook their fish.
We picnicked at Snake River before crossing over to Grand Teton National Park. Our first look at the mountain range from Oxbow Bend was framed by fireweed, which has long finished blooming in Portland. I expect the altitude leads to a later blooming season.
The planner in me was a little concerned about scheduling a 2pm river float on the same day as a big drive. It turned out great; however, I wouldn’t want to do it without having buffer time built in. We were able to fit in our planned stops but we also ran into some unexpected road construction. We popped into Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center and then met up with the other Solitude Float Trip guests across the street.
The float trip was excellent. It was a chill, scenic, ten mile ride down the Snake River. We spotted moose three times, including one with young. Rain was in the forecast but thankfully it didn’t arrive until the final 20 minutes or so.
We splurged on a B&B for our Jackson Hole stay. The lodging for the rest of the trip is relatively spartan, so checking into a place for three nights with afternoon cookies and full breakfast is a real treat. We walked into town for dinner and ended up having Thai. It was a nice change from stale sandwiches and park food!
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