Grand Teton National Park- Wyoming

When we entered Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, we all agreed that we wanted to see a moose.  After getting settled in the national park’s Gros Ventre campground, we ventured to the visitor center.  As we walked towards the entrance, a gentleman told us there was a moose with a baby just off the boardwalk.  Sure enough, our wish was granted as mama and baby waited for us by the visitor center!  The Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center at Moose is one of the finest we’ve ever seen, with floor to ceiling windows for a panoramic view of the peaks. After gathering maps, Caleb completed a junior ranger scavenger hunt and then we were off for a scenic drive along Jenny Lake. 

The bison are easily viewed along the road to the campground.  The babies are feisty and run all around and across the road! 

 After dropping the dogs off at the trailer for their afternoon nap, we ventured back to the Jenny Lake area.  We rode the pontoon boat across the bay to hike up to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. 

 We ventured back along the lakeside trail to the truck for about a 3.5 mile hike. 

It has been a cool spring and the trail was still partially covered in snow, so Caleb snuck a snowball and tossed it at his dad!  A snowball fight in June!  We have seen spritely Yellow Bellied Marmots playing hide and seek with the humans, curious Uinta Ground Squirrels, baby owls nesting in a campground Cottonwood tree, mama and baby Moose snacking near the Snake River, a herd of Elk moving through the valley, Bison meandering through the Sagebrush, a Bald Eagle soaring above the Gros Ventre River, and a Pika chirping in the rocks along the Hidden Falls trail! 

As the rain falls this morning, we are cozy in our fifth wheel, glad that we are no longer tent camping like some of our park neighbors.  Caleb is completing his junior ranger activities and should be able to earn his patch today. 

Jordanelle State Park- Heber City, Utah

Jordanelle State Park, north of Heber City, Utah is where we have called home for Memorial Day and Tuesday.  We left Red Canyon Campground on the morning of Memorial Day and traveled north on Hwy 89, through Provo Canyon, to this state park.  With a good sized dam, this is clearly a popular boating area on the weekend, but we arrived after all the weekenders left and settled in.  This is our view out our front window and looking up towards the mountains with the clouds rolling in. We are set to head out in the morning.  We have had some rain showers today, but managed to get out for a bike ride around the marina and Caleb is playing some baseball with his dad.  After dry camping at our last stop, we’re taking advantage of the electric & water connections, watching some TV, & doing laundry in preparation for Grand Teton National Park where we’ll be dry camping again. 

Here are some photos to recap where we’ve been so far… Caleb poses at Bryce. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

An interesting log in Red Canyon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Family portrait at Bryce.

Natural Bridge at Bryce.

Sunset

highlights at Bryce.

Jordanelle has wi-fi, so I took the plunge and am experimenting with the Live Writer program for my blog, so any helpful comments are always appreciated!  I was using the Blog This feature with Picasa 3 but I always wanted to post more pictures!  

We make our way north tomorrow to the Gros Ventre campground of the Grand Teton National Park.  The weather forecast calls for rain and scattered thunderstorms, but we forge on!  As far as internet, I am tethered with my Verizon phone so if there is cell service, there will be blog postings!  Stay tuned to see if we are able to see the elusive Moose! 

Bryce-Pictures fixed :-)

These are the pictures that go with the post below. Apparently wi-fi went haywire :-)