We started our visit to GTNP with a drive through the entire length of the park. WOW! It is so gorgeous, and I'm so disappointed that none of my photos from that first day really do it justice. But I really like this one because it illustrates how much a part of every minute those peaks are.
This photo also shows the beginning of the smoke-haze that has altered those views ever since. We assume the haze is from the horrible fires burning in Oregon and Idaho.
We took Thursday as a rest day, especially given how hot we were while we set up camp at the Gros Ventre campground, and then spent Friday really settling in and doing a little housekeeping. That evening, we were joined by our good friends Jinger and Lebron, who live in Idaho but keep their hearts in Yellowstone and GTNP. They spent the weekend here, sharing expert advice on what to see and do, but the four of us barely moved from our campsites because we were having so much fun hanging out. We wined and dined and shared stories and laughed. For Frank and me, it was our first socializing in about 40 days, so it was really welcome.
Sunday morning, Lebron came to get us so we could walk over to the river to see this guy:
Such a thrill!
After Jinger and Lebron left us, we started a little sightseeing. We took a sunset drive over to the Gros Ventre slide, a huge earth movement that took place in 1925. Half the mountain fell down and instantly dammed the river and flooded the town of Kelly. This many years later, the slide is home to a fairly mature forest, and the lake is a nice spot for recreation. And the road up there provides some great views of the Tetons.
Yesterday, we went to the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve, several thousand acres that once was the private retreat of the Rockefeller family, later donated to the park. It is such a beautiful place, varied and unspoiled and accessible. The visitor center there is an architectural gem and offers a reading room and two meditation rooms that feature wildlife videos and/or sounds. The videos are so gorgeous, but the sounds-only room was my favorite. We sat there for ten minutes with our eyes closed, and it really feels like you're right in the middle of the goings-on. I got so relaxed and very nearly fell asleep. I could go there every day.
We walked up the trail to Phelps Lake. It's a really nice loop trail, about 3 miles, that cuts through three or four different types of terrain. The first and most nerve-wracking at this time of year is right near the visitor center and thick with hawthorn berries, which the bears consider a right treat. Just before we arrived, they had a mama black bear plant her behind right in the middle of the path and refuse to move, unphased by the human attention she received because she had her cubs tucked safe up a tree. Fortunately for us, she did eat her fill and move off and we were able to take our hike.
Here are a couple photos of the center and from the hike.
After, we drove up to Wilson but just missed lunchtime at Nora's. Instead, we went into Jackson and had Mexican food and ice cream and a little shopping. It was nice, but very yuppy! The yuppification of the west is clearly evident here.
Today, I probably should have gone back to the Preserve, I woke up so cranky and listless. Instead, I went into slug mode, which Frank, for good or ill, indulged. This means we are extending our stay here by an additional day because there are at least two more sights I want to see based on Jinger's recommendations.
