What am I missing in Grand Teton?

[katleman]

I have been to Yellowstone/Grand Teton 5 times now, with a 6th coming a week from Sunday. Every trip I leave wanting to spend more time in Yellowstone and lackluster about needing to return to Grand Teton. My ratio of time spent between the two is 5:1, firmly in Yellowstone, yet I see a solid minority of posts by folks leaning towards far more than a day in Grand Teton.

I enjoy Grand Teton, and the views are spectacular, but its one dimensional. So what am I missing?

What I've done
* soaked in the stunning mountain views
* two scenic floats on the Snake in the park
* two hikes to Hidden Falls via boat ride & hike back.
* camped at every campground in the park including freezing rain in a tent at Jenny.
* nature trails & visitor centers
* moose, far easier to fine moose in GT
* strolled Jackson square

I don't want this to start a heated exchange on Yellowstone vs Grand Teton, just am I missing with regards to GT?

[Lauren]

HOW close to the edge? 🙂

I am experienced mountain driver but edges bother me more these days if not protected.

Sounds like a great place for some photo work for me.

[j3ff9ack]

Mountain Mama wrote:
Our tow vehicle is 4WD dually. Would it be ok for this road or is it more like jeep riding?

Lauren wrote:
Thanks for the question, Mountain Mama, I was going to ask the same thing as we have a Chebby 3500 SRW long bed. And is it much of a shelf road? Have learned I am not as good at cliff hanging with a vehicle as I used to be (maybe I am just smarter!)

I have a post going as well seeking info (Y GT G) as, God willing, we will make the trip again in a year. Have been to them all several times but want one more shot at it.

The road is not truly 4wd worthy, but you need to have higher clearance than a car. The road runs along the edge of the plateau above the Snake River and is fairly flat. A few rocky outcroppings, but no Jeep only areas. Lots of good places to stop and use the binos or spotting scope to look for animals along the river banks. Mountain Mama, your 4wd dually will work fine as will the 3500 SRW, Lauren. We took our 2500 Duramax the entire length with no problem.

[Busskipper]

vermilye wrote:
Here is the reason I love the view of the Tetons from Mormon Row:

X2

I will never - Never miss the chance to see those rocks.

[tatest]

I don't think you should let if bother you that you no longer find any particular place compelling after six visits. Maybe you are getting burned out on the Western Rockies. Many people have no interest in visiting the Rockies even a first time, or seeing any wilderness anywhere.

There are people who won't visit anywhere twice, once it is checked off their list, it is done. There are other places to go.

Other people will go to the same place year after year, they are happy with whatever it is they do there. And then there are those who have no need to ever leave home.

I find there are many places, once visited, that I care not to see again, others that I absolutely must go back to. But even I've visited several times, I get to a point "that's enough for now."

[vermilye]

Here is the reason I love the view of the Tetons from Mormon Row:

[Lauren]

Thanks for the question, Mountain Mama, I was going to ask the same thing as we have a Chebby 3500 SRW long bed. And is it much of a shelf road? Have learned I am not as good at cliff hanging with a vehicle as I used to be (maybe I am just smarter!)

I have a post going as well seeking info (Y GT G) as, God willing, we will make the trip again in a year. Have been to them all several times but want one more shot at it.

[Mountain_Mama]

j3ff9ack wrote:

Mountain Mama wrote:
Where does one find info about the 4WD trail?

It's on the park map here listed as River Road. Some great views of the Snake River with wildlife most of the time.

Our tow vehicle is 4WD dually. Would it be ok for this road or is it more like jeep riding?

[Padlin]

Twomed wrote:
If you just want laid back real camping lots of surrounding NF provide a much better experience IMHO.

This is why we liked GT better, you have NF's to go hide in. We found great hiking with the Tetons as a back drop. But then we've only been to them once.

[j3ff9ack]

Mountain Mama wrote:
Where does one find info about the 4WD trail?

It's on the park map here listed as River Road. Some great views of the Snake River with wildlife most of the time.

[CVD]

YNP has more to see, probably should be first on the list, but you can’t beat GTNP for the wildlife viewing. With a 2 – 3 hour drive, you can see antelope, bison, & elk by the dozen and a couple moose. The back road from Moose to Jackson in late afternoon is a great place to kill an hour or two. Further south, from our site at Gros Ventre CG, I can fish and DW can watch moose walk through camp.

Here a fishing spot 5 min walk from camp:


Here is an ~16” Cutthroat (close to where I saw the moose):


Here is a cow walking thru camp:


Wife and brother looking for wildlife near Ox Bow (saw golden and bald eagles that afternoon):

[Mountain_Mama]

jwoods61us wrote:
Before we got there, I was lukewarm about the Grand Tetons and excited about seeing Yellowstone. But, when we turned into the Snake River valley just out of Jackson, I fell in love. The ONLY thought that John D. Rockefeller Jr., and I will ever have in common is that we both thought that this was/is the most beautiful place in the world. Of course he bought it, and I only wish I could.

One of my favorite experiences in GT was taking the 4WD trail that follows the west side of the Snake. We stopped and glassed Elk that were grazing in the Refuge, and saw a number of bones along the trail reminding us that it is still a wilderness area.

And, John D. and I must not be the only ones who love the place, I noticed at the end of a current Toyota ad that there is a shot taken from the 4WD trail as it rises up out of the valley with the Tetons in full view. (I searched but couldn't find a link, sorry.)

Where does one find info about the 4WD trail?

[TenOC]

Picture of a fool taken at GV. There are 2 that "live" in the campground.

[jalichty]

I don't think he saw this one at Gros Ventre, he said they were hiking in one of the canyons. However, we did see two younger ones this spring that came within a couple of feet of the FW the last night we camped there. I took some pictures from less than 15' but the moose was very docile and just kept grazing and moving around.

[Steve_911]

Great pic prof. We've camped at Gros Ventre in the past, when kids were younger, and saw moose but never that close..wow