Grand Teton, a Bucket List National Park

We have all seen images of Grand Teton – on calendars, Earth Porn, and many other places. For me, this is a place I have wanted to visit for decades. As beautiful as the photos are, it is far better – and bigger – in person.

I truly enjoyed my sunrise photography outings, usually followed by a hike. The above photo is of the Moulton Barn, likely the most photographed barn in the world.

The photo above is from Schwabacher’s Landing at the Beaver Ponds. There were anywhere from 10-25 other people each morning I was out taking photos.

During these hikes we really enjoyed the alpine environment. The lakes are crystal clear and the flora in the meadows were such a beautiful combination. Below are some photos of alpine wildflowers.

Alpine Sunflowers

Indian Paint Brush

Alpine Meadow

Jane and I went to Teton Village and rode the tram to the top of Mount Rendezvous. The ride takes 12 minutes with the longest span between towers being a little over 1 mile. At the top we were 10,450 feet in elevation and there is a small cafe that serves waffles. They are really tasty! We walked around the peak and enjoyed the views.

View of Snake River from top of Mount Rendezvous

View of middle Tetons from Mount Rendezvous

We also enjoyed a raft trip down the Snake River. We learned that the river is constantly changing – just a few days before our trip, a riverside earthen wall had eroded and collapsed, causing the river to change course and uproot a large section of forest!

On our last day in the Tetons I hiked the Paintbrush Canyon Trail. I made it to the alpine ecosystem: minimal trees, leftover snow in July, lots of boulders, beautiful wildflowers, and amazing views.

Later that day Jane and I hiked along String Lake and Leigh Lake. Leigh Lake is an amazingly beautiful alpine lake with extremely clear water.

If you have the chance Grand Teton National Park is a great place to explore!