Upon leaving Dubois, Wyoming, where we spent two nights recuperating from COVID, a shopkeeper told us we didn't want to go to Jackson. "That's not Wyoming," she said. Now, I know that every year hundreds of thousands of tourists come to Jackson Hole and describe it as one of the best vacations they've ever had, even returning repeatedly for the experience. After three days there though, I'm inclined to agree with the Dubois shopkeeper. In the 1920's and 30's John D. Rockefeller, Jr. bought up thousands of acres of land around Jackson Hole with the intention to donate it to the government to expand the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park, protecting it from over-commercialism. It took some time for locals to get on board with the donation, and in fact, the acceptance of the property was debated and declined by congress for over a decade. Finally, Franklin D. Roosevelt accepted the property with an executive order in the 1940's and the locals accepted their fate, turning to tourism to make a profit. Today we have Rockefeller to thank for the pristine beauty of the National Park. We have big money, capitalism, and greed to thank for what has become of the city of Jackson and the state of the art skiing facility of Teton Village. What makes Grand Teton National Park so special can be traced back to the geologic formation of the place. (Have I mentioned how cool geology is yet?) As two tectonic plates collided, one slipped under the other, pushing an abrupt mountain range into the sky. During the last ice age, glaciers eroded the mountains and formed the valleys and lakes we see today. But the most dramatic view is the level prairie that gives way to the majestic Grand Tetons. We started off our first full day with an early wake up to hit the trail around Jenny Lake, formed by glaciers some two million years ago. The day before, Dusty and the kids had been to the Visitor's Center to find all the parking lots full and cars lining the streets for about a mile. By arriving at 7:30 a.m., we beat the crowds, though certainly weren't the only people on the trail. We admired the scenery around the fairly flat border of the lake, then began our ascent to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point at 7,200 ft. The views were spectacular and the chipmunks were photogenic. All of our bodies hadn't fully recuperated from COVID, so it was evident that the 9.5 mile trek around the lake wasn't going to happen. We paid $44 for a 4 minute trip on a full ferry back across the lake (which I'm still quite bitter about.) We purchased the GyPSy Guide* app for Grand Teton and Yellowstone. The GPS-navigated audio guide tracks exactly where you are in the park and is like a ranger right there in your vehicle! We learned about the history, geology, animals and environment, and best places to stop for views, hikes, or finding moose, bears, or elk. We highly recommend this app for anyone traveling our country's national parks. The GyPSy app guided us through some beautiful back roads and recommended some interesting stops along our park loop drive, which lasted for the rest of the day. We saw a few moose, a herd of elk, lots of antelope, and...chipmunks! During the winter, we are told that some 20-30,000 elk move into Jackson Hole (the valley). Traditionally, elk would pass right through the Hole because winters there are just too difficult and food is not plentiful enough to feed them. As settlers came in, putting up fences for cattle, they essentially trapped the elk inside. In the early 1900's, during a particularly rough winter, thousands of elk died of starvation. Settlers began feeding them, a tradition that continues to this day in an area known as the National Elk Refuge. Visitors cannot take home elk antlers they may find at the park. However, you can purchase found elk antlers for $179 at one of the local gift shops in Jackson.
There just aren't many RV parks in the area, hence the supply and demand price gouging that occurs at The Virginian. But it doesn't end there. Everything is more expensive in Jackson. So...I don't recommend activities in Jackson. I don't recommend the ice cream in Jackson (Banana actually had to throw her overpriced ice cream away because it was nasty). I don't recommend dining out in Jackson. Unless you are a millionaire and not frugal like me, or if you are celebrating a special event that you don't mind throwing all your money away on. Personally, I decided I'm never going back.
I'll be honest with you. I've written this post three times and it always sounded like a lot of complaining. Staying in Jackson was my own personal kind of hell, and my mood reflected that. However, Dusty loved the Tetons, so he would recommend the park. Just stay somewhere else.
The Tetons are beautiful. There are a lot of people. Jackson costs a lot of money. *Contains affiliate link
1 Comment
Maxine Holmes
8/31/2022 12:42:01 pm
Thanks for sharing your experience on your trip ! I Love hearing of different areas your Family get to visit . Also I’m sure it helps other travelers to know about the prices . Your Family are making so many memories to look back on later . ❤️
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