The incredible mountain peaks of Grand Teton National Park are just as dramatic as you would expect. These majestic mountains are visible throughout most of the park, and provide an incredible backdrop to the glacial lakes, wild Snake River, and fantastic valley floor. Wildlife freely roams the landscape, and any visitor will find incredible opportunities in every corner of the park for hiking, fishing, skiing, boating, and exploring.
Our family’s visit to Grand Teton National Park, a destination on our Summer 2019 Road Trip, began with a stop in Coulter Bay for the night. Located right in the heart of Grand Teton National Park, this campground was a convenient place to stay, and a beautiful location right on the edge of the lake. Wildlife roamed freely around the campground, and the kids were even shocked to see bear claw marks on the trees at our campsite.
We woke up early in the morning to visit Jenny Lake, and saw some incredible views of the Tetons on our way. At one stop, we even spotted a coyote up close
Jenny Lake was a phenomenal and memorable stop. From the Visitor Center, our family headed out for a boat ride across the lake, to the trailhead for Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. It was a beautiful hike, with some good elevation gain, and some great views. The falls were beautiful, and we arrived at the top of Inspiration Point, only to immediately hear the booms of thunder and crashes of lightning. About three minutes later, it started to rain. The kids, especially Grace, looked frightened, urging us to head down the mountain. I have NEVER seen my kids move quicker on a trail than they did that day, literally running down the mountain, giggling and screaming the entire way.
We arrived back at the boat dock for our shuttle ride back across the lake, only to discover that they had halted all boats until 15 minutes after the last lightning. Luckily about 20 minutes later or so, we were on our way back in the boat, rain pelting us as we crossed the rough water. Despite the conditions, the kids proclaimed that it was “one of their favorite hikes” of our trip, and this hike still lives on in our family lore as such. Surely it was one to remember.
