We moved out of our cozy quad in the Hostal at Teton Valley
after our 3 nights there early to get to the parking are by Jenny Lake. We had
driven by there about 4 p.m. the day before and it was completely packed,
including trailers and cars parked along both sides of the entrance road.
Somewhere I had read you should plan to be there before 8 a.m. to get a parking spot. We were there by 8,
after taking the back road, with a very bumpy section of gravel, to enter the
park.
We all took the ferry boat ($10 RT) across to the start of
the uphill trail. Rod went with us up to Hidden Falls, about .5 mile. Then he
turned back and found a peaceful spot by the creek near the lake and bought a
couple of books appropriate to the site – one by Thoreau and one by John Muir.
We brought 3 folding chairs so he was very comfortable. He had taken our 3
National Parks Passports into the visitors’ center and gotten them stamped for
us.
Betty and I began the climb to Inspiration Point which was
very rugged, and rocky! Panting when we got there at 7,200 ft. the view over
the lake and surrounding mountains was spectacular. The crowd was sparse that
early, compared with the crowds when we headed back down a bit past noon.
Our boat guide had said if you made it to inspiration Point
you were rewarded with a relatively flat walk back to Cascade Canyon. Betty and
I hiked on and up for another mile or so and had decided to turn back when we
met a couple who had gone on to the split which they said was another 3.3
miles!! And then they had camped overnight and hiked up to Lake Solitude. But
as we started back, another group told us there was a moose up ahead maybe .5
mile where the river created a bog. So we turned around and hike up again. We
just got a glimpse of a moose with a pretty big rack and then he/she wandered
into high bushes and we could only see glimpses of the very top of the rack
rustling through the bushes. It took a solid hour of carerful climbing back
down to the boat dock and my legs felt like wet noodles by the time I got there
and my knees ached!! The broken ski pole they gave us at the boat dock going up
really helped!! We cruised back across the lovely crystal clear lake back to
find Rod relaxing in his chair and peaceful spot!! I was glad I did it and
immediately took 2 Advil which helped.
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| Cascade Canyon, about 2 miles up! |
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| Cute, friendly chipmunk |
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| Brief glimpse of moose before hid in bushes |
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