#jenny lake campgrounds

[steinersofmichigan]

Jenny Lake campground.

[bigaladventures]

Days 23-25: Grand Teton National Park ⛰️💕

Day 23 - Saturday, September 24 - Bradley & Taggart Lakes Hike, camping at Jenny Lake

I woke up with the sun on Saturday filled with anticipation for my first day in Grand Teton National Park. After the prior afternoon admiring the striking mountains from afar, I was eager for a closer look, and to learn more about the geology and the history of the area.

My first stop was at one of the park’s primary visitor centers, where I was able to get much of the information I was looking for. 

I learned that the Teton Range is the youngest mountain range in the Rocky Mountains, formed by many earthquakes along the Teton fault and a combination of volcanic activity, oceanic reefs and receding tides, and glacial movement. The evidence of people populating the area dates back ~11,000 years to the recession of glaciers at the end of the ice age.

When Europeans arrived the tribes included Shoshone, Bannock. Blackfoot, Crow, Flathead, Gros Ventre, and Nez Perce. In addition to being an important source of food and materials, the mountains were of great spiritual significance to the American Indians, who the US government pushed off of their traditional lands. Another reminder of the painful history that put me in a position enjoy this majestic place.

I also spoke with a very nice park ranger who helped me plan my hikes and also practice using my bear spray (with an empty can of course!). Grand Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks are home to grizzlies as well as black bears. (By the way, if you don’t already carry bear spray in bear country I highly encourage you to do so! Not only will it help you feel more adventurous and secure going deeper into nature, but it also is 90% effective at deterring an attack and can save your life and the life of the bear.)

After the visitor center (which had a beautiful view behind it, pictured above)I headed out for my first hike, a 6 mile loop around Bradley and Taggart Lakes. Wind was minimal on the lakes and the lighting was just right create a glassy surface for perfect reflections.

Upon the completion of my hike, I headed further north towards Jenny Lake, where I had reserved a campsite on the last night this very popular campground was open for the season. Many of the national parks book up far in advance for the more peak seasons, so I had to be diligent about checking for cancellations - and fortunately luck was on my side. My campsite was pretty private given its great proximity to the bathrooms and its amazing location within a quick 3 minute walk to a peaceful lakeshore spot.

After setting up camp, I headed down to the rocky lakeshore to practice yoga and meditate on a fairly flat rock. I found so much inner peace stretching, sitting, and breathing to the sound of the crystal blue lake lapping the rocks beneath a setting sun. Even after having spent many more weeks on the road, this moment on Jenny Lake ranks as one of the main highlights of my trip to date. (Play the video below with sound on for the full effect!)

Knowing that I would need to pack up my campsite before departing for a very big hike the following day, I made dinner and turned in early to get a good night’s rest. I also set up a new set of LED string lights that made my campsite feel so much more homey (and easier to find in the dark!).

Day 24 - Sunday, September 25 - Hiking to Lake Solitude, camping at Signal Mountain

I woke up just in time to scurry over to my meditation spot on Jenny Lake and witness the spectacular pink colored mountains as the sun rose.

It was hard to say goodbye to my special spot, but I had a big day ahead, so I packed up my campsite and waited in line for the first shuttle boat across Jenny Lake (there was a rainbow in the wake!) to start my journey into Cascade Canyon, a 10 mi hike, with the option to add an additional 6 miles to glacial Lake Solitude. 

Fairly early on in the hike, as I turned a corner near entering the canyon, I heard a rustling in the bushes. My heart beating more quickly, I stopped in my tracks, and then heard what I thought for sure would be the first bear I met in the park, say “I’m not a bear!” - I replied, now laughing, “or you’re a lying talking bear!”

It turned out that this not-a-bear was a human from Nebraska named Andrew, who became my hiking buddy for the day and my inspiration to trek all the way to Lake Solitude! 

I am so glad that Andrew and I met for so many reasons — we were both nomadic adventurers who share similar passions for personal growth, spiritual exploration, human connection and nature (Andrew, if you are reading this, you are so awesome!).

And if we hadn’t met, I almost certainly wouldn’t have had the motivation to complete the trek to Solitude, a route that turned out to deliver absolutely breathtaking views along the way and a destination well worth the effort. I only wish we had had more time at the lake, as it was such an incredibly beautiful spot to rest and meditate, and it was warm enough outside to swim (unfortunately I didn’t come prepared for that!).

It was very helpful to have a friend who enjoyed deep conversation to share this hike with, as it was surely challenging and very long - I clocked 16+ miles in the end (and Andrew gets extra credit because he didn’t take the boat shuttle in the morning so he did the full 19 miles!). After meeting a very cute Pika on the way down (finally! I saw one! and boy was it cute!), we made it back to the parking lot and said goodbye as the sun set and light was fading. 

This would be my first evening setting up camp in the dark! Fortunately I have multiple lights (an inflatable solar powered lamp, very handy, as well as a headlamp, my string lights, and a fan that doubles as a light as well) and setting up / taking down camp had become second nature to me at that point, so it was an easy process. Needless to say after 16 miles of hiking, I was very ready for a good night’s sleep! 

Day 25 - Monday, September 26 - Easy exploring in Grand Teton, arriving in Yellowstone and visiting West Thumb Geyser Basin

After the huge hike to Lake Solitude I was ready for a more restful day. In the morning I made coffee and breakfast and watched the sun rise over Jackson Lake by my campground. It was another dazzling vista, with the intrigue of cloud cover coming and going over the course of the hour or so I was sitting there. 

But it was also a view colored by the realities of a warming world and the drought-stricken west: Jackson Lake is a reservoir feeding irrigation for neighboring agricultural region in Idaho, and while it’s normal for water levels to lower over the course of the summer, the past few years of extremely dry weather have led to significant draining of the lake. 

By mid morning I was ready to pack up camp and continue exploring the more northern parts of Grand Teton while I made my way towards the border of neighboring Yellowstone. I found many peaceful spots to sit and explore new perspectives — the banks of the snake river at Oxbow Bend, and the meadows of Willow Flats were two particular highlights of the day. At Oxbow Bend I saw two bald eagles, and in the Willow Flats I tried shifting my perspective by laying on the ground to take a plants-eye-view of the Tetons! 

Upon entering Yellowstone, I stopped by my campground at Lewis Lake to set up and get some recommendations from the campground ranger. Turned out that I had enough remaining daylight to check out West Thumb, my first geyser basin.

I arrived just as the sun was setting, and my breath was truly taken away. I really had no idea what to expect from Yellowstone, which I subsequently learned much more about. Yellowstone is a Caldera, a concave plateau located atop a super volcano capable of massive eruptions, one of a small number globally. The only volcanic site I had ever seen was a mudpot area in Lassen Volcanic National Park, which is a mini representation of what you’ll find in the mesmerizing Yellowstone. 

The glow of the setting sun made my time in West Thumb truly magical. I took my time meandering along the wooden boardwalk from fountaining geysers, to colorful hot springs, to steaming fumaroles, to bubbling paint pots. 

I left West Thumb bubbling like a geyser with excitement to wake up early the next morning and explore more of Yellowstone, the first national park, home of thousands of bison, bears, wolves and many other animals and plants, a truly unique national treasure 🥹 ♨️ 🦬 💕

[haylanmakesstuff]

Day 42-44

I had a nice long bath in a disgusting bathtub and headed onto Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park. Just 5 more hours in the car. Just 5 more hours. This was the most uneventful day of driving yet. What should have been 5 hours was closer to 9 since California has the speed limit, no matter how high it is, capped at 55 for all trailers and GPS do not account for it. I get it, but good glob, this made it a long day.

I arrived at my camp between the two parks, in Sequoia National Forest at Big Meadows. I had looked in the parks first, but they were all full. I am so glad for that, because I am literally the only person in this entire campground. It is dark. It is silent. It is cold. It’s wonderful. Here is some picnic table graffiti for you:

My first morning in Kings Canyon National Park, my tire light came on and I had to fret about it all day. Couldn’t find any screws, the front was maybe a few PSI low, but nothing worrisome. I filled them at an overlook since I carry a small compressor. The tire light didn’t go off, so I just checked them every stop. I Drove to General Grant’s Grove and saw one of the largest trees in the world, surrounded by other Giant Sequoia’s. There’s something so beautiful about the color of their bark; red and almost fuzzy looking.

I appreciate the interpretive signs here that use creative ways to help people understand and appreciate these rare resources: If the trunk of the General Grant Tree was a gas tank on a car that got 25 miles per gallon, you could drive around the Earth 350 times without refueling. Wowza!

I saw there were a lot of closures due to construction and fire damage, so I wouldn’t be visiting some of the staples that had been recommended to me by Ashton, who worked in Sequoia for 2 seasons. Since Crystal Cave was closed all summer, I decided to stop on Forest Service land at concessionaire run Boyden Cave, a small but pretty cave with a lot of calcium carbonate and silica in their formations that make them glitter even when they are not wet.

I headed down the line to an extremely empty visitor center where I earned by Junior Ranger Badge!

This badge is dedicated to anyone who donates before the fundraiser ends on 9/30/22.

I did a small, paved path to Roaring River Falls, an easy way to see a pretty waterfall, and finished my day with a pot of potatoes after doing physical therapy at my camp. I love having a campground all to myself.

The next morning, Day 44, I wanted to do a hike on the Kings Canyon side before I spend the rest of the week exploring the Sequoia side. I chose the Big Meadows Trailhead just about a mile from my campsite, because of the ease of access to the Jennie Lakes Wilderness, and based on the fact that the parking lot never looked too busy when I’d pass it every day. There’s no service, so I was relying on the trailhead postings to give me information on the hikes. Although they have a rudimentary map listed, they have no distances posted, so I decided I’d pack well and hike for as long as I wanted towards Weaver Lake, have a sit down, then hike back.

I met two dogs on the trail – interestingly enough I only experienced other solo hikers on the way in, no couples or groups. There were only 4 people total. My kind of hike! The terrain wasn’t the worst, though difficult, the sun hot, but the shade and breeze nice and cool. I could feel my body was doing *just ok* but I kept going, hoping to get to Weaver Lake so I could enjoy my sit down with a view. I started to get tired and discouraged, but knew the lake was under a scree field that wasn’t too far away. I persevered. I found this on the trail:

Good sign or bad sign? 

Weaver Lake was gorgeous. What is it about backcountry and alpine lakes that I just never get tired of? This one doesn’t look all that different, but I just absolutely love it. 

It looked like dogs had already entered the lake and disturbed the bottom, so upon realizing the water wasn’t as cold as most lakes in this setting I took off my shoes and had a half dip.

I wanted a whole dip but know going swimming all alone in the backcountry is a good way to end up on some podcast that’s going to call me dumb. I laid myself out on a slanty rock like a marmot and had a soak in the sun. I ate snacks, read a book, became a general voluptuary.

I am obsessed with this grass, and we will be getting married next Tuesday. I mean, just look at it! Sorry Husband, this beautiful grass has swept me off of my feet with its good looks and I just can’t resist.

I found this on the muddy banks of the lake: 

Good sign or bad sign? 

I knew as much as I liked it here and just wanted to stay longer, my 1.5 hour lay about meant it was only going to get hotter out. The way back out was easier, since it was mostly downhill, but I could feel my soft tissues were starting to rebel.

I wrapped up the day with sitting at my site and sewing on a felt Christmas stocking; yes, I am an old lady and I have no shame about it.

Haylan

#weaver lake #sequoia national forest #national forest #good sign #bad sign #ehlers danlos awareness #traveling with chronic illness #solo traveler #female solo travel #junior ranger #sequoia national park #kings canyon national park #sequoia kings canyon national park #national park hike #jennie lake wilderness #wilderness #wilderness hike #leave no trave

[gravelish]

Rock Creek to the Big Hole (Day 5)

28 June 2022

I camped last night at Stony Campground on Rock Creek. I was up early, though not as early as Jennie (the other bikepacker camped here last night) - who I occasionally caught glimpses of in the distance on the long straightaways. The upper Rock Creek Valley opens up and it was a beautiful morning on nice gravel riding past ranches and irrigated fields and fishing resorts.

I turned east on the Skalkaho Road (the road west from here over Skalkaho Pass to Hamilton in the Bitterroot Valley is one I’d like to check out someday). After a few miles of gradual climbing, I turned south toward the East Fork Reservoir and the back way up to Georgetown Lake (I’ve driven the main road and I figured the climb and the cars wouldn’t make for good biking). My route was still a stiff climb, but pleasant gravel and almost no cars.

I made it back to the main road (MT 1) at the east end of the lake and stopped at the Lakehouse for cold drinks and a good sandwich. The fast descent to Anaconda was tempered by discovery of a small tear in the tire casing that I had missed when patching two days ago. Which meant that I spent 30 minutes in front of a gas station in Anaconda pulling the tire and adding yet another patch (a small piece of Park plastic boot secured with a strip of gorilla tape).

Tire bandaged and body rehydrated, I rode through town and out into the broad valley past the old smelter stack and the huge tailings piles before turning south on MT 569. Which greeted me with a very strong, gusty headwind and one of the least pleasant climbs of the trip. Even without the wind, this would have been an unappealing climb. The scenery wasn’t spectacular, and the pass was only distinguished by a private construction site of some sort. No sign noting the crossing of the Continental Divide or the elevation (turns out to be just short of 7000’); not even an indication that the pass had a name at all. And with the wind, the descent on the southwest side was still a lot of work!

After pedaling downhill (seemed like it) for more than an hour, I reached the Big Hole River and turned east. I was tired and pulled into the first campground I found, a fairly primitive and exposed BLM site. I washed up and filled water bottles at the boat ramp while listening to thunder over the next ridge. My tent was in the direct sun (rain might have been a relief, but it never materialized) until it set several hours later. I spent the evening listening to a couple guys drinking and talking loudly outside their trailer in the next campsite.

#bike journal #bike #montana

[mizar113]

Jenny Lake Campground inside Grand Teton National Park.

#tent #jenny lake campgrounds #grand teton national park #national parks #park #tent camping #mountains #campgrounds #picnic table #camping #camp #campsite #camplife #campout #outdoors #nature #wilderness #discover #adventure #explore

[performancealfaromeo]

Six of the Best Campgrounds Near Whippany, NJ

#The Mahlon Dickinson Reservation #Stephens State Park #Jenny Jump State Forest #Panther Lake Camping Resort #The Great Divide Campground #Fla-Net Park

[tripteenie]

Day 14. Today we marveled at the majesty of the Grand Tetons (WY), not to mention our site at Gros Ventre campground, where we stayed for 2 nights! It was one of the nicest so far with great views of Tetons. Hiked to Jenny Lake. Something here for everyone, hiking, biking, kayaking & fishing! A place to return.

[brideofjasonvoorhees]

My Only Love is the Crystal Lake Killer

Diana and her 3 friends were nearing the location of the notorious Camp Crystal Lake. With every step she took, the young woman’s heart beat faster. Diana had never dreamed that she would be out here. It took the persuasion of her good companion, Jenny, to bring her on this trip. Since Jenny was really the only one who was kind to her, Diana would do anything to make her happy. And of course Diana was flowing with curiosity too.

This was the home of legendary mass murderer, Jason Voorhees, who Diana had researched for many years. Something about him intrigued her, even if others had said the stories of him weren’t true. Was she about to find out today?

Jenny had supposedly gotten a tip from someone named Lori Campbell that Jason had battled fellow slasher, Freddy Krueger, at the campgrounds. This had been months ago so the two were said to be long gone by now. Diana fought off disappointment. So had Jason won or not? Her parents would have slapped her for thinking such things.

You’re not supposed to take the side of either one. They’re killers for God’s sake. And fictional ones at that.

“Look!” Jenny cried out up ahead.

Diana hustled to catch up to her and the two guys they were with. Since it was getting dark, Jenny took a flashlight and scanned it over her find. Diana sucked in a deep breath. It was a sign laying on the ground with the words Camp Crystal Lake. They were here.

“We’re here!” Jenny echoed her thoughts. “And guess what?”

Diana tilted her head, her soft, hazel eyes shining in the moonlight.

“This is where we’ll spend the night! Won’t that be exciting?”

Those same orbs on Diana now widened.

“What?”

This hadn’t been mentioned to Diana at all...until now.

#slasher-motherfucking-hell #roleplay #jason voorhees

[devilsknotrp]

Congratulations, Jenn! You have been accepted for the role of Wendy Taylor (FC: Mary Louise Parker). Wow. What can we even say? You have brought Wendy a depth that we truly had not even envisaged. There were glimpses in her biography, but you have enhanced them and exampled how complex and nuanced she really is. The fact that she is a closeted lesbian makes a lot of sense, and I think exploring the notion of compulsive heterosexuality and her late relationship with Charlie will be a fantastic writing challenge - one we have no doubt you’ll pull off with aplomb. Your headcanons are extensive and beautifully written. This is a truly fantastic application. Thank you for writing her! Please have a look at this page prior to sending in your account.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Name: Jenn Age: 27 Pronouns: She/her Timezone: EST Activity estimation: I have a full-time job, but I can be around on weeknights and through the weekend! I can confidently approximate my activity at a few replies per week. Triggers: REDACTED

IN CHARACTER

Full name: Wendy Marie Taylor Age (DD/MM/YYY): Fifty years old (09 October 1946) – Libra sun, Cancer moon Gender: Cis female Pronouns: She/her Sexuality: Lesbian, though she will assert she is Straight Occupation: Regional Manager, Great Lakes Cup Company Connection to Victim: Linda Goode is one of the moms. Even if her own daughter has been grown for a decade plus, Wendy feels connected to the other mothers in Devil’s Knot because motherhood is so important to her. When Linda first moved into town, Wendy was drawn to her bright-eyed enthusiasm. They talk after church about their children, and Wendy gives some gentle advice when she can. They’re friendly, if not friends. Linda’s optimism in the face of a mother’s worst nightmare has only bolstered Wendy’s desire to know her better. She remembers what Sandy was like when Pete disappeared. Linda’s going to need all the help she can get. Alibi: Wendy spent the morning at home, going through her closets for things she could sell at her upcoming yard sale. One of the skirts she’d set aside – an old favorite – had a broken zipper, so she brought it to Aisha around 1pm to see if her sister-in-law could mend it. She got so wrapped up in playing with her nephew and talking to her family that she stayed for dinner, and didn’t come home until 7:30pm, at which point she ran a bath, read a few chapters of her book club book, and fell asleep. Faceclaim: I was approved for Mary Louise Parker! :) Other alternate faceclaim ideas (not proposed to y’all) are Winona Ryder and Marisa Tomei.

WRITING SAMPLE

The waiting really wasn’t so bad. At 11:15, the pie went in; by 11:30, the whole downstairs smelled like peaches and cinnamon, even all the way back in the laundry room where the dryer-sheet scent never left. This was what Heaven smelled like, to her. This was her Heaven, right here in Formica and linoleum. She closed her eyes to take it in. Sense is everything. That’s what Pastor Jeff had told her, last time they spoke one-on-one. She’d been struggling to stay grounded, with all the background noise starting up again: another missing boy, another swing to the slumbering hornets’ nest. She could feel the buzzing in her sleep, she said. Thank God for God. He made the world for us, Pastor Jeff told her, and we take it for granted. There are little blessings everywhere. All we have to do is open to receive.

Wendy pressed her shoulders against the back of the chair, imagining a coat hanger strung through her spine and then straightened just so. The birds were quietly tittering in the trees outside. The sky, she imagined, was blue. She wanted to believe that it was.

Her egg timer ticked. She could hear it better with her eyes closed. Sometimes she thought the insides of her eyelids looked like one of those abstract paintings that’re just colors and drips, chaos on a canvas. Like the blood splatter patterns. The photos Charlie pored over. You weren’t supposed to see that, he always said – but what did he know about supposed to? What did he know about her? He had heavy hands and a weak heart, and he–well, he–

Fuck him, she thought.

She opened her eyes. Some words taste sour on your tongue and some don’t taste like anything at all. By the refrigerator, Buddy flattened out on the floor, his head resting on his paws – Wendy hadn’t even noticed him come in. She reached for him with fingers caked in flour and dough. “C’mere, Bud,” she said, softly. “C’mon.” It took him a few seconds to stand; for those couple of breaths, she was sure he’d heard her curse. Then he was walking over, and exhaling, and nudging against her to make room for himself at her feet. “Hey, baby. How you doin’, huh?” She rubbed her hand through the fur at the top of his scalp. He didn’t react. “Oh, you’re mad at me now, ‘s that it?” Buddy was as much Charlie’s as he was hers or Jenny’s, but that’s what happens when you leave: you don’t get to claim ownership anymore.

Wendy let her breath come out her nose in one long stream. She used the heel of her palm to brush loose hair off her forehead; her hands were a mess. “Fine,” she said. She stood. She had Jenny’s number memorized by now, but she still grabbed her contact notebook and double-checked as she dialed. The answering machine picked it up. “Hey, honey, it’s Mom. I’m gonna be taking a pie over to the Goodes in an hour or so. I’d love some company.” She glanced at the hanging clock. 11:50. ”No pressure,” she added. “Just call me back before 1.” Wendy tightened her grip on the phone, readying herself to hang up – but her hand didn’t move. Her sigh went right into the mouthpiece, loud and clear. “And–maybe… if you haven’t yet, maybe call your dad, too. Just to–just to make sure he’s okay.” Okay. “Okay. I love you. Talk soon.” There were still 20 minutes left in the oven. They couldn’t pass quickly enough.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Here is my Pinterest board for Wendy! 

Wendy is a lesbian. Used to be. Wendy used to be a lesbian – and God, even the word is ugly, isn’t it? Lesbian, like the name of another species, something grey-skinned and hairless crawling out of a crater. She outgrew it when she grew up. There were thoughts, and dreams, and wishes and whims, and when she was younger there were girls her age who stopped her breathing just by touching her – but that was frivolity, that’s all. She can be so frivolous sometimes. If it weren’t for her Daddy’s looking out for her, she might’ve lit her life on fire years ago just ‘cause she liked to watch the sparks.

No one’s ever hurt her worse than Charlie Taylor did. Would you believe she really loved that son of a bitch? Being a housewife felt about as natural as waxing her leg hair off, but she did it for him – and, like waxing, it hurt less over time. Sweet, serious Charlie. He’d been impressive to her long before the Sheriff’s badge: just a kid at 20 when they’d first met, and even then there’d been something steady about him. Something safe. And as they got older, they got older together, and they got married together, and they had their daughter together. It didn’t matter who they were in the dark, because they were a family together, a whole of sums, a house united. That’s what kept Wendy from leaving, all those years ago, back when she could’ve left him. They had made something together. Even when things were bad, they were still warm like a burnt-up dinner, bitter but still hearty all the same. She couldn’t spit in the face of a home-cooked home. Guess Charlie wasn’t burdened with the same sense of sacrifice, though, ‘cause he gave it all up to be himself. As if she hadn’t bit her tongue for him. As if she hadn’t swallowed blood.

When she was younger, Wendy’s lifelong dream was to climb the tallest tree in Devil’s Knot. Up by the river, where Ely Street met North State and the water folded over the rocks underneath – right there, that one, the one that stretched bare and empty on top like it was just made for a Christmas tree angel to sit. It didn’t matter that there were taller trees by the Campgrounds; she claimed that one back in elementary school, pointing and shielding her face from the sun. She practiced on the trees in her front yard. Her legs still show the scars where sharp bark and misplaced foot-holds left their marks. Wendy’s mom used to patch her up quietly in the bathroom after she fell off, be it bike or branch, and now when she tries to remember her mother, she thinks of how they’d wince together when the iodine hit her skin. Her mother, watching Wendy’s face and sucking in her own breath through her teeth like she could feel it, too. Like it hurt her to hurt her, no matter how small the pain.

It was never her lifelong dream to work for Great Lakes Cups, that’s for sure – but she really does like it well enough. She’s the franchise’s first female regional manager in Michigan, if you’ll believe that. Her! Wendy Taylor! Sometimes, when she’s feeling particularly scatter-brained and stupid, she’ll remind herself to look at the little name-plate they put on the wall outside her door. If she can run a whole office of a consumer products manufacturing company, then she can do just about anything. And if there’s anything she can’t do – well, she’s got her Daddy to help guide her halfway to home. No one was happier for her than him when she got the promotion. Not even Charlie, who by then was already her ex on barely-speaking terms, divorce papers pending. Her Daddy has been her biggest supporter, coach, and strategist for longer than she cares to remember. She can see that now. No matter how many times she doubts him, it’s only the toughest love that gets people to change. She wouldn’t be who she is without his. 

Wendy always knew she wanted kids. Charlie wanted them too, and when they had Jenny, everything changed all at once. It was like another version of herself had been growing in her, too, right there in the womb next to her daughter. She gave birth to both of them. She saw it. She knows it’s crazy, but she saw it – and it wasn’t a hallucination, either. Pastor Jeff’s on her side. He says that the Creator has His ways of showing people what plans He has in store. After years of fighting and flailing and keeping God out of her heart, Wendy is finally ready to listen.

#dkaccepted #accepted #new rp #original rp #dark rp #wendy taylor

[pandemicperipatetics]

One Beautiful Day in Grand Teton National Park

The Verdict: This is one of our favorite national parks. It’s a mountains-and-lakes kind of park, and the scenery is jaw-dropping in a Banff-like way. The town right by the park, Jackson, is one of the nicest national park-adjacent towns we’ve been to; it seems like a great place for an extended stay (though when we were there -- in late summer after 18 months after a pandemic -- it wasn’t the most affordable). Our only regret about Grand Teton is not being able to stay longer!

The COVID moose was a hit. Way to be adorable, St. John’s Hospital.

Stuff We Recommend

#1: Hiking to Surprise Lake & Amphitheatre Lake (~10 miles total: 5 miles out and 5 miles back; strenuous): This hike is AMAZING! You'll hike to two extraordinarily beautiful lakes against the backdrop of Grand Teton (the park's namesake mountain). For me, these lakes recalled the stunning lakes at Canada's Banff National Park. The hike is pretty much uphill the entire way; it is definitely strenuous but not because of any particularly challenging areas, rather because it is a marathon of an incline. We saw elk and pika, as well as a marriage proposal at lovely Surprise Lake! The full hike took us about 5.5 hours, split about evenly between uphill and downhill, excluding the time we spent picnicking at Surprise Lake. It was pretty cold sitting by the lakes, so definitely take a windbreaker for that bit.

Surprise Lake

Amphitheater Lake

If you choose to do this hike, check out Earthtrekkers' excellent summary. Note they recommend adding on Delta Lake -- we tried, but the lack of signage made it too difficult to find our way, and we ultimately decided not to pursue this additional portion of the hike.

Hiking up to Surprise & Amphitheater Lakes - take 1

Hiking up to Surprise & Amphitheater Lakes - take 2. See how the smile disappeared? It’s a difficult hike!

Elk hanging out along the trail

Pika chilling in the rocks by Amphitheatre Lake

Logistics: Park at Lupine Meadows Trailhead. BEWARE the insane potholes on this road. Not sure how anything besides a 4x4 or high-clearance SUV can do this, but we did see a handful of sedans that made it. We needed a solid car wash after doing this drive. We got here on Friday around 11:30 a.m. and the parking area was 90%+ full; we were able to park on the side of the road in a designated parallel parking area.

Alternate option: Don't want to do such a long hike? Try the shorter hike to Taggart Lake (starts from a different trailhead and parking lot; looks very beautiful). You can actually hike to Bradley Lake & Taggart Lake (5.5 mi roundtrip) from the same trailhead as Surprise Lake & Amphitheatre Lake, but these two hikes share the first 1.7 miles of a pretty unremarkable uphill climb, so the Taggart Lake-only option starting elsewhere might be nicer.

View of Taggart & Bradley Lakes from the hike to Surprise & Amphitheater Lakes

#2: Jenny Lake Boat + Hiking: Jenny Lake is the most popular part of the park. We hiked most of the Jenny Lake Loop (which goes all the way around the lake), but we recommend doing things a bit differently: Start at the String Lake Parking Lot and hike counterclockwise along Jenny Lake for incredible views of the lake. Stop when you get to the area for Hidden Falls (a very large and stunning waterfall) and Inspiration Point (a beautiful, high viewpoint over Jenny Lake). Going to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point is about 2 miles roundtrip and well worth it, though a bit steep and very crowded. Then, retrace your steps and hike back to the String Lake Parking Lot.

Bridge at the junction of Jenny Lake and String Lake

Hidden Falls

View of Jenny Lake from Inspiration Point

View of Inspiration Point from the Jenny Lake Shuttle (boat)

Alternate option: If you don't have time or don't want to hike/walk along Jenny Lake, you can park at Jenny Lake Visitor Center Parking Lot and take the Jenny Lake boat shuttle roundtrip to/from Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. This is expensive ($18pp roundtrip) and means you miss out on some of the especially nice views of Jenny Lake, but it is time efficient and may make sense if you have limited time to spend in the park. If you do this, get to the Jenny Lake shuttle as early as possible. When we walked by it around 11a.m., the line for the shuttle was extremely long.

One of our favorite views of Jenny Lake, walking on Jenny Lake Scenic Loop from the String Lake parking lot to Hidden Falls 

What we actually did (somewhat suboptimal): We parked at the Jenny Lake Visitor Center Parking Lot and walked along Jenny Lake about 3 miles to the intersection of String Lake. Most of this walk had trees obstructing the view of the lake; it wasn't that scenic. From String Lake, we continued along the Jenny Lake Loop trail and saw Hidden Falls + Inspiration Point, as recommended above. Then we took the Jenny Lake Shuttle ($10pp one way) across Jenny Lake to get back to the Jenny Lake Parking Lot. The shuttle was a 2-3 minute boat ride across the lake with very nice views of mountainous Inspiration Point, but it felt like a ripoff. The shuttle can also have very long lines, so if we did it again we'd save ourselves the trouble. This took us about 3 hours in total.

View of Jenny Lake in the morning, close to the Jenny Lake Visitor Center.

Sometime during the first ~3 miles of the Jenny Lake Scenic Loop starting from the Visitor Center and walking counterclockwise. 

Logistics: We're not sure about what it's like to park by String Lake. If you park at Jenny Lake Visitor Center, there are a few large parking areas. When we arrived on Friday around 7:40a.m. there were plenty of available spaces, but when we returned around 11a.m., the parking lot was full and cars were circling for spots as they opened up. Get there early to save yourself the stress of finding a parking spot!

#3: Drive along the 42 mile scenic drive loop (map): We drove most but not all of this, and it was definitely very pretty throughout. Exhausted after a long day, we only stopped at Oxbow Bend (amazing, and easy to get to as it’s right off the main road) and Schwabacher Landing (nice, but hard to get to due to a VERY pothole-y road; not sure if it was worth it.)

Oxbow Bend before sunset

Schwabachers Landing

Of course, there are plenty of other things to see and do at Grand Teton National Park. We loved the way we spent our one day there, and we hope to return to see more!

Lodging:

Springhill Suites by Marriott Jackson Hole: We spent one night at this hotel and it was perfect. The rooms are upscale and cozy, check-in was efficient and thorough, the downtown Jackson location is great, and the breakfast buffet was varied including delicious healthy options. We would have loved to stay longer, it's just very expensive! Logistics: Though the hotel offers pricey parking, we found free street parking right in front of the hotel and there were plenty of open spots. The city of Jackson also offers free parking garages, including one very closeby to this hotel.

Colter Bay Campground:  Located right by Jackson Lake in the northern part of the park, Colter Bay is about an hour north of the city of Jackson and 30 minutes north of some of the most popular park areas (Jenny Lake, Lupine Meadows). We were lucky to get a campsite just a few weeks before our trip, but Colter Bay wasn't terribly special. It wasn't scenic and, while convenient to get an early start to our day from inside the park, it wasn't quite as conveniently located as Jenny Lake Campground since that is more central to the most popular hikes. However, Jenny Lake Campground was booked out several months in advance.

Jackson, WY:

This is a very nice town with an unbelievably scenic backdrop and great amenities (restaurants, bars, nice lodging). Though we only had enough time to spend one night here, we would have loved to spend more time. We enjoyed the panang curry and IPAs at Thai Me Up, a Thai restaurant + brewery.

Logistics: The city of Jackson has free parking garages. Street parking is also free.

#jackson #grandteton #jennylake #surpriselake #amphitheaterlake #oxbowbend

[thebeautifuloutdoors]

The view of the Tetons from my campsite at Jenny Lake campground. https://ift.tt/2JCsKu8

#travel #hiking #outdoors #photography #wildlife #adventure #wanderlust #nature #camping

[nationalparkposters]

Jenny Lake at Grand Teton – 12,000 Years of History

Jenny Lake at Grand Teton – 12,000 Years of History: Tucked away at the base of the Teton Range, Jenny Lake is easily one of the most well-known areas of Grand Teton National Park, and a shimmering centerpiece of the area. This majestic place has inspired and sustained people for thousands of years. Covering roughly 1,191 acres, it is the 2nd largest lake in Grand Teton National Park. Jenny Lake, with a view of Cascade Canyon Amazing viewpoints can be had from every direction: the east shore of Jenny Lake holds breathtaking views of Teewinot Mountain, Mount St. John and Cascade Canyon. If you're on the west shore, the valleys of Jackson Hole across the lake open up before you. Cascade Canyon Jenny Lake is also a hiker's dream. There is the ever-popular Jenny Lake Loop Trail; a relatively easy hike at just over 7 miles long. Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point, all with stunning scenery, are not to be missed. Venture out into the backcountry via Cascade Canyon. For longer treks, Lake Solitude and Hurricane Pass are accessible from Jenny Lake. Paintbrush Canyon Jenny Lake Boat Shuttle Boating is also a popular activity. Jenny and Jackson lakes are the only two lakes in Grand Teton where motorized boats are allowed. However, most visitors take the very scenic and convenient boat shuttle to tour the lake. Jenny Lake Lodge hosts thousands of visitors each year. Or for something a bit more rustic, there is also the Jenny Lake Campground, as well as backcountry camping for the truly adventurous. Camping at Jenny Lake, with Teewinot Mountain in the background. A Bit of Jenny Lake/Grand Teton History During the end of the last ice age, glaciers melted and flowed down canyons along what is now the Idaho/Wyoming border, carving out depressions along the valley floor, forming a terminal moraine in its wake. The lake you see today is a direct result of water filling these depressions. It is 256 feet at its deepest point. The lake is named after Jenny Leigh, the Shoshone Indian wife of Richard “Beaver Dick” Leigh from England, who assisted in the Hayden expedition of 1872. The park's cultural history dates back about 12,000 years when nomadic paleo-Indians first came upon the valley. The areas around Jackson Hole were also a vibrant fur trading outpost back in the 19th century. Back then, fur trappers were known as ‘mountain men.' Grand Teton National Park was founded in 1929 to protect the Teton Range and several lakes at the foot of the mountain. Back then, it was only one-third the size it is today, with Jenny Lake being one of six lakes included in the park. In 1949, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. donated land he purchased to the government to be included in the park. In 1950, Congress sealed the deal by combining the park, the monument, and the Rockefeller lands, which increased the size of the park to about 484 square miles total. In 1972, Congress established the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway (in honor of Rockefeller's commitment and philanthropy to the National Park System), which connects Yellowstone and Grand Teton. Click here to see the Jenny Lake poster. Rob Decker is a photographer and graphic artist who had the rare privilege of studying under Ansel Adams in Yosemite National Park when he was just 19 years old. Now, Rob is on a journey to explore and photograph all 63 of America's National Parks. He's creating WPA-style posters to help people celebrate their own national park adventures -- as well as encourage others to get out and explore! https://national-park-posters.com/blogs/national-park-posters/jenny-lake-at-grand-teton-12-000-years-of-history?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=Sendible&utm_campaign=RSS

[joshnewtonphoto]

Grand Teton National Park, stop number 5!! @jjbarrows and I had to wake up at 3:30am to get in line to stay at Jenny Lake campground but it was totally worth it. We decided to see what was around the lake and up the valley and look what we found! One of the highlights of our National Park tour for sure. Love Wyoming so much! Also, here started the “bear saga” ... so funny. JJ has never thought about bears but definitely started to after we saw a huge grizzly and all the 🐻 signage (at Grand Teton National Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFgem_rlhje/?igshid=1go2vffyigcb

[mizar113]

Jenny's Lake

#Jennys lake #tent camping #tent #campgrounds #lake #water #camping #camp #campsite #camplife #campout #outdoors #nature #wilderness #discover #adventure #explore

[vickisventures]

Club Med?

I’m not sure if it’s a full moon or just Sturgis people but this week has been crazy. People seem to think they are at Club Med and not a small, family-owned campground.  Below are some of the requests we have had: shuttle service to and from the laundry room (because their site is too far away.). They were told “No” but caught Steve on his way down and did bum one ride.  That same family wanted to be moved to a site closer to the laundry area. Not possible!  They were upset that their site didn’t have a standing grill (just had a fire pit) so Steve had to go find one and put it on their site. That same family, arrived 2 days after their arrival date because they decided to make more stops along the way and agreed that they had to pay for the original dates but when they got here, tried to weasel out of paying and to extend their stay for free.  We were able to extend their stay 1 day but they had to move to another site and pay.  They have called the office so many times, you’d think they had nothing better to do on their vacation.  Another couple came rolling in driving a motor home with a U-Haul trailer containing their brand new motorcycles.  They later called the office to ask us to shuttle them to the local golf course for their tee time because they didn’t want to have their golf clubs rubbing up against their new “toys.”  And had the nerve to be upset when they were told “no.”  Then that same couple was having trouble with their electric and we thought the problem was on our end.  We offered to move them to another site.  They said “no,”  BUT they wanted a refund for their stay.  Jen agreed to it.  Come to find out it wasn’t our issue but theirs—they had a bad electrical cord but somehow, they still ended up getting a free night out of it!  I had a call asking for a late check-out for 2 of our tent sites because they had arrived late.  There’s absolutely nothing wrong with asking, but he got upset when I told him that we had people coming into their sites and needed to get their sites cleaned up so they would need to be out by check-out time.  What’s up with the entitlement issues people have??  Another guy called to say his car wouldn’t start and could I send someone up to jump it?  I asked if he was in a hurry because we were dealing with a lot of things and were shorthanded and he said they had sightseeing to do.  So, I called AAA (Steve) and he came to their rescue. Then there was the lady who arrived at 10:15 to check in.  I explained to her that check-in time was noon and that they could either go into town and mess around for a while or just park out on the access road for a while. I told them the check-in time was in their confirmation email and that people still had 45 min to check out and we were still cleaning sites. They were not happy, but they left.  She came in again at 11:45 and rudely asked if they could check in now?  I wanted to say what about noon did you not understand.  I agreed to check them in but took my time.  She was very short with me and rude but hopefully I’ll never see her again!  And this all happened in ONE day.

The other dumb things we’ve had to deal with is people who cancelled at the last minute.  I’m really not sure what people are thinking when they don’t follow policy and expect it to be ok.  One lady didn’t show up and when Jen called to ask where they were, she simply said, “Oh, I forgot to let you know we weren’t coming.”  Jen asked the lady for a credit card so she could charge her for the stay, fully knowing that wasn’t likely to happen, but the card she had on file was expired.  Now it was Jen’s fault for accepting a card that had expired but now she’s going to have to keep bugging the lady until she gives her a card number OR she sends it to collections which is a lot of work as well.  The other big cancellation she had was a lady who had booked a year ago for Sturgis for 2 weeks and cancelled on the day she was to arrive.  She said they were scared about the virus.  Jen asked them if they weren’t scared a week ago, a month ago, or even 3 months ago?!?  She got upset with them when they acted like it was no big deal and when they asked if they were “good” for next year, Jen told them they would not be welcome back into this campground.  But then we had the lady who came to check in that was soooo happy to be here for a 2nd year in a row and was practically bouncing off the wall with excitement.  Another lady who wasn’t upset that we accidentally charged her card prior to her arrival and forgot to give her the military discount.  She was thrilled when we offered to give her the money back in the form of wood. (She was also told we’d give her the cash back.). These people help us deal with the others!

The other workamping couple arrived 2 days ago...the one that is only working for a month.  They seem like a nice couple although I don’t get coming to work for just a month.  But to their credit, they jumped in and started to work the next day and they seem like hard workers.

You may have seen on Facebook that we went paddle boarding the other day for the first time.  We’ve wanted to go for a while, but it always seemed kind of expensive to rent the paddleboards.  Once again, our VIP passes saved the day and we were able to get the use of paddleboards for the day for free.  We were told that Jenny Gulch (part of Pactola Reservoir) was a good place to go since it was a no-wake area.  It was good information!  There were a few boats that came into the area to just hang out or let people play in the lake, but it was perfect for newbies.  It was a warm day and so fun to hang out at the lake.  We paddle boarded for a while, took a break to just sit and read and then we’d repeat.  We only left because we became overtaken by flies (I think they sensed the rain coming.)

We did the Sunday Gulch hike (4 mile loop) today by Sylvan Lake. It was a warm day and a difficult hike. Not difficult in the sense that we had to do a lot of rock scrambling but in a more tiring, workout sense.  By the time we finished the 2 hour and 15 minute hike, we were ready to rest and eat our picnic lunch.  It was a pretty hike though that took us through a lot of wildflowers and mini waterfalls.  I think we have now completed all of the hikes in Custer State Park that we wanted to hit.

We found out today that we will NOT be getting our fridge part this week.  We aren’t really surprised but we are disappointed.  They are saying it’ll be here while we are in Yellowstone, so our plan is to leave super early the last day of our trip, go straight to Rapid City and have them put the part in before we head back to the campground. Not quite what we’d hoped for, but it’ll have to do.  Yellowstone, here we come (in 5 days!)

#Sturgis Rally #Custer State Park #workamping #full time rving

[parkrangerjohn-blog]

Jenny Lake Campground - Grand Teton National Park https://www.parkrangerjohn.com/jenny-lake-campground-grand-teton-national-park/

Jenny Lake Campground - Grand Teton National Park

Jenny Lake Campground - Grand Teton National Park