On Sunday, September 4th, 2022, we reached Wyoming, the most populous state in the United States of America. The name comes from the language of the Algonquin Indians and means "great plains".
From Colorado we covered a total of 439 km that day. More than enough for the prevailing temperatures. Especially since the wide plains that characterize this state, which is 27.5 times the size of Germany, hardly provided any shade. Luckily we found a shady spot with a lush green meadow, which is very unusual for this area. The elderly gentleman, who arrived with 2 alpacas on the loading area, also appreciated these advantages.
He told us he regularly stopped here on his way to and from Colorado so his woolly companions could do their business and graze a bit.
The reason for his commuting is the alpaca tours he offered. Before he set off again, he brought one of the alpacas over to us for a cuddle. What an unexpected beautiful encounter in the middle of nowhere.
The next day we continued our journey in a north-westerly direction. In the heart of cowboy country, we made a fitting stop at the cowboy shop in Pinedale. A nice lined plaid shirt (souvenir) and a rather Indian-looking top for yours truly changed hands. Our next stop was Rendezvous Park in Wilson; this features a variety of ponds, walking trails, picnic tables, and artistic features. We spent a chilled afternoon strolling through the green space and past the Snake River.
Since the park can only be used between sunrise and sunset, we pitched our camp for the night in a huge Park & Ride car park around the corner, from which we were evicted the next morning at around 7 by the local security service. Not bad, because it wasn't far to Grand Teton National Park anyway.
We started our exploration tour at Jenny Lake. From there you have a great view of the rugged profile of the Teton mountain range, which rises two thousand feet from the plain without any foothills.
The park's namesake "Grand Teton" is the highest peak and is 4,197 meters above sea level. If you look at the mountain range from different perspectives, it is not always easy to recognize the highest mountain peak immediately. However, the view from every angle is and remains magnificent!
Another of nature's creations are the scenic Willow Flats, which showcase a flat, magical marshland.
In the northwestern part lies Jackson Lake, which is the largest lake within the park with an area of 103.4 km².
The further north we went, the low water level of the lake was obvious. This sight made you thirsty, which is why we treated ourselves to a refreshing ice cream on the terrace of the Leeks Marina and let all the impressions sink in.
Although the Grand Teton area is a magical place, it was only the prelude to the real highlight and Olympus of all National Parks. But more on that in the next post! 🔜