Yellowstone + Grand Tetons Recap

Sep 23

A little recap of the week I spent camping out west in two of the most incredible national parks including loooooots of miles hiked //

This isn’t my usual content, but it is a huge part of who I am and the mission behind my business, so I thought I’d give a little insight into my hiking/camping/traveling world.

I never thought I would be this person. A person who chooses to leave behind the comforts of my modern life, my king-size bed, my refrigerator, my running water, etc. and instead opt for a week in a tent. Sleeping on the ground. Filtering water out of a creek. Showering with a moist towelette.

Putting it this way, camping makes little to no sense. And it wasn’t until the past couple years that I started to understand the appeal.

From the outside looking in, the life of a hiker/camper sounded to me like the worst idea anyone could have. But, once experienced it, I saw that all of those things I perceived as ‘bad’ became the best parts. The lack of cell service becomes a huge benefit rather than a draw back. The lack of running water gives you a whole new appreciation for the fresh water of this earth. Having to cook over a fire provides new gratitude for the simple yet complex element of fire. You start to appreciate the smoothness of the ground beneath your body for good sleep. And the symphony of crickets sings you a lullaby as you drift off. The sun is there to wake you with it’s gift of light, heat, and warmth. And the moon acts as your nightlight.

Nothing is easy, yet it is simple.

Nothing is convenient, which is refreshing and beautiful. Growing up in the digital age with all the convenience of the world at my fingertips, it feels primal and it feels right to live a little inconvenienced. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate GPS and Spotify as much as the next millennial. However, it feels very humbling and grounding to have to think about your basic human needs being met rather than your WiFi being spotty.

Anyway, thanks for reading along as I go off on a bit of a rant about why I’ve learned to love ‘roughing it’ as some people would say. If you feel like it sounds terrible, I urge you to try it at least once, and see if you don’t feel moved by it.

Now, onto the good stuff.

I cannot express the beauty and magnificence of both of these national parks. The reason they are always lumped together (for those of you that aren’t geographically savvy) is because they are right next to each other and it would be silly to miss out on either one of them when you are so close to the other. Should you ever have the privilege of going, I’ve summarized everything we did in the trip and ranked it based on my opinion. It seemed that throughout the trip, there were many things that I wish I would’ve been told more about, so I am here to provide that to you!

First up - the almighty Yellowstone.

Yellowstone National Park was the first born of all the national parks in 1872. It is even thought to have been the first national park established globally. It’s 2 million plus square miles are situated at the upper left-hand corner of Wyoming and butts right up to both Montana and Idaho. It is home to more than half of the world’s hydrothermal features which includes hot springs, mud pots, geysers, and all that good sulfur-smelling stuff. Most famously, it is home to Old Faithful with a close runner-up being the Grand Prismatic. It is also known for it’s abundant wildlife as it contains the largest number of mammal species in the contiguous United States. The list of mammals includes bison, bears, wolves, lynx, fox, moose and elk, most of which you will probably see at some point during your time there. Other than it’s geothermal activity and wildlife, Yellowstone is thought of as one of the most beautiful, most diverse landscapes ever seen. With mountains, plains, rolling hills, and fields of hot springs, it is such a visual treat.

Here are some thoughts on the sites at Yellowstone:

Old Faithful - 6/10. Very cool, definitely popular, super crowded, overrated. I feel bad saying this, because I know it’s an amazing and outrageous concept that hot water would spew out from the earth reaching heights of up to 190 ft in the air, but it’s truly how I feel. Between the traffic jam line of cars it takes to get into the parking lot, the bleacher benches set up along the outside, or the multiple lodges and gift shops set up all around it, I couldn’t get excited about it. I’d say it’s a good thing to go see once, but try to forget all the hype you’ve heard about it beforehand and go in with no expectations. I think then you’ll be blown away.
Or really 1A - Upper Geyser Basin - 8.5/10. This is the geyser basin area that surrounds Old Faithful and is Yellowstone's largest geyser basin. It is home to the world's largest single concentration of hot springs yet the whole geyser basin occupies only one square mile. Walking around this area while awaiting Old Faithful’s eruption was quite possibly cooler than Old Faithful. I think it’s because I was fully not expecting it and also you are able to get right up next to them, look down into them, and even feel their heat. The colors are beautiful, the smells are terrible, but overall it’s an awesome part of the park to see.
Grand Prismatic - 6.5/10. more of the same (beautiful, but crowded, touristy, and overrated). While mind-blowingly fluorescent blue, I still couldn’t shake the feeling that it was too hyped up. Sure, if you had stumbled upon it and weren’t expecting it, you’re head would explode with awe and wonder. But when there’s a boardwalk of people shuffling around it (and you’ve been looking at similar things all day already), somehow it loses a bit of it’s luster. It’s like seeing a wild horse versus and domestic one. Sure, the one at the farm is beautiful, but to see one in the wild is absolutely stunning. The Grand Prismatic felt a little like the farm horse. If you wanna see some epic hot springs up close and personal, take a walk through the grounds at Old Faithful while you wait for her to erupt, or find some hidden ones while you hike from Yellowstone Falls to Artist Point.
Mystic Falls Trail - 9/10. This gorgeous hike overlooked the entire valley of the upper geyser basin which includes the majority of the geothermal activity in the park. Not only can you watch Old Faithful erupt from afar, but you can see the entire valley giving off hot steam as well as stunning views all throughout. It’s a decently strenuous hike at some points with some elevation gain, but is well worth it. As an added bonus, the hike begins and ends with a geyser basin of its own, which is beautiful to walk through.
Lamar Valley - 10/10. PLEASE GO TO LAMAR VALLEY. Even if all you can do is drive through it, it’s so worth it. This area of the park is famously known for it’s abundance of wildlife and you could not miss it. This is where you will see herds of bison roaming the fields (and the roads), lots of elk, pronghorn antelope, and we even saw a couple wolves! Bear sightings are also likely here. But besides the fact that you’re basically in a wild zoo, the vast and expansive landscape of the valley will take your breath away. If you can, hike the Lamar Valley trail, you will enjoy miles and miles of wildflowers, amazing views, and refreshing icy cold rivers.
Natural Bridge - 5.5/10. Having been to both Natural Bridge State Park in Kentucky as well as Arches National Park in Utah, this little arch felt very underwhelming. While still a unique and beautiful sight, it seemed to be more hype than anything. It’s not super high up, so while a cool rock formation, I didn’t find it particularly impressive or breathtaking.
Mammoth Hot Springs - 5.5/10 IN JULY. I do believe this number would be much higher had we not gone in the dead of summer, because the majority of it was dried up and desolate layers of what looked like used to be flourishing hot springs. I wish someone would’ve told me this before I went there with high expectations. So that’s my tip - if you’re in Yellowstone in the summer, don’t waste your time. If you really want to see them, plan your trip for another time of year.
Boiling River - 7/10. This was a cool hidden gem of the park that isn’t well marked or talked about. Don’t expect it to actually be boiling, but it is notably warmer than the other frigid waters of the park. In July, it was comparable to a semi-cold swimming pool versus an ice bath which is what the rest of the bodies of water felt like. Worth a stop!
Artist’s Point - 7.5/10. This spot itself was a great view of the canyon, but extremely crowded, and by far not the best view. Read on for more info on where to view the canyon instead!
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone - 11/10. This place was so beautiful and striking I could not believe my eyes. Artist’s Point is a lookout point situated within the canyon that views the waterfall, however, there are far better viewing points along the rim. If you take the time and the chance to hike any of the rim, you will be floored with stunning views of the canyon, the river, the valley, and the falls all in one amazing panorama filled with pink/orange rock. FYI — take note that if you’re afraid of heights you may want to prepare yourself! There are no railings or fences holding you back from the edge of the sheer drops…so watch your step!

NOW - on to the Grand Tetons

Situated just 10 miles south of Yellowstone, the Grand Teton National Park (GTNP will be used for short) receives loads of visitors every year, but is far smaller than Yellowstone. The whole park is centered around the very famous (and youngest) mountain range and it’s three famous peaks that make up the tetons. The highest peak in the park soars over 13,700 feet in elevation and is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The mountains are surrounded by crystal clear glacial run-off lakes that make you feel like you’re walking in a Bob Ross painting. The scenery is mesmerizing, the smell of sage bush fills the air, and the anticipation of a moose or bear sighting keeps you wide eyed all the time. I have less things to say about GTNP because it is so much smaller and due to the fact that most things are centered around one singular focal point. However, please do not mistake that to mean we had any less of an experience there, it is BREATHTAKING. You just end up doing a few bigger things around the Tetons rather than a bunch of tinier things like in Yellowstone. Just had to make that clear.

Here are some of my favorite hikes we did in GTNP:

Taggart Lake loop - 10/10. This family-friendly trail was well-trafficked but had so much beauty and space to offer it ever felt overly crowded. At only around 4.5 miles, it’s a perfect hike for all ages with a gorgeous view of the teton peaks displayed majestically behind Taggart Lake. This was the best introduction to the wonders of GTNP . The close up view of the mountains placed elegantly behind a clear blue lake was idyllic, impressive, and truly breathtaking. Please see photo labeled Taggart Lake to the right for what I’m talking about!
Cascade Canyon trail - 11/10. Put on your best moisture-wicking clothes and DO THIS 16 mile out and back hike. For this, we took the Jenny Lake ferry over to the other side of the lake where it drops you off at the base of the Teton mountains. We ended up not taking the boat on the way back, which adds about 2 miles to hike back around a portion of Jenny Lake…I’ll get to more on that later. Anyway, the trail starts by hiking mostly vertical up to Inspiration Point, a beautiful overlook that offers panoramic views of Jenny Lake and really the whole valley. I believe that part was just about a mile in. After that, it’s mostly a medium grade incline the rest of the way up. Nearly the whole trail is guided by a running river making the most glorious nature sounds in addition to tons of natural springs and babbling creeks everywhere. Once you get through to the backside of the mountain, you are surrounded in bowl of mountain peaks and the crowd really thins out. Plus! There are wildflowers EVERYWHERE. As far as the eye can see. Lastly, the long 8 miles and 2500 feet in elevation gain drops you off at it’s end point: Lake Solitude. The most beautiful, serene, glacial-fed lake I’d ever seen surrounded by snow-capped mountains…it was like heaven on earth. Plus, there were tons of cute little marmots up there! We took a quick power nap at the lake, ate some lunch, and headed back down. On our way down we saw a bull moose! Super cool!
Jackson lake peninsula loop - 9/10. This was an absolutely stunning hike with nearly constant panoramic views of the park. It’s pretty easy and mild with little elevation gain, but is around 9 miles total, so it’s still quite a bit of walking. We took a break at the halfway point to take a dip in the lake and hangout for a while before heading back and it was perfect. On the way back we also spotted a majestic bald eagle on a tree in the peninsular which was amazing. A couple pro tips for the lake - bring some Teva’s or Chaco’s, because it’s super stony, and check yourself for leaches after…still worth it.
Jenny Lake loop - 8.5/10. As I mentioned previously, we ended up hiking half of this loop on our way back from Cascade Canyon. It wasn’t intentional, but with an hour long wait for the ferry, we decided to just hike it instead. And although it meant our 16 mile hike turned into almost 18 and we were tired, blistered, and hungry, it was so beautiful. Jenny Lake is definitely worth the hype in it’s beauty and majesty. I would suggest doing this loop though rather than just walking up to it at the visitor center which was pretty crowded. Walking the perimeter gives you a lot of appreciation for many different views. It’s pretty mild and easy, very kid and family friendly!

Other things:

There is a hidden gem just outside of Yellowstone called Gallatin National Forest…it’s worth the 20 minute drive. We stayed at Beaver Creek campground which is inside the national forest for two nights and it was probably the most beautiful place I’ve ever set up camp. Also, you drive by Hebgen Lake to get there which is STUNNING. Also worth a stop.
If you are planning on getting first-come-first-serve campsites in Grand Tetons, be prepared to get there EARLY and to WAIT A LONG TIME. Also, bypass Mystic Mountain campground…it’s way too small. We had success at Colter Bay. And these things fill up…I’m talking full capacity, every single site taken by 7:30 a.m. There is a semi-helpful chart on GTNP website that tells you when each campground typically fills by, but in late July they all filled like two hours before the average times..so not super helpful.
The town of Jackson is right outside Grand Teton NP and is super fun and cute! It can get very busy, but is worth visiting. My favorite part was the cutest ever organic juice cafe they have called Healthy Being. Check it out here!
If you’re planning a longer hike like Cascade Canyon, YOU NEED SAWYER STRAWS. I couldn’t believe how cool it was to just filter water straight out of a creek and into our water bottles. You can’t possibly carry enough water for 16 miles. Or if you tried, your shoulders would not be happy with you. And if you don’t have enough, dehydration is not a fun thing. Get the straws.
Additionally, Patagonia Provisions and Backpacker’s Pantry meals were game changers. They are freeze-dried meals which is not only extremely convenient and time-saving, it also means you don’t need to keep them cool. Which means a lot more room in the cooler for the things that matter. Like beer. And coffee creamer. And all the other very-important-to-keep-cold items we had.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this lil recap! Let me know in the comments below if you’ve ever been to either park, or if you are planning on going now that you’ve read this!! It is so worth it!

XOXO,

Kaitlyn Kesner