Wyoming 2011

Sunday, July 3

Our first full day in Wyoming. We stayed near the house most of the day and relaxed. Marty and I took the ATVs up Prater canyon near the house in the late morning. Kellie and I took a drive around with our cameras in the afternoon.

Monday, July 4

Marty drove us around Idaho and Utah on the Fourth. We started heading west through Soda Springs to see the town of Lava Hot Springs - notable for the river of hot water that has people tubing year round. Then we doubled back and headed down into Utah to see Bear Lake, and through a Logan Canyon. On the way back we headed up through Montpelier back into Wyoming. After dinner, we dug out some fireworks and had a blast (literally) trying not to set the place on fire.

Tuesday, July 5

Tuesday morning I drove out on my own just after dawn. I saw a lot of birds along the Salt River and east end of Palisades Lake. After breakfast, we loaded up a pair of ATVs on the trailer and drove to a picnic site on McCoy Creek road. Then we spent the day driving around the dirt roads and up the foothills of Caribou Mountain to Caribou City - the remains of an 1870's era gold rush town.

Wednesday, July 6

Kellie and I went out exploring on our own. We started driving up to the Elk Refuge east and northeast of Jackson. Then worked our way up the Gros Ventre river to see Lower Slide lake and have a little picnic. After lunch we continued into Grand Teton National Park, so I could try to track down 3 or 4 waterfalls that I had marked on my GPS.

Thursday, July 7

Another day of Marty driving us around. This time we started west along Palisades Reservoir to find a hidden but huge waterfall on the snake river below the dam. Then we explored a bit in his 4x4 truck on Fall Creek Road. We headed north through Idaho to revisit Teton Pass, this time without ice, snow and "chains required." A quick lunch in Jackson and we wandered through Hoback and up a dirt road on Granite Creek to see Granite Falls and Hot Springs.

Friday, July 8

Our last day of the trip. Kellie and I packed up from Etna and drove up to revisit Teton pass to give me a chance to catch a couple creeks and falls that we missed. Then we drove up the Wilson- Moose road to visit Moose (and find some Moose!) and headed over to Kelly for a visit to the coffee shop. We spent the late afternoon shopping, dinner at Merry Piglet for yummy Mexican food and a visit to Mengelsen's gallery in Jackson. Finally, we headed up to Mormon Row one more time to try for a decent shot of the Moulton Barn at sunset.