A Solo Trip to Grand Teton National Park, Day Two, 2021
One thing you must know about Grand Teton National Park is that there isn't much to do indoors, especially at the end of May. Grand Teton is a mecca for camping, hiking, being on the river, fishing, and other outdoor activities, so there aren’t a lot of indoor activities when bad weather hits.
Years ago, on one rainy morning, my aunt taught me this little life lesson in Bournemouth when I was on Spring break in England. I said to her, "I guess we can't do something outside because it's raining." She responded, "Of course, we can. This is England. You still go out; just bring rain gear!"
Most of us have heard the saying that "there's no bad weather, just bad gear." My aunt understood this concept.
So, what does one do when it's raining like crazy in the Grand Tetons? Put on your rain gear!
In the morning, I got lucky. It wasn't raining yet, so I could make coffee. I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, nor did I have breakfast before I started my adventure.
Wandering through the Grand Teton Loop
There is a grand loop in Grand Teton National Park that everyone should drive at least once, or in my case, a few times. I am referring to a 42-mile loop that takes you through the heart of the park and along the Grand Teton Mountain Range. During this drive, you get an excellent overview of the area, but you'll also get a chance to do little bus stops along the way to hit all the major destinations.
This loop is comprised of two main roads. The "Inner Road" (Teton Park Road) runs along Jenny Lake and Jackson Lake. This is where I camped and saw Bear 399!
The "Outer Road" (Highway 191/89/26) follows the Snake River, another popular place to camp if you have a higher clearance vehicle. It gives you epic views of the mountains.
The whole loop isn't open year-round due to the snow. During the winter, the Inner Loop Road is closed. Typically, this road is open from May 1st to October 31st.
There are three entry points to access this loop.
Moose Junction: From Jackson
Moran Junction: From Dubois
Jackson Lake Junction: From Yellowstone National Park
I started this loop right before the rain started. I was lucky to see some blue skies under the white clouds that covered some of the mountain tops.
I legit had no plans. I honestly had no idea what I was doing besides driving around in a circle. Maybe I’d see wildlife? Perhaps I wouldn't see the mountains? Or maybe I would be bored out of my mind cuz there's only so much driving around you can do . . .
Colter Bay . . . Has . . . Amenities?!
As I was driving in the inner loop, I decided to stop at Colter Bay for shits and giggles. This is another popular area to camp. There is an RV park and a general store, and it's on the bay. All I knew about it was that it was a campground that didn't have spots, hence why I was at Jenny Lake.
Well, to my surprise, this place was more than a campground; it had showers and laundry!
Now, I had mixed feelings when I found this out. Part of me wanted to "rough" this part of the trip as much as possible. You are probably wondering, “Why? Why would you want to do that?” And also, “Aren’t you at a campground? Yes, I was at an established campsite for a few nights. That was because I wasn't ready to do backcountry camping yet. I had all the right gear but lacked the confidence that I wouldn’t die in the backcountry by myself.
A Short Side Story
I went backpacking once with my ex, and to my surprise, his mom too. That trip was fucking amazing, and I rocked that shit despite hiking in snow that went up close to my Pikachu in a six-dollar pair of payless sneakers.
Listen before you judge me; I am a girl who loves gear and research. I’ll gladly ask for advice on what I should bring on trips . . . but this . . . this wasn’t my fault. Well, except that I shouldn’t have listened to him. I asked him what we were doing so I could bring the right gear. His response was, "I got you," meaning I didn't have to bring anything besides clothes.
I was pissed and embarrassed.
This was my first time ever meeting his mom, and I swear she thought I was an idiot because I wasn’t prepared. I told her that her son didn’t inform me about this adventure and that her son told me he “got me.” She laughed at me, gave me props for keeping it cool, and just went with the adventure . . . even if I sank into the snow.
Mind you, this was in July in Steamboat Spring, Colorado, and I was cursing his ass out in my head.
In May 2020, I camped with some friends in West Virginia for my birthday, and I swore I would not camp alone until I needed an out in October 2020. This current trip was legit the second trip I’ve done in which I camped alone. I'm sure I could have survived a night in the backcountry because of the knowledge I had . . . but that was still above my comfort zone. And you need to listen and respect any comfort levels for yourself and others!
So, I wanted to “rough” this trip in other ways as much as possible. I guess I wanted to prove to myself and others that I could handle going rough, so I could feel like I was a “real camper,” a “real outdoorsy” person. After a few days of cold rain and mud, I decided to revisit Colter Bay to wash and take a nice hot shower.
I think I have proven enough in my life……
Rain Brings the Animals Out!
After Colter Bay, I decided to drive to the outer loop until I saw something cool to stop for. This is when the rain finally came, and it came down hard. I kept driving until I saw all these cars pulled over. Not knowing what was happening, I pulled over myself and asked what was happening.
Two grizzly bears were in the area! In the far, far distance, there were two male bears. I could barely see because of the rain and hail coming down. But they were there. I also saw an eagle later on the same road.
Later that afternoon, I saw buffalo on the side of the road.
J. P. Cunningham Cabin, Both Obstructed and Not
After the bears and the eagle sighting, I kept driving on the outer loop and pulled into the J. P. Cunningham Cabin parking lot. I walked the .25 miles in the pouring rain to check out this cabin.
According to Grand Teton National Park website:
"The Cunningham Cabin is one of the valley's few remaining structures from the homesteading era when settlers filed nearly 400 claims in Jackson Hole. In the 1880s, John and Margaret Cunningham staked a claim for the Bar Flying U Ranch. Cunningham built his cabin in 1888 in the Appalachian style, commonly called "double-pen" or "dog-trot." John lived in the cabin until 1895 when he finished his main residence, which later became a smithy and barn."
The cabin had a fantastic view of the Grand Teton, but you couldn't see the mountain because of the rain and clouds. Later that day, I returned here when the sun came out; I was happy I did. The view of the mountains from this cabin was stunning!
I love when you see the mountains so moody and then when the sun comes out and changes the mountains. It was cool to go back on the outer loop again and see mountains that had become less moody.
A Short Hike, Some Elk, and Bear 399
After lunch, I wanted to take a hike since the weather was easing up. That hike was very short-lived. For whatever reason, I felt super uneasy. Why did I feel uncomfortable? I have no idea. I had bear spray on me. Not only that, but I was making noise, singing, and doing all the things you need to do when hiking in bear country. But 20 mins into the hike, I decided to turn back.
After my short-lived hike, I went back out to drive the loop again because the sun was slowly coming back out. This is where I saw elk and learned about Bear 399, who I wrote a post about. This was the day I was schooled about her. I hung out with some random strangers on the side of the road, hoping to get a glimpse of her.
Dornan’s and a Bumpy Drive to Teton Village
I went to Dornan's, which is close to the visitor center, for lunch. It was raining, and I didn't feel like standing outside to cook on my MSR. This became my rainy hang-out spot for food on the trip. They are known for their pizzas and stunning views of the mountains—and good beer!
I also drove to Teton Village to check out Jackson Hole Resort that night. The road from Grand Teton to Teton Village is one of the worst roads I have ever driven on, and it was insanely bumpy because of all the potholes. The resort was dead, and a few restaurants were open and not much else. This is when the lack of sleep finally caught up with me.
Have you ever been out doing something, and suddenly, you are brain-dead and just feeling off? That was me when I ate dinner. And I had an hour's drive back!
I was happy and decided to sleep in the back of my SUV that night because I was planning to drive to Yellowstone the next day, and this girl needed sleep. It had been a crazy 48 hours in Wyoming!