Our Trip to Tetons National Park and Jackson Itinerary | Mommy and Me Monday | 764th ed
This past week was our Fall Break and we adventured pretty hard all the way to Jackson, Wyoming and Victor, Idaho. It wasn’t completely blind as I went on a trip here last year with my sister, but we added some new adventures. Our trip was 6 days and 5 nights but we arrived late on our first day so it barely counts.
The last full week of September was a great time to go. Fall was literally visible in the trees and it was the last week of all of the summer things before wrapping and getting ready for winter and ski season in a few weeks.
(PS We paid for all of this. None of these places even know I’m writing about them.)
Flying into Jackson, Wyoming
We flew in later Saturday night and the sky really showed off! You can see the mountains and water as we were coming into the area. We weren’t quite prepared for the cold that was Jackson, Wyoming right as we got off the plane, but we were kind of prepared (we had sweatshirts in our backpacks). You walk right off the plane and onto a ramp straight onto the tarmac. It’s a small airport and if I could only do small airport arrivals and departures, it would be amazing.
Accomodations: Moose Creek Ranch
We stayed in Victor, Idaho at Moose Creek Ranch, so we had to drive through Teton Pass at night. It should be about a 45 minute drive from the airport to Moose Creek Ranch, but night time and mountain passes tend to slow you down.
Moose Creek Ranch has glamping, camping (with RV hookups), conestoga wagons, and cabins with and without full kitchens. We opted for a cabin with a full kitchen to sleep the 6 of us and it was great.
They have lawn games, campfire spots, yoga mats, electric bikes to rent, indoor games and fire, a creek and more. We took advantage of almost every amenity available.
Our first full day was getting the lay of the land, a little hike, some lunch out and the grocery store.
Hiking
There are so many places to hike in Jackson, Wyoming and Victor Idaho. Our first full day, we just drove on a road and looked for a hiking path and found one. We didn’t plan it, so we didn’t see much, but enjoyed some fresh mountain air and views. A quick google maps or all trails look will show you a ton of options.
Victor, Idaho
Just on the drive over Teton Pass from Jackson, Wyoming to Victor Idaho, you can pull into off the road to sight see or get a great view, or you can do an nature or wildlife walk. We pulled over to get a picture of the valley. What we should have done is pulled over every day, because every day the trees changed colors. But the end of our 6 day trip, they had gone golden and then vibrant orange.
If you are a brisket fan, make sure to grab a meal at Big Hole BBQ in Victor, Idaho. When grabbing the link, I learned there is also a Big Hole BBQ in Jackson, Wyoming.
Other Food
Because there are 6 of us, dining out is expensive and also time consuming. Sometimes we just want to eat and spend more time doing other things. So, our first day, we also drove back across the pass into Jackson and went to Smith’s (A Kroger Store) to buy groceries. Having a full kitchen in our cabin was extraordinarily helpful. Moose Creek Ranch also has several propane grills and a flat top which we also used for a couple dinners.
Running
Of course, we had to continue our running and training while on vacation. We all know it’s coming and we have planned for it. It was like 99% smiles about the runs, too. There were several trails as well as streets and dirt roads that were easy for us to run right from Moose Creek Ranch. We were able to run hills as planned as well as workouts with tempo pushes, mile repeats and fartleks. All in cooler mountain air (and ~6600 feet elevation…only about a mile up from what we are used to!).
I had every intention of doing a full ice bath in the creek, but we usually had somewhere to be or something to do after our runs, so it never happened. And we got back when it was approaching dark and it was cold in the air, too. Next time we’ll need to plan for another chill day or two.
Horseback Riding
Our second full day we went horseback riding. Moose Creek Ranch offers horseback riding right on their property. It’s great because you just have to walk over to the horses (after making reservations). The horseback ride starts on the property and crosses the creek and goes into Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
Yes, it really looks like this everywhere! You can’t find a bad view.
Teton National Park
Our third full day was spent in Teton National Park. We got into the park, parked our vehicle and set off to hike The Taggart Lake and Bradley Lake Loops. It was a little over 5 miles and definitely covered some hills.
The paths are easy to follow and not too tricky to figure out. Taggart Lake alone is an easier hike. Adding Bradley lake added more hills and intensity. The start and the end of the hike are in pretty direct sunlights, bring sun protection and lots of water and snacks.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
Our fourth full day we went to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort for hiking and the Via Ferrata.
Mr. Serious and E headed up the gondola (the ride isn’t free, but it’s unlimited all day long) to the top of the mountain and toured around Rendezvous Peak on Rendezvous Mountain (10,932 feet). They also walked out to the viewing area and hiked some pretty intense inclines on a some of the trails.
The rest of us went up a smaller lift ride to the Via Ferrata area.
What is Via Ferrata?
Via Ferrata, translated as “iron way,” dates back to WWI. Italian soldiers built via ferratas to safely traverse mountain passes. The recreational use of via ferratas is a staple in the Alps for summer adventure, and Jackson Hole is excited to bring this experience to the Tetons. With 15 unique routes, the Jackson Hole Via Ferrata is an adventure unlike any other, offering some of the most incredible views of the valley as climbers make their way up iron rungs, ladders and suspended bridges, all while secured to cables along the rocks.
The Via Ferrata is definitely an opportunity to go outside of one’s comfort zone, but it’s a fun experience with great views.
With a group, the price is the same for up to 5 participants. If you have somebody aged 8-10, you need to pay for a second guide for them. B was on belay with her guide the entire time and also clipped herself in for redundancies.
We did several of the different routes including two different cable bridges and the suspension bridge.
A surprise discovery for us was the Via Ferrata also included riding the bigger gondola, so after our climb, we rode the gondola with the whole family back up to Rendezvous Point to get close to the Grand Teton (which of course you can’t see in the picture). We also found some snow from the previous week and our two bookends made a little snow person.
The last day was only a half day for us. We did our runs, got in showers and packed up and headed back to the airport for our ride home.
If you can go to Jackson and Victor, I highly recommend it. We were really thankful to be staying in Victor. Not only was it more affordable, but it was more laid back and less people-y, which we all appreciated.
What did you do this week?
GET IN THE PICTURE WITH YOUR KIDS! Who cares what you look like? Who cares how you appear? Who cares what you are wearing? JUST DO IT! Come share your picture on the Facebook thread or use #MommyAndMeMonday!
It’s time again for Mommy and Me Monday. Pop out from behind that camera and capture yourself in action with your kids. Check out the inaugural Mommy and Me Monday for more information. Need another reason to participate in Mommy and Me Monday? Read my post about why I blog with words from a friend’s husband.
