Jackson, Wyoming

Summer Vacation 2017, “Out West!”

We initially planned four days and nights in Yellowstone National Park.

Then friends at Church recommended we visit Jackson, WY, so we adjusted to two days in each location.

Even thought we “only” had two days, we drove almost all the roads in Yellowstone and saw A LOT. Sure, we could stay longer, and we want to visit again, but two days helped us make more lifetime memories than we expected.

Day 7: Jackson, WY

1)Floating the non-white water “scenic float” with Mad River Boat Trips
⁃Abby and Dad both jumped in, “all the way under water,” and floated along, holding the raft’s rope, for a bit - the 40-degree water was definitely chilly, but enjoyable, even though it was not a hot day; we weren’t cold until we got on the bus for the ride back into town
2)Relaxing a bit more by the pool
3)Dinner via horse-drawn chuck wagon at the Bar T 5 Ranch - great food and awesome music after dinner
⁃ we met a great Venturing Crew from just down the road in Idaho, visiting as part of their summer camp; the Crew’s one lead Scout’s family provides hay for the Bar T 5 Ranch, and she coordinated their visit.

Day 8: Jackson, WY, to Park City, UT

1)A relaxing morning with a little shopping in Jackson’s town square
2)Family Photo with one of the four elk horn arches, at the corners of the town square
3)A relaxing drive through impressive mountains
4)Seeing the World’s Largest Elk Horn Arch, in Afton, WY
5)An almost constant downhill once we got into Utah, and impressive grades for the UP / Union Pacific railroad’s trains that paralleled the highway (actually I-80 follows the transcontinental RR, which follows the grade of the land)
6)Arriving in Park City, and eating next to the hotel, where we met someone who knows somebody at the office - they used to work together in St. Louis (small world, again)

Jackson - the name of the town

image source:
http://townofjackson.com

Jackson Hole - the name of the valley the town is in, for which ski resorts and other things are also now names.

“Jackson Hole is a valley between the Teton Mountain Range and the Gros Ventre Range in Wyoming. The term "hole" was used by early trappers or mountain men, who primarily entered the valley from the north and east and had to descend along relatively steep slopes, giving the sensation of entering a hole. These low-lying valleys surrounded by mountains and containing rivers and streams are good habitat for beaver and other fur-bearing animals.”

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_Hole & as shared by some of the people we met there