MATURE CAMPERS

Grand Teton National Park July 30th!
Wednesday July 30th 4:00pm to
Wednesday August 6th at 12:00pm
Tetons National Park, Gros Ventre Campground, Jackson, WY

OVERVIEW:
I’ve just made some last-minute plans to stay at the Gros Ventre Campground in the Tetons in late July. Much to my surprise Recreation.gov shows more than a dozen campsites still available. Come early or stay late or just pop in for a day or two in the middle. I reserved Loop-C site 148, so get something in walking distance if possible. You are invited to join me!

For visitors to Tetons National Park, Gros Ventre Campground is an ideal place to stay. Located 10 miles north of the village of Jackson WY, the campground has easy access about 4 miles off the main north-south road and offers 280 dry-campsites and 39 which have electric hookups.
The campground is named for the “Gros Ventre” river running behind it. The French name for the river means “Big Belly”. Locals use the French pronunciation and say “grow vont”. About half the campsites have cottonwood trees with partial shade while many others are in full sun. The location is good for hiking, biking and kayaking in the Tetons NP. Fill up your jugs or RV with water at the entrance across from the check-in. Each loop has nice bathrooms and an outside water tap for filling jugs. There are no showers, but one can run into Jackson and shower at the community Rec Center for $10, combining that with a trip to dine out, explore downtown Jackson, or just get ice cream.

ACTIVITIES:
This is a do-your-own-thing outing, but you will find exciting hikes in the Tetons for all skill levels. Taking the boat across Jenny Lake to Inspiration viewpoint and incredible Cascade trail is a favorite and I’ll want to do that outing again. Those bringing bikes will enjoy traveling the paved and well separated bike-path that follows the main road down the valley into Jackson and up the valley all the way to Jenny Lake. I think that the bike path to Jenny Lake is one of the three prettiest bike rides in North America, with the Tetons and Mt Moran rearing up ahead of you. The ambitious can ride from Gros Ventre out to Jenny Lake at just under 20 miles one way (80% path), while others may choose to put their bikes on the path at Moose or the Visitor Center (100% path) for about 8 miles one way. The bike trip into Jackson is 12 miles one way (65% path) and calls for a stop at the park and nature museum on the edge of town. The photographers among you will want to visit the old barns on Mormon Road, one of the most photographed sights in the park. We know a birder that likes to tramp along the Gros Ventre river to sight some birds. It is not uncommon to see Moose along the Gros Ventre river not far from camp.

Some of us will bring our kayaks plan to get out on String-Lake which is also a popular swimming destination for families when it gets hot. String lake is crystal clear, over 50 yards wide and rarely deeper than 4 feet. Some of hearty among us may choose to kayak up String Lake to the rapids where with a 200 ft portage [wheelie recommended] you can put-in at Leigh Lake. You can spend an hour or a day at Leigh Lake as it is very large and sits under the shadow of majestic Mt Moran. You are likely to see canoe-campers along the way who are venturing to remote campsites along the lake’s edge.

We will take turns hosting evening campfires (as rules allow) for some socialization, friendly discussion of our outings and experiences, and plans for the next day. Some may choose to arrange carpools for the next day’s hike or outing. These are low-key bring-your-own lawn-chair and beverage events. We could also schedule a group dinner in Jackson, which is only 10 miles away, and we’ll check the schedule at Dornan’s in nearby Moose. They have live music one night a week and offer BBQ and casual dining outdoors and in their open-air hall. This is a very pleasant venue at sunset with views of the Teton peaks!