The Grand Tetons National Park

By Mike White, DailyTitan.com

With its scenic views, bristling wildlife and good-old cowboy charm, the small town of Jackson Hole, Wyo. is more than just a home on the range.

As air travelers begin their downward decent into Jackson Airport, the only municipal airport within the national park, they’re treated to the picturesque view of the jagged Grand Teton Mountain Range.

The Jackson Hole valley sits at an elevation of 6,200 feet above sea level and is home to many wildlife including elk, bison, moose and grizzly bears.

The town of Jackson is part of a 97 percent government-owned preservation area including the Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park and the National Elk Refuge where over 7,000 animals hibernate every winter.

Beyond the wildlife, however, the deeply rooted heritage of Jackson unfolds around its visitors as soon as they arrive in town. Elk antlers in the form of archways are dominant decor marking the entry points of the Jackson Town Square. There, a Clydesdale-drawn stagecoach circles and paces the roads while the driver enthusiastically tells passengers about the Buffalo Bill Cody shootout that occurs every evening.

Down the street, a giant neon sign depicting a cowboy on horseback waving his hat catches your eyes as night falls. Underneath sits the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar and Steakhouse, a well-known place to eat some of Jackson Hole’s finest food.

Buildings made of log and carved wood showcase the western architecture the small town prides. Bear, moose and cowboy souvenirs can be seen in every storefront; tourists can also find huckleberry jam and even chocolate-covered moose droppings.

A few miles north of town, photographers and hikers can take advantage of the sprawling scenery and its mesmerizing wildlife in the national parks.

Moose junction, near the entrance of Grand Teton National Park, is an exciting place for amateur photographers to snap off-shots when the moose come down to cool off or catch a drink in the river.

Photography enthusiasts will also be taken aback by the jagged peaks of the Teton Range, originally named “Les Trois Tetons” (The Three Breasts) by French-Canadian fur trappers in the 1920s, but later given the individual names Grand Teton, Middle Teton and South Teton.

Hikers can partake in the variety of trails at different skill levels the national park offers guests. Beginners are usually directed to the loop at Jenny Lake and if you hike a few miles up, you’ll find breathtaking falls. More experienced hikers can test their skill on the vertical, higher altitude formations.

For those who don’t hike or are looking for other activities, fly-fishing, kayaking, canoeing and even paddle boarding are other activities found at several lakes at the base of the Tetons.

But if you’re looking for something more exciting, whitewater rafting on the Snake River is one of the most favored activities of the summer season.

The scenery along the river banks, home to many bald eagles and osprey, is calm and serene until the water turns into raging rapids. The eight-mile stretch of river sweeps you away through several natural obstacles including rocks, rapids and fallen trees.

Some of the Snake’s most popular features are “The Big Kahuna,” “Lunch Counter” and “Champagne Rapids.”

The Big Kahuna rapid is known for catapulting rafters into the air before dropping them in the water and soaking them. Lunch Counter, which in the spring can become a class IV rapid, a rapid considered difficult with long and powerful currents, standing waves and whirlpools, has become a spot surfers take a liking to; many paddle out and ride stationary waves for more than ten minutes at a time. Champagne, unlike the others, is a turbulent rapid spilling out into deep calm water while sending millions of effervescent bubbles to the surface.

While river activities take up the spring and summer months, skiing, snowboarding and cross-country skiing supply winter travelers with plenty to do.

If you’re looking for a real old-western experience or just wanting to get in touch with some of nature’s most beautiful surroundings, Jackson Hole is the destination for you.

The park is located a days drive east from Anchorage and lies adjacent to Canada’s Kluane National Park. There are three ways to view and get into the interior of the park. The 61-mile McCarthy Road is a dirt and gravel road that can take up to 3 hours to traverse. The Nabesna Road is a 42-mile gravel road from Slana to Nabesna that traverses the headwaters country of the Copper and Tanana drainages. The third way to view the park is by airplane where you can fly past massive peaks, over jagged glaciers, and endless expanses of wild Alaska.

The park and preserve encompasses four mountain ranges, the Chugach, the Wrangell, the Saint Elias, and the end of the Alaska Range on the northern borders. This in turn holds some of North America’s most remote wilderness. The terrain runs the gamut of mountains, glaciers, coastal and intertidal communities, rivers and lakes. Mountain climbing and ice climbing are big options to consider.

This truly wild Alaska is waiting to be explored by kayak, rafting, hiking, backpacking, mountaineering and mountain biking. Mountain biking can be done on the McCarthy and Nabesna Roads, some dry creek beds and a number of trails in the Glennallen, Copper Center-Chitina area. Sea kayaking can be done in Icy Bay on the coast and along the 150 miles of rugged coastline. Keep in mind that the coastline is for experienced sea kayakers as the coastline is wild and exposed to the open waters of the Gulf of Alaska or Yakutat Bay. Most kayakers are flown into the area to start at Kageet Point on the eastern edge of Icy Bay or Pt. Riou, located on Chugach Alaska Native Corporation land southeast of Icy Bay. Rafting opportunities are available in the rivers.

Hiking and backpacking can be done almost anywhere in the park, but conditions can often be muddy. Better hiking is available on the trails and routes that lead into the Mentasta Mountains north of Nabesna Road or past mile 36. You can also charter a plane to drop you off in the more remote interior. The landscape offers tremendous scenery and wildlife viewing. During the summer there are a wide variety of beautiful butterflies to be seen.

There are ample opportunities for fishing in the park and preserve. With the numerous lakes and rivers it can be a fly fisherman’s dream. Grayling, whitefish, Dolly Varden, lake trout, rainbow/steelhead trout, cutthroat trout, sculpin, burbot, lamprey, smelts, and suckers are all found in the park. The Gulkana River is a good place to catch salmon.

Sport hunting is allowed only in the preserve and in accordance with Alaskan regulations. It probably offers one of the biggest varieties of animals to hunt in the state. There are opportunities to hunt bear, Dall sheep, mountain goat, muskoxen, moose, waterfowl, and caribou. Off-road vehicles (ORV) can be used on established routes.

Winter also offers its share of outdoor adventure. Ice climbing, cross country skiing, snow skiing, snowmobiling, and snow shoeing are all options to enjoy if you love the cold weather. Remember that it can get minus 50 degrees F. in the dead of winter.

So no matter what your outdoor pleasure is, if you enjoy solitude and ruggedness, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is the place for you. With the numerous shorebirds and two passerine migratory routes, the numerous wildlife, dragonflies and unique butterflies along with the rugged beauty of the terrain, you will experience something you won’t get any where else. This is definitely a park that should be on your must-see list.