Cross Country Travels: Grand Teton National Park and Wyoming

In my last post, The Yellowstone Experience, I shared the first half of my time in Wyoming and how we left the south entrance of Yellowstone National Park to reach The Grand Tetons. This is honestly one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen and as you’ll soon learn, I didn’t even get to see as much as I had hoped due to some wildfires close by. These three days went by quick and included visiting the Grand Teton National Park including historic Mormon Row, horseback riding, and Jackson Square. My only regret is not staying a couple of more days.

More From This Cross Country Series:

Planning for My 7,000 Mile Cross Country Trip
The Packing Essentials: How I Prepared for My Cross Country Trip
Week One of My Cross Country Trip: Getting From SC to Montana
Cross Country Travels: Glacier National Park and Montana
Cross Country Travels: The Yellowstone Experience

The Week’s Activities and Adventures:

Here’s a quick look at the schedule for this week:

To learn about all of my adventures during the first four days of this week, be sure to check out the previous post, The Yellowstone Experience.

• Day Five: Outer Loop of Grand Teton National Park and Horseback Riding
• Day Six: Inner Loop of Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Town Square
• Day Seven: The Wyoming Drive and Independence State Rock

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Home by the River

Snake River Cabins & RV Resort

Every place I searched for to stay had one thing in common. It had to be dog-friendly. Luckily I found a charming little riverside community with dog-friendly cabins. It was rustic and quaint in all the best ways and just what we needed for our short stay.

From their website:
Snake River Cabins & RV Village is located just south of downtown Jackson Hole. Our cabins & RV Sites are conveniently located on the banks of the Snake River and a scenic 12 mile drive to downtown Jackson, WY. With 9 different cabin configurations to choose from, RV Sites & Tent camping sites we have something for every adventurer.

It’s located about ten miles south of Jackson Square and 20 miles from the Grand Tetons. The community is perched on the side of the Snake River so there were plenty of places to walk Sampson including along the river. Our tiny cabin was rustic and had all of the amenities we needed so I highly recommend.

Oh, and the clear night skies are pretty amazing too.

Grand Teton National Park

From the National Park Service:
Mountains of the Imagination: Soaring over a landscape rich with wildlife, pristine lakes, and majestic alpine vistas, the Teton Range stands as a testament to generations of stewards. For over 11,000 years, communities have thrived in the valley known as Jackson Hole, turning these mountains into more than just peaks—they embody imagination and enduring human connection.

We only had two full days in and around the Grand Teton National Park and if I had it to do again, I would have planned at least two more days. As you’ll soon read, one of our days was interrupted due to smoke from some nearby wildfires which you can’t plan for. Still, I wish we had gotten to stay a little longer.

Day Five

Historic Mormon Row

On our first full day in Jackson, Wyoming, I boarded Sampson so that I could explore a few areas and go horseback riding. I dropped him off at VCA Happy Tails and then headed to Mormon Row located on the outer loop of the Grand Teton National Park. You don’t enter the actual park but instead take a right onto a road just past the entrance.

And it’s here that I completely geeked out. I love history and especially historic houses so walking around this area was fun for me.

I first looked at all of the houses around the iconic barn and then walked a little further down.

For some reason not as many people toured the house and barn at the end of the road which made it even more intriguing. After reading about the history and taking it all in, I then headed towards my next adventure.

Horseback Riding

I’m easily influenced and when I saw someone share on social media that they went horseback riding near the Grand Tetons I thought, why not. I booked a guided horseback riding tour at Heart Six Ranch which is located just outside of the park, about a 20 minute scenic drive.

I haven’t ridden a horse in probably 30 years so I was a little nervous. Luckily a couple who rode horses frequently was in my group and they looked out for me. The entire tour was about two hours and while I don’t plan to become a cowgirl anytime soon, it was a neat adventure that I highly recommend.

The Outer Loop

On the way back from horseback riding, I stopped at a few of the lookouts along the outer loop. This road stretches along the outside of the park interior and there’s no admission but plenty to see. Here’s are the stops I made but there are a few more if you check the National Park Service website.

Cunningham Cabin Historic Site

Snake River Overlook

Glacier View Turnout

On the way back I picked up Sampson and some dinner and then enjoyed the evening back at the cabin.

Day Six

During my horseback riding tour and at one of the stops along the outer loop the day before, I noticed some wildfires off in the distance. Unfortunately those fires continued and the smoke made it’s way into the entire area the next day. This severely altered the views in and around the park as we headed that way on day two.

While I didn’t get to enjoy the majestic views of the Tetons up close as I had hoped, I made of the most of it. After a few pictures at the park sign, Sampson and I first headed back towards Historic Mormon Row. Across the street was another set of structures including the other iconic barn that I missed the day before. I might have broken a rule or two by letting Sampson walk around with me too. Despite the smoke, it still made for some pretty neat pictures.

Afterwards we made a quick stop at the Blacktail Ponds overlook before heading into the interior of the Grand Teton National Park.

Here are a few of the stops I made while Sampson slept like a baby in the back seat. I decided to make the best of it, despite the smoke.

Chapel of the Transfiguration

Menors Ferry Historic District

Lake Jenny Overlook

After exploring as much as we could, we then headed back to the cabin for a good night’s rest since we had a long travel day ahead of us.

Day Seven

After packing up and checking out, we had to make a quick stop to get the oil changed in the car. When you’re driving cross-country, don’t forget that you’ll have to do this at some point. It was a Monday morning and we had to wait until mid-morning which meant we were off to a late start.

This was a long travel day as we drove down and across Wyoming. And man was it beautiful. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed driving along with Sampson usually asleep in the back seat. It was so incredibly peaceful and despite not having cell service on isolated roads, I wasn’t nervous at all. I can’t really explain it. Driving on the open road with almost no other cars and often times nothing at all in sight was a beautiful experience I think everyone should enjoy at least once.

During one of the longer stretches there were several pull-outs with markers and signs sharing the history of the area. All I could think of was what the early pioneers must have thought as they made the grueling journey on the horse and buggies and the few supplies they carried with them.

With a little research ahead of time, we made one stop at a little known historic location called Independence Rock.

Independence Rock

From their website:
Independence Rock also known as the Register of the Desert for the more than 5,000 names that are a part of our pioneering history. One of the earliest signatures carved into the large granite rock is 1824 by M. K. Hugh. The Rock received its name after an Independence Day celebration with William Sublette and 80 pioneers. The name stuck and became a landmark and goal of the more than 550,000 westward travelers. The Rock’s highest point sits 136 feet above the surrounding terrain. In the distance can be seen what is known as the Devil’s Gate where the river has carved a 330 foot deep cut through rock.

While out of the way just a little, I was glad I made the stop. Again, the chance to reimagine what the early pioneers must have gone through really makes you think. We have it so easy these days. It was also a chance for me and Sampson to get in some exercise despite being a particularly hot fall day.

We then continued our journey across Wyoming, taking in the view as I drove, and stayed in a quaint little place in Saratoga, WY. We arrived pretty late so it was straight to bed but it was located about 40 miles from the Colorado border making it the perfect location for our next adventure, the Rocky Mountain National Park and Colorado.

My next post will share about my terrifying drive over the Rocky Mountains and how I almost asked a complete stranger to drive for me.