Over the River and Through the Woods, to the Grand Tetons We Go. Day 4 Part 4

We started our day around eight AM. It was a beautiful but chilly morning. Eagles and pelicans were out at our campsite, which started the day wonderfully. We packed our lunch and headed out to Jackson Hole and The Grand Tetons National Park. The sights were beautiful and peaceful, making for a great day.

A little about Jackson Hole: It is named after a beaver trapper, David Edward (Davy) Jackson, who trapped there starting in 1820. He was the first European to stay an entire winter in the area. Although Native Americans hunted the area and used it for religious ceremonies, the valley wasn’t inhabited year round until 1870. The valley lies between the Teton Range and the Gros Ventre Range.

The Grand Teton National Park: It is 310,000 acres just 10 miles from Yellowstone National Park and is part of the Yellowstone Ecosystem. Paleo-Indians hunted in the area 11,000 years ago and were the first known humans in the area. The Grand Teton mountain is 13,775 feet in altitude and rises 7,000 feet above Jackson Hole. The Grand Tetons are the youngest mountain range in the Rocky Mountains, 6 to 9 million years old and were formed by earthquakes on the Teton Fault and continues to shift due to an active fault block. This area is absolutely beautiful.