Tag Archives: national parks service

Go Off the Grid in Grand Teton National Park

“The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness.” – John Muir

The intersection of Wyoming and Montana cedes America’s oldest and most well-journeyed public lands. The region is home to the Northern Rockies and the nation’s first national park, Yellowstone. Lesser known, but arguably more impressive, is Yellowstone’s sister park, Grand Teton National Park (GTNP).

Wyoming’s plains come to an abrupt end with the rising of striking and ancient Teton Range goliaths from flat grasslands. Founded in 1929, the more than 200 miles of thick forest, pristine lakes, and imperial snow-capped Rocky Mountains have served as a backbone to American Indians, early settlers, and an abundance of wildlife residing in the protected park’s parameters. While Yellowstone offers its own charming landscape, Grand Teton National Park renders fewer boardwalks and more rugged wilderness necessary for a proper escape.

The truly wild among us should consider a multi-day backpacking trip through the park’s backcountry for an honest, unfiltered experience. Regardless of your fitness level or athletic stamina, you’re sure to find a suitable Teton trail. Here are some suggestions for first-time backpackers planning to head north in the near future.

grand tetons national park

Pack light, but don’t skimp

Proper backpacking can be a burdensome financial investment. If you want to make your trip free of serious complications, you’ll need to buy some pricey gear to conserve space and pack weight. First, when choosing a pack, spring for brand-name. Brands like Osprey, Marmot, Gossamer Gear, and REI will offer ideal weight distribution and comfort. Next, check out multiple sporting goods stores for the best deals on small, compact tents, chairs, sleeping bags, thermal sleeping pads, and pillows. Many come in fist-sized bags, creating ample room for other necessities.

If you’re bringing a camping stove, pack easy foods like ramen, instant potatoes, and more than enough protein supplements. You’ll also need an abundance of gear you probably haven’t thought about if you’ve never camped backcountry, so look over this complete list for notes.

Layer clothes and check the weather prior to packing, but be aware that weather in the Tetons is unpredictable. The park is usually on the warmer side during summer days and cooler at night. Bringing several pairs of socks is a must given afternoon thunderstorms. Maps are imperative; there’s virtually no cell service once you enter the park.

grand tetons national park

Test all gear at least once

You shouldn’t be unwrapping any of your gear for the first time while packing for your backpacking trip. After half a dozen miles of walking, you’re going to want to know exactly how your tent assembles. Even if you’re just camping at a local park, plan a mock-trip to ensure all gear is in working order and be familiar with how you’ll assemble it.

Pick the right trail

GTNP is extremely popular in the summer months, so booking the right backcountry campsite may require reserving a spot months in advance. Sites along Cascade Canyon and Upper Paintbrush Canyon may be too strenuous for beginner backpackers, while Bearpaw Lake and surrounding sites along the Leigh Lake Trail are more moderate with less incline. The National Park Service’s website is a good place to start. It features maps and mileage of each site.

grand tetons national park

Be wildlife literate and know park rules

This park, in particular, pushes “bear awareness” more than the average bear country park. Bears are extremely active in the Tetons, and rangers require anyone camping backcountry to watch a short video on what to do if you encounter one. The majority of the bears you’ll see in the park are black bears, even if they’re a caramel color, one ranger advised. If your site doesn’t include a bear box for food and scented toiletries, bring your own to prevent attracting any wildlife to your site.

Here’s a complete guide to what to do if you encounter a bear in the wild. GTNP requires a permit for all backcountry sites, and doesn’t allow campers to burn their garbage, so be prepared to bring out everything you hike in. (A complete list of rules can be found on the park’s website.)  Before securing your permit, check out these additional tips for hiking the Tetons backcountry.

grand tetons national park
The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

If you forget something on your way in, downtown Jackson Hole, the park’s closest city, is objectively overcrowded with shops for nearly every need.

Explore the Great Outdoors in West Texas

Texas. If the rumor is true, everything is bigger here.

But the fact is, ever since Forbes nominated the city of Houston, TX as #1 for its “coolest cities to live in” list, the city is starting to run out of room.  Now, two-thirds of the way through 2016 and 27+ million strong, Houston is bulging at its high-tech, interurban, energy-centric seams.

west texas sunset

Cowboys? No room for ‘em. Cattle? You can find that in aisle 7, the one labeled “frozen packaged meats.” As for wide open spaces: most of those are now hidden beneath a vast network of industrial parks and shopping malls. In this era of explosive urban growth, it’s easy to forget city life isn’t all Texas has to offer.  But that doesn’t mean you can’t set out on your own “Wild West” adventure in the Lone Star State, and we’ve got some suggestions for you here.

 

Dell City, TX (Guadalupe Mountains National Park)

The tiny town of Dell City isn’t much to look at on its own, but you’ll find it very hospitable. A bonus – the Guadalupe Mountains National Park is a short 15-minute drive away.

Check out Laura Lynch’s White Adobe Church guesthouse, a cool, calm desert oasis packed full of small town charm. If the Adobe Church is booked for your dates, she also has several other equally wonderful guesthouses you can reserve.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Guadalupe Mountains National Park

If you want to scale Guadalupe Peak, which is the highest point in Texas at 8,749 feet, be sure to set out in the early a.m. and not in full mid-day sun when heat exhaustion is a real risk. If you still have energy left over, be sure to visit the park’s most popular scenic attraction, McKittrick Canyon. While hiking McKittrick, you can see examples of each of the region’s four major ecosystems, as well as capturing some truly gorgeous photos to show family and friends back home.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Guadalupe Mountains National Park

One of the best aspects of Dell City is how close it is to not one, but two amazing national parks. Drive for one-half hour and cross the Texas-New Mexico border and you can squeeze in a visit to the famous underground cave system at Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad Caverns National Park

 

Marfa, TX

Marfa is a retreat site for artists, musicians, creative types and free thinkers, both as visitors and as permanent residents. Celebrities also favor the town, and recent sightings include Beyonce and Solange Knowles, Robert Plant, Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman and Robert Pattison, among others.

Davis Mountain Range Panoramic
The Davis Mountains in West Texas

When it comes to lodging, El Cosmico is a popular choice for those seeking an alternative to hotel accommodations plus a soak in one of the compound’s soothing wood-fired hot tubs. Paisano Hotel is famous as the sight where the movie “Giant,” starring Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean, was made. And the Thunderbird Hotel does a fabulous job of sticking to its 1959 roots while providing lodgers with the best in updated amenities.

Marfa at sunrise
Marfa at sunrise

Before you depart, be sure to make the trek a few miles outside town to try to glimpse the famous and elusive Marfa Lights. The Marfa Lights were first observed in 1883. Appearing in red and yellow, the lights glow, flicker, and dash across the nighttime sky.  To date, the Marfa Lights are considered one of the nine biggest unsolved physics mysteries, and they draw thousands of visitors annually, each hoping to say they’ve seen the lights with their own eyes.

marfa lights
(Marfa) Mystery lights | Photo via Angi English on Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)

 

Balmorhea, TX (Balmorhea State Pool)

Pronounced “balm-ray,” Balmorhea pretty much has one of everything: one restaurant, one grocery store, and one natural spring-fed pool, which is reputed to be the world’s largest.  Not surprisingly, the 3.5 million gallon artesian pool enjoys a steady stream of visitors. Because the spring-fed waters consistently remain between 72 and 76 degrees, the pool is open year-round. In summer, enjoy a pleasurably chilly dip in its refreshing waters. In winter, sink down into a steaming outdoor spa of immense proportions.

Balmorhea State Pool
Balmorhea State Pool | Photo via JBColorado on Flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)

In any season, you’ll feel time stop as you dip down under the clear, natural spring waters and come face to face with curious pond fish, pond turtles and other local denizens. Diving is encouraged – the pool has both high and low diving boards dotting its perimeters. Scuba diving is also permitted with the proper certification.

Marsh at Balmorhea State Park
Marsh at Balmorhea State Park | Photo via Brad Fults on Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

When you’ve finished your swim, there is a lot more to see and do at the nearby Balmorhea State Park and Balmorhea Lake. After-dark adventures include night diving (check with the park for hours and dates) and starry views from the McDonald Observatory, which is just a short 45-mile drive away and hosts the most amazing star parties as well as day and twilight events.

 

Pecos River/Rio Grande River

Last up on the itinerary is a viewing of the historic point where the south-flowing Pecos River merges into the mighty Rio Grande River. Each river has its own rich history in Texas folklore, literature and song. For those who can stay awhile, river permits cost just a few dollars a day and you can launch a boat right at the site where the two converge.

Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park, Texas
Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park, Texas
The Pecos River at sunrise
The Pecos River

For shorter or drive-by visits, the drive itself is undeniably scenic, thanks to Amistad National Recreation Area’s many lookout points. Stop periodically to enjoy views of grazing wildlife, lovely flowing waters, and maybe even a special treat – a real live wild agave plant.

bridge over the Amistad Dam in western Texas
Bridge over the Amistad Dam in western Texas

Agave, of course, is a primary ingredient for that most classic of Mexican/Texan beverages, tequila. And what better way to conclude your Wild West Texas adventure than with a refreshing sip of pure history?

Agave plant
Agave plant