Jackson's Hole*

I spent many childhood summers in Jackson Hole with my maternal grandparents. At first they lived in a two bedroom apartment. Later they built a house on Snow King Hill. We went on all kinds of adventures up Snow King, down Cache Creek, out on the Elk Refuge, and into Yellowstone and Teton Park.

One of my favorite things was to visit Jenny's Lake, ride the boat across and hike up to the falls. I also hiked up to Inspiration Point with them once, but that was long and hot Hidden Falls was just right. Almost every year a trip would be made to Jenny's Lake including a ride across and a hike up to the falls. Then we'd often go to String Lake for wading and a picnic. It was a tradition. Sometimes the tradition was less easy than other times. Often during my teenage years, it was less appreciated than other years, but it was a tradition.

Last summer we decided it was time to take the kids to Yellowstone and the Tetons. We spent three days in Yellowstone

camping and seeing the sights. Then we drove down to Teton Park to camp some more.

I wanted to ride the boat across Jenny's Lake and hike to the falls as a family just like my childhood tradition.

But the cost for seven people was not exactly what I wanted to pay. As we wandered around the ranger station/gift shop. Tad and I looked at the map. The hike around the lake to the falls was 2.5 miles. Only 2.5 miles! Five round trip. Completely doable.

Except that half of them didn't want to. So I threw a little fit.

And we made it to the falls. A child pouted the first 2.5 miles, but was much more cheerful coming back.

Then I wanted to continue the tradition by going wading in String Lake. I remembered String Lake as a private place rarely frequented by tourists with pristine water that you could hike halfway across and only get wet as high as your thigh.

It is not like that any more. It is filled with many loud and busy people splashing and screaming.

At the lake water is as muddy as if a million egg beaters were constantly stirring on it's bottom.

We found that we weren't impressed with the reality of the memory. We determined to detour from the tradition. Off we went looking for a lake to eat our afternoon snack at and enjoy by ourselves.

And we found it along the north east shores of Jenny's Lake.

 

We finished out the day in downtown Jackson watching the Shoot Out.

*Jackson Hole, originally called Jackson's Hole, is a valley located in Wyoming, near the western border with Idaho.  The name "hole" derives from language used by early trappers ormountain men, who primarily entered the valley from the north and east and had to descend along relatively steep slopes, giving the sensation of entering a hole.