Grand Teton National Park: Sunset Tour

On By nationalparkswithtIn Wyoming3 Comments
Welcome back to National Parks and other public lands with T!

Wyoming 2023 Trip➤

In September of 2023, my husband I set out to explore some National Park units in the state of Wyoming. We visited Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park, The John D. Rockefeller Parkway, and Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. In Grand Teton National Park, we took the Teton Wildlife Sunset Tour with Ecotour Adventures.

Grand Teton National Park➤

The Tetons are the youngest of all the mountain ranges in the Rocky Mountain chain. Most other mountains in the region are at least 50 million years old but the Tetons are less than 10 million and are still rising. The Jackson Hole valley is of the same age and continues to sink. The tallest peaks tower almost 7,000 feet above the valley floor, already at an elevation of about 6800 feet. With no foothills, the resulting landscape is dramatic and breathtaking.

In the 1920s, John D. Rockefeller Jr. agreed to acquire thousands of acres around Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and then donate this land to the government for a national park. At the urging of Horace Albright, then director of the National Park Service, Rockefeller formed a company called the Snake River Land Company to buy up property around the Snake River in secret. Rockefeller wanted to keep his name out of it to keep the price lower.

Meanwhile, in 1929, President Calvin Coolidge signed the act creating Grand Teton National Park, at half its present size. The park only protected the Teton Range and 6 lakes at the foot of the mountains. Rockefeller encountered resistance from locals when he tried to donate his land to expand the park.

In 1943, Rockefeller told President Franklin Delano Roosevelt he would sell to the highest bidder if the government didn’t use his land for the park. Roosevelt used the Antiquities Act and declared additional land in the valley to be Jackson Hole National Monument. The two units were combined to become the present Grand Teton National Park in 1950.

Teton Wildlife Sunset Tour➤

Our sunset wildlife tour in Grand Teton National Park began with a breathtaking encounter—a female moose standing in a serene lake, feeding on plants in the water. It was an unforgettable first sighting, with the stillness of the lake and the moose’s gentle movements perfectly framed by the fading sunlight. Our guide explained the feeding habits of moose, and we watched, captivated, as she foraged for her meal.

Afterward, we traveled to a new location where our guide set up a scope for us to view pronghorns grazing in the distance. Seeing them up close through the lens was incredible; their agility and grace were on full display. Our final sighting brought us to a field where a herd of elk had gathered. Mostly females, they moved as a group while a large male pursued them, adding a touch of drama to the scene. It was a thrilling end to our tour, capturing the essence of Grand Teton’s wildlife in the tranquil evening light.

Grand Teton Posts➤

Location: Moose, Wyoming
Designation: National Park
Date designated/established: February 26, 1929
Date of my visit: September 27, 2023