There is something about getting in your car and pulling out that Road Atlas. I love the feel of the paper and seeing all the different highways that one can take to get somewhere. I do enjoy my google map on my I-phone, but the atlas book gives me confidence. You can say that I am old fashion!
2020 was the year of "road trips". With the situation of the pandemic, one was not comfortable in flying and being in close contact with others. Instead of cruises on a ship, we cruised in a truck across the land of our beautiful country.
My husband and I took about five road trips. One of our road trips was driving from Loveland, Colorado to Jackson, Wyoming and then up to Montana, and west into Idaho, back through Jackson and home. It was a lovely 6 day trip, driving 1,600 miles, driving through four states(Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Colorado). Through our journey, we enjoyed two National Parks(Grand Tetons and Yellowstone), as well reading about all the small towns that we drove through.
What made this trip even better was that a young friend of ours from New York traveled with us. She grew up in South Carolina and has been working in New York for ten years. We were excited to share the west with Katie. She had never been on a road trip. We wanted to make sure that she would enjoy this experience.
There is something about packing up your car or truck, you feel like you can take everything. I had a cooler filled with drinks and food. I had made homemade chocolate chip cookies and deli sandwiches.
We headed north on Highway 287 towards Laramie, Wyoming. Heading north on 287, the terrain began to change as we crossed over the Wyoming state line and kept driving northwest to Lander.
About two and a half hours later, we pulled into Lander to get gas and to stretch our legs. As we drove through downtown, you noticed the various shops and restaurants. One restaurant that we noticed was "The Rise". Next time, we will need to stop there for a meal. With a population of about 7,500, this town is located south of the Wind River Indian Reservation and is known for the art festivals and climber's festivals. The town was named after Frederick W. Lander, who mapped the Lander Cutoff of the Oregon Trail.
Still traveling Highway 287, we stopped at Crowheart. There is only one store in this town for "141" residents. With one stop, you can buy your groceries or any other essentials, put gasoline in your vehicle, pick up your mail and more. From the store you could see Crowheart Butte. This was the site of the battle between the Crow and Shoshone America Indian tribe in 1866. Another interesting fact is that Matthew Fox who played in "Lost" and "Party of Five" grew up in Crowheart.
After taking some photos, we loaded back up in the truck and headed towards Dubois. Now this town is a little bit larger with a population of "971". But in the summers, the population doubles. The views and weather are what attracts people to this area. Some interesting facts about Dubois are Butch Cassidy owned and managed a ranch on the outskirts of town, and Michael Horsack, drummer for the Doobie Brothers resided here.
Leaving Dubois, we noticed that we were driving uphill into Togwotee Pass. The pass was covered with snow. With an elevation of 9,658 feet, it had been snowing for about a week.
We were only about an hour and half from Jackson. I have driven this road to Moran Junction many times. As you approach Moran, one is always in awe as you see the Tetons for the very first time. There is no other view like this. Katie's eyes began to sparkle as she got that first glimpse of the majestic mountains. One is speechless.
After driving for about seven hours, we were finally almost to Jackson. The sun was beginning to set and the Tetons were north of us. The Tetons extend over 40 miles from the southern border of Yellowstone. What a view!
Driving into Jackson, one of the first things that you notice is the town square. At every corner of the square are elk antler arches. Each arch is supported by a steel framework and constructed by a steel framework and constructed by hand using 14,000 pounds or more than 2,000 antlers each.
This small town of 10,500 residents attract more than 2.6 million visitors each year. The area was originally populated by Native America tribes. In the early 1800's, this area became an area for trappers and mountain men. The women in Jackson were powerful in the early 1900's. The town of Jackson elected the first all-woman city government(including town council and mayor, who appointed women to town marshall; town clerk and treasurer) in 1920.
If you like snow, this is the town for you. The town averages about 72 inches of snow per year.
Another spectacular view is the National Elk Refuge. In the winter, this wildlife refuge(24,700 acres) is home to about 7,500 elks. In 1912, this refuge was created to protect habitat and provide sanctuary for one of the largest elk herds in the world. One of my fond memories was back 1997, my husband's family and myself rode a sleigh through the elk herd. It was so cold and we were so close to them that you could see the breath of each elk.
If you enjoy eating, there are several great restaurants to enjoy. Some of my favorites are "Cafe Genevieve", "Thai Me Up", "The Bunnery", "Bubbas" and so many more.
There is so much more of this town that captivates your soul. This is definitely another place to put on your bucket list. ............ end of Part 1 "Road Trip - Wyoming, Montana & Idaho".
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