This National Park covers a vast area -- well over 310,000 acres of majestic land formations. It boasts of having the major stunning peaks of the range of the mountains called the Grand Tetons. The Grand Teton Mountain Range adds more majesty to the view because there are no foothills. They just rise dramatically out of the level land. I learned that 10 million years ago, a Teton fault moved and caused massive earthquakes, resulting in mountains rising while the valley floor dropped.

About two million years ago, massive glaciers (3,500 feet thick) flowed down into the valley, eroding mountains and dumping huge deposits of glacial rock debris. The glaciers carved peaks and canyons and left massive rocks and sediment along the glacier’s edge. The Grand Tetons were formed when stresses in the tectonic plates thrust large masses of rock upwards to the earth’s surface. This process is called fault-block mountains. Early history of this region included the Paleo-Indians, a nomadic group that migrated to the area during warmer months for food and supplies. 

The first white explorers came into the area during the early 1800s. At that time the Shoshone Indian tribes were living there. In the early 1800s, fur traders sought control of the area for the much sought-after beaver pelt trade. And then in the 1880s, white settlers came to live in Jackson Hole (as the area around the town of Jackson today is known). The area was a challenge to homestead, due to water issues and the severity of the seasonal changes. 

 In the late 1890s, there was an effort to preserve the area. On February 26th, in 1929, President Calvin Coolidge signed a bill that created the area known as Grand Teton National Park, protecting the major peaks in the area. This 96,000-acre park included the Teton Range and five glacial lakes at the base of them. The area around Jackson Hole was private land until John D. Rockefeller, Jr. started buying up land and added it to the National Park. At one point in 1943, Jackson Hole National Monument was created. In 1950, the Park was expanded to its current boundaries. 

 The Grand Tetons reportedly were named in the early 19th century by French trappers as “les trois tetons” (the three teats) and later shortened to Tetons. I personally mused about the use of women’s breasts to name mountain ranges but, since it was men who named the peaks, it makes sense, somehow. 

 The peaks rise above 13,775 feet. I’m told that several glaciers are at the highest peak. I also learned that there are rocks in the park which are nearly 2.7 billion years old and are the oldest found in any of our national parks in America. 

 When I visited the Grand Teton area, I walked to Jackson Lake. It was stunning to see the Tetons as a backdrop. It impressed me as how a wild frontier may have looked many years ago. I was thankful that the picture-perfect scenery will continue to be preserved for our heritage to enjoy also. 

 My little black dog sat with me looking out with silent contented wonder. It was over an hour before we decided to move away from the awesome view. There is also a historic Jackson Lake Lodge there which is one of the National Historic Landmarks in this Park and opened in 1955. 

 It was surprising to me to find out that the same types of flora and fauna that existed in prehistoric times are still prevalent there today. This includes hundreds of species of birds, several fish species, a few reptile and amphibians inside the park. 

 It is no wonder that this incredibly preserved National Park is a desirable destination for all forms of recreation, such as hiking, fishing, kayaking, sightseeing, backpacking and backcountry camping, boating in six bodies of waters, white water rafting down the Snake River, artists’ paradise and scenery that belies efforts to capture it in photography. There is also a wide variety of wildlife that visit seasonally, such as Bison, pronghorn, elk, deer and moose. 

 This area is world renowned for its stunning mountain scenery and for the abundant wildlife. In its 485 square miles, it has much to offer for nature enthusiasts and hikers have over 200 miles of trails to explore.

 In my brief visit to the Park, my interests included admiring the towering Grand Tetons, a visit to the popular Jenny Lake and Jackson Lake and a walk down the Mormon Row with its memories of the historic Mormon families that homesteaded the area. 

 Mormon Row (originally called Grovont) was very near where we camped at Gros Ventre Campground. A short drive took us to the former Mormon settlement. When I visited this historic site, there were many photographers roaming about and taking “their best shots.” The Moulton Barns were especially of interest to them, with the spectacular backdrop of the Grand Tetons. 

 To understand the devotion that these Mormon families had, one must understand that their approach to homesteading was not as a rugged individual but as a united group of families which utilized communal efforts.

Their original small one-room cabins were where they cooked, bathed, slept, ate and played. As a community, they jointly grew crops, raised and tended livestock and root vegetable gardens, built irrigation canals for watering crops, hunted, prepared food supplies, built and maintained their structures, created their own furnishings and clothing and shared occasional leisure activities. They also picked area wild berries, cured meats, canned preserves, etc. 

 The Homestead Act of 1862 had promised 160 acres to any person willing to improve the land by building a dwelling and cultivating the land and, after five years, the property was deeded to the homesteader free and clear. There were 27 homesteads built on Mormon Row. Land seemed to be plentiful but water was another challenge. So, they dug ditches across the dry lands and diverted distant mountain streams from the Gros Ventre River. 

 However, in 1927, after a devastating flood destroyed much of the town of Kelly, a spring emerged, which was named the Kelly Warm Springs. It then provided much needed water all year round for the Mormon community. 

 The stark but stunning beauty and the amazing history of this area gave me a powerful understanding of what the pioneering spirit of these Mormon people must have possessed, to transform this vast dry landscape into their homes. 

 We visited the area just a few days before it was closing for the summer season but the weather was delightfully beautiful and held out until we left the next day, with snow flurries just starting to fall. It was a magical exit from an impressive, beautiful National Park. 

 I came away from my visit of the Grand Tetons -- another of our magnificent National Parks -- with deep appreciation for the foresight of our forefathers to set aside these wonderous lands for all of us to enjoy and share with our families. The Grand Tetons National Park is a must-see if you are awestruck by majestic mountains and the history that formed them. I recommend the spring and early summertime, before the crowds and after the winter weather. I have thought about going back, myself, and experiencing the Tetons in another season -- I think perhaps springtime. Perhaps I will see you there? Have a wonderful trip if you miss me. And as always, take care of yourselves and take care of our natural wonders so that future generations will see these beautiful places and enjoy them too.