July 5, 2025 | Day 16
Saturday, July 5, 2025 | Day 16
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Since we didn’t end up visiting Colter Bay Village yesterday, we ventured there this morning. We stopped in at the visitor center where the kids enjoyed a film about the park’s wildlife.
We were walking along the Lakeshore Trail and stopped to take Xiomara to the bathroom near the Colter Bay Marina. When we exited the bathrooms there were park staff all around telling everyone to go indoors because there was a bear. It was all very exciting. Of course Jonny was outside the bathroom trying to get his camera out. I took the kids back inside, and tried to peek out of the bathroom windows. Eventually someone said it was okay to come out. When we went back outside, the kids and I got a clear view of the bear (a baby grizzly) being chased into the woods by the rangers. Jonny was very disappointed he didn’t get any photos. I was slow to pull out my cellphone and only caught a picture of the bear’s butt. After the commotion passed, we walked over to Bathing Beach where we lounged on the rocky shore and took in the alpine vistas.
Later in the afternoon we drove south along US-Highway 191, making lots of stops at turnouts and viewpoints. At the Elk Ranch Flats Turnout we spotted (with binoculars) several buffalo and two pronghorn. We hiked a short way down the trail at the Blacktail Ponds Overlook. It was really peaceful and beautiful, but we turned around because it felt quite secluded (no other cars in the parking lot) and is close to a forest. We forgot the bear spray in the car and didn’t want to risk running into a bear without it.
Right before arriving at Gros Ventre Campground, where we are staying tonight, we saw a group gathered at the side of the road so we pulled over to find out what they were looking at. There was a mother moose and her baby resting right at the edge of the forest.
