Monday, 16 Sept
Today, we drove south, heading to Grand Teton National Park for a few days of exploration.
Gardiner to Flagg Ranch
We entered Yellowstone National Park through the North Entrance and then drove south along the Grand Loop Road toward the park’s South Entrance.
The road took us past the expansive Yellowstone landscape, which includes geothermal features, lush valleys, and rushing rivers. We passed Biscuit Basin, the site of the Steamboat Geyser eruption on July 23, 2024, that sent steam, rocks, and debris into the air and caused significant damage to the boardwalks. Luckily, no one was hurt. Biscuit Basin was closed for the remainder of the season while they assessed the area to determine when it could be safely reopened. These incidents highlight the dynamic and unpredictable nature of Yellowstone’s geothermal features. While such events are relatively rare, they serve as a reminder of the park’s active geothermal environment.
We turned south onto the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway at West Thumb. This scenic 27-mile parkway links Yellowstone National Park to the northern end of Grand Teton National Park.
We stopped at Lewis Lake for lunch, where the serene waters and surrounding forest provided a peaceful atmosphere, perfect for a midday pause.
After our break, we continued south toward the Headquarters Campground at Flagg Ranch. This campground was a convenient base for exploring both the southern part of Yellowstone and the Grand Teton National Park.
Headquarters Campground at Flagg Ranch
Headwaters at Flagg Ranch are located only two miles south of the South Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. They are surrounded by a forest recovering from the 1988 Huck Fire and the 2016 Berry Fire. The ranch is near the headwaters of the Snake River, which originates in the Teton Range.
The area was an Army outpost in the 1890s that was responsible for patrolling and managing Yellowstone National Park. It was a popular stopping point for people traveling between Yellowstone and Jackson Hole. In 1908, the land was transferred to the US Forest Service. The Flagg Ranch was established in 1910 and named the ranch after the flags that flew at the Army Outpost. In 1972, the area was transferred to the National Park Service.
The large campground has 97 RV sites, 40 camper cabins, and 34 tent sites under tall pines. All the internal roads were dirt with a lot of potholes, and these roads made the place very dusty. All RV sites are pull-through with enough parking space for one RV and one tow vehicle, with a maximum total length of 45 feet. They all had full hookups, but the sewer connections were a cast iron pipe almost a foot off the ground. The pipes had a side port that was a little closer to the ground, but you must be able to connect your sewer hose sideways. Each site had a bear-proof box to safely store outside food and cooking gear.
The lodge at the entrance to the campground has a convenience store, gift shop, bar, restaurant, and gas/diesel and propane.
Grand Teton National Park
After we set up the camper, we drove south to explore the park.
Grand Teton National Park includes the major peaks of the 40-mile-long Teton Range and most of the northern sections of the valley known as Jackson Hole. It is only 10 miles south of Yellowstone National Park, connected by the National Park Service–managed John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway. It is named for Grand Teton, the tallest mountain in the Teton Range, the youngest mountain range in the Rocky Mountains. At 13,775 feet, Grand Teton abruptly rises more than 7,000 feet above Jackson Hole, almost 850 feet higher than Mount Owen, the second-highest summit in the range. The other nine peaks are over 12,000 ft above sea level. The park has numerous lakes, including 15-mile-long Jackson Lake, streams of varying length, and the upper main stem of the Snake River. Though receding, a dozen small glaciers persist at the higher elevations near the highest peaks in the range.
The sky was very cloudy, and rain was expected at any moment. The next day’s forecast was worse, with rain expected all day, so this would be our only chance to see the peaks.
We drove south into the park and stopped at various viewpoints. We followed Jackson Lake to the Jackson Lake Junction, where we turned onto Teton Parks Road, which took us closer to the mountains. We drove the Jenny Lake Loop and were fortunate to find a parking spot near the popular Jenny Lake. We continued south to Moose Junction, where we turned back north and drove US-89 along Snake River. We moved quickly due to the late hour and the imminent threat of rain.
Jackson Lake Lodge
Before we returned to the campground, we stopped at Jackson Lake Lodge to meet some friends from Kansas City who worked as rangers at the national park for the summer.
Completed in 1955, the lodge marked the transition in the National Park System from rustic to modern design by combining modern materials with rustic accents, such as the wood grain-textured concrete seen on this building. The 60-foot floor-to-ceiling windows in the lobby give visitors one of the most awe-inspiring views of the famed mountains. In the lobby area were various dining options, retail shops, and an exhibit featuring Native American artifacts and Western art. They had a classic 1950s-style diner where you sit shoulder-to-shoulder at a dining counter over 200 feet long. We took pictures of a stuffed Alaskan Brown Bear that a person from Kansas had shot.
Our friends were already there and had gotten a table on the patio overlooking the Tetons. It was a spectacular view, but we stayed for only one beer before they had to leave.
We drove back to the camper and took pictures of the burnt forest along the Rockefeller Parkway.
Tuesday, 17 Sept
Muddy Flagg Ranch Campground
Rain poured throughout the night, leaving the campground’s water-filled potholes. The forecast for the day didn’t look promising either, with rain expected to persist and a storm anticipated in the afternoon.
Despite the weather, we decided to head to the Upper Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, home to the iconic Old Faithful geyser. Located about 50 miles north of our campsite, we took this opportunity to explore the basin since we did not walk around it the last time we were there.
Upper Geyser Basin
The Upper Geyser Basin, spanning approximately two square miles, is renowned for being home to Old Faithful Geyser, one of the most iconic landmarks in Yellowstone National Park. Beyond Old Faithful, the basin boasts an incredible diversity of thermal features, including Earth’s largest concentration of geysers. Nearly one-quarter of all the world’s geysers are found here, alongside vibrant hot springs, simmering fumaroles, and bubbling mud pots. This remarkable geothermal area is set against a backdrop of pine forests and rugged terrain.
During our visit, the persistent rain altered the appearance of the hot springs. The normally vivid colors—caused by thermophilic bacteria forming concentric rings around the thermal pools—were muted, their patterns disrupted by the rainfall. The cool rainwater interacting with the scalding thermal features also produced dense clouds of steam, shrouding much of the basin in an ethereal mist.
The unpredictable wind made carrying an umbrella challenging, as gusts constantly threatened to whisk it away.
Kepler Cascades
After leaving Old Faithful, we went visited Kepler Cascades again to see the stunning waterfall just 2.5 miles away.
Moose Falls
Moose Falls, a striking 30-foot plunge waterfall, lies just a short drive from Yellowstone’s South Entrance, making it an easy and rewarding stop for visitors entering or leaving the park. The falls, fed by Crawfish Creek, cascade dramatically into a rocky pool below.
The name “Moose Falls” comes from the abundance of moose historically found in the southern reaches of Yellowstone National Park, a region rich in the wetlands and meadows that moose favor.
To reach the falls, we followed a short but rugged trail that wound through dense forests of lodgepole pines. Though the trail required careful footing in places, it was manageable.
A picturesque bridge spanned Crawfish Creek just above the falls. The bridge, framed by lush greenery and the cascading waters below, created a picture-perfect scene, making it a favorite spot for photos.
Snow!
As we drove back to the camper, the storm had arrived, and with it, our first snow of the season.