The Munce Family: Munstream.adventures: Grand Teton National Park (and Yellowstone NP) part 1

We've arrived!

I'm going to back up a bit and share the journey to land campsites in the Tetons. We really wanted to stay in the park as we knew it would cut back on driving time and traffic stress, and it would give us an opportunity to linger longer in the evenings and not feel like we had to rush back because of a long drive ahead. (Think sunsets, late evening swims, lingering happy hours, ice cream with a view.) Our main option was Colter Bay where there was water access, laundry, a general store, and a couple of restaurants, the hang up: rumor has it, full hook-up campsites are nearly impossible to get. I'll save the boring details, but we strategized and landed the campsite... for 9 nights. We didn't think we would need it nearly that long and intended to modify, but in the end, it wasn't long enough! We loved every single second of our stay in GTNP, it was a dream summer adventure.

We arrived later in the evening on Sunday, July 9th after a pretty seamless day, I'd say the only real hang-up was our lunch attempt at Stinker Stores Travel Stop where the only option was a warm gas station burger. We did our best, Dave doused his in prepackaged onions and mustard and was happy as a clam. We were so excited to arrive at the park entrance and our minds were blown at the beauty of the Tetons and the way they just shoot up out of the flat surface. Our campsite was perfect, located on an end giving us plenty of space for our hammocks and to spread out. We found pizza asap and then a beach for a sunset swim. We had no idea what was in store for us as we turned the corner for the beach. The sun setting behind the mountain range lit up the sky behind them in the most incredible way. The kids swam/giggled in the frigid water and Dave and I cheersed to pulling it off.

We stayed in Colter Bay on Monday and jammed in as much as possible. We started out the morning with a 'HEY BEAR' hike around the Lakefront Trail where the girls were simultaneously nervous about bears and embarrassed by Dave's "HEY BEAR!" approach to keep us safe. The kids hiked in their swimsuits and took advantage of every swim access point they saw. We followed it up with a kayak/canoe outing which was much easier said than done, the wind is no joke and we had a very dramatic experience. We finished the day with dinner and and a showstopper sunset at Signal Mountain Lodge, it was a great day.

Tuesday was a top day for me. We got up bright and early in order to catch the peaceful views at Schwabacher's Landing. It's a tucked in lookout, the water is like glass and it catches the most incredible reflection of the Tetons. We followed that with a picturesque 4 mile bike ride to Jenny Lake for a general store lunch and then a ferry over to the Inspiration Hike Trail. It was a relatively short (1.5 mile in and out) but steep hike up to the 7 thousand feet lookout. There was some iffy terrain and the kids were nervous, I loved how they looked out for each other. We biked back, uphill and in the wind, Sully lead the way like a champ and Piper and I held up the back end while we jammed to T. Swift to pass the time/distract us from the challenge. We made our way home and had an easy dinner close to the campsite. It was a really great day.

We ventured to Yellowstone on Wednesday. The drive was beautiful with wildlife and scenery, but slow at times. We made our way to Old Faithful Inn for lunch and memorable lobby vibes. We walked the boardwalk and observed the many geysers before making our way back to Old Faithful where she was adorned by hundreds of fans who beat us to the good sitting spots, we arrived just in time to watch her blow. We were impressed with the natural phenomenon. We hustled back for ice cream and a glass of wine before driving back the Tetons and for pizza at Leeks Marina, a great spot not too far from Colter Bay, right on water. The kids had so much fun playing around on the dock while we were waiting for Dave to order food and the weather was perfect. It was another great day of exploring.

We went into Jackson for Sky King Mountain fun on Thursday and it was a highlight for the kids. They did a ropes course and were way above ground and loved the challenge. Greta pushed every limit, running just a bit too fast, depending on the harness to save her life every chance she got. The kids mastered the course in no time and loved the adventure. We came back mid afternoon to shower up and catch the one and only dinner reservation of the week at the Mural Room at Jackson Lake Lodge. The meal was fancy and fun, but the lobby views were out-of-this-world breathtaking. We snuck out during our meal for a sunset photo and knew where we would be going immediately after dinner. We loved the opportunity to slow down and enjoy the patio while the kids played on the trails nearby, but the real treat was when we made our way to the car... a hotel guest from California was playing the piano with some of his friends and was taking requests. On a whim, I requested Taylor Swift, and he knew Love Story...and so did Piper!! She sat down and sang with them. She had a shy but delighted expression when the pianist requested a shout out for Piper. The only one in the room who was prouder than Piper was Dave who willingly slipped the guy a generous tip. This was a trip highlight for all of us.