There are only about 90 miles between Jackson Hole, WY, Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park, but you’ll want at least a week for exploring this stretch of scenic road.  Check out this ultimate road trip itinerary…

Starting point: Jackson Hole, Wyoming

With its proximity to two stunning National Parks, Jackson Hole is a great place to begin and end this once-in-a-lifetime drive. While you’re there, head over to Teton Village for an aerial tram ride with 360-degree panoramic views that offer a glimpse into your adventure ahead.

Jackson Hole to Grand Teton National Park

Five miles past the Jackson Hole Airport along US-191N/US-26E/US-89N you’ll find yourself at the entrance to Grand Teton National Park. Sure, you could skirt right through the park and take in the lakes and majestic peaks quickly, or you could head out on an overnight sea kayaking adventure to explore countless inlets and miles of shoreline on Jackson Lake. You’re not in a rush are you? Good. Then think about combining that kayaking trip with an ultra-scenic float down the Snake River through the heart of Grand Teton National Park.

Grand Teton National Park to Yellowstone National Park

Continue on US-191N/US-26E/US-89N toward Yellowstone for approximately 60 miles. As you drive to Yellowstone, enjoy the jagged glory of the 13,770-foot Grand Teton, and keep your eyes open for elk, moose, and bison. Ready to finally see Old Faithful and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone? This impressive national park is your playground for as many days as you like. Want more paddling? Try out a half-day sea kayaking excursion on Yellowstone Lake, past the steaming and shimmering geothermal features of the West Thumb Geyser Basin. Or, opt for a guided trek into the backcountry with The Wildland Trekking Company.

Here’s the official route…

Related Articles:

A Backstage Pass to America’s Premiere Park

Scenic California By Car: The Tahoe-Yosemite Loop

Falling for Utah: Hiking and Rafting Canyonlands

The post Road Trip: Worth the Drive Wyoming appeared first on River Currents.

Let’s start by noting that, if you’re hesitant to try an outdoor vacation, you’re about to hear about a 4-year-old and 8-year-old that kayaked Grand Teton.

If you’re a parent itching for this kind of trip, but wondering if it’s a good idea, what with your kids and all, let this suffice as a, “Yes, you can.”

Nicolas Zibell and his family had never experienced the U.S.’s western national parks, but he wanted to open his daughters’ eyes to their grandeur.

Clara, 8 years old, and Chloe, 4, were excited about the trip from the get-go, Nicolas says.

“It was new, it was beautiful,” he says. “They actually thought it was fun.”

The Zibell family — Nicolas, his wife, and daughters — joined an O.A.R.S. crew on a Jackson Lake kayaking trip in Grand Teton National Park. It was 2 days of paddling and hiking, plus a night of camping.

The highlights according to Nicolas:

• Incredible scenery

• Surprisingly gourmet meals

• Surprisingly comfortable camp set-up

• Beautiful moments around the campfire

• Two young girls hooked on active, outdoor adventures

“When they wanted to paddle, they could paddle,” Nicolas says, describing how he and his wife took a daughter each in their tandem kayaks. “Sometimes they didn’t help — they actually paddled backwards. They also wanted to compete and finish before the other.”

The family even experienced one of the ever-present worries of outdoor trips: a rain storm. But, he says, the girls took it all in stride.

“It’s an adventure, but it’s very comfortable,” Nicolas says. “Even if you don’t know anything about [kayaking and camping], there’s no reason you can’t do it.”

With his busy business life, Nicolas says he appreciated the chance to get out of cell phone service and spend quality time with his daughters.

“It’s the perfect way to reconnect with the kids,” he says.

And the next day, his oldest daughter asked to go whitewater rafting. 

The wildlife, looking at the stars at night, the fog lifting off the lake in the morning, the hike over wooden bridges, bear scratches on a tree — it all had a big impact on them all.

“The kids still remember it,” he says.

 The Zibells will be joining the O.A.R.S. family again this summer, for a taste of whitewater on the Lower Klamath River in California.

Does you have a great family vacation story from an outdoor adventure? Feel free to share it in the comments below!

The post Is Our Youngest Paddler Tougher Than You? appeared first on River Currents.

It only took ten minutes. Just out of Jackson, a moose and her calf graze at their breakfast, barely registering our presence as the van sped past toward Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, a.k.a. “America’s Serengeti.”

The game, it seems, is afoot. Let the wild life begin.

We (myself and 5 other adventurers, plus Danny and Ali, our trusted guides) are heading into Wyoming’s wilderness for a week of solitude, sea kayaking and scenery. Everyone else is a seasoned outdoor-person. I, like Dave Barry, have always seen camping as nature’s way of promoting the motel industry. It promises to be an interesting week.

Passing Isa Lake, I crane my neck in hopes of spotting more animals. Choked with yellow water lilies, the lake straddles the Continental Divide, draining into both the Atlantic and the Pacific. Conversation in the van is centered around bears, who’ve been appearing in the headlines with alarming regularity this summer. Ali assures us that she’s never lost a guest to a grizzly. I resolve not to be the first.

Arriving At Yellowstone

The journey starts from the ground up at our arrival in Yellowstone. The ground, in this case, being Old Faithful, the most famous attraction in the world’s first national park. Wildfires engulfed much of the surrounding area in 1988. Charred trees near the sprawling Old Faithful Inn are a chilling reminder of how close the historic structure came to being destroyed.

Danny and Ali direct us down the slippery boardwalk, away from the crowds queuing at the “front” of Old Faithful. Just a few hundred feet away, there’s an unobstructed view of the eruption. The air is thick with sulphur and a boy walks by holding his nose. A hawk poses haughtily on a fossilized tree. Hoof prints inside the barriers mark where elk and bison have broken through the brittle igneous rock. The earth’s crust here is thin, the molten magma closer to the surface than any other place on the planet. Dragonflies flit among the fumerols, their rust color matching the reddish iron oxide deposits.

We bid goodbye to the geysers and head to Yellowstone Lake for a quick kayak introduction. Nicknamed “divorce boats,” tandem sea kayaks are nonetheless known for their stability. But wind has whipped up 4-foot whitecaps on the lake, so the paddle is postponed in favor of a trip to geothermal paint pots. Rain clears the modest crowds, who stream back to their cars as we make our way along the jewel-toned craters. Mayflies flutter, making the most of their 24 hours of life. Mud ponds belch “bloop bloop.” If a dinosaur appeared in the midst of this landscape, no one would be surprised.

Day Two: Breakfast & Bald Eagles

And no one is more surprised than me the next morning. Danny’s cry of “Good morning, campers! We’ve got coffee! We’ve got cocoa! We’ve got teas from around the world!” rouses me from a sound sleep. We’d camped at Grant Village, only to be immediately joined by a young elk who stretched out behind us, making her bed in a patch of wild strawberries. After dinner around the fire—pork loin and asparagus—I’d settled my sleeping bag atop a thick foam pad and had a five-star slumber. Surprise!

Refueled with bacon and blueberry pancakes, we make for Leeks Marina and make our first foray onto the water. Even in mid-August, the lake is numbingly cold, the kayaks’ stability reassuring. Ali heads off in the motorized support raft that holds our gear while we get to know the lake. Soon paddling basics have been mastered, and we skim smoothly across the clear waters, under the watchful Tetons. It’s like paddling in a postcard. Scenery: we’re soaking in it!

Two bald eagles monitor our approach to Colter Camp, on the lake’s western shore. We make camp in a flower-strewn clearing next to a small icy pond. After dinner, an animal approaches loudly through the brush. A small doe appears in the firelight. She circles the perimeter for most of the night, and well-guarded, I sleep.

Day Three: Kayaking & Surf-and-Turf

Morning comes with an osprey’s cry, and a hummingbird dive bombs the clearing as I’m folding the tent. The day’s paddle starts with a short detour north, where Ali guides us into the pond beside the campsite. A frigid stream burbles up to the surface. Heading south, glacier-fed waterfalls crash down to the lake. Ali stops and picks wild berries while telling tales of the area’s nature and history.

Heading across Moran Bay to Grassy Island, the wind picks up and the waves rise. Fighting our way across the water we arrive at Grassy Island, our base for two nights. Danny makes hot tea and cocoa while we hastily erect tents. When the rain stops, we feast on steak and salmon while mosquitoes make a meal out of me. The group takes turns testing insect repellents, and soon they’re (mostly) repelled.

Day Four: Hikes & Almost Bears

So far we’ve been traveling by paddle power, but the next morning it’s time to hike. Or bushwhack, actually, as Danny and Ali lead us up a steep trail that threads through dense undergrowth. I scramble over a freshly-fallen tree that is promptly named “Pants the Ripper.” A swift snowmelt-fed stream cascades besides the trail. This is prime bear territory (bearitory, if you will) so we make plenty of noise on the way to the summit. At the top, we’re rewarded with breathtaking views of the surrounding peaks.

After lunch, a quick paddle through Bearpaw Bay brings us to a trailhead leading to Leigh Lake, where we spot our first humans. Ranger Philips comes from his cabin to tell us about the black bear and 2 cubs he’d spotted shortly after dawn.

Leaving Leigh, we wander through a “Sound of Music” alpine meadow, laden with lupine and other alpine wildflowers, before returning to the island. Morning means saying goodbye to Grassy, as we head to the final campsite.

Day Five: Jaw-Dropping Views

Danny and Ali have saved the best for last. Spalding Bay is exceptional even in a jaw-dropping landscape, and my tent window faces what must be the most spectacular mountain view in North America. The site is littered with age-polished bones and eagle feathers, and watched over by 2 sandhill cranes. Tomorrow we’ll raft the Snake River, floating back to civilization. But today I can call this spot “home.”

This essay was originally created for the 2012 O.A.R.S. catalog. For more compelling stories from other renowned writers, request your catalog copy today!

The post Exploring Wyoming National Parks — An American Safari appeared first on River Currents.

Although Fiji was not in the budget at that time, the two adventurers settled on the Yellowstone & Grand Teton Explorer for their summer vacation. Why not take a trip to Wyoming and visit two national parks?

Perfect. Fiji could wait until another time.

During a hike to Bearpaw Bay and Trapper Lake the group crested a rise and was witness to a breathtaking view before them, which nearly brought tears to Erin’s eyes.

Someone called, “Hey, look at this dead crow!”

“Stop the celestial harp music,” Erin thought. “There goes my transcendent moment touched by the hand of God. I guess nature will be nature.”

The remainder of the trip was just the adventure they had hoped for, with stunning scenery, good company provided by the other guests, and guides in particular, with whom they felt an easy friendship, and an overall “it-feels-so-wonderful-to-get-away-from-it-all” theme.

Aaron says, “It was during this vacation that I decided I wanted to marry Erin.” In fact, they casually browsed for rings in Jackson Hole on their way out of town, and unbeknownst to Erin, he special-ordered her wedding ring and had it shipped to him once they returned home.

Once the engagement had been set, the two went about planning the details for the upcoming wedding.

One night over beers at a local watering hole, they were lamenting the fact that they wanted a small intimate wedding — which would for all intents and purposes eliminate Aaron’s rather large family — and their friend suggested they just elope. The thought was more than a little appealing and when they got home later that night they agreed that they would love to return to Wyoming and get married in the little meadow overlooking Trapper Lake.

In the back of his mind Aaron remembered that one of their guides from the Yellowstone/Grand Teton trip, Matt Parker, was an ordained minister of the Church of the Latter-Day Dude. He sent Matt an email who happily agreed to officiate the ceremony.

On July 7, 2011, after a 4-and-a-half-mile hike in, Aaron and Erin were officially married by Matt in front of 12 close friends and family on a little rock in the meadow, exactly one year after their first journey to Wyoming. A picnic lunch followed.

Afterward Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan and their guests hiked out for a small reception at Q Roadhouse in Jackson Hole.

Were you married in a national park? Are you looking for a super-special destination to tie the knot? Let us hear about it in the comments below!

The post Wedding Ideas? We Know A Few Special Places appeared first on River Currents.