Driving, hiking and bears...oh my!

There’s nothing like a good summer vacation to renew and satisfy the working soul, especially when you venture to the great outdoors.

This summer, our week-long trip consisted of backcountry camping in the Grand Tetons and camping in Yellowstone, which weeks of planning went into. I didn’t grow up camping and I’ve only tent camped a couple times in my life, and I was about to embark on a whole new, unknown journey into the woods.

If you’re considering visiting the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, it’s a doable trip even for a long weekend from Colorado. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when going to these national parks that I’m glad I know now.

Grand Tetons

I don’t think I’ve ever experienced more beauty than when I camped in the backcountry of the Grand Tetons. The mountain range is magnificent and breathtaking, and the forest and wetlands are like a whole other world.

If you’re feeling adventurous, try backcountry camping. This was my first experience camping in the back woods and it was 100 percent worth it, even though you’re constantly bombarded with being bear aware (which didn’t exactly soothe my mind).

Before this trip, we basically had no camping gear and had to completely outfit ourselves for this trip with all the gadgets we would need. This included items like a water filter (yes, you still have to filter your water even though it looks crystal clear), fire starters, mini cooker, lots of bug spray, toilet paper (you’ll be glad you brought this), and bear spray, among other things.

That’s right, bear spray. I’d never heard of bear spray, but supposedly it works really well if a bear is approaching you. Luckily we didn’t have to find out or actually use it, but we had it on us at all times, and I mean every moment of the day. And this stuff isn’t cheap, about $45-$50 which I thought was expensive… but if it’s going to save my life, I’ll buy it.

If you want a unique experience, but aren’t feeling too adventurous, some good spots to backcountry camp are along Leigh Lake. There are three campsites right along the lake which have fire pits already set up and convenient bear boxes available for your food.

To get to the sites is about a 2 to 2.5 mile hike, which is fairly flat and not too difficult. We camped about 4.5 miles in, which was more isolated and made for a lot of walking if we wanted to leave our campsite. I would recommend the Leigh Lake campsites, because you’re not too far from the main trailhead if you want to leave or do another hike for the day.

Two hikes I would recommend if you’re staying anywhere in the Grand Tetons are the Paintbrush Canyon and Cascade Canyon hikes. There is a whole loop that joins these hikes together, but you have to cross the mountain divide and the total mileage is around 22 miles. Although it’s doable in a day (we miraculously did it), a lot of people will hike part of it then camp for the night. However, you can just hike one canyon for as long as you want and then hike the other on a different day.

The backcountry parts of these mountains are beautiful and there are many chances to see wildlife. We always had our bear spray with us because you never know when you’re going to come across a grizzly or black bear (scary!), but there are also moose in the wetland areas. We saw one about 25 yards away on our hike out of Cascade Canyon, and it was a sight to behold.

We also saw many people paddle boarding, kayaking and canoeing along Leigh Lake and Jenny Lake. There are numerous activities for adults and parents to do besides hike or camp. It’s also fun to visit the Jackson Lake Lodge, a historic lodge in the Tetons.

Yellowstone

Driving up to Yellowstone takes only about one hour from the Tetons, so it’s worth it to see both parks. We camped at a regular campsite in Yellowstone and had our car right next to us, which was a nice break from camping in the woods.

Yellowstone seemed to have more wildlife, including bison, elk and wolves, so we decided it would be better to car camp than venture into the forest. The scenery is very different from the Tetons. There isn’t one large mountain range at Yellowstone, which I was expecting to see. However, there are beautiful forests throughout and even some desert scenery in the northern parts of the park.

If you have one or two days to spend there (which I think is plenty), it’s a must to see Old Faithful go off. The geyser goes off about every 90 minutes, which is why it’s aptly called Old Faithful. The lodge there has some neat sites.

Driving up to the Hayden Valley area is also a must, because you are sure to see wildlife; mainly elk and bison, but people also see bears and even wolves (which are rare to see). The main downside of Yellowstone we experienced was all the driving we had to do to get anywhere, and with all the crowds, we felt like we were battling to see the sites.

I would refer to Yellowstone as the Disneyland of national parks; I was surprised with how crowded it was. We decided to drive around the whole park in one day (not sure if that was a good idea or not), but we got to see everything we wanted to. The Mammoth Hot Springs was another good thing to see, although it took about two hours to drive up there. Seeing the mud volcanoes and many other geysers around the park is also a must, but be warned they don’t smell pleasant.

Seeing the national parks in our country is something special that not everyone gets to do, so if you have the chance, take it. Even if you’re not a camper or hiker, there are plenty of other places to stay and things to do at Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons to make your experience pleasant.