The initial Grand Teton National Park, set aside by an act of Congress in 1929, included only the Teton Range and six glacial lakes at the base of the mountains.
The Jackson Hole National Monument, decreed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt through presidential proclamation in 1943, combined Teton National Forest lands with other federal acres, plus Jackson Lake and a 35,000-acre donation by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. The Rockefeller properties continued to be privately owned until December 16, 1949 when an impasse for inclusion into the initial national park was resolved. On September 14, 1950, the original 1929 Park and the 1943 National Monument (including Rockefeller's acreage) were united into a ‘new’ Grand Teton National Park, with its current, more expansive boundary.
There are many outdoor recreation activities to choose from at Grand Teton National Park. During the summer you can hike, walk, view wildlife, take photographs, backpack, camp, climb, fish, swim, boat, float, canoe and bike. In winter skiing and snowshoeing are popular activities.
Did you know that the black stripe, or dike, on the face of Mount Moran is 150 feet wide and extends six or seven miles westward? The black dike was once molten magma that squeezed into a crack when the rocks were deep underground, and has since been lifted skyward by movement on the Teton fault.
Grand Teton National Park is home to the largest bird in North America? The Trumpeter Swan weighs 20-30 pounds and lives in the valley year-round in quiet open water.
The pronghorns are the fastest mammals in the western hemisphere? They can run up to 70 mph, but do not like to jump fences! In the summer, pronghorn live along Antelope Flats Road, but in fall they migrate almost 200 miles to central Wyoming.
Grand Teton National Park is a wonderful place to visit any time of year, but fall is especially magical for a number of reasons. Beautiful fall colors, wildlife, and smaller crowds make for a wonderful and relaxing time of year. In general, fall in the Tetons lasts from the beginning of September through mid-October. But like all natural events, fall depends on local climatic conditions. The amount of rainfall and the nighttime temperatures both play important roles in determining fall colors. While no one can accurately predict exact "peaks" of fall colors, in the Tetons, the third week in September has historically been about the peak for fall colors. And of course, some years are better than others! No matter when you come in the fall, the park holds many wonders to explore.
The Teton Range has large stands of deciduous trees whose leaves blaze mostly yellow and orange (and occasionally red) shades in the fall. Cottonwoods line the banks of the Snake River and other creeks in the area. Aspens are found on hillsides and scattered throughout the park's moist areas. Numerous species of willows, as well as other shrubs, transform lake and canyon trails into yellow and red carpets in the fall.
Fall is also an important time for the deer species, whose annual rut (breeding season) takes place during this time. Male elk actively bugle to signal their dominance and attract females, an eerie sound that pierces early evenings. You may even witness a sparring match between two dominant male elk - an incredible sight to behold.
The bull moose in the park are also actively searching for females and may at times spar for dominance too. Bears are actively searching for the berries and any other food source they can find, as they only have a few short weeks left to gain the additional fat they will need to survive hibernation. Since so much wildlife is active (and often aggressive) in the fall, please remain a safe distance. Whether you are on foot or in your vehicle stay 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from all other large animals.
Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your reservation needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.
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Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
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