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Back in July of this summer (2023) my family and I went to Wyoming for a week and saw the Jackson Hole; the Teton Mountains and the South Loop of Yellowstone Nation Park. Below are some of my favorite pictures of this vacation. I have never been out "West" before so this was a totally new experience. The landscape and scenery of Wyoming is absolutely beautiful.
Our vacation started flying out of O'Hare in Chicago and taking a direct flight to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Jackson Hole Valley is home to three ski resorts and the town of Jackson, Wyoming. Jackson has a lot of bars, restaurants, and shopping -- and is pretty "swanky". I tried to fit in with the hip Jackson Hole crowd by wearing yellow sunglass and a Mangy Moose cap . . . . but . . . my kids wouldn't allow me to be in public with that "trendy" look - LOL! Even with my yellow sunglass - the real star of Jackson Hole still remained -- the beautiful Teton Mountains.
After getting settled in -- one of the first things we did was take a gondola ride up to the top of the Teton Mountain next to where we were staying. In the winter the mountain is known for great skiing. In the off-season, people go up to hike the trails at the top of the mountain. When you get off of the ski lift there is "Corbin's Cabin" which serves its famous waffles - everyone has to eat a waffle while at the top of the Grand Tetons!
As you drive around the Teton Mountains there are various trails and "lookouts" that you can stop and take in the views. The barn pictured above is one of the last buildings remaining from a Mormon Settlement years ago that you can visit called "Mormon Row". Wherever you go - the mountains are always there!
The Teton Mountains are on the southern border of Yellowstone National Park. The Park was a 2.5 hour drive from where we were staying - so we drove around the "Southern Loop" of Yellowstone -- which included the famous geyser - "Old Faithful". Above is the picture of Old Faithful's plume of steam and water when we were there. You can also see a pic of the huge crowd that gathers every 90 minutes or so to see Old Faithful erupt. There is a huge bed of molten lava under Yellowstone which has erupted three times over the millennia -- you can see the map showing that ash from the eruptions has covered up to half of the United States. If you are lucky - you can stay at the Old Faithful Inn -- a beautiful lodge built in the early 1900's.
One last place we stopped while in Yellowstone was the "Pismatic Springs". These are one of the largest hot springs in the world. The water that comes up to the surface from these springs has minerals in them that make the springs multi-colored. There is a boardwalk pathway set up so you can walk right through the springs.
Even with all of the beautiful sites and new experiences - the best part of taking this vacation was being with my wife Kara and my kids for a week straight. We are all so busy and the kids are now young adults and will soon be on their own. I am very grateful for this time with them and the memories that were made.
This article is a service of Attorney Chad A. Ritchie and the Ritchie Law Office, Ltd.
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