Day 2....Busy, Fun, Scenic, Cold, Wet.....All Good!

We woke up early and headed to Oxbow Bend. We were hoping to get there for sunrise, but sunrise was at 6:11. I know it's surprising, but somehow we didn't make it.

We got there just before 7. It was obviously already pretty bright, but the reflections were still really nice!

We moved around to a few different spots, trying to find the best view.

I can't remember what they found - maybe a bird.....

I found my own treasure.

It looks like the back part of the lake is covered in a thin layer of ice.

The sun was rising fast and we had a lot to see.

Near where we saw all the bison, horses, and antelope the day before, we saw this deer taking his time crossing the road. Lucky for him, it's still early and not a lot of cars are on the road yet.

We were excited to see Schwabacher Landing again in morning light versus evening light.

It's lookin' good so far! The image with the fence was taken from the parking lot.

Not too far down the trail, there is an abundance of greens, blues, and whites.

Even though our car thermometer said 43 when we started driving, it warmed up quickly and was beautiful and sunny - no wind.

We didn't even need our coats.

This is almost a perfect reflection!

We hiked the same trail as the day before.

Everything pretty much looked the same, except that the sun was hitting the face of the mountains giving the scene a softer, greener feel.

The trail meanders along side this glass stream, branches of Snake River, which makes amazing reflections.

This is just another one of those areas where we just couldn't stop clicking.

I was so glad we stopped here again. It is even better in the morning sun. I knew it would be. The water is crystal clear. I was hoping my images would show that and I think they do.

Birds were swooping in and flying by. I tried to get these two, but they came in so quickly, I didn't have time to change my settings. I was shooting on 1/200 shutter, which is much too slow for fast birds.

Even though these aren't sharp, I post them for the memories.

This looks like a Bob Ross scene - so many pines.

I just realized that I took the same picture twice - once on the hike in and once on the hike out - both with my camera.

I always think that you can never have too many photos. Well, maybe you can. No, you just can't.

And just like that, clouds are moving in.

A zoom with the big lens captures the peak and a robin.

There were several beavers in this area. A couple were working on their dams.

A glance to the south shows that we still have some promising weather - for now.

Just one more before we leave. Al got this guy - maybe a red-winged black bird?

We are definitely not bird experts.

Back to T A Moulton Barn, the most photographed barn in America.

It is much prettier in this morning light. Glad we made the drive south to see it again.

I'm not afraid to get dirty in an effort to get a better shot.

Not sure what I got from that position, but I like this composition.

This was taken straight-on with the long lens to show some of the barn's character and detail. The barn, which was built in 3 phases over a 25 year span, is all that remains from the T A Moulton homestead. His brother, John built his homestead just north of this sight. More on that in a moment.

Looking southwest.

Al enjoys stacking rocks. Abby took this and cropped a little too close for my taste but it's the only one we have, so I'll take it.

The barn is preserved today by both the Moulton family and Grand Teton NP.

Heading over to the other homestead, built by John Moulton. We just chose different styles to get there.

Mormon Row was settled in the 1890s when leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent members to establish new developments. Two brothers built these side by side homesteads.

This house and barn are built just north of Antelope Flats Road.

Several structures remain at this sight.

Including an outhouse.

More and more low clouds were rolling in.

No Worries. We just had an open air boat ride and a hike planned next! It's all part of the adventure.

JENNY LAKE

This was the most crowded place yet. We circled the parking lot 3 times before scoring a space. We hiked about half a mile to the lake.

I found this great aerial shot of Jenny Lake and Cascade Canyon on Jackson Hole Traveler.com site. They have lots of good information for things to do in this area. Check them out.

Unfortunately, our day looked nothing like this. It was almost completely overcast by the time we reached the boat and reluctantly boarded.

The skies looked promising in the distance, but we had to get there first. YIKES!

We were the first ones to board so we took the covered seats in the front. We arrived dry; not everyone did though, and ready to hike.

We followed the trail into Cascade Canyon. The elevation at the lake is 6783.

The trail turned and twisted along and over Cascade Creek, which had a ton of water flowing through it.

It's a very scenic, relatively easy hike, even on a rainy day.

The creek's sound was a roaring thunderous rumble through the forest.

Eventually, we found the waterfall, Hidden Falls. Its drop is about 200 feet.

The waterfall was a nice stop but with all the mist and moisture in the air, she quickly discovered that she needed her rain jacket.

Onward and Upward. Our destination is Inspiration Point.

It's about a 400 foot elevation change.

The view is improving so I think we're close to Inspiration Point.

I think on a beautiful sunny day, it would be gorgeous!

Since there really wasn't any dramatic scenery to shoot, we looked for other opportunities - like our boots that we bought just for this trip. We're all glad we did, because they are quite comfy, not to mention warm and dry. Abby and I had to order online. Women's hiking boots aren't that easy to find on the shelves in Florida, especially in the spring.

Three of the tallest peaks are behind us......Teewinot Mountain, Grand Teton and Mt. Owen.

Most of the hike was rain free and we even had time for a snack on top of the rocky ledge.

We grabbed a quick selfie and started back down the trail.

We didn't get far when we noticed these guys.

They were chasing each other around so fast, ducking in and out behind rocks and branches.

It looked like they were having a blast!

As we got closer to the raging stream, we, and others, were fascinated by this guy, a marmot. He wasn't too interested in us, but cautious that we were passing by.

Once we got near the boat dock, it started to rain. We were not first in line this time so we had to take a back seat on the boat, fully exposed to the elements. YIKES! It was a long, cold, wet 15 minutes cruise back to the other side of Jenny Lake.

A little clearing in the rain allowed me to get this image of the crystal clear water.

Abby and I went in the bathroom and used the blow dryers to help warm us up, then we went shopping in the gift shop. Meanwhile, Al found this tropical-looking little bird, the Western Tanager.

By the time we left Jenny Lake, it was mid afternoon. We wanted to stop by Jackson Resort, which is at the north end of the Tetons and overlooks the very scenic Jackson Lake.

There are lots of bright green and white birch trees at the northern end of Teton Park Road and also around Oxbow Bend.

Pretty landscaping at the entrance to the Jackson Resort.

Inside, the lobby area is huge, in all directions. The back wall is all windows, overlooking the Tetons and Jackson Lake. It's a pretty amazing view.

We walked the property, inside and out, looked in the gift shops, and warmed up at the fireplace. It was a cool place to hang out for a while. Abby had some tasty hot chocolate before it was time to leave for Yellowstone.

CLICK the Map below to follow along on the last day of our Journey through the Grand Tetons.