Wind River & Tetons, WY

From Lander WY we head northwest on Hwy 287 towards the Wind River Range and the Grand Tetons. Our first stop is at the Wind River Trading Company in Fort Washakie WY. This part of the Wind River Reservation is home to both the Eastern Shoshone and Arapaho tribes. The Trading Post is well worth seeing. Beyond the usual knickknacks and tee shirts for sale is a back room with beautiful examples of Shoshone beadwork. As I drool over expensive beaded purses, the saleslady tells me about an upcoming festival and parade where many locals would be wearing beaded clothing which has been passed down within families for generations.  Unfortunately, we don't have the time to stay for the festival. Maybe next time?

Ahhh - the open road again

through red sandstone foothills towards the

Wind River Range ahead

and lovely ranches

In Dubois WY, we drop in the National Bighorn Sheep Center - an interesting and informative stop. We had no idea that Bighorn sheep are found on  all the continents (except Antarctica).

Entrance to Bighorn Sheep Center

Beautiful ram

Back on the road we are treated to intriguing glimpses of the Bridger-Teton Wilderness up ahead. It's so close to both the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks, that not many visitors area make here - just our kind of place. We turn off on a Forest Service dirt/gravel road that leads us to Turpin Meadow Campground. About a mile before the campground, Peter spots a large grizzly bear and stops so we can get a picture of her.  I'm skeptical of getting a clear shot as she runs off... but much to my amazement, she turns around at the edge of the woods to get a better look at us and I'm able to snap a decent photo of her.

Bridger Wilderness

Forest Service road to camp

Female Grizzly stops to check us out

Turpin Meadow Campground is uncrowded and covered in Spring wildflowers (along with some mosquitoes). After getting set up, we dig out our mosquito suits and grab cameras to explore our new surroundings.

Turpin Meadow

Our campsite in a field of wildflowers

Douglas Irises

The campground is next to Turpin Meadow Ranch, which turns out to be a fancy dude ranch catering to well off clients. With it's sweeping views of both the Bridger wilderness and the Grand Teton Range, it's easy to see why people would come here.

Turpin Meadow Ranch gate

Main lodge

Buffalo Fork of the Snake River

While we are taking pictures of the Buffalo Fork of the Snake River and the Tetons, two employees at the Dude Ranch come by. They are very friendly and say they are busy getting ready to open soon for their summer season.  We tell them about the large grizzly bear we saw on the way in.  They laugh and say she is called "Brownie" and while she looks quite fierce, she is well behaved and keeps her distance from humans.  They also say their horses are currently being unloaded and will soon be moving to open meadows. If we'd like some good photos we should hang out a few minutes.  Sure enough, soon a herd of horses comes galloping over the bridge towards the open meadows.  They are being herded by a wrangler on his horse and two dogs.  The wrangler stops to talk to us and we ask him about his dogs.  He looks like he just stepped out of a Hollywood western, but his guy is no actor, he's the real deal.

Horses galloping over bridge

into the open meadow

Herding dog loves his job

Horses in afternoon light

Sugar? Apple? Carrots?

The donkey and mule always hang out together

This sweet big mare loves scratching her belly on a bush

Ahh - feels so good!

Idyllic western scene

Life doesn't get much better for horses than high open meadows in the Spring

Morning on the Buffalo Fork

All too soon, it's time to saddle up and head for the hills - the Grand Tetons, that is.  No matter how many times we've seen this mountain range or how many tourists are crowded into the view points, they never cease to captivate us.
We stop in Jackson WY for lunch.  Even though it's still early in the summer season, the town is chock full of visitors.  We pick a nice sandwich shop with some outdoor tables.  While we are enjoying our lunches, we can't avoid overhearing a conversation at a table next to us.  Apparently a former NYC woman is looking to buy a multi-million-dollar home to relocate here and start a new life (it's not clear if she's a recent widow or divorcee).  We wonder what is becoming of the American West where big city folks are willing to pay millions to move out here.  We guess something's gained, but something's lost as well. Yes - everything changes, just not always for the better.

Leaving Jackson Hole

and back to the wide open spaces