Grand Tetons and Jackson, Wyoming

View from the Tram Summitt
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 We awoke early and ate at the breakfast buffet in the Lake Dining Room. 

As we were driving out of the Park for the last time, we saw a bull elk with a small harem.  He was obviously in the rut.  He was right along the road.  As he walked into the trees, he bugled three times.  Ken was beside himself with excitement.

He finally saw a moose!

Bull Moose
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After leaving Yellowstone, we entered Grand Teton National Park and drove through it.  It was very pretty, but we would have enjoyed it more if we hadn’t spent the last 3 days in Yellowstone.  It’s hard to compete with Yellowstone.

Before entering Jackson, Wyoming, we stopped at the National Wildlife Art Museum.  The best art museum we have ever experienced.  The exhibits were excellent and background information on many of the art works was presented.  There was also an exhibit of sketches from Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, which was unique.  At the entrance and around the museum were beautiful animal works of art. 

Bull elk chasing his harem
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Across the road from the Museum is the National Elk Refuge.  Elk come down from the mountains each winter and they are feed for 2 months in the spring to get them through the harsh season.  The local Boy Scouts pick up the shed antlers each spring and auction them off in the Town Square in May.  On each of the 4 corners of the Town Square are arches made of elk antlers.  It’s quite an impressive sight to see.  Along one side of the square sits the Cadillac Café, where we ate dinner. 

Grand Tetons National Park
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After leaving the museum we drove to the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Aerial Tramway.  This new tramway was placed into service December 2008.  There are two cars and each car holds 100 people.  It has a vertical rise of 4,139 feet.  The summit elevation is 10,450 feet.  It takes 12 minutes to make the trip to the top.  Our driver told us that he skis off of this mountain top.  Unbelieveable!

Entrance to the National Wildlife Art Museum
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One of our fellow passengers had seen moose down the road from the tram, so as we left we headed in their direction, down Moose Wilson Road.  At the end of the road, we found two bull moose lying along the river.  Ken and 100 other people jumped out of their vehicles to take pictures.  This fulfilled all of Ken’s wildlife viewing dreams.  He finally saw a moose!