We arrived at Snake River RV Park in Idaho Falls on 15 June 2023. It was a short drive from our last campground, but Idaho Falls is a nice city with lots of amenities we need before being in remote parts of Montana for the better part of a month. We went on a scenic loop drive in Idaho the day after we arrived. The scenic drive was Craters to Peake, Salmon River, and the Sawtooth Mountains. We were both amazed by the beauty of the green plains with rolling hills and mountains, as well as the cliffs and just their enormity. We stopped in a little town (Ketchum) for a break and saw a couple of historic buildings still standing from the 1800's. Below are the pictures we took on our scenic drive.
Miles and miles of beauty
Ketchum Idaho Visitor Center Jail circa 1890
Ketchum Idaho Visitor Center Jail door
Scenic Drive 16 June 2023
Pictures just don't capture the beauty we saw!
Sky was overcast, but it didn't rain that day
The next day (17 June 2023) headed out to Craters of the Moon National Park, but on the way saw a sign for free tours of the "EBR-1" museum. It was a small campus of buildings far from the main road with antennas and towers. We went in for the tour and found it be quite fascinating. The Experimental Breeder Reactor facility was first opened in 1951. At that time they needed lots of land and water to build the facility and while the land is obviously there, we were surprised to learn that they drilled about 600 feet down to the Snake River Aquafer and found enough water to cover the whole state of Idaho in 4 feet of water! The world's first peacetime use of nuclear power occurred when the U.S. Government switched on Experimental Breeder Reactor #1 (EBR-1) near Arco, Idaho, on December 20, 1951. The town of Arco became the first city in the world to be lit by atomic power from a reactor built near EBR-1, the BORAX III, on July 17, 1955. The tour was very interesting and Anita texted her godson, Daniel, who just graduated with his MS from the University of Tennessee in Nuclear Engineering. Turns out he had visited the same place not long ago and he started work on his PhD a couple of weeks ago! He sent a picture of himself in front of the same sign we got a picture of. We're very proud of Dans!
Out in the middle of nowhere (US Hwy 20/26 between Idaho Falls and Arco)
Daniel texted a picture of himself in front of this sign
Inside the museum
Inside the museum
Inside the museum
We finally made it after our stop at the museum for an hour
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
While in Idaho Falls, we went to Grand Teton National Park. Again, we were in awe of the beauty. We're amazed about how each place we visit has its own unique beauty. We were so struck by the Idaho plains on our scenic drive that we didn't see how the Grand Tetons could measure up, but they blew us away! We did the scenic drive through Grand Teton National Park and stopped to see a couple of chapels: Chapel of the Transfiguration and Chapel of the Sacred Heart. Chapel of the Transfiguration is a small log chapel, built in 1925, offers spectacular views of the Teton Mountain Range and a majestic place to pray. The Chapel will seat 65 people with additional seating outside, weather permitting. The Chapel of the Sacred Heart is on Catholic Bay of Jackson Lake. The beautiful chapel was built in 1937 and is recognized by the Teton County Historic Preservation Board as being more than 50 years old. The Catholic Church owns the chapel and usually offers Sunday masses during the summer. A picnic area is next to the chapel and offers views of Jackson Lake.
After we left Grand Teton National Park, we drove through Jackson Wyoming and noticed that the National Elk Refuge is there. Boy Scouts from that area collect shed elk antlers and sell them for fundraisers in the winter and spring. There is a park at the center of town with arches made of these antlers at each of the four corners of the park.
Episcopal Chapel of the Transfiguration Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Episcopal Chapel of the Transfiguration Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Episcopal Chapel of the Transfiguration Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Episcopal Chapel of the Transfiguration Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Catholic Chapel of the Sacred Heart Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Catholic Chapel of the Sacred Heart Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Altar of Catholic Chapel of the Sacred Heart Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Catholic Chapel of the Sacred Heart Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Catholic Chapel of the Sacred Heart Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Catholic Chapel of the Sacred Heart Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Lake Dam 17 June 2023
Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
While in the park, we saw a moose! This was the first Moose Anita's seen in person! We also got a good view of an Elk as we drove through the park.
Anita saw her first Moose at 9am on 17 June 2023
Anita saw her first Moose at 9am on 17 June 2023
Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
Elk seen on drive through Grand Teton National Park 17 June 2023
That afternoon, we did a hike up to Inspiration Point after a short ferry ride to the other side of Jenny Lake. We saw Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. The only down side of that hike was that there were no bathrooms and the constant sound of either trickling or running water! We saw Yellow-bellied marmots toward the end of the hike. Anita had see one of those in the campground and didn't know what it was. Mystery solved.
Shuttle goes across Jenny Lake carrying about 85 people
It was cold on the boat!
Jenny Lake hike
Jenny Lake hike
Hidden Falls 17 June 2023
Hidden Falls 17 June 2023
Jenny Lake hike
Jenny Lake hike
Jenny Lake hike
Jenny Lake ferry
Yellow-bellied Marmots
All four corners of this park in the center of Jackson Wyoming have these Elk antler arches
The weather wasn't great while we were in Idaho Falls. We ventured out anyway, but waited for one of the better days to walk around the town of Idaho Falls. Idaho Falls is a nice town and scenic in its own right.
Idaho Falls River Walk 20 June 2023
Idaho Falls River Walk 20 June 2023
Idaho Falls River Walk 20 June 2023
Idaho Falls River Walk 20 June 2023
Idaho Falls River Walk 20 June 2023
Idaho Falls River Walk 20 June 2023
Idaho Falls River Walk 20 June 2023
Our time in Idaho Falls has flown by! We've come to think of our week here as an "admin week" because we took care of stocking up on supplies for our time in Montana, we both got haircuts, we made reservations for the Fall and we found good prices on diesel to fill up for our 440 mile trip to West Glacier Montana tomorrow (22 June 2023).
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