We are just wrapping up out 2 weeks in Yellowstone and Grand Teton NPs. We left Yellowstone on the 30th so direct impact to us on the park closing. We saw and shot bison, elk, black bear, grizzle, trumpeter swan pair in Firehole river, bawl eagle along Firehole river. Yep, it was the usual set of animals one expects to see in Yellowstone.
We are having our last day in Grand Teton. The park is closed at Moran Junction to the north. The main road from Jackson Hole to Dubois is open. Yesterday we drove to Dubois for lunch. We highly recommend Cowboy Cafe on their main street. When we left GTNP, all the turnouts on the main road were open....only the roads between Wilson and Moose plus the road from Moose to Moran Junction area around Jenny Lake were closed. When we got back from Dubois, there were barriers at all of the main road turnoffs inside the park!!!! Yep, all those turnouts to overlook the Tetons or Snake river were barricaded!!!!!
Because the overnight snow in the mountains, we went to Mormon Row to shout the barn (really the mountains and clouds). We were there a few minutes when a Ranger drove up to tell use we had 5 minutes to leave the entire Antelope Flats area because they were getting ready to close the roads and lock the gates. I can understand doing that to prevent folks from have trouble out in remote areas around Jenny Lake. But Antelope Flats?
So were drove north to Moran Junction area shooting bison and moose along the way. When we headed back south 2 hours later....all the turnout barriers were gone. Thank goodness!!!! But Antelope Flats is close to all except residents. You can still go east on Gros Ventre road toward Kelly and Slide Lake. We shot moose and pronghorns along there this afternoon. Past Kelly you could either turn right to follow Gros Ventre east to wards Slide lake....or...continue to Ditch Creek (the road to the Teton School) or continue on to Shadow Mountain road which takes you to the dirt road into the GT forest....which has no gates.
So can you get around the GTNP area and shot some nice landscapes and animals? Yes. Do you have the same opportunities as when the park is open....definitely not. I would not recommend folks to head here as an alternative to the closed Yellowstone. Both are great parks....but with very different resources/opportunities.
Please no rants about the politics in Washington. Do that elsewhere.
