Posts Tagged ‘pit stops’
Making The Most Of A Weekend At Grand Teton National Park With Kids
Fresh off of a 22-day Road Trip through the American West, Amy over at Pit Stops For Kids has put together an informative article for our readers in anticipation of Fee Free Days at our National Parks this coming weekend. We hope you enjoy!
Grand Teton National Park is one of those destinations that sneak up and surprise you with its (often unsung) beauty and dignity. And it need not worry about being upstaged by next door neighbor Yellowstone; what Teton lacks in geysers it more than makes up for in lack of traffic and crowds and an abundance of hiking, rafting, horseback riding, fishing, and camping.
Located directly to the south of Yellowstone (one park admission gets you into both), Grand Teton is manageable in size, making it easy for families to plan morning and afternoon activities with a mid-day break at their hotel, lodge, or campground. If you have time, day trips to both Yellowstone and Jackson Hole are worthwhile, but if only have a weekend (or just prefer to stay put), there’s plenty to keep you occupied within the park boundaries.
What to See with Kids:
Jenny Lake and Surrounding Areas: Many Grand Teton lakes will vie for your attention, but our families favorite hiking was along the shore of Jenny Lake and up to Hidden Falls. This beautiful landmark can be accessed by either hiking trail from the String Lakes Trailhead (1.5 mile hike in on level terrain) or by shuttle boat from the Jenny Lake Dock by Jenny Lake Lodge.
Jackson Lake by Horseback: Experience Grand Teton true cowboy-style with a horseback ride in the Jackson Lake area. (Stables are located at Colter Bay Village.) As you ride, your ‘wrangler’ will tell you many facts about the area, you’ll get plenty of photo ops of the mountains, and maybe spot some wildlife. Kids as young as eight can ride and it’s a great way to cover more ground than you would hiking!
Grand Teton Range by Bike: Bring or rent bikes to take advantage of the 8-mile-long multi-use pathway that runs along the Teton Park Road from Moose to South Jenny Lake through breathtaking scenery. The path is exposed, so plan on morning or evening bike rides!
Where to Stay with Kids:
There are several good lodging options within the park, but for lake access and family conveniences, moderately-priced Colter Bay Village cannot be beat. Truly an entire community of its own, Colter Bay has a marina with boat and canoe rentals, horseback stables (see above), two family friendly restaurants, a visitor’s center with a Native American heritage center, a convenience store, and a campground, tent cabins, or full cabins to choose from. Our family opted for a cabin, and found both the location (yards from the lake) and amenities (comfortable beds, private bathroom with shower, in-cabin heater) to be a nice change to roughing it. Add the evening campfire program and ice cream for sale in the store, and you’ve got kid heaven!
Photos and text provided by Amy at Pit Stops for Kids.
Disclosure
Three National Parks To Visit During Fee Free Days
Fee Free Days at our National Parks is upon us once again. Next weekend, August 14-15, the National Parks Service is waiving entrance fees at over 100 National Parks. This is a great opportunity to explore a bit of wilderness before the kids head back to school later this month.
To get you started, we’ve come up with our three favorite parks to visit this August.
- Glacier National Park – With all roads open for only a few short months each year, this is an opportune time to visit Glacier National Park in the late summer months. What makes it even better is that this year, they are celebrating their centennial – it has been 100 years since they became our 10th National Park in 1910. If you only have a day, drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road (or take a tour), take a ranger led hike (or one of your own) and visit the Many Glacier hotel for a quick lunch or to enjoy a one-hour cruise on Lake McDonald (only $14.95/$7.95). Amy over at Pit Stops For Kids recently visited with her family on her 22-day Road Trip – check out what she has to say about Glacier National Park and the Many Glacier Hotel.
- Lava Beds National Monument – Thinking about the record high temperatures that have hit much of the nation the last few weeks, I’m thinking that the kids might like to explore somewhere cool and cool. One of the more remote parks in California, Lava Beds National Monument offers over two-dozen lava tube caves that can be explored on your own. These vary in difficulty, but there are plenty that are family friendly (we did it with a one year-old). As a bonus, the temperature inside is always a cool 52-55ºF.
Exploring outdoors yields lots of cool stuff too, like Native American pictographs (Symbol Bridge/Big Painted Cave/Petroglyph Point), a deep wide crater to peer into or how about climbing a spatter cone. In this mountain region, even outdoor peak summer temperatures hover in a comfortable range (75-80ºF). Check out these tips on caving before you head out. - Valley Forge National Historical Park – For our East Coast friends we recommend Valley Forge. Known as the winter encampment for General Washington and his troops, Valley Forge has lots to offer in the way of both nature and history. Start at the visitor center with a 30-minute film chronicling the trials, tribulations and sheer exhaustion of those men who fought to win our independence.
Take a 40-minute ranger led tour (free), hop on the 90-minute trolley tour (fee) or wander around on foot or motorized carriage (your car) on a self guided tour of the park. Kids always love the interpreters at Washington’s Headquarters and Muhlenberg’s Brigade. Thankfully, you’ll always be able to find some shade to escape the sun on a warm summer day. Bring a picnic lunch and be sure to stop at the playground where your younger kids can burn off some energy. Note that this park is free at all times.
If you are a family on a budget, be sure to take advantage of Fee Free Days next weekend and be sure to check out the remaining dates throughout the year. You can find lots more information on our National Parks right here on our website. And…be sure to check back on Monday when we have a special guest post on spending a weekend in Grand Teton National Park with kids.
If you enjoyed these photos and would like to see more, visit Photo Friday at Deliciousbaby.
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