On Monday, we left Yellowstone and headed down to the Grand Tetons. It was freezing cold when we left Madison Campground and rain was starting. We drove out of Yellowstone and stopped at the Flagg Ranch restaurant and visitor center right outside of the park. It was so cold and we had been driving for a couple of hours. I was chilled to the bone and I saw the restaurant and knew we would hang out there for awhile. We got grilled cheeses and soups and warmed up. Hubert had suggested earlier that morning a hot spring which he went to when he lived in Jackson. He got directions, but we all decided it was just too cold and we heard the river was too high to cross. But as we warmed up and the rain stopped, we decided to give it a try. We drove to the trailhead and looked at the river. We were able to find a spot that was easier to cross so we gave it a try! Once we found the hot springs, it was magical! The sun opened up for awhile and we sat in a valley of wildflowers in a natural hot tub! Life couldn’t be better.  But we had to hurry because another storm was brewing. It was pouring by the time we got back to Minnie Winnie, but we were laughing and happy!

After that, we drove straight to Colter Bay campground. Our site was beautiful and just a few steps from Jackson Lake and a view of the Tetons. But it was cold and rainy. We set off to do some laundry and warmed up in the laundry room facilities and enjoyed some wi-fi reception! 

We decided to stay in the Colter Bay area on Tuesday. We left the RV plugged in and explored the campground and surrounding park. We ate breakfast at the restaurant and then went to the Ranger Station. We learned about some local hikes so we packed a lunch and headed out on Lakeview trail. It was a 2 mile hike around the lake. It was spectacular. The views of the Tetons were unbelievable. We had lunch and sat on the beach. The beach was actually composed of rocks instead of sand. Hubert taught the girls how to skip rocks and it was so nice to be so relaxed. It was a God filled setting and it was a picnic that I will remember forever! On the back part of the trail, we saw deer and geese with their goslings! 

We rested for a bit and then decided to get the RV going. Hubert and I can’t stay still for too long. We drove to Jackson Lake Lodge which was a few miles down the road. It is a gorgeous hotel overlooking Jackson Lake. You walk into the lobby and the views of the Tetons are unbelievable!! We took pictures, called our parents and then decided to stay for dinner. The Mural Room is the fancy restaurant at the hotel. We got a table with views (although we looked like camper people that crashed the fancy place!) and enjoyed a nice dinner. The view was great and the food too, but we waited over an hour and a half for our food. Once the food finally arrived, the manager came over and said that our meal was on the house! Wow, it really was worth the wait!

We drove back to the campground and we were tired but content. It was about 9:45 and we were ready for bed. We saw some elk and 2 foxes as we drove back. When we got to our campsite, we were surprised – another camper was there! We had that spot for 3 nights and there was someone in our spot! So, Hubert went an knocked on the door. The man came out and was very nice (thank goodness, we were worried we might make someone mad!) He knew it wasn’t his spot and he came in late so he just grabbed our spot. Hubert was very nice to him as well and it paid off. He quickly left and we hooked back up! I was ready to fight for our gorgeous camping spot!

Wednesday morning we woke up to snow and temperatures in the 20s. You couldn’t even see the Tetons. We slept late and then took off unsure about our day. We had one more night at Colter Bay and wanted to see the surrounding areas. We drove down a long gravel road to a horseback riding place to see if we could ride. The cowboy in charge said we should wait another day until the sun is shining or we would be miserable. So, we changed our plans completely. We decided to drive a little longer and go to Jackson. We went to the town, shopped some and had a fantastic pizza at Pinky G’s. Hubert showed us where he had lived after college. On the way back to Colter Bay, the sun was breaking through so we went to the summit of a mountain and enjoyed the views. We also stopped at the Church of the Sacred Heart, a sweet Catholic chapel on Jackson Lake with amazing views. Very spiritual! We laughed though because Hubert can easily get star struck and he thought he saw Larry David (of Seinfeld fame) in the church! He made us stick around until he came out and of course, it wasn’t!! We have been teasing him ever since!

We ended our time at Colter Bay with baked potatoes and Uno and so good, but cold sleeping! It is definitely a place we want to return to!