RV Tour Leg 46 – Wyoming: Grand Teton and Thermopolis – Mountains, Hot Springs, and Wedding Memories

Yellowstone’s grandeur nestled perfectly with its neighbor—Grand Teton National Park. It’s no accident these are two separate parks: otherwise, Yellowstone plus the dramatic Tetons might just break the brain with beauty overload. The scenic loop around the park is only 44 miles—refreshingly manageable compared to Yellowstone’s sprawling 166 miles. We kicked off the drive with our trusty Shaka Guide GPS audio tour.

On top of Signal Mountain during our Shaka Guide audio tour

Our first stop was the Chapel of the Transfiguration. The moment I saw it, I thought, wait, I’ve been here before. If you read my Union, Oregon post, you’ll remember that in 1977 I road-tripped with my dear friend Beth. On that trip, she met Steve in Wyoming. We were roommates in 1979 and 1980, but by the summer of 1980 she had headed to Jackson, Wyoming, and—well—never quite made it back permanently to Minnesota. She and Steve found each other again, and the next thing I knew, I was in Jackson for their wedding in 1981.

The wedding party, outside Chapel of the Transfiguration - Beth and Steve in the middle. I'm am to the right of Beth and our dear friend Karin is to the right of me.

Where did they get married? You guessed it—at the Chapel of the Transfiguration. Back then, renting it cost just $50. Today, it’s closer to $10,000. Beth jokes that they should have bought a little land near Jackson while they were at it.

After 38 years of marriage, Beth and Steve returned to the chapel, and Steve re-proposed. She still said “yes.”

Beth and Steve outside the Chapel of the Transfiguration - 38 years after their wedding (42 yeas after our road trip)

She still said "yes" - 38 years later. Amazing how one's life can change with one chance encounter in 1977.

The loop drive offered jaw-dropping views of Jenny Lake, the Snake River, and the Teton Range itself. The geology here is fascinating: the Tetons are fault-block mountains, created when massive blocks of the Earth’s crust were thrust upward along a fault line. Unlike many mountain ranges, there are no foothills—the peaks rise abruptly from the valley floor. This sharp, dramatic uplift makes them look especially striking.

The Tetons don’t do warm-up acts—no foothills, just raw, jagged beauty straight from the valley floor

By afternoon, storms rolled in, draping the mountains in moody clouds and giving us those “postcard-perfect” moments that make every mile worth it.

The Snake River winding below as storm clouds muscle their way over the Tetons.

The next day, we hopped on the beautiful paved bike trail and rode to the Taggart Lake trailhead. We couldn’t resist, given our running nerd joke: David and I are huge Galaxy Quest fans. He’s Captain Taggart (Tim Allen), piloting our starship-sized truck and fifth wheel, while I—like Lieutenant Madison (Sigourney Weaver)—dutifully repeat whatever the GPS says. Hiking the Taggart Lake trail felt like destiny.

Cruising the valley bike trail to Taggart Lake — smooth pavement, open air, and the Tetons showing off the whole way.

Mission accomplished — Captain Taggart (aka David) and his trusty lieutenant at Taggart Lake

Winding our way back to the bike trail from Taggart Lake

Mama moose, having lunch along side the trail. The baby was nearby too.

We also explored the town of Jackson. Since we’re cutting the trip short to attend a memorial service for a dear friend, Jackson was the perfect place to pick up clothes suitable for the service and tame my shaggy hair. The town didn’t disappoint—cute shops, a lively happy hour, and a good dose of mountain-town charm.

Enjoying the quaint town of Jackson - obviously taken before my shaggy locks were trimmed

Our spacious and beautiful campsite at Gros Ventre Campground - Grand Tetons. Lots of room outside for Daphne.

With our plans reshuffled, we skipped Wind Cave and Badlands and instead detoured to Thermopolis, Wyoming. What a surprise that turned out to be. Hot Springs State Park was a gem: free entry, thanks to an 1897 treaty with the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes that guaranteed public access to the hot springs forever. Mineral-rich waters flow over rocks, leaving behind striking travertine terraces and cliffs. The famous “Tepee Fountain,” built around 1906, is now an ever-growing blob of colorful mineral deposits.

Travertine terraces at Hot Springs State Park - Thermopolis, WY

TePee Fountain - water is still pouring out of the top

This is what TePee fountain looked like back in 1906 - amazing what years of mineral deposits can do!

Views of Hot Springs State park from our hike up T Hill

The town itself charmed us, too, with an impressive dinosaur museum and a cozy microbrewery. We soaked in the hot springs, slept like rocks, and even spotted a few bison on the park’s hiking trails.

Impressive Dinosaur museum in Thermopolis, WY

Bison hanging out at Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, Wyoming

From here, our path winds toward Minnesota. We’ll stop at a few state parks, pick up some hiking club trails, and make sure we’re still on the road to round out the full year. We’ll be home by August 29—road weary, hearts full.

Closing the circle and heading home