Oregon/Idaho High Desert

Bend, Oregon to Mountain Home, Idaho

Followed the Oregon Trail route across the high desert from eastern Oregon to Idaho.  Can’t imagine how they did this in wagons.  Stayed in Mountain Home, Idaho for a few days to be able to plug in during the heat and use our air conditioner.

Juniper bushes

Juniper Campground, Ririe, Idaho

Found a great county park campground at a dam, and “damn nice it was”.  Juniper bushes around 15 feet tall that smelled great, made us crave a gin and tonic.

Grand Teton National Park

After a hair-raising drive through Teton Pass (10% uphill grade, we white-knuckled it up the pass), we arrived in Jackson, Wyoming.  Headed just a few miles out of Jackson to Grand Teton National Park.  The mountains seem to spring right out of the prairie.  I think we probably say this at each and every park, but "this might be our favorite".  

Jackson Wyoming from the top of Teton Pass 

Grand Teton National Park view

Gros Ventre Campground, Teton National Park

Our campsite was surrounded by sagebrush with a view of the Tetons.  A huge bull moose walked through the campground early our first morning there. Buffalo were roaming along the road.  The sunsets were spectacular!

Moulton Barn on Mormon Row in Grand Teton

Sunset in the Tetons

Jackson Lake at Colter Bay

Moved to this campground on Jackson Lake in the Tetons.  Nice trail from our campsite to the lake and a little village with a general store just down the path.   

Yellowstone National Park  

Yellowstone Lake visitor center

Drove the highway between Grand Teton and Yellowstone.  Only stayed in Yellowstone for the day.  It seems to have a little of everything - lakes, gorges, rivers and geysers.  Wish we could have spent more time here.  That might be another trip.

Bighorn Mountains 

Drove through the Bighorn Mountains to get into South Dakota.  Seems that each mountain range has its own unique appeal.  Lots of driving in low gear on steep downgrades in a really rugged mountain range.  Again, gorgeous scenery!

Badlands National Park

Devil's Tower on the road to the Badlands

Last national park on the tour.  We had been here once many years ago but enjoyed it just as much the second time.  Surreal.

Kilen Woods

Spent our last night of the trip back in Minnesota at a really pretty Minnesota State Park, Kilen Woods, outside of Worthington.  

The State Parks in Minnesota are unrivaled by any state parks we saw on the trip. 

Back to Northeast the next day.  

Guess there’s no place like home…

Time to plan the next trip.