4th of July is a great time to head out and boondock somewhere new. The weather is warm and the nights long, giving you almost limitless options for staying outside. This year, I headed out with a friend to Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming for 4th of July week. We did some research before going and pinpointed a few areas we thought might offer great views of the Grand Teton, some much-needed seclusion, and easy access to hiking.
We were lucky to find a spot on a bluff right on the border of the Grand Teton National Park, directly overlooking Grand Teton. Bridger-Teton National Forest abuts the National Park, allowing for dispersed camping while maintaining easy access to the park. If you’re going to Grand Teton and want to avoid the crowds, I highly recommend crossing the highway and making a basecamp in Bridger-Teton. You’ll get all the views, wildflowers, and wildlife, yet with a much smaller, more authentic outdoorsy crowd.
The Teton Range is amazing. Geologically, the mountains here look like few others in North America. The rocks that make up the range are among some of the oldest on earth, up to 2.7 billion years old, yet the mountains themselves are among the youngest in the world. The mountains began their rise from the Teton fault nine million years ago and have endured extreme periods of glaciation all the way up until the last ice age. The large glaciers that once covered the area shaped the dramatic, rugged peaks, aretes, and horns that we see today. They are reminiscent of the Southern Andes in Patagonia, although those peaks have their own unique, almost cartoonish, glacier-cut shapes.
From our spot on the boundary of the National Park, there were many forest roads and trails to explore. We took my Subaru up to Shadow Mountain, which we’d heard had amazing Teton views and some more dispersed camping. It was about a five-mile offroad trek on some pretty rough roads, but Shadow Mountain did not disappoint. The views were incredible and there were many large shaded camping spots with fire rings, views, and excellent privacy. If you’re hauling a trailer or running in an RV, keep in mind this road is a 4×4 only affair. There are a couple of sections that are medium to high clearance and if you get stuck, there really aren’t any great options to turnaround. Also, bring your bug spray, the mosquitoes were extra-extra up here.
The last night of our stay, the moon wasn’t coming up until early morning, so we decided to stay up and watch the stars. Sunset in the Tetons is a glorious affair, with the mountains suddenly becoming back-lit into a picture-perfect silhouette. It didn’t take long for the Milky Way to make its appearance. We put the fire out, wrapped up in blankets with wine in hand, and just took it all in.
