Snake River along Grassy Lake Road


		Snake River along Grassy Lake Road Snake River along Grassy Lake Road west of Flag Ranch In this picture the Snake River is flowing a bit west of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway (the highway) and Flag Ranch. Flag Ranch is located a few miles north of the northern boundary of Grand Teton National Park so we are in between Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park in an area known as John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. This campsite and others on Grassy Lake Road and along the Snake River is actually in the area know as John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. When I saw the sign out on US-81 saying this was John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway I thought that was the name of the highway. In a way it is the name of the highway but it is also a large parcel of land surrounding some of the highway. The land (John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway) was originally part of Teton National Forest but was transferred to the National Park Service from the United States Forest Service to create an unbroken National Park connection between Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park. The parkway road itself extends from the northern end of Grand Teton National Park, through the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway lands, and then on to West Thumb Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park. The John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway (the highway) has a total length of 27 miles. The 24,000 acre John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway or PARK is managed by Grand Teton National Park. In the picture above you can see the northern reaches of the Teton Mountain Range in Grand Teton National Park. Grassy Lake Road connects Wyoming and Idaho across the northern end of the Teton Mountain Range. It is a gravel road and not well maintained on the Wyoming side. Snake River passing by a Free Campground on Grassy Lake Road Joyce took these pictures one day when we were in our Saturn exploring Grassy Lake Road. About one mile west of Flag Ranch on Grassy Lake Road we ran across a free campsite with a pit toilet which is standard for this area. The free campsite had spots for 4-RV's. The free campsites are in John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway as is Flag Ranch. Flag Ranch is located a few miles north of the northern boundary of Grand Teton National Park so we are in between Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park. 24,000 acres adjoining Yellowstone National Park on the north and Grand Teton National Park on the south is this area known as John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. The area is managed by Grand Teton National Park but they do not charge for these dry camping areas along the river. Snake River passing by a Free Campground on Grassy Lake Road The snow capped mountains in the background are the upper reaches of the Teton Mountain Range and are located in Grand Teton National Park. The Snake River is flowing toward those mountains here along Grassy Lake Road located in the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway between Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. Joyce took this picture from one of those free campsites provided the National Park in this section of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. Snake River passing by a Free Campsite on Grassy Lake Road What a beautiful campsite and to think it is free. We are situated beside the Snake River in John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway between Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park along Grassy Lake Road. Grassy Lake Road is an unimproved gravel road connecting Ashton, Idaho with western Wyoming across the northern reaches of the Teton Range. Grassy Lake Road is a rustic, scenic route from Flag Ranch near the southern entrance of Yellowstone west over the Idaho/Wyoming state line to Ashton, Idaho. It is a great launching point for many day hikes, wildlife viewing, fishing and snowmobiling, when the road is closed for the winter. The dirt road passes through beautiful wilderness and connects to Fish Lake, Grassy Lake, and Loon Lake trailheads. The area it bisects sees heavy snowfall during the winter and as a result is teaming with waterfalls. But this can also leave trails swampy and wet until midsummer. Snake River passing by a Free Campsite on Grassy Lake Road The Snake River is flowing along these free campsites off Grassy Lake Road in the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway west of Flag Ranch with a view of the northern end of the snow capped Teton Mountain Range in the distance. If you are trying to get locate Grassy Lakes Road travel north out of Grand Teton National Park, on US 89/191 to Flag Ranch, just south of Yellowstone, then turn west onto Flag Ranch there will be a fork in the road one fork to Flag Ranch the other to Grassy Lake Road. Snake River passing by a Free Campsite on Grassy Lake Road The Snake River is flowing past another beautiful campsite off Grassy Lake Road in John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. Back in the early 1900's (1911 to 1916 supplies for the Jackson Lake Dam in Grand Teton National Park came in on Grassy Lake Road, which runs west into Idaho where it met the nearest railhead at Ashton, Idaho. I hope Grassy Lake Road was better maintained in 1911 than it is today in 2011 otherwise the supplies and equipment to construct Jackson Lake Dam would never have made it in one piece. To just say Grassy Lake Road is poorly maintained on the Wyoming side would be an understatement. As I sit here writing this it has occurred to me that Jackson Lake Dam was constructed 100-years ago. Yes, construction started in 1911 on Jackson Lake Dam. That was a long time ago. Snake River passing by a Free Campsite on Grassy Lake Road Free campsites are scattered along Grassy Lake Road west of Flag Ranch in John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. The Snake River is a beautiful backdrop for this campsite. Snake River passing by a Free Campsite on Grassy Lake Road In this picture we are looking upstream on the Snake River from a free campsite along Grassy Lake Road in John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. The southern entrance to Yellowstone National Park is located to the left of that mountain less than 10-miles away. Snake River passing by a Free Campsite on Grassy Lake Road Joyce took this picture of the Snake River looking east from one of the free campsites scattered along Grassy Lake Road in John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. Flag Ranch is situated below those red cliffs . The southern entrance to Yellowstone National Park is less than 5-miles north of those red cliffs along John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway (the highway). Click here for more Wyoming travellogs Until next time remember how good life is. Mike & Joyce Hendrix More Wyoming Adventures Some Utah Adventures More 2011 Travel Adventures Mike & Joyce Hendrix Mike & Joyce Hendrix who we are We hope you liked this page. If you do you might be interested in some of our other Travel Adventures: Mike & Joyce Hendrix's home page Travel Adventures by Year Travel Adventures by State Plants Marine-Boats Geology Exciting Drives Cute Signs RV Subjects Miscellaneous Subjects** We would love to hear from you......just put "info" in the place of "FAKE" in this address: FAKE@travellogs.us Until next time remember how good life is.