Change Happens

Mrs. Nordquist

Taggart Lake Hike from the Taggart Lake Trailhead north of Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center 2.8 or 3.6 miles, 3 hours, difficulty - moderate, Ranger Brian

Ranger Brian and Mr. Hawkins

Our ranger was Brian-a 1st year elementary school teacher originally from Lancaster County,  Pennsylvania. He was select to be part of the Teacher-Ranger-Teacher program this summer, but has worked as a summer intern in other parks while in college. In the mornings he writes interpretive curriculum for school aged children, then he leads hikes, and works in the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose,WY in the afternoons.

Evidence of an ambitious beaver

Receded creek leaving the beaver dam high and dry 

On the hike we passed first through wetlands where an abandoned beaver lodge was left on dry land due to receding water. Change happens. Animals adapt or die. Then we passed through sagebrush where the pronghorn is the only animal who can digest the woody drought tolerant shrub. There were badger holes, but no badgers. Ground squirrels were abundant.

Sagebrush habitat

Balsamroot, a sunflower-like flower, in an aspen grove

Nature creates amazing adaptations to ensure survival. Because of the intense sun of higher elevations, the bark of an aspen tree is covered with a powdery film which acts sun protection.  If we were to rub it on our skin we would get an SPF of about 8. Also the stand of aspens we were looking at all come from the same root system. If one tree is stressed a new one pops up close by.

Heavy snow melt from the north side of the bridge

Heavy snow melt from the south side of the bridge

Mountain harebell

"Common" paintbrush (much larger that the variety we have in Oklahoma)

An "erratic," or boulder left behind by a melting glacier

The USGS has a great website with pictures and glacier terminology for the tourist to identify the formations : http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2004/1216/glaciertypes/glaciertypes.html

Taggart Lake

A mountain lake is a beautiful, but in the Tetons there is the additional feature of the mountain range jutting up as if they came out of nowhere to frame the picture. There are no foothills-no transitions-just a backdrop of jagged peaks and white snowfields and glaciers reflected in the glassy waters.

The pay-off for hiking an extra mile

When we completed the 1.4 mile hike to Taggart Lake with Ranger Brian, we had a choice: return with the ranger on the same trail we had used for a total of 2.8 miles back to the trailhead or continue hiking and return on the loop for a total of 3.6 miles to an overlook we would otherwise miss. The possibility of a bear encounter made us nervous, and we didn't have bear spray, but the trail was not isolated. Also we were encouraged by the statistic that a bear had never attacked a group of 4 or more . We took a vote. The possibility of missing anything after we had traveled so far always won. We hiked. Almost 4 miles is an accomplishment especially in the unseasonably warm, for the Tetons, 80 degree weather in the late morning and afternoon.

Some members of the 10% club

10% of visitors to National Park get 1/4 mile from the parking lots. We did. Ranger Brian was right. The views were great.

Nice bridges - dry feet - concentrated impact

Dornan's Original Moose Chuckwagon

Just south of the trailhead was Dornan's Chuckwagon in Moose,WY. There is nothing like the reward of good hamburger after a hike. And the homemade ham and beans were great too.

Outdoor seating at Dornan's