Bears, Boards, and Balancing Acts: My Guide to the Grand Tetons by Jared Harding Wilson

By Jared Harding Wilson

There are some places that stay with you long after you pack up the car and head home. For me, that place is Grand Teton National Park. I’ve been lucky enough to visit this incredible corner of Wyoming twice now.

The first time was a romantic getaway with just my wife and me. The second time, we raised the stakes: it was my wife and I, her little sister and her husband, and a couple of our close friends visiting all the way from Scotland, who were absolutely loving their tour of Utah and the American West.

Looking back through our photos, I realized the best way to write this guide is to combine the absolute highlights from both adventures. Whether you’re planning a first-time road trip or pulling together old memories like me, here is why the Tetons need to be at the top of your travel bucket list.

What’s in a Name?

Before we dive into the trails, let’s talk about the name. Have you ever wondered why they are called the Grand Tetons? The story goes back to the early 19th century when French-Canadian fur trappers were looking out at the mountain range. Lonely and long away from home, they thought the distinct, pointed peaks looked like les trois tétons—which literally translates from French to “the three breasts.” The name stuck, and the tallest peak became known simply as Grand Teton.

The Epicenter: Crystalline Lakes and Secret Waterfalls

If you want the classic Teton experience, you head for the water. On that first trip with my wife, we discovered the absolute magic of the park’s hiking trails. We took a wonderful forest hike around the rugged backside of Jenny Lake and found Hidden Falls, a stunning, roaring 100-foot waterfall cascading down the canyon rocks. Standing near the rushing creek with the mist on your face is completely unforgettable.

By the time the second trip rolled around with our massive crew, we traded hiking boots for paddleboards and headed to Jackson Lake—the main, massive body of water where motorized boating is king.

We actually managed to score our boards through a pretty amazing connection: my wife’s mother works at a library that lets you check out outdoor gear like kayaks and paddleboards. (Shoutout to cool libraries completely changing the road trip game!)

Balancing Acts on the Water

Having those boards right out on the wide-open waters of Jackson Lake led to the ultimate balance challenge. You might notice a specific photo floating around from this trip where I am casually pulling off a flawless headstand. But look closely—I’m not on a beach. I am balancing upside down directly on top of a moving paddleboard right out in the middle of the lake!

Here’s the real story behind that picture. I was semi-teasing my sibling-in-laws, trying to see if they’d be willing to attempt a headstand on the boards. They shot right back at me: “Why don’t YOU try it, Jared?!”

Naturally, I had to back up my talk. Honestly, it took me about four or five attempts of losing my balance and splashing into the freezing cold mountain water before I finally locked it in. What you don’t see in that picture are all those wet, failed tries beforehand. But hey, the camera only needs to catch the one time you finally manage to nail it!

The Parking Lot Guest Star: A Close Encounter

The paddleboards made for an amazing trip, but they also accidentally set the stage for the wildest wildlife encounter I have ever had.

We had pulled up to our campsite area and were starting to unpack the vehicles. My wife’s little sister, her husband, and the two of us were standing right between our two cars, carefully lifting the heavy paddleboards down off the roof racks.

Out of absolutely nowhere, a black bear came sprinting right through the tight space between us, heading straight for the woods beyond the parking lot!

I literally had a fraction of a second to move around the side of our car to give it a wide berth and let it pass by. It was a heart-pounding reminder of where we were: this is their home, and we’re just visiting. Wild. Literally!

Campsite Cooking: A South American Twist

All that adrenaline works up a serious appetite. For the first trip, we bypassed the crowded national park campgrounds and snagged a spectacular, free dispersed camping spot just a little further out on the National Forest side. It felt like our own private state park.

We don’t just stick to basic hot dogs when we camp. Years ago, I served a church mission to Chile in South America, and while I was there, I fell in love with a staple of Chilean street food: completos. A completo is basically a massively upgraded hot dog loaded with guacamole, diced tomatoes, minced onions, a mountain of mayonnaise, and a bit of mustard.

We fired up our high-end camp burner to get the water screaming hot for some hot cocoa, cracked open a bag of kettle chips, and assembled our giant Chilean hot dogs right there next to the crackling fire. Sitting in a camp chair, surrounded by giant green pine trees with the late-afternoon sun streaming through the branches—introducing my wife to campfire completos in the Wyoming woods was pure perfection.

Backcountry Trails on Horseback

Again, back to that very first trip, my wife and I decided to drop the heavy packs and explore the backcountry the old-fashioned way: on horseback.

I got paired up with an awesome horse named Buckshot. Before we hit the trail, I spent a few minutes getting to know him and patting his mane so we were on the same page. Once we hit the trail, it was pure magic. There is nothing quite like sitting in a saddle, looking out over a vast forest with the grand peaks cutting into a beautiful, wide-open sky.

Step Back in Time: Sunset at Mormon Row

No trip to the Tetons is complete without driving over to Mormon Row. Back in the 1890s, Mormon homesteaders (now just known as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or LDS) moved into this valley from Utah, establishing a tight-knit farming community. They built a line of homesteads to share labor and resources, and today, those structures still stand as beautiful historical monuments.

Among them is the famous John Moulton Barn—frequently called the most photographed barn in all of America. On our second trip, we timed it perfectly and caught the barn right at sunset. The sky turned an unbelievable shade of orange and pink, casting a golden glow over the weathered, historic wood while the massive, jagged Tetons rose up directly behind it. I got incredibly lucky with the shot.

Right near the barn, you can walk among the old homestead sites. The first time there, I got a great shot standing right in front of one of the beautifully preserved historic log cabins, surrounded by the golden tallgrass blowing in the wind with the mountains dominating the horizon. But didn’t have the sunset that first time.

Final Thoughts: Go to the Tetons!

If you are even remotely thinking about planning a trip out to Wyoming, I highly recommend going to the Grand Tetons. The camping is awesome, the history is rich, and the scenery feels completely unreal.

On that very first trip, my wife and I actually paired the Tetons with a massive loop up through Yellowstone National Park—but the chaotic beauty of Yellowstone is a whole other story for another day.

For now, grab some boards, watch out for bears, and don’t be afraid to fail a few times trying to get the perfect photo.

Have you ever had a split-second wildlife encounter that left your heart pounding? Or better yet, what’s the most ridiculous balancing act you’ve ever attempted on a paddleboard? Let me know in the comments below!