Scenic Route to Jenny Lake Lodge in Grand Tetons Wyoming

From Custer, South Dakota we went now to our most west destination to Jenny Lake Lodge

AND we had dinner reservations for 20:30 at this very Jenny Lake Lodge Dining Room...

TRYING HARD to share with our readers what our eyes experienced this day!

Being the sole driver, I just absorbed and my 93+ passenger Pieter is no longer capable of capturing all this...

This would be my 2nd longest distance drive of the entire trip. 

You BET that we enjoyed our 5–course DELICIOUS DINNER at the end of this day!!! *****

Around 9:43 we made this pit stop at Powder River Rest Area, Buffalo, Wyoming

We had been traveling fast on Interstate 90 with a maximum allowed speed of 80 miles.

Powder River is winding its way through the mountains.

Cloud Peak to the left of Buffalo at 13,173 ft or 4,015 m in Big Horn National Park.

We came all the way from Custer State Park driving west...

Cloud Peak Skyway Scenic HWY 16 Wyoming ←great video showing our 1st stretch from Buffalo to  Powder River Pass at 9,666 feet or 2,945 m (as visible in the end on our Relive video). 

Both, Pieter and I were in awe about the enormous lengths of these wooden Buck and Rail Fences.

Especially on the stretch from Buffalo on the Big Horn Mountains Cloud Peak Skyway Scenic Highway 16 Wyoming, as you can clearly see at 4:33 min in above video link.

At 19:15 min in above video link, you see the tall snow fences at Big Horn Powder River Pass, also visible from drone images at 20:03 min.

Buck and Rail Fence ←click link

Detail Buck and Rail Fence ←click link

Very impressive was the view on the Big Horn Powder River Pass.

 Similar to this image from snow fences, Wilcox, Wyoming ←click link

Snow fence ←click link 

In Wyoming, they build permanent snow fences to prevent snow from drifting on critical highway and railroad corridors. This fence is 14 feet or 4.27 m high, and runs almost continuously for miles.

We so enjoyed these very high plains, second only to the State of Colorado.

The lowest point in Wyoming is still loftier than that of the highest point in 17 USA states...

Snow fences at Wyoming I-80 Mile 208.8 ←click link.

Two days later, I did drive out of the Cowboy State Wyoming, via the Interstate 80, shown above, where you see the impact of adding such tall 14 feet (4.27 m) snow fences (seen to the right).

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Scenic Byway US HWY 16 Ten Sleep Wyoming ←great video showing our 2nd stretch from Powder River Pass to Ten Sleep

Ten Sleep Canyon along the Cloud Peak Skyway Scenic Byway around 11:20 my short video overview

Pieter taking in the canyon view.

To Pieter's left is an Asclepias speciosa (Showy Milkweed) with soft, velvety leaves...

Beautiful wildlife!

Again, what a beautiful day we had for this most scenic drive!

By 11:38 we made a pit stop for getting gas at Conoco in Ten Sleep.

Loved the sign of the Pony Express Convenience Store!

The Pony Express has become synonymous with the Old West.

There still remains a National Pony Express Association ←click link

Wyoming the Cowboy State indeed is full of surprises...

Conoco in Ten Sleep, Wyoming

From Ten Sleep, we ended up on US 20, via Worland, Lucerne and Thermopolis to Shoshoni onto US 26.

From Shoshoni we went onto the Wind River Canyon Scenic Byway

Wind River Canyon Scenic Byway Shoshoni | Rockies to Tetons ←click link
The canyons rock walls rise 2,500 feet or 762 meter on both sides...

The entrance to Wind River Canyon, just a couple of miles from Shoshoni. Photo: Wind River Country ←click link

Wind River Canyon - Thermopolis Wyoming ←great video showing our 3rd stretch from Worland on US 16 onto US 20 near Bighorn River to Thermopolis and on to Shoshoni to US 26 Wind River

We both are very happy with this footage of our exact same memorable scenic route!

Thermopolis is the world's largest mineral hot springs!

At 14:57 we passed these red rocks, so similar to the ones from Arizona.

Ever changing nature, this was before Dubois.

Around 16:47 we enter Yellowstone.

Pieter has a lifetime Pass for National Parks, so we got through fast.

The planning was, that we would view Old Faithful and the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook, before checking in at Jenny Lake Lodge.

That way, I would not have to drive next day but could RELAX!

Yellowstone Flood June 13, 2022 ←click link for video

BUT the website from Yellowstone National Park did not say anything about the very bad road conditions at their south entrance. The pavement ended for stretches and other areas we had to stop as the oncoming traffic had yield for passing on our lane...

Very slow we went with 25 miles per hour and less, those 78 miles to the north!

The north and east entrances were still closed due to the huge June flooding with lots of damage.

So that made the south entrance very congested.

After using the bathroom at the Old Faithful Lodge, we both walked up to geyser Old Faithful...

This was at 18:06

Half a minute later, there already was a lot more activity.

But both of us have seen this daily, on our way to work high on the Dieng Plateau in Java, Indonesia.

From Old Faithful it would only be 13 minutes till Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook...

Grand Prismatic Spring & Old Faithful | Geothermal Features | Yellowstone ←click for short video.

But with the lack of good signs, for finding our way easily, and the very congested area, we did not want to risk coming too late for our confirmed 5-course dinner at Jenny Lake Lodge Dining Room.

After checking in to our Aster Cabin at Jenny Lake Lodge, we walked the trail to Jenny Lake Lodge Dining Room and made it in time!

The hostess placed us right here, with the best view of the Grand Tetons

Jenny Lake Lodge Dining Room Housed inside a 1930's–era log cabin nestled in the woods at the base of the Teton Range... 

Appetizers

Soups

My Salmon Confit

Pieter had Beet Root Hummus and a piece of my Salmon...

For Soup we opted both for Chef's du Jour 

Chef Jedediah Dzimiera deserved kudos for all 5 courses!

And also the excellent, highly attentive and courteous serving staff.

What a joy to dine like that...

Salads

Entrees

We both opted for the Jenny Lake Signature Salad

For Entree we both opted for Dover Sole

White wine cream, lemon orzo, garlic asparagus

Dessert Menu

Pieter opted for Pastry Chef's banana bread pudding with huckleberry sauce and it was yummy!

My Vanilla Panna Cotta 

Huckleberry gelee, local honey comb

What a royal ending for a long day with so many impressions about Wyoming!

Quite some climbing done towards this very rugged area.

The Grand Tetons are visible below in image!

A total of 7,988 m of climbing or 26,207 ft climbing for that day!

My solo drive was 981.9 km or 610 miles for that day...

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Stay tuned for more...

Enjoy this 2 minute Relive video:

CRAZY HORSE and MOUNT RUSHMORE, SOUTH DAKOTA

Here we are, finally at one of the spots where we WANTED to go!

From Custer, South Dakota we were driving up to Mount Rushmore and on the way over, we passed CRAZY HORSE Memorial, 12151 Avenue of the Chiefs, Crazy Horse, South Dakota

Crazy Horse Memorial ←click link

Paying the entrance fee for our car and having access to the Museum and view of the Mountain Carving from the Wall of Windows and the Outdoor Viewing Veranda.

This picture I took at 9:57 and we just had set our Strava apps, for walking up to the Crazy Horse Memorial.

We were NOT allowed on the trail but we went to the outdoor viewing veranda instead.

YEP, I got called back rather rudely by a giant male...

Sure, they wanted to sell tickets for their Rustic Bus Ride for $4 per person or Guided Van Ride for $125 per person (as a charitable, non–refundable gift).

The reason I got rudely called back, was that it was not SAFE to proceed...!

Aha, but it was safe to go up by Rustic Bus or Van?!

Both of us so much would have loved a short morning walk in nature, after three days having lived inside our car but it did not happen.

Photo with Ponderosa Pines and Crazy Horse Memorial, taken from the viewing veranda.

Zoomed in to Crazy Horse's carving, from the viewing veranda.

Pieter turned his cap backwards and used another viewing device...

Pieter was also in love with the blooming petunias in South Dakota and he captured me on the viewing veranda but forgot the Crazy Horse to the right...

Our caps were perfect against the bright sunshine!

As you can see, the weather was just PERFECT again.

Both of us enjoyed the Museum.

Leather and beads were used on those Gauntlets or Gloves.

BUT, these are the European, Czech glass beads, which they traded with the Europeans!

So their original handmade, course beads are not being preserved, it seems like.

Just like the beautiful Czech glass beads I used here:  {New Quilted Graduating Ombre Silk Velvet Bottom} ←click on link.

Beaded Horse Regalia also made from the much later Czech glass beads that got traded with the Europeans.

Nevertheless, very artfully done!

Also in the museum, this Indian motorcycle. 

AMERICA'S FIRST MOTORCYCLE COMPANY

Zoomed in on its engine and yes; since 1901!

Around 11:13 we started our walk at Mount Rushmore National Memorial near Keystone, South Dakota.

Quite an impressive sight these carvings of America's most prominent U.S. Presidents: George Washington; Thomas Jefferson; Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt—represent 150 years of American history.

Gutzon Borglum was the artist of this large scale mountain sculpture, born of Danish immigrants.

It is the same artist, that carved the Stone Mountain Memorial near Atlanta, Georgia.

Stone Mountain Scenic Railroad with Mom & Dad and again with Pieter ←click link.

Walking the Avenue of Flags and I aimed over the heads of many tourists... Those carvings are 5,725 feet above sea level or 1,745 meter amidst the stunning Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota.

To the right is the Georgia Flag but through the wind not visible...

Pieter is taking it all in and this was before his nap time, so after three long days on the road he finally gets to REST!

A pleasure to be there on such a perfect day!

The Grand View Terrace

Sure they did perform laser shows at night but that was a bit too late for our age and health condition!

A pleasant walk for both of us and we took it all in.

Ave Of Flags you can read top left...

South Dakota Highway 244

At 18:00 in the evening still perfect sunny weather as we'd returned from a short trip to a Walmart Super Center in Rapid City, South Dakota.

The Unique Bridge In Keystone Is The Only One Of Its Kind In South Dakota ←click for more views and a short video.

On our way over to Rapid City, we did pass another very unique bridge, just finished renovation in May this year, for Memorial Day.

Not over a river this time, but over two highways, an interchange of US 16 and US 16A, featuring unique Glue–Laminated Timber Bridges, the ONLY one in the country like this!

On this video around 7:55 minutes you get to see this very bridge → Mount Rushmore – Keystone South Dakota

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We also did gas up; ready for our next day's journey.

Stay tuned for our next adventure...

Enjoy this short 1 minute Relive video: