72 Hours of Adventure in Grand Teton NP and Togwotee, Wyoming

Making the most of shoulder season in the Tetons.

By: Christina Adele Warburg-Hon + Save to a List

After not seeing my boyfriend all summer while he was fighting wildfires, we had the great privilege of being able to spend our one year anniversary weekend together at Togwotee Mountain Lodge, the perfect romantic setting near Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Our dreams for a beautiful autumn weekend spent hiking quickly faded when we saw the weather forecast for three straight days of heavy snow, however, thanks to Togwotee Mountain Lodge, we were still able to make the most of the weekend.


The restaurants on property provided us with delicious gourmet meals, the lodge provided us with itineraries for areas with better weather and their very fast wifi allowed us to check on the webcams to watch weather and entertain us during those times when the weather was just a little too awful. Their hot tub warmed us up plenty after long days adventuring in the snow. All in all, it was a perfect weekend even with the undesirable weather and I wouldn't have wanted to spend it anywhere but Togwotee Mountain Lodge. Here is a small taste of the many things you could do with 72 hours at the lodge. 

A classic view of the Tetons at Snake River Overlook

Day 1 

After a delicious breakfast at the lodge, we checked the webcams (yay for internet!) and saw that the Tetons were visible. With storms predicted the next few days, we knew this may be our one opportunity to see these mountains so we set off to do some exploring. 


We did a short hike at String Lake which offered us excellent views of Mount St. John and the Cathedral group in a fresh coat of snow. Then we explored Mormon Row, the Gros Ventre Region, the Wedding Tree, and Schwabacher Landing before the mountains were again hidden by the storm. 


We then headed back to the lodge for dinner and a well earned soak in the hot tub.

Day 2

Waking up to even worse weather was disheartening, but we decided we weren't gonna be discouraged and try to go out anyways. We all thought it would be a quick jaunt out for an hour or less and then we would spend the rest of the day relaxing at the lodge and enjoying the amenities. But man, we were wrong. 


Within five minutes of leaving the lodge we were surprised to see a grizzly right off the road so we stopped to watch him for a bit. A good omen for the rest of the day. We decided to follow the itinerary the lodge provided us for the Dubois region and were pleasantly surprised. After stopping at some waterfalls, we went down Forest Service Road 414 as recommended and discovered dozens upon dozens of petroglyphs. 


We then ended up in the Wind River Range where we watched the storm clear to our delight. From there we started back to the lodge but were distracted by the many beautiful snow covered vistas.  


The Breccia Cliffs, Wind River Lake, and the surrounding peaks were putting on a show! We decided that we needed to keep driving and admiring the views so we ended up doing the Turpin Meadows Loop which surprised us with its fall colors and fog. Despite our low expectations, this ended up being our favorite day!


Day 3 

Unfortunately with snow and rain combined, everything was dangerously icy and visibility was practically zero which makes outdoor activities not so fun. We had a nice breakfast at the lodge, then purchased games from the gift shop and had a very enjoyable day just relaxing at the lodge and enjoying each other's company. When the clouds started to lift just a little we decided to go back towards the Tetons. We were surprised to have about twenty minutes with the mountains before the storm covered them up again, then we went back and enjoyed the hot tub and dinner at the lodge once more!

Shoulder season is a really nice time to head up to Togwotee Mountain Lodge. The summer crowds have gone and the fall colors and snow-dusted mountains make for gorgeous photos. And if the weather is a little too much to bear, cozy up in the lodge and relax - you really can't go wrong!

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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