Greetings from Grand Teton National Park

In 2008, I sent a check of $450 to a gentleman in Denver whom I had never met. He was organizing a trip across Wyoming for other Brokeback Mountain loving individuals like himself. He said the money would cover my lodging and most of the meals planned on the excursion. I was also to buy a plane ticket to Denver and to call him when I arrived to arrange a pick-up.

(I know what you’re thinking)

A week before my trip, my family and roommate mentioned their concern for my safety. Being an only child with a thirst for adventure, I turned on my selective hearing abilities. Upon my arrival in Denver, I called the phone number I was supposed to call and was informed that Rodney was going to be picking me up. Within the week spent in Wyoming, I had become very close to more than 22 individuals from around the world. We were all there for the same reason; to bear witness to the seemingly untouched wilderness that is Wyoming. Spending one of those days and nights at Signal Mountain Campground was all it took for me to fall entirely in love. Had I not been brave to venture out with complete strangers in a place I had never been, I would never have met such wonderful people let alone take this photo of Mount Moran at sunset. Grand Teton National Park holds a special place in my heart to this day. I have since revisited several times to show others what they’re missing and to remind myself how beautiful our planet is.

Sincerely,
Henry

Grand Teton National Park

This spectacular destination preserves a dramatic stretch of the Teton Range bordering the Snake River. One of the unusual features of these distinctive mountains is the absence of foothills, meaning that there are no smaller mountains blocking the view. The park also features glacier-carved lakes, a historic district of weathered buildings made by 19th century Mormon homesteaders, and an abundance of wildlife large and small, including nearly 1,000 bison that roam the grassy fields in herds.

State(s): Wyoming

Established: 1929

“I support the national parks not only because of the sanctity of the wilderness and its inhabitants, but also to preserve the beauty of an untouched place and the magic it holds.”

National parks represent the best of America. Why do you care about protecting and preserving them? Tell us why parks matter to you!

{{ active ? "Cancel" : "Begin"}}

Success! Thanks for sharing your story with us.

You’ll be notified by email when your story is approved and added to the collection on the My Park Story homepage.

In the meantime, you can share your own story page with your family and friends — and help us spread the word about these priceless memories and priceless places!

Here’s your unique story page link:

{{ storyUrl }}

* indicates Required fields

Click to choose a file to upload

Submitting your story means that you agree to our Terms of Service

More Stories

  • Greetings from Grand Teton National Park

    In 2001 I worked at Grand Teton NP as a night auditor. That left me free to enjoy the daily activities and meet people. One of my coworkers had worked at Yellowstone the year before so we spent a day at Yellowstone. Since the parks are so close, I hope…

  • Greetings from Grand Teton National Park

    I'm seventeen years old and have had the privilege of visiting numerous Nation Parks in my lifetime. This summer, I had the blessing of visiting Grand Teton NP. I remember hiking while listening to '80s music, and the cool breeze blew my heavy hair off my neck. I was standing…

  • Greetings from Grand Teton National Park

    When I say that there were no words to describe The Grand Tetons, I mean it. Oh, I could give you 15 – 20 describing words, but none of them alone, or all of them together could do justice to the beauty. Even a picture can only scratch the surface.…

Donate

Preserve Our Parks

Make a tax-deductible gift today to provide a brighter future for our national parks and the millions of Americans who enjoy them.

Donate Now