July 15, 2012

July 15, 2012

It rained last night and for the second day in a row clouds cover the Grand Tetons. I am so glad we took pictures when we had a chance. We say goodbye to the National Park and head south following the Snake River. It flows through a beautiful canyon south of Jackson, WY. When it turns toward Idaho we follow the Salt River, a tributary of the Snake south. Near the southern border of Wyoming, we stop at Fossil Butte National Monument. This area is the source of all the Green River Formation fossil fish that we see so often at the Tucson Gem and Fossil Show. The monument has a great museum on the wide variety of fossils entombed in what used to be a large fresh water lake here 50 million years ago. After a brief tour of the visitor center we do the hike up to the historic quarry. It seems afternoon showers are the norm in Wyoming and it starts to rain just as soon as we reach the ridge top. I take a quick photo while Aimee protects the camera with my hat.

This stop was mainly an excuse to take a break from driving. It is still early so we decide to drive a little further crossing into Utah. We spend the night at Rockport State Park on the banks of a nice man-made lake.