Grand Teton (part 1)

After a good night's sleep in Gros Ventre campground inside the park, we were ready for a day of awe-inspiring scenery.

Diana directed us to one of the famous barns.  Well, famous to photographers who want to capture a picture of it with the mountains in the background.  As you can see, it was cloudy, but still an interesting picture spot.

Then she suggested we hike to Taggart Lake, 3 miles out and back or 4 miles if done as a loop with Beaver Creek.  Much of the hike out is through a previously burned area which allows great views and, luckily, the clouds had dissipated some.

Taggart Lake is fed by runoff down Avalanche Canyon and dammed by a glacial moraine.

While Diana returned the way we came, Ron and I continued on the loop which was nice, but didn't have the spectacular scenery.  I found myself being distracted by pretty boulders like this one.

We passed a pond where this Canada Goose was on guard.

When we searched a bit harder, we found his mate who seems to be on a wet nest.

And we were passed by two groups of NPS pack mules in training.

Funny how one set was all light colored and one all dark.  I guess they don't believe in mule integration.

Back at the campground, this group of male deer in velvet showed up at dusk.