In which drought and smoke make it difficult for Moominmama to enjoy the glories of Grand Teton National Park...

To avoid crowds, Moominmama parked well outside Grand Teton National Park in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest of eastern Idaho. The Moominhouse is in a lovely campground near the Palisades Reservoir, which advertised, among other things, swimming.

Alas, climate change had other plans. The Palisades Reservoir, pictured above, is currently down to 18 percent of its capacity. The sandy area pictured above should be covered in water, but all that remains is a narrow wet stripe just below the smoke-obscured mountains. When full, the reservoir was designed to hold 1.2 million acre-feet of water (a single acre-foot is 326,000 gallons) and provide water and flood control to 650,000 acres of farmland. 

In the deeper north end, there is still water for boating. However, the boat ramp had to be extended to reach the water, and boat trailers are now backing up a quarter of a mile to launch. The beach is similarly distant, and any attempt to swim forces Moominmama to wade through silty clay that hugs the ankle like a cranky toddler. One gets out of the water covered in mud, which rather spoils the fun.

This is not the first time Moominmama has seen the impact of the drought on water levels, but this is the most severe. Here is a shot from Lake Como in Montana which tickled my funny-bone as the buoy warning boats away from the swim area was stranded high on the beach!

The smoke drifting east from the wildfires meant that views of the Tetons were obscured. Grey haze hung over every vista. Moominmama learned to research air conditions. On arrival, the air quality index was in the 140s (unhealthy for sensitive groups) but a day later jumped into the mid-to-upper 150s, (unhealthy for everyone.)

That put a damper, not just on the views, but on the advisability of a vigorous hike. I spent the first few days here at my campsite puttering around, waiting for the smoke to clear. Having come all this way, would I even get to see the Tetons?

Well, Moominmama is happy to report, the smoke has cleared significantly, allowing for a couple beautiful days inside Grand Teton National Park. Lake Taggart, pictured here, was a short hike attempted on a day that brought in a front from the south, threatening rain.

Actual rainfall that night went one step further to clean the air, perfect for a longer hike up Cascade Canyon the next day. 

This glacially carved canyon directs water from the glaciers and mountain peaks into Lake Jenny. The glacier carved the typical U shape between the peaks, running along the north side of Teewinot and Mount Owen with Mount St. John on the opposite side. 

These are the conditions for my favorite kind of hike, featuring a roaring brook and tall canyon walls on the sides. 

For the first time, I felt like I was in the Tetons instead admiring them through gauze. I could see the ice on Mount Owen and how the meltwater runs down to Canyon Creek and the pristine lake below.

There was also plentiful wildlife, including a moose (a cow) resting in the sun by the side of the trail and a pika, which looks like a cross between a mouse and bunny. 

This rotund little thing has big ears and no tail, and is adapted to the harsh climate and rocky landscape of the high mountains. Also high on the cute-ometer.

The hike up the trail early in the morning was uncrowded, but the way back was much worse. People are good about the requirement to wear masks near the visitors centers and restrooms, but crowded trails result in a lot of pardon-me-excuse-me close contact.

Over the long weekend, there will be other options in Caribou-Targhee, and maybe one more shot at getting into the Tetons for a hike on Tuesday. One more thing I'd love to share with you are a couple photos from a visit to Craters of the Moon National Monument, on the Idaho plains, a volcanic landscape!

The Snake River Plain of southern Idaho is on the site of fairly recent (geologically speaking) volcanic activity. It left behind an unusual field of lava and black cones of volcanic ash. 

To early visitors, it looked like moon craters, which is how it got its name. In some places, it looks like black earth subjected to violent explosions. In others, mini volcanoes of rock and ash.

Still other areas look like dark lumpy clay. But the park also includes something I'd never heard of: lava tunnels. Basically, red hot lava can harden above and below, leaving behind a tunnel as it flows through an area. 

Moominmama got to visit a couple of those larger caves en route to the Tetons and overcame her claustrophobia to take a look inside!