Mary Angelini Photography: DAY 6 – Taggart and Bradley Lakes

For a change we slept in. We knew we were going hiking and we knew from the siren smell of breakfast penetrating our room, that we did not want to miss the breakfast prepared by our hostess. There was a panorama of gastronomic delights awaiting us that included warm chocolate chip muffing, bacon, hash browns and scrambled eggs baked with ricotta cheese and pineapple.

We hung out eating and talking with her and other guests until about 9:30 then hit the road. We drove in and parked at the Taggart Lake trailhead, took a tinkle then hit the trail with gear on our backs. We had a nice hike up to Taggart Lake which offered up close and person views of the Tetons with lake reflections. It was a sight to behold!

After shooting some pictures and stopping for a snack of cliff bars (thanks for introducing me to these Robert) and trail mix we continued on to Bradley Lake. This was definitely a much harder hike than getting to Taggart, but by the time we got there it was worth it because the view was spectacular. We stopped in a small clearing on the northeast side of the lake and dropped our gear and sat down for lunch. We ate these Slim-Jim like sticks made from elk which were really tasty, had bread and more dried fruit and tons of water. It was very relaxing. In fact, we were tempted to swim in the crystal clear lake, but it was a tad cold and being covered from head to toe in Deep Deep Deep Woods Off, I didn’t think the aquatic life would appreciate the onslaught of chemicals so I stood down on that idea.

I was pretty beat by the time we got to Bradley so the hike back seemed almost endless. All tolled this was our biggest hiking day at six and a half miles. My feet felt dead by the time we traversed our way back and nothing was going to come between me and the outhouse either! I almost cried when I finally sat in the car to come back.

When we did come back I took a shower right away and felt instantly better. We went to dinner in town again, this time at a little Tex-Mex place called The Merry Piglets. The food was really really good! After that, of all things, we walked around some, then went back for some much deserved time in the hot tub.

On the way to Taggart Lake.

Taggart Lake

Taggart Lake - you gotta love a polarizing filter...can see right into the water!

Scarlet Gilia

Not sure what this was, but it was pretty.

Cool looking bug in this flower.

Pretty (and cooperative) orange butterfly.

Nor sure if you can see them, but there are very small lake trout in here.

Meadow on the way to Taggart.

The trail to Taggart.

Mountains Rule!

Johnnie chilling out at Taggart Lake.

These were some massive peonies that our hostess had in a vase on the wood burning stove in the living room. They looked really pretty in the light in this room, I just had to get a picture.