Explorers & Native Homelands

Sponsored by JH Historical Society and Museum

• Location: Wyoming
• Travel Type: Driving
• Tour Duration: 1 hour
• Language:

Jackson Hole to the Great Continental Divide: A Guide to Historic Feats and Adventures
About this Tour
What is the result of 13 million years of earthquakes? The rugged and spectacular Teton Mountain Range was formed by a series of significant seismic events. The Shoshone tribe named this range “Teewinot,” meaning “many pinnacles.” Of course, “many pinnacles” also meant many hardships for the seven American Indian tribes who had governance here, and for the early mountain men who explored the area.

Today, U.S. Highway 191 casually follows the famous Snake River through the valley floor of the Teton Range in Grand Teton National Park from Jackson Hole to Moran Junction, where it meets U.S. Highway 26 and heads over Togwotee Pass to the Great Continental Divide. This is the place where American Indians and mountain guides displayed unmatched bravery, tenacity, and insight to create the rich history of these sacred mountains.

As you wind your way along these roads, this driving audio tour will introduce you to some of the most riveting stories of hardship and resilience from these early Jackson Hole visitors and inhabitants. During this tour, you will:

●     Learn about Chief Togwotee and the Sheep Eater branch of the Shoshone tribe that called the treacherous Togwotee Pass “home.”

●     Discover a canyon so deep that miners only enjoyed five hours of daylight in which to work.

●     Understand how grasshoppers purportedly helped two members of geologist Ferdinand Hayden’s 1872 expedition reach the peak of the Grand Teton.

Other tour highlights include:
●     Black Rock Ranger Station
●     Hunting and danger at Turpin Meadows
●     How a cat nap at Spread Creek ended in a close call
●     President Arthur’s expeditions
●     Why American Indians from the Crow tribe pursue “Vision Quests”
●     A dangerous crossing of the Snake River, and much more!

Tour Sponsor
This tour is brought to you by the Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum, a nonprofit organization committed to collecting, preserving, and sharing the cultural history of Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Find More Tours Near You
If you are interested in more audio tours in this region, check out the Historic Downtown Jackson, Outer Grand Teton National Park, and Grand Teton National Park tours. To find more tours in the Jackson, Wyoming, area (or wherever your travels may take you) visit TravelStorys.com. Every place has a story.