Tour Grand Teton National Park…walk suspended over hot pots in Yellowstone…raft the Snake River… and make darn sure you do the following:

Pull over whenever you see a pile-up of cars anywhere in this valley and participate in the time-honored Teton county tradition of starting a good old ‘Moose Jam.’

Once you’ve done this… voila, you’ve had the complete Jackson Hole and National Park vacation experience.

Moose Jams, particularly on the Teton Village Road or the Moose Wilson Road or the intersection of Highway 22 and the Teton Village Road, are at least a thrice-weekly experience. One driver or passer-by spots the ginourmo furry creature and pulls over and shorly after, so does everyone else. Moose Jammers pull over and take to either side of the road with camera out and get really close to the wildlife as Mr. Moose munches on some marshy weeds and basically gawks in amazement. As locals, it’s sorta an amusing pain but who can blame these people. The Moose is an extraordinary and seemingly almost-extinct marvel of the animal world that deserves to be admired just about anywhere you may be lucky enough to spot one.

This summer, enjoy your vacation and a Moose Jam or two. As a friendly reminder: Moose-Wilson Road is closed for maintenance so make sure you plan accordingly.