Peace and Solitude at the Bentwood Inn
trailheads. Although these areas are two of the most beautiful parts of this park, you’ll have to battle the crowds to get there. It is quite a steep climb to Inspiration Point, but the view is totally worth it. We headed a little deeper into the Cascade Region hoping to spot some wildlife, but none were to be found today. However, with the amaz- ing view of Grand Teton in all its majesty with every step you take, you can’t be disappointed if you don’t spot a moose or elk. The air is pristine, with scents of pine and juniper and the further you get into the canyon, the less people you’ll encounter on the trail.
E After a few hours of exploring we headed back to check-in to
the Bentwood Inn which would be our home for the next couple of days. Driving down the short gravel road, we turned into the driveway to see the most beautiful log home I’ve ever seen. If you’re looking for peace, quiet and solitude, you’ve found it at the Bent- wood Inn. Nested on three acres in a secluded grove of trees, it feels like you’re hundreds of miles away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Jackson. In reality, though, it’s only a few miles away. The Inn is also conveniently located six miles from the park. As soon as we walked in the door, it felt like we had entered our own private cabin in the woods with the smell of the wood burning fi re- place and cookies baking in the oven.
The innkeeper, Bob Schrader, told me that the Inn was con- structed with massive 200-year old logs brought in from Yellowstone National Park after the great fi re of 1988. There is over 6,000 square feet of luxurious space, including a 3-story river rock fi replace in the Great Room. We stayed in the Cabin Room which was an invit- ing second fl oor king room with a wooded view and sunrise-facing balcony and spacious bathroom with ecofriendly amenities. Snow shoes, a fi shing creel, and painted writing desk sporting a local cutthroat trout adorn this large retreat into nature. Two upholstered chairs sit fi reside, so you can warm up your toes and prepare to unwind in your private bath with jetted tub/shower. The tailored down-fi lled duvet folds back to reveal luxury linens and the promise of a peaceful night’s sleep. Around 5pm, we were delighted to see a wine and cheese plate put out for the guests. We sampled an amaz- ing cheese with espresso and hints of lavender.
28 Essential Living Maine ~ July/August 2015
ager to start our fi rst full day in Grand Teton National Park, we headed to Jenny Lake and took a short 5 minute boat trip across the lake to get to the Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point
Bob and Virginia Schrader are originally from South Florida, and after busy professional careers in law and hospitality, they relocated to a small town in New Hampshire to purchase and run a luxury inn and restaurant. Having since sold their inn, they re- cently started as innkeepers at the Bentwood Inn this past June. You would think Bob had extensive training in culinary school from the amazing breakfasts he made us. The fi rst day we had homemade quiche with asiago, spinach, kale, mushroom and onion all locally sourced, and our second morning he served a smoked ham, swiss, mushroom and Dijon mustard crepe. Delicious!
While Bob told us we could most likely see a moose or elk right in the backyard, we headed out early one morning to drive to another spot that he said we might be able to see bison or antelope. Not sure if it was luck or the Universe conspiring to make this a perfect trip – but as soon as we turned onto Antelope Flats Rd – we saw a huge herd of bison in the distance. We drove a little further and spotted an antelope grazing in the fi eld about 200 yards from the road. Wanting to get a closer look at the bison, we circled back to where we saw them and now saw about ten other cars pulled off to the side of the road. The bison were now about 100 yards from the road and heading in the direction to cross it. We pulled over and watched as about 40 of them (3-4 calves included) meandered over to the road and walked right in between the cars! I bet we were less than 50 yards from them. Amazing!
In addition to all of the wonderful things about this Inn, their ecofriendly initiatives are quite impressive as well. They recently received the Trip Advisor Greenleader Gold award. The following is a list of what has been implemented:
• CFL lighting installed in all public areas of the property. • Composting of yard waste and non-recyclable cardboard initiated on-site.
• All operations powered by 100% renewable energy pur- chased from Lower Valley Energy. • 2,000 feet of wire fencing removed from property for ob- stacle free wildlife movement.
• Recycling system in place for glass, aluminum and all JH al- lowable recyclables.
• Recognized as a "5 Star Business Leader" by the JH 'Reduce, Reuse and Recycle' Campaign.
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