Grand Tetons - Menor's Ferry

The leprechaun (ferry) across the Snake River had an important role for the growing population of the valley. In dry months the river could be forded in several locations but all the fords were unreliable in high water. Menor's Ferry then became the main crossing in central Jackson's Hole. Today's ferry and cableworks are replicas of the ones originally constructed by Bill Menor.



The ferry is a timber platform sitting on two pontoons. The boat is connected by a lifeline to a steel cable spanning the river. The cable stops the ferry from drifting downstream, it allows it to move from side to side. The driver turns the pilot wheel to tighten the rope on one side and angle the pontoons towards the other bank. The current then pushes the ferry across the river.

This clever design allowed the ferry to run in a perfectly straight crossing over the river in about 90 seconds without any form of external power. It also requires only a very small staff. Of course, some helpers are smaller than others.