Top Places to Photograph The Grand Tetons

Love views of mountains but hate crowds? This list is perfect for you! While Jenny Lake is one of the most well known spots in The Grand Tetons, it can also, obviously, be incredibly crowded during peak season. There are so many other places in the park that make for great photos. Many of these places are right off the road and don’t require any hiking. Below we list our top places to photograph The Grand Tetons.

Mormon Row

Located in the Antelope Flats Area, Mormon Row is an iconic spot in The Grand Tetons. The buildings in this area are a result of The Homestead Act of 1862 which granted 150 acres to anyone who committed to building and cultivating the land for 5 years. Sounds like a deal to me! This act drew Mormon families from north Utah to the area. In the 1900s these families moved on and the land was incorporated into the National Park. The buildings that still stand are a draw for photographers all over hoping to capture a picture of the structures with The Grand Tetons towering in the background.

Snake River Overlook

This overlook is located just off Highway 191. It was made famous by one of Ansel Adams iconic pictures. The famous photo was taken as part of The Mural Project in which Adams traveled the National Parks funded by the government. He was tasked with taking photographs to popularize the National Parks. You will not be able to capture the bend as he did in his picture as the trees have grown. It is still a beautiful place to photograph, nonetheless!

Signal Mountain

You have the choice of hiking or driving to this location. It’s no secret we love hiking but there is nothing we hate more than hiking to a destination with a parking lot at the end. We opted to drive Casper, our van, to the top. Signal Mountain is the highest point in the park that you can drive to. Standing 1,000 feet over the valley below, you can get some pretty incredible views. On the west side of the mountain is Jackson Point which will offer views of the Tetons and Jackson Lake. On the east side of the mountain on a clear day you can see the Gros Ventre and Absaroka Mountains.

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Lakeshore Trail

Located on Jackson Lake near Colter Bay, this is an incredibly pleasant and flat trail that traces the edge of a peninsula in Jackson Lake. From here you will have stunning views of the lake and Mount Moran. We loved the perspective of the trees and islands on the lake.

Schwabacher’s Landing

This was our favorite view of The Grand Tetons. Off Highway 191 on the west side, you will turn out and take a short dirt road to the landing. From there you can hike along the meandering Snake River. The river is incredibly calm in this section so you are able to get some amazing reflection pictures.

Oxbow Bend

Located on the north side of the park along Highway 191, Oxbow Bend is a popular spot to catch the reflection of the Tetons. In the early morning, when the water is calm, Mount Moran is reflected onto the water in this bend of the Snake River. We actually visited this spot twice, once in cloudy weather and once with more clear skies. It was neat to see this place both moody and sunny.

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Colter Bay Marina

While this isn’t your typical spot to photograph the mountains, we loved oogling at all the boats here and imagining having a boat of our own on Jackson Lake. I mean seriously, have you seen a more scenic non-tropical marina?

As you can see, there are many places to capture the picturesque Grand Tetons. By exploring these locations you can beat the crowds and get some pretty amazing photographs!