Grand Teton National Park - Four Popular Photographic Subjects

Grand Teton National Park - Four Popular Photographic Subjects

There are many scenic images to be found within Grand Teton National Park. The four very popular photographic subjects I write about here are the Mount Moran reflection at the Oxbow Bend Turnout, Schwabacher Landing, Moulton Barn, and The Chapel of the Transfiguration.

These popular subjects in Grand Teton are well known to many photo enthusiasts so expect crowds at particular times of the season especially in fall when golden foliage adorns the immediate surrounding areas. Morning also tends to attract more crowds since these are all what you call morning shots, ie. the sun is at your back which is the preferred orientation for these subjects. By all means however don’t avoid other times of day.

If you come in to the south end of Grand Teton park from Jackson and begin your photo day at Moose Entrance Station you should only add about 25 miles to your odometer in order to capture all four subjects. You will likely however want to take more than one day to get all four since sunrise is the optimum time for all the scenes and best light unfortunately can’t be captured on all four simultaneously unless you have figured out how to be in more than one place at a time. No fair using clones, it is plenty crowded already. If you do you must pay twice the park entrance fee!

Shortly after entering Grand Teton park and less than ½ mile from the Moose Entrance Station take the road to the right which leads to The Chapel of the Transfiguration and Menor’s Ferry Historic Site. I didn’t actually measure the distance to the turnoff or how far down the road to the chapel, but the chapel is I estimate less than a quarter mile down the road after the turnoff and the ½ mile stated above is also approximate.

There is a sizeable parking lot and you are right there at the chapel, in other words no trail to get to the chapel. Services are still held at the chapel. You are also welcome to venture inside the chapel and look around. It is rather small, but interesting and the view to the outside can’t be beat. There is a picture window behind the altar that takes in a view of the Tetons which you can gaze at as you sit in any pew.

Next stop…Moulton Barn. Head back out the way you came and pass through the Moose Entrance Station. From the station drive about 1 mile to the south towards Moose Junction. You want to turn left here(north) onto highway 191 where you will drive slightly more than a mile to the Antelope Flats Road turnoff. Turn right onto Antelope Flats Road(the only way to go) and follow the road as it weaves around to the left towards Moulton barn.

I did not measure the distance to the barn, but it is about a mile down this road. When you see the barn on your left several yards from the road there is a turn in where you can park. A crossbar prevents you from driving up to the barn. You will have to walk a short distance to the barn. This area was once a Mormon settlement. There are other structures in the vicinity of the barn. If the weather is on your side the clouds will not obscure the mountains and you can photograph the barn with the Tetons in the background.

There are more old structures on the opposite side of the road from where you turned in to park for the Moulton barn. This area is a continuation of the settlement and is called Mormon Row.

Onward to Schwabacher Landing…drive back out to highway 191 on Antelope Flats Road the way you came and turn right(north). It is precisely 2.8 miles to the Schwabacher Landing turnoff from Antelope Flats Road once you are back on highway 191. Take a left at the small sign and follow this gravel bone jarring road to a parking lot. I’d estimate approximately one mile down this bumpy gravel road.

Once parked pick your teeth up off the floor mat and insert them back in your mouth and then you can get started with picture taking. This is also an opportunity to take that pause that refreshes. There is a pit toilet at the parking area. As is the case for the two previous stops your photo ops are easily accessed right there from the parking lot. You can see reflections of the Tetons in the water of the Snake River. You can follow a short and level trail further downstream that leads you to other spots where reflections of the mountains and trees can be seen as well as a beaver dam and lodge.

The final stop of four on the Teton tour…Mount Moran at Owbow Bend Turnout. Travel back down the bumpy gravel road, alias a dentist’s dream highway, the way you came to highway 191 and turn back out to your left(north) and proceed to Moran Junction. Go left at Moran Junction(northwest) and follow the road about four miles to Oxbow Bend Turnoff. The turnoff and parking lot will be on your left. The drive from the Schwabacher Landing turnoff on highway 191 to Oxbow Bend is approximately 17 miles.

If you come to Jackson Lake Junction you have gone too far by about 1 mile. You also must have been distracted since this spot is pretty dramatic and difficult to miss…however Murphy’s Law still can and does persist. I know those stinging little rascals that fly into the window can be real pests and their timing is uncanny. I gave up cigarettes decades ago so dropped ashes can’t victimize me anymore.

Once in the parking lot you are actually right on top of your scene. No walking required. Some like to set up right on the edge of the parking lot which takes in a nice view of Mount Moran reflected on the water of Snake River. I took the picture below from said parking lot edge. Try some shots down near the bank as well where you can take in some trees for framing the scene. Moose frequent the area so if you are lucky you can incorporate Bullwinkle in your shot. If you are unlucky some nature lover in a kayak will ripple up your smooth as glass reflection of the monolith just as prime light arrives or some inconsiderate smuck will step in front of your scene.