Jackson Hole, WY
A Photographer’s Shooting Guide
By Jerry T. Patterson
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2011 Jerry T. Patterson
All photographs copyrighted
License Notes: This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Table Of Contents
Jackson Hole Overview Shooting Locations
Lower Schwabacher’s Landing Beaver Dam
Jackson Hole Inter-Valley Road Shooting Locations
Jackson Hole Lakes, Waterfalls and Streams
Off Beaten Paths - Jackson Lake
Appendix A - Shadow Mountain Road points
Appendix B - Gros Ventre Road points
Appendix C - Wilson Road points
Beginnings
Just about everyone has a story about how they discovered a place which they fell in love with. For some it was early in life via their parents and for others these areas were discovered later from what they read or saw or while doing their own thing with their friends and for some the areas were discovered from just following and living their passion.
I want to take you back to one winter day in January or February of 1989. I was at home watching a black & white western on the weekend. The movie was near its end as the main character was making his escape from an Indian attack. His escape was floating down a swift moving river on a hastily assembled raft.
Soon he passes along the river where I see the silhouettes of the dark mountains in the distant background after the sun had passed behind them. I remember saying, wow, where is that ?!! I had to watch the credits.
After what seemed forever, I had my answer. Teton National Park, Jackson Hole, Wyoming scrolled by and my first reaction was that I had to go there. As the movie finally came to an end, I called my buddy and told him we have to go to this place I just saw on tv, not knowing that at the time a friend of his had moved to Kelly just north of Jackson, WY three years earlier.
That spring we made our flight reservations for Jackson and stayed there from September 10 through the 22nd. And the rest is history.
First, let me say that when you fly into Jackson, WY, find out during the flight to Jackson if they will be landing north-to-south. If they are, you want a window seat on the left as you enter the plane. This way you’ll be in awe when you see the Tetons out your window when making the approach for landing.
The Teton mountain range is directly north of Jackson. Below you see a winter shot of both the town of Jackson and the Tetons in the distance. Not very large is it?
With regard to this eBook, by “Tetons” I mean the entire range of mountains in the Teton range from the Grand Teton, to Mt. Owen, Teewinot, Mt. Saint John, Rockefeller Peak, Mt. Woodring and Mt. Moran which, as described, run south to north as one faces the Tetons.
South | ---------- Teton Range ------------------------- | North -->
As one uses this guide and drives north out of Jackson, WY along Rt. 191, the main road in and out of Jackson, looking out the driver’s side window, all or part of this mountain range will always be visible. Route 191/89 will be your main road of orientation almost no matter where you are.
This guide will take you to all the “must-shoot” locations; the ones you have already seen pictures of and said about 500 “oh, my gosh” to and then to many more that people are not aware of. And it is the latter that will heighten your sense of adventure as you explore and drive to photo locations as this ebook offers so many different views of the Tetons where often you’ll have the view all to yourself.
As a result, this guide will best serve the widest range of people visiting Jackson Hole from the tourist with a point-and-shoot camera to the die-hard professionals with all their DSLRs, expensive tripods, crazy lenses and a hand full of different circular and GND/ND filters. Almost all locations are a matter of just driving up to, pulling over and walking a short distance. A few will require will require a short five to ten minute walk and a few may require a 20-35 minute easy hike like Phelps, Taggart and Leigh Lakes.
In this eBook I make extensive use of location markers inside Google Satellite. This is a real cool tool with which I can better show you the exact location from which these scenic shots were taken.
How do they work ? With each shot I will have highlighted text where, for example, I will indicate to the reader to “Click here to see the Google satellite view: Triangle X Overlook ( go ahead and click this link to see it work on your computer).
You will immediately be taken to the internet to the Google satellite view of this location. At this point you may switch between satellite or map view by clicking their respective buttons on the top right of the Google map and you then may click on the + or - sign on the left side of the map to zoom in or out as needed to see a better view to orient yourself to the specific area. Look for the correct color marker and its name.
If you have a smart phone (Android or iPhone) and you can not bring up the Google satellite map then go to the link below for downloading the app which will allow you to utilize Google satellite map with this eBook…. http://www.imapbuilder.com/android-map-viewer/
There are two areas of importance I want to stress to you that you must be aware of in advance of your photo shooting adventure which will make your time in Jackson Hole safer…weather and wildlife.
The first thing you should always know about before you head out is the impending weather, especially in the fall. Why do I say impending? Because it may be beautiful when you head out but within two hours you can be in a tremendous rain storm with lightning and hail which will make the dirt roads bad. Or, a rapidly developing snow storm will drop the temperatures so much that you’ll need very warm gear. So always wear and take additional appropriate outer gear and food and water.
The second important thing you should always be aware of is the wildlife. I cannot over stress this as a safety issue. You’ll be in their territory, their home. Carry bear spray when alone in the woods.
You may be out along the extended part of Antelope Flats Road by yourself with your camera set up and ready to shoot but you don’t hear a full grown male bison or moose that just came out of a stand of Aspen trees behind you and is walking right to where you are. Be safe. Look around you frequently for wildlife before you start setting up and composing your shot. Or, if they are already near you, watch the ones who start noticing you and if they look too concerned start backing away slowly. Don’t ever run.
When it comes to wildlife like moose and bears, park rangers want you no closer than 75-100 yards. This is for a good reason. If they charge you, they can cover 100 yards before you can get 4 sneezes off and moving with the force of a freight train. Also give elk their distance too especially during their rutting season. They can be very aggressive and dangerous and never get close to any type of bear with cubs.
One last word concerning safety.
When driving at night, never, never under estimate wildlife crossing Rt. 191 once you get a couple of miles north of Jackson. Bison and elk cross Rt. 191 all the time at night and you never know when they will. You’ll be driving along with low beams on and the next thing you know there’s an elk or buffalo standing right in the middle of the road. Or, they may dart across the road.
Case in point. On my very first night in Jackson in late September 2009, my adrenaline was running high so I take a drive north of Jackson and after driving passed the entrance to the airport on the left I see police lights far in the distance.
As I approached within 200 feet of the first park ranger vehicle, I pulled off the road on the right. I see a badly damaged hood and window of a car and a full grown male bison is lying in the middle of and perpendicular to the double yellow lines.
I went over to find out what happened. The 22 year old daughter driving the car with mom up front and dad and brother in the back told me there were two bison. The first was further out and it made it across the road fine but she said the second darted out so close to the car she could not stop in time. It turns out she was driving almost 55mph with low beams and doing what we all do …. talking away. The posted speed limit in that area is 45mph. Do no more than 40mph at night is my suggestion.
When you’re driving at night and you see the first 45mph speed sign, it’s in everyone’s best interest you do 45mph or a little less. Yes, the rangers had to put the buffalo down.
As you can see below, the time of year and weather doesn’t matter, wildlife will be seen strolling along on the roadway, even at night !!!
Ok. So where am I going to take you. Well, in short, I will take you all over Jackson Hole to include one mile inside the southern entrance of Yellowstone National Park where you will see Moose Falls at the most distant point north then to the southeastern side of Jackson Hole where the 1953 movie Shane was filmed and beyond to the Red Hills and Lower Slide Lake.
You’ll travel to Mormon Row Road where the turn of the 20th century dwellings and barns are, to Schwabachers Landing, Snake River Pullout, Hedrick Pond, Buffalo Ridge Overlook, Triangle X Overlook and Richardson’s Overlook and Pilgrim Creek, all great shooting locations.
Jackson Hole Overview Shooting Locations
The first set of easy to reach locations north of Jackson, WY are the pullouts along Rt. 191.
The first starts with the Elk Refuge Pullout and goes thirty or so miles north to Moran Junction.
Once you pass the Elk Refuge on the right, you’ll start the gradual ascent to the higher valley floor and you’ll soon come to the first of many turnouts for stopping and taking in the views of the Tetons a little northwest of you. These are great areas to pull over and take your camera out. These pullouts may be called anything from a turnout, to pullouts, overviews or overlooks. I’ll just refer to them as pullouts.
Starting with the Elk Refuge pullout, there are at least ten additional pullouts you’ll want to stop at for photos, each offering a wonderfully different point of view of the Tetons.
The pullouts are: Elk Refuge Pullout, Park Entrance Pullout, Sleeping Indian Overlook, Albright View Overlook, Blacktail Butte Pullout, Blacktail Ponds Turnout, Teton Point Turnout, Snake River Overlook, Triangle-X Ranch entrance, Elk Ranch Flats Pullout and the Cunningham Historic Homestead. There are minor roadside areas to pull over along the shoulder but these are much smaller and will not be covered in this eBook.
Don’t worry about trying to remember these as all of them are clearly marked on the “Grand Teton John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway” map which you can pick up just about anywhere and which the Rangers give out when you pay to enter Teton National Park either in the little village of Moose or the northern entrance near Mt. Moran Junction or the southern entrance just north of Teton Village.
I suggest you stop at each one of these as on any given day you’ll see some inspirational views of the Tetons from each of these pullouts. Here’s a sample.
Before traveling to Jackson Hole, WY, most people have seen a number of photos of the area which really excited them and they made sure to note these locations to see and photograph.
There are five major iconic photo locations: 1) the Moulton barns, 2) the Tetons reflection in the beaver dam at Lower Schwabachers Landing, 3) the Tetons and Snake River from the Snake River Overlook, 4) the area called Oxbow Bend and lastly, 5) Signal Mountain. Some would say more than five but it’s all a matter of one’s opinion. I have more but they included lesser known overlooks tourists are not aware of.
Moulton Barns: The first and the closest to Jackson are the old Moulton barns. The Thomas Alma Moulton Barn is located along Mormon Row Road and the second and most famous is located along Antelope Flats Road real close to where the north side of Mormon Row Road dead ends.
You’ll find an immediate area to park near each as well as additional areas to pull over and hop out to set up your equipment and compose your shot.
The photo below is the Moulton barn along Mormon Row Road taken around the end of the first week in October. The best time to shoot this barn is in early morning just after sunrise when the rich rays of sunlight first fall upon the barn and bath its weather worn structure. However, if you have an outstanding set of clouds and light at sunset, this would also make a great sunset shot.
Click here to see a Google satellite map view on this exact location: “MS01-Moulton Barn”. Look for the yellow gMap stick pin map marker.
As a matter of interest, there are a set of cottages a couple hundred yards to the left of this which are available for rent so if you’re interested stop by the office there and find out the particulars.
The most popular site that most shoot this from is to the left in and around the tree line and the small spring that runs through this area in front of the barn. Be sure to walk a little up and down the dirt road here as this barn has many nice comps.
The quickest and easiest way to find this barn is to drive north out of Jackson along Rt. 191 past Jackson Airport. Look to the right ahead of you and you’ll see Blacktail Butte on the right sweeping down near the road. You cross over a bridge and take your first immediate right onto Antelope Flats Road. Drive no more than a mile and you’ll see the pinkish Mormon house on the left and its barn. This is not the barn above.
Mormon Row Road will end across from the parking area for this house. Turn right and drive a quarter of a mile to this barn on the right.
The more infamous barn is the turn of the twentieth century Mormon house just off Antelope Flats Road. Because of the way I directed you, you now know how to find the second barn. You can park in the area immediately near the front of the house or one of three other smaller shoulder pullouts a quarter mile east of the house along Antelope Flats Road. All offer inspirational comps of this iconic barn.
Click here to see a Google satellite map of this exact location: Moulton Barn. Find the yellow stick pin map pointer “MS02-Moulton Barn”.
Lower Schwabachers Landing Beaver Dam
What makes this a must shoot location? First and foremost, the mirror reflection of the Tetons in the still water of the beaver dam. Secondly, the setting with the pine trees and cottonwood trees between the beaver dam and the Tetons is just gorgeous especially in the fall.
To find this location, drive north out of Jackson on Rt. 191. Drive pass the airport and once you pass Antelope Flats Road on the right slow down a little and look for a small brown sign on the left which says “Schwabachers Landing”. Turn left here. It is small and you could drive past it if you’re not paying attention. Follow the initial bumpy dirt road for maybe a mile to where it dead ends at a parking lot with a buck & rail fence on the left and where, for your convenience, there’s also a place to go potty !!!
From the parking lot follow the trail along the stream to the right for a ten minute walk to the beaver dam.
When is the best time to shoot this location? Sunrise to early morning and sunset is what I would recommend. Check out a fall and winter sunset I’ve captured here in the past. The photo below was taken at the peak of the fall colors, usually the very end of September and very early October.
Click here to see the precise Google satellite map marker for this site: Beaver Dam: MS03 Schwabachers Beaver Dam. Find the yellow stick pin map marker for the shot above and next two.
Here is a shot of the Tetons reflection in the beaver dam around the end of the second week in October.
And finally, the Tetons reflection in the beaver dam in after sunset light.
Whether spring, summer or fall, you can’t go wrong shooting this location.
The Snake River Overlook is famous because Ansel Adams took his 1942 black and white photograph of the Grand Teton with the Snake River below from this site.
This overview is about twelve miles north of Jackson along Rt. 191 on the left.
The best time to shoot this is at sunrise and early morning. The second best time is about ten minutes after sunset. Why do I say ten minutes ? Because unless you use specialize photography filters, like Lee or Singh-Ray, etc., to tone down the light immediately above the mountains the light value is so bright that your photo will have a bright horizon and a very dark foreground leading right up to the outline of the mountain tops. By waiting a little, that light value difference will diminish to something your camera can handle a little better without filters.
And for comparison, here’s a winter shot for you to consider.
Click here to see the precise location via Google satellite MS04 Snake River Pullout. Look for the yellow stick pin map marker.
About four miles north of the Snake River Overview is another excellent location to consider stopping by. At this location, you’ll have another photo angle of the Grand Teton and an excellent one of Mt. Moran.