Grand Teton National Park - Four Popular Photographic SubjectsThere 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.
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.
Speaking of smucks…photo etiquette in the field is paramount so, be considerate of others while trying to capture your dreamscape. The Tetons as I mentioned earlier will especially be crowded in the early fall and you will have to compete with other photogs and folks enjoying the scenery. Common courtesy says first come first served. Don’t be an igmo by stepping in front of someone else’s setup that was there before you. It is downright rude and can result in a bloody nose and black eye!!! Once you have captured the four popular Grand Teton subjects go get creative with additional park subjects to add to your growing photographic library.
A Brief Note about Solo Camping in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National ParksI camped out during my last outing to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park. I was traveling solo and setup a tent at Signal Mountain while in the Tetons. Today both parks are very strict regarding regulations pertaining to food and bears. They provide a list of certain items(which incidentally is just about anything and everything associated with food and water including stoves, coolers, cook kits, ad infinitum) that are NEVER to be left out in your camping area in your absence. You aren’t even supposed to keep water in your tent. All this is designed to contain food odors. That left me wondering in my tent at night how my evening meal of salmon and consequent fish laden breath was going to be regarded by some wayward bear or for that matter if a Ranger was going to do spot checks on tent campers to see if they had properly brushed and flossed their teeth that evening. You can be fined in excess of $200 if you violate this rule. I mentioned Signal Mountain because I was approached by a park service employee while there. I was very aware of the rules. Hard not to be since they are plastered everywhere including on each picnic table. I would have had to be Mr. Magoo to not see the postings. I was preparing breakfast at the time and all my cookware and food was laid about in my campground near the picnic table. I had stepped into my tent briefly just as the employee drove by in his golf cart and he was alarmed to see no one present. He proceeded to caution me anyway to explain his presence. It was explained to me that even a quick trip to drop some garbage in the dumpster was applicable to this rule. If a bear entered your camp while you were gone and prohibited items were laid out the bear would be shot…part of the park rules to control bear/people contact. Consider the scenario where you are in the midst of preparing breakfast with all your goodies laid out, bacon frying in the pan, hot cocoa steaming in the pot, and nature suddenly calls…park expectations are that you stop the whole process and place all your items in your car or a bear proof box before proceeding to relieve yourself. I checked with the park headquarters to confirm this. I think one needs to abide by the rules, but this is utterly impossible to comply with if you are camping alone or at the very least a great inconvenience. I’m passing this along to those of you who may be planning to go solo and tent camp in either Grand Teton or Yellowstone parks. Be mindful of these restrictions should you decide a camping trip to the parks to avoid a fine or possibly having your gear confiscated. Also be prepared to be greatly inconvenienced. Otherwise avoid tent camping in the parks or choose to stay away altogether. The camping experience in these parks isn’t as enjoyable as it used to be. I can remember when camping in both these parks more than 40 years ago that bears were everywhere and having one wander into your camp was pretty much routine. You just used common sense in bear country. People tend to take a back seat to animals today because of some environmental rants about harming a species. Don’t get me wrong I think the environment needs protecting it is just that some folks go way overboard. Now, with all the politically correct(PC) garbage invading our country I guess officials figure they have to protect everyone from themselves to avoid lawsuits since apparently no one is responsible for themselves. Point in particular…on my last trip to Yellowstone paramedics were stationed around Old Faithful geyser near eruption time. This shouldn’t be necessary. No wonder park fees are up. The areas are marked and people are advised to stay out of certain areas. Warning signs specifically about the nature of hazards involved with walking in some areas are posted throughout this cauldron of a park. Common sense apparently is in a deficit. I understand that unfortunate accidents happen, but you can’t protect the stupid from themselves. It is time for me to get off my soap box. Things have surely changed from the days when I used to go camping more frequently. My point is because of the nature of today’s world with all the PC crap and many people having expectations that the government is supposed to do everything for them including save them from wild creatures and other hazards even though they should know the risks of venturing into the backwoods, the whole experience of camping has gotten to be much less enjoyable due to the added regulations that are a direct result of those expectations people have now. It is all so absurd. As a consequence you and I pay a price for a few ding-a-lings and authorities with no spines. Camping is only one item on that list of disappearing pleasures. authored by Lon Britton
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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. 
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.
