"In the Shadow of Its Greater Neighbor" Grand Teton National Park by mrclay2000

Grand Teton National Park Travel Guide: 314 reviews and 923 photos

entrance sign near Moran Junction - Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton - not as Grand without the Tetons

When one approaches this lesser-traveled national park, the neighbor of Yellowstone to the south, the first impression is that given by the mighty range of mountains that gives the park its name. Nowhere else in the lower 48 states is there a range like this, with impressive dents jutting directly and deliberately skyward. Heavy forests sit at the foot of the range on the eastern side, and within this sprawling enclave is a sizable number of montane lakes that pay their rent by constantly reflecting their towering landlords on their calm surfaces.

The park enjoys a range of wildlife, but folks are often frustrated by having to journey far and wide before something actually occurs. One would think that with a topography similar to Yellowstone, that the smaller park would borrow the overload. Not exactly so. There are black and grizzly bears in the park, but your probabilities of spotting one are greater in Yellowstone. The same holds true for pronghorn, for buffalo, for coyotes, for elks and deer, and for every other mammal with the possible exception of one -- the moose.

While the mountain range is impressive in profile, the range alone cannot hold one spellbound for long. Neither can the reflecting lakes with their glacial-green waters and waveless surfaces. Even the reflections of mighty pines therein and tufted clouds above can't amaze forever. However, what Grand Teton enjoys hands down above all the rest are habitats for moose, my favorite creatures next to the bears. The Snake River winds through the park on its eastern side, speading throughout its basin an endless tangle of willows -- both manna and mantle to the moose. Having said this, the tough part is to find not only a moose, but preferably a bull, and not only a bull, but one close enough to your position as to register higher than dark blip on your radar. I have always held that an animal track or a perfect habitat forms a great expectation for the animals. Sometimes the expectation is as vibrant and as vexing as the animal itself. But sometimes, even success is not enough.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Beautiful mountain lakes all reflect a mighty mountain range
Cons:Too few animals, too sparse a range of vistas -- everything begins and ends with the Grand Teton range itself
In a nutshell:A Miniature Yellowstone -- without its due proportion of wildlife

Last visit to Grand Teton National Park: Jul 2000
Intro Updated Dec 26, 2002
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Reviews (8)

Hidden Falls - Grand Teton National Park

See it from Down Below Things to Do (4)

The hikes around the Jenny Lake area are the most popular in the park. Flat terrain and wooded hillsides make this a... more travel advice

Moose Ponds Overlook - Grand Teton National Park

Moose - It's What It's All About Things to Do (4)

Moose tend to feed singly or in pairs wherever there is an abundance of browse. Anything that looks like a low-lying... more travel advice

See It From On High Things to Do (4)

Once you've committed the Teton range to your memory, it's time to see the valley from the heights of the range itself.... more travel advice

Above Paintbrush Canyon - Grand Teton National Park

See It From On High II Things to Do (4)

Near the top of Paintbrush Divide (or at least in Paintbrush Canyon), while you're not watching for bighorn on the... more travel advice

Favorites (4)
See All Jenny Lake area - Favored by Park Goers

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Comments (16)

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tropicdiver Aug 11, 2007 at 12:32 PM

Mike, I'll be up at GT next month. Did you manage to find the spot Ansel Adams set up his tripod?
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JLBG Jun 25, 2005 at 9:18 PM

Excellent moose picture. You were lucky to get so close. Grand Teton NP is a superb location ! I enjoyed it a lot !
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iandsmith Apr 28, 2005 at 3:22 PM

Nice compositions but some of your pics have that "washed out" look. It's a problem when you set such high standards for the rest of us! Excellent script.
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JetlagCity Feb 5, 2005 at 1:47 PM

Your national park pages can't be beat, Mike. I only drove through here once, would love to return someday.
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goingsolo Oct 1, 2004 at 9:02 AM

I always enjoy reading your National Park pages. Great photos, lots of information and excellent writing. This one is no exception. Great job!
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mtncorg Jun 12, 2003 at 11:55 AM

Another park where time of day counts most for your photos!! Paintbrush Divide and Cascade Canyon are pretty. Nice pages.
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sim1 Apr 5, 2003 at 5:05 PM

Beautiful photos and great tips Mike! I only drove through the Grand Tetons, but I wish I had more time to stay there longer. It looked so fantastic! Next time I'll plan my trip different and enjoy this park more. I did see moose and a bear cub here :-)
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ExGuyParis Feb 26, 2003 at 8:54 AM

Grand photos of a grand place! Merci, Monsieur Clay.
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herzog63 Feb 17, 2003 at 6:07 PM

Fantastic Photos!! The Jenny Lake photo looks 3D! I didn't realize that GTNP had so many moose! Moose are fun to watch!
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worldtrekker Feb 14, 2003 at 12:11 AM

Not as diverse as Yellowstone, but still spectacular! Good moose tips! ;-)