Best Spots for Photos in The Grand Tetons

From intimate elopements, to family sessions, and everything in between.  One of the most popular questions we get from prospective clients is what are the best spots for photos in the grand teton national park?  Our list below covers the top 15 spots (in no particular order) in terms of popularity amongst our clients over the years.  To answer that burning question in the back of your mind, yes, they all have views of the tetons as their backdrop!  So whether you’re looking for an open field right at the base of the mountains where they look huge, a spot where they are more in the distance so you get that wide angle view, or something by the water, there’s a little something for everybody with the list below!  Our goal with this blog is to provide you with a lot of visual examples so you can see which spot resonates most with you.  We’ll add a few little bits of information that feel relevant but the focus will be mostly on visual and a general overview of each spot!  If you’re looking for more in depth information regarding wedding & elopement requirements/restrictions, be sure to click here and check out our blog on the 6 site specific ceremony locations in the park.  The last thing we will cover is distance to each location from popular lodging options in the area.  If you don’t see the place you are staying on here, we recommend just typing the location you're most interested in, into google maps and running it from where you will be staying.  This will give you a pretty accurate estimate on drive time from where you’re staying to each spot.  As always, if you have any very specific questions about any of these beautiful locations in the Grand Tetons, click here to give us a shout!

1.  Mountain View Turnout

Distance from popular lodging locations:

Downtown Jackson - 34 minutes

Victor, Idaho - 1 hour 11 minutes

Driggs, Idaho - 1 hour 21 minutes

Easy Access for Mobility Issues:  YES

Accessible in the Winter:  NO

Google Maps Listing - click here

This is one of our favorite locations in the Grand Teton National Park for portraits!  The tetons tend maintain a more jagged shape from this perspective which a lot of people prefer.  The open field allows for plenty of room for small portrait sessions and can work well for some more moderate sized family groups.  This spot usually doesn’t open until mid May so if you’re visiting before that, don’t plan on this being an option.

2.  Mt. Moran Turnout

Distance from popular lodging locations:

Downtown Jackson - 41 minutes

Victor, Idaho - 1 hour 18 minutes

Driggs, Idaho - 1 hour 28 minutes

Easy Access for Mobility Issues:  NO

Accessible in the Winter:  NO

Google Maps Listing - click here

Mount Moran Turnout is one of our personal favorites as this is where we renewed our vows in 2020.  I would compare it to Mountain View Turnout only it’s a little further from town and usually isn’t as busy in our experience.  Great spot for golden hour and sunset sessions but the light/color can be a little tricky for sunrise sessions.  If you like wide open fields and long range views of the tetons, this can be a great option for your portrait session.

3.  Glacier View Turnout

Distance from popular lodging locations

Downtown Jackson - 21 minutes

Victor, Idaho - 1 hour 6 minutes

Driggs, Idaho - 1 hour 14 minutes

Google Maps Listing - click here

Easy access for mobility issues: YES

Accessible in the Winter:  YES ***(most of the time for most people - - we would not recommend this spot in the winter if you have challenges with mobility)

Glacier View Turnout is one of the most popular spots we get requests for.  As we always say, if you’re passing through and you only have time to stop at one spot to get the perfect view of the Grand Tetons, this is it!  It’s the more straight on view giving you that traditional shark fin look of the grand that many people are accustomed to seeing.  Glacier View Turnout lends itself well to just about every kind of portrait session from engagement to larger families as well as wedding portraits.  There is plenty of room to move around, even when it’s crowded.  We also like this spot because the way it sits in relation to the tetons, it’s nearly impossible to get someone in your background.

4.  Taggart Lake/Taggart Lake Trailhead

Distance from popular lodging locations

Downtown Jackson - 22 minutes

Victor, Idaho - 1 hour 1 minutes

Driggs, Idaho - 1 hour 12 minutes

Google Maps Listing - click here

Easy access for mobility issues: YES  ***(the trailhead not the lake itself)

Accessible in the winter:  YES ***(the trailhead is easily accessible in the winter; most people have to snow shoe or cross country ski in the winter to get to the lake)

Taggart Lake is like two in one when it comes to locations.  A lot of our clients choose just to shoot at the trailhead for the beautiful views of the Tetons, and we do get a few throughout the year that decide to do the 40 minute hike (one way) to shoot near the water.  Both of these are great option depending on what you are going for.  We generally recommend keeping families limited to the trailhead and if you’re doing an engagement or wedding portraits, the lake can definitely be an option.  If you’re looking for an enjoyable experience shooting here, do not plan on mid day or early afternoon.  We strongly recommend sunrise or sunset due to crowding as this is one of the most popular spots/hikes in the park.

5.  Mormon Row Barns & Fields

Distance from popular lodging locations

Downtown Jackson - 27 minutes

Victor, Idaho - 1 hour 8 minutes

Driggs, Idaho - 1 hour 18 minutes

Google Maps Listing - click here

Easy access for mobility issues:  YES & NO - - ***(It’s flat, but if you’re trying to get out into the fields near the barns or in front of the barns, it would require about 100 yds of walking on gravel/dirt road as well as some possible changes in terrain with divots and ditches)

Mormon Row in it’s entirety is a super popular spot within The Grand Teton National Park, and likely one of the most popular.  The combination of the world famous TA Moulton Barn and John Moulton Barn, open fields with the Tetons in the distance, and the beautiful flowers during wildflower season make this spot popular for every type of portrait session.  The biggest challenge here is crowding and lack of parking.  It’s not uncommon to pull up and a tour bus arrive carrying 50+ people.  While this area can be great for larger family groups, we would strongly recommend carpooling.

6.  Schwabacher Landing

Distance from popular lodging locations

Downtown Jackson - 26 minutes

Victor, Idaho - 1 hour 7 minutes

Driggs, Idaho - 1 hour 17 minutes

Google Maps Listing - click here

Easy access for mobility issues:  NO

Accessible in the winter:  NO

Much like Mormon Row, Schwabacher Landing is another wildly popular location in Jackson Hole!  Photographers of all types love to shoot here to take advantage of the beautiful teton views, open fields, the snake river, and on some days, even a few moose!  Schwabacher Landing has two main parking lots.  The first one on your left tends to be slightly less crowded in our experience.  The lot down at the end tends to be the one everyone knows about and there is a lot more foot traffic in this area.  We personally like this side of Schwabacher just for couples since it can be tight.  If you’re wanting to take advantage of this location for your family portraits, you would be much better off taking advantage of the first lot on the left.  In any event, we wouldn’t recommend Schwabacher for large groups.  Last little bit about this location, some years the dirt road in can be rutted out and rough so make sure your vehicle has enough ground clearance and take your time, the road can be tight.

7.  Wedding Tree

Distance from popular lodging locations

Downtown Jackson - 30 minutes

Victor, Idaho - 1 hour 11 minutes

Driggs, Idaho - 1 hour 22 minutes

Google Maps Listing - NA

Easy access for mobility issues:  YES & NO ***(It’s a flat well groomed gravel/dirt path, most of the grand parents we’ve had at elopement ceremonies here have been assisted out, so it’s not terribly hard, but could require some assistance for some)

Accessible in the winter:  YES & NO  ***(There could very well be 3+ feet of snow, but we have seen winter elopements here for those not afraid of trudging through waist deep snow…not practical for most)

Wedding Tree is the first location on our list of spots outside of Grand Teton National Park.  Technically this beautiful and popular location is within the boundaries of the Bridger Teton National Forrest.  Admittedly, most of our time spent here has been for elopements/elopement portrait sessions but this can also be a great spot for families and engagements.  The light does have a tendency on clear days to be super bright and hazy until about 5 minutes before sunset in our experience.  The tetons are further away in the distance but a lot of people do love this further away perspective.  Parking is very limited so carpool if you can.  Once you’re actually out there from the quick 2 minute hike, there is plenty of room to move around.

8.  Jenny Lake

Distance from popular lodging locations

Downtown Jackson - 31 minutes

Victor, Idaho - 1 hour 5 minutes

Driggs, Idaho - 1 hour 15 minutes

Google Maps Listing - click here

Easy access for mobility issues:  YES & NO  ***(While there is a flat paved path from the parking lot to Jenny Lake itself, getting down to the beach itself does require being able to walk through sand)

Accessible in the winter: NO

Jenny Lake is by far the most popular spot to visit in The Grand Teton National Park on any given day.  It’s not uncommon for people to be parked on the side of the road 1/4 to 1/3 of a mile down from the actual parking lot during peak season.  We strongly recommend only shooting portraits here at sunrise or sunset.  Anything mid day is super crowded.  Also, due to the amount of snow melt in the summer as the temps ramp up, the shoreline can virtually disappear for a few weeks until the water levels drop.  This location has a combination of shoreline, lake, and mountain views that make it highly popular amongst families and couples alike.  We like to end our sessions here in case our couples are feeling adventurous enough to hop in.

9.  Colter Bay

Distance from popular lodging locations

Downtown Jackson - 57 minutes

Victor, Idaho - 1 hour 43 minutes

Driggs, Idaho - 1 hour 52 minutes

Google Maps Listing - click here

Easy access for mobility issues:   YES & NO ***(Somewhat, it’s flat, but the ceremony location is about 50-100 yds from the parking area, depending on how close you’re able to park.  The ground on the beach itself is a lot of loose rocks of varying sizes.  It would be difficult in heels or in a wheel chair for sure.

Accessible during the winter:  NO

I’ll say this, we’re surprised Colter Bay isn’t more popular.  Having done this full time for going on 11 years, we find most people who travel to Jackson Hole are always looking for the perfect combination of water and mountain views and Colter Bay definitely has a combo of the two.  It is however the furthest spot from town on this list so logistics are usually why people choose elsewhere in the park.  We would absolutely not recommend shooting here on a weekend day during the early or mid afternoon due to crowding.

10.  Windy Point Turnout

Distance from popular lodging locations

Downtown Jackson - 21 minutes

Victor, Idaho - 1 hour 5 minutes

Driggs, Idaho - 1 hour 15 minutes

Google Maps Listing - click here

Easy access for mobility issues:   YES

Accessible during the winter:  YES

Windy point turnout is a small pull off just a few minutes into the Grand Teton National Park after you pass the guard gates.  While we don’t really recommend this spot for an entire session, it’s popular enough amongst our clients that we felt it appropriate to list here.  When we have couples or families that schedule enough time for multiple locations, this is a popular option to stop off to get one of those iconic road shots in front of the Tetons.  We’ve done this shot a few dozen times every year and the biggest thing is to just be mindful and careful as there is a lot of traffic in the road both ways.  Always make sure the road is clear before trying to grab one of these shots.  Windy Point turnout also has an open field right next to it and this can be an easy spot to grab a few shots on the way to another location.

11.  Meadow View Pull Off

Distance from popular lodging locations

Downtown Jackson - 25 minutes

Victor, Idaho - 1 hour 4 minutes

Driggs, Idaho - 1 hour 15 minutes

Google Maps Listing - NA

Easy access for mobility issues: YES & NO ***(Once you actually get here, you have to navigate through an open field with a lot of sage brush - probably not appropriate for wheel chairs)

Accessible in the winter:  NO

This is actually just an unnamed pull off in the park between Taggart Lake TH and Jenny Lake Parking Lot.  This is a popular spot for a lot our couples and families!  The open field right at the base of the tetons gives it a unique perspective for capturing portraits.  It works really well for larger families and groups, and during peak wildflower season it can be spectacular!  On a really lucky day, you can sometimes see a herd of elk in the background.

12.  String Lake

Distance from popular lodging locations:

Downtown Jackson - 34 minutes

Victor, Idaho - 1 hour 11 minutes

Driggs, Idaho - 1 hour 21 minutes

Easy Access for Mobility Issues:  NO

Accessible in the Winter:  NO

Google Maps Listing - click here

String Lake is one of the most popular spots among our couples and families alike.  For us personally, this is one of our all time favorite spots in the park as well!  The combination of mountain views, water, a convenient bridge, and open fields make String Lake hard to beat!  This is another location we only recommend during sunrise or sunset as it can be super crowded early and midafternoon, even with large parking lots.  We also like this location because it’s centrally located within the Grand Teton National Park proper, with that, it’s close to a lot of other beautiful spots.  We do not recommend this spot for larger family groupings or bridal parties.

13.  Cathedral Group Turnout

Distance from popular lodging locations:

Downtown Jackson - 33 minutes

Victor, Idaho - 1 hour 10 minutes

Driggs, Idaho - 1 hour 20 minutes

Easy Access for Mobility Issues:  Yes

Accessible in the Winter:  NO

Google Maps Listing - click here

Cathedral Group Turnout is our personal favorite when it comes to views of the Tetons.  From this perspective it almost feels like the Dolmites with it’s towering jagged peaks.  This is also one of the spots where you can horseback ride in the park so if you plan on using horse as apart of your session, this is your spot!  We also love this location for it’s wide open space making it great for large families.

14.  Snake River Overlook

Distance from popular lodging locations

Downtown Jackson - 27 minutes

Victor, Idaho - 1 hour 9 minutes

Driggs, Idaho - 1 hour 19 minutes

Google Maps Listing - click here

Easy access for mobility issues:  YES

Accessible during the winter:  YES

While having a beautiful view of the Tetons, this is actually one of the least popular spots requested by our clientele.  That being said, it’s popular enough amongst the general community for being one of the locations that Ansel Adams shot his famous Snake River shot.  It’s also one of the 6 site specific ceremony sites so naturally it gets some traffic.  The main ceremony location is set in front of a rock wall.  Off to the left is an open field and trail wrapping around the rim of the canyon allowing you to access more of those beautiful teton views!

15.  Cascade Canyon Turnout

Downtown Jackson - 27 minutes

Victor, Idaho - 1 hour 4 minutes

Driggs, Idaho - 1 hour 14 minutes

Google Maps Listing - click here

Easy access for mobility issues:  NO

Accessible during the winter:  NO

I’m convinced this spot is popular partially because it has the coolest name (just kidding, kinda).  We love Cascade Canyon turnout!  It’s one of those spots that falls perfectly in between popular locations like String Lake and Jenny Lake as an example.  To get to the spots where you would actually want to shoot, you’ll need to get off the concrete and take the trails into the field.  If you haven’t mapped it, the light timing can be tricky at this location due to where the sun falls in between the canyon itself.  The way the mountains converge here on the canyon, the way the lighting hits on a great day, and the overall character of the mountains at this location make it another popular location for families and couples alike!

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So that either made the process of picking a spot for photos super easy or super hard (lol).  Truth be told, you can’t go wrong with any of these locations as a beautiful backdrop for your wedding portraits, engagement session, or family portraits.  Each one has unique attributes to consider before planning your session.  Be sure to check the information above to make sure it’s the best fit for not only your vision, but your situation (think 2 people vs 20). Please note, the time/distance estimations for how long it takes to get from popular lodging spots to these locations is based off simple google map directions.  These can vary based on time of year due to weather conditions, traffic conditions, etc.  Please ensure for your session you double check it prior to heading out.  Traffic jams can happen in Jackson Hole for a multitude of reasons.  As always, if you have any questions, never hesitate to hit us up, and if you were wanting more information about scheduling a session, click here!