Jackson Hole Scenic Valley: Snake River Overlook & Oxbow Bend

Jackson Hole — the broad valley floor between the Tetons to the west and the Gros Ventre Range to the east — is one of the most scenic valley systems in North America, and experiencing it at a relaxed pace from the car and its viewpoints is as rewarding as any hike. Snake River Overlook is the single most famous photograph location in the American West: the spot where Ansel Adams made his 1942 photograph of the Teton Range reflected in the Snake River's braided channels below. Oxbow Bend at the north end of the valley is the park's premier early-morning wildlife viewpoint — a calm meander of the Snake River where moose, great blue heron, river otter, and osprey are reliably present and the Grand Teton reflects in the still water. The Teton Park Road between the two points is the valley's finest scenic corridor, with the Cathedral Group in direct view for its entire length.