Category: Free Roaming Photography

Elevation change on the Grand View Point Trail
Elevation profile and route below courtesy of the HAZ Tracks App

Distance: 1 mile (one way)
Difficulty: Moderate
Best time of year: Summer, Fall

Tip: Bring bear spray. Seriously. It’s not just for the safety of you, but also the bear. Even if you’re at fault, the park will put down the bear for attacking. This particular area is dense with bears and bear spray cannot be recommended enough on any hike in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

For those looking for a quick, but rewarding hike as you head north to (or from) Yellowstone, Grand View Point makes an excellent stop. The short trail brings you through a dense forest before topping out at excellent views of Jackson Lake and the Teton Mountains to the southwest, and Two Ocean Lake to the northeast.

At the trailhead, look for the trail just to the right of a service road, and proceed up. It doesn’t take long before the trail starts climbing rather steeply. The trail will continue at a steady ascent up, but some areas are steeper than others. The early stretch of the trail is heavily forested with limited views, but patience does ultimately get rewarded here.

At .2 miles, the trail will fork with a trail coming from the right, connecting hikers with an option to head to Emma Matilda Lake, and/or Jackson Lake Lodge. Those with more time on your hands may want to consider this as an option, or also from starting at Jackson Lake Lodge.

The trail continues to ascend through the forest and at about .7 miles, will begin to reveal some views. Initially, you’re treated to a view of Jackson Lake from a meadow before winding around back into the forest. Just through a small stretch of the forest, you come to a small knoll treating you to a view of the other direction, consisting of Two Ocean Lake and the Teton Wilderness. You’ll notice that many people walk right over the knoll, but please use the trail that winds around it to the left to minimize your impact on fragile vegetation.

After another short stretch through a forest, you’ll reach another small knoll with a tremendous view of Jackson Lake and the Teton Mountains. Just a short distance back up the trail is the actual Grand View Point at 7823 feet, high above Two Ocean Lake and Emma Matilda Lake below, with the Teton Wilderness and Absoraka Mountains stretching into the distance.

Enjoy the view, and head out the same way you came in whenever you’re ready. For those with more time on their hands, you can also continue on the trail to be brought down to Two Ocean Lake just 1.3 miles farther. For those with all day to spare, a trail continues around both Two Ocean Lake and Emma Matilda Lake, winding you through a plethora of grand views in a more remote area of Grand Teton National Park.

Getting there: From Jackson, drive north on Highway 89 for 30 miles, before turning left at the Moran Junction to pass through the toll for Grand Teton National Park. Either show your pass or purchase a pass to access this area of the park, and proceed ahead for just under six miles, passing Jackson Lake Lodge on your left, then making the next available right onto an unsigned, unpaved dirt road. The dirt road will fork after a short distance. Continue straight (right) and continue for about .8 miles where the road will dead-end at the trailhead.

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2015 has so far seen a number of increased bison attacks on people in Yellowstone National Park, but despite what many visitors think, rarely, if ever, is it the animal’s fault.

Most people are surprised to hear that bison are responsible for the most injuries in the park. The cause is almost always the same. Someone who thinks of them as big, dumb and slow animals walks up to one to take a picture with it, ignoring the warning signs the animal is showing, and the bison is forced to its last resort: tossing the person up in the air and breaking several bones in the flight, at the very least. After all, they can sprint over 30mph and are anything but docile.

There have also been multiple bear fatalities in recent years just in Yellowstone. Two completely separate incidents were the result of someone hiking into dense bear areas defiantly leaving bear spray behind, claiming they’ve lived here long enough to know how to behave around a bear. Of course if you know what you’re doing around a bear, you don’t need bear spray, but spray isn’t for people that don’t know what they’re doing around a bear. Bear spray is intended for those rare close encounters that you don’t see coming, what’s ultimately suspected of claiming the lives of those two people.

You would think the increased wildlife-human interactions would lead to more education and understanding about our natural world, but sadly, dangerous narcissism (in more than one way) remains high in wild areas. Just recently, a section of the Colorado Trail was closed because too many people were taking selfies with bears. That’s literally telling the world, the animal included, that you have absolutely no respect for the animal or the environment you’re in. Trying to get as close as you can to a wild animal to make sure it’s visible within the picture is for one reason only: to show your friends that you saw something they didn’t. In that moment, you’re completely detached from the magic of the encounter and reverting to completely unnatural behavior in a vain and futile attempt to 1-up your connections online, and everyone they’re connected to hoping they’ll see as well, thereby putting you in the spotlight. The entire point of the encounter is lost entirely. This is not why wild animals are out there. They’re there to keep ecosystems healthy so that we can hopefully continue to have fresh food and water for decades to come.

What’s missed by blatantly disrespecting nature is a chance to understand yourself better which leads to a more rewarding and fulfilling life. Despite our best efforts to deny it, humans are still animals, and humans need a healthy amount of nature. In fact, multiple studies are beginning to show that children need outdoor exposure to properly develop. This is because our mind and bodies still depend on the natural environment for rest and relaxation. Trying to briefly “escape” to nature only carries the burden of trying to escape, so a true immersion into nature isn’t fully possible. Then, when a wild animal is encountered, the competitiveness to outdo friends is still there, leading to unnatural and dangerous behavior in nature. In fact it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that taking a selfie with a bear, or any wild animal, is a form of insanity. The etymology of the word insanity points to two origins that sum up that behavior quite accurately: “unhealthfullness” and “extreme folly.” I don’t think anyone who actually understands what nature is would argue against that at all.

The narcissism of trying outdo other people is completely misplaced in nature. It’s dangerous not just because you’re putting your own life at risk, but should a bear attack you, no matter how idiotic you were behaving, rules dictate that park or forest officials have to kill the bear. To put another life at risk so you can potentially outdo people you know is unquestionably insanity. Of course they probably don’t know that, but to be so disconnected from nature as to have your main goal be to satisfy narcissism at the sight of such a majestic creature would also qualify. Besides the obvious danger of it here, there’s also the danger of getting completely absorbed in the lifeless circle of not getting to understand or truly experience nature, and therefore yourself. This ultimately leads to a bland and unsatisfying life where the absence of nature is artificially and inadequately compensated for through other means, though never achieving the same result.

People often (semi-)joke that there should be a test before admitting people into wild areas. The sad and ironic truth is that most people would fail that test horribly, but raw and wild nature is exactly what they need to be cured of not understanding the natural world, and therefore, themselves.

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Elevation change from Leigh, Bearpaw, and Trapper Lakes
The ups and downs look intense, but the elevation on the left reveals it’s a lot less intense than at first glance. Elevation profile and route courtesy of the HAZ Tracks App

Distance (one way): 4.6 miles to Trapper Lake
Difficulty: Easy
Best time of year: Spring, Summer, Fall

For those looking for an easy-going, but rewarding hike, Bearpaw and Trapper Lakes make for great destinations. Both are tucked away at the base of Mount Moran to the west, in between Leigh Lake to the south and Jackson Lake to the north. The entire trail has very little elevation gain, making it an easy trip for those not wanting to exert themselves too much. They’re also great destinations when snow is either still covering the mountains, or has just started to.

The hike begins at the frequently used String Lake/Leigh Lake Trailhead. The large parking lot at the end of the road gets used by everyone from picnickers just passing through to paddle-boarders on String Lake to backpackers heading up to the Paintbrush Divide. As a result, the parking lot fills up quickly so it’s best to get there early in the morning, both to beat the traffic, and also to have the time and flexibility to explore the area farther back. From the parking area, proceed toward String Lake, then take the String Lake Trail to the right to begin heading north. A few small rocky ridges will bring you up and down a minimal amount of elevation gain and loss, but very soon the trail smooths out as it pops in and out of the trees to show off some outstanding views of String Lake and the Teton Mountains behind it. If you’re there early enough (or late enough) in the day, you should see some immaculate reflections in the water, weather permitting.

At nearly a mile the trail forks, left leading up toward Paintbrush Canyon, and right leading toward Leigh Lake. Proceed right toward Leigh Lake which is only about .1 miles beyond, but not before another fork leads those with canoes and kayaks to portage to the left. Hikers (that’s you) should continue to the right. A very short ascent up a small moraine yields a great view of Leigh Lake through the trees as the trail heads north to wind around its southeastern shore. The trail descends from the moraine as it begins to hug the perimeter of the lake, many times bringing the trail right next to the water for even more dramatic views of the Tetons. Again, early in the morning and late in the evening will frequently present crystal clear reflections. Farther up the trail, excellent views up Paintbrush and Leigh Canyons begin to be revealed.

As the trail continues north up the eastern edge of Leigh Lake, it soon passes through some campsites at roughly 2.5 miles in. If anyone is currently using the sites as you pass through, please respect their privacy and hike on, unless they’re friendly, in which case you should say “Hi.” The trail continues through the forest and along the lake and after a bit of hiking, you’ll notice that you’re entering a recently burned forest. This was the outer edge of the Bearpaw Bay Fire from 2009. It’s in this area that the trail begins to veer to the west as it wraps around to the northern edge of Leigh Lake.

After hiking westward along an old, overgrown forest to your left, and a freshly burned forest to your right, the trail soon opens up into a large meadow where another trail crosses it coming from the south at Leigh Lake heading north. Taking the trail right for roughly .4 miles will bring you to a campsite on the north end of Bearpaw Lake, giving you some different and interesting views of the lake unobtainable from the main trail. From this vantage point, it’s a bit easier to get a few shots of the mountains in the background, though you’ll notice that Bearpaw Lake isn’t the most impressive lake, especially having just passed String and Leigh Lakes. What it does offer is solitude and quiet, and where there’s solitude and quiet, there’s an increased chance at seeing more diversity in the wildlife of the Teton Mountains.

Continuing straight at the junction will bring you to two other campsites at Bearpaw Lake, this time on the west side of the lake. The trail winds past the two sites and begins a short ascent up a small hill to bring you a bit closer to Mount Moran. Once the trail has crested the incline, you enter a quiet and still forest for a little less than half a mile. At the end other, a campsite for Trapper Lake forks off to the left, and only 100 yards further is Trapper Lake, complete with elegant beaver dams and ponds at its north end.

Tip: Visit in fall to see large groves of aspens on the side of Mount Moran in their peak color.

If you left early in the morning in the middle of the summer, enjoy the views and the peaceful surroundings. By the time you’re back at String Lake, there will be lots of people and commotion all over the trails and shores of String Lake. To get back (when you’re ready), head back the same way you came in.

Getting there: From downtown Jackson, head north on Highway 89 for roughly 12 miles to the Moose Junction. Take a left and continue straight to the entrance station and either acquire or show a permit to gain access to Grand Teton National Park. After about 10 miles, look for the North Jenny Lake Junction and make a left. At 1.5 miles, you’ll reach another junction where you’ll take a right. Follow that road until it dead-ends at a large parking area. Park anywhere in here and proceed to the northwest part of the parking area to join the String Lake Trail. Restrooms are also located on the northeast side of the parking area, while potable water can be found on the west side in the picnic area, provided it’s not regularly freezing at night.

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Elevation change on the Atherton Ridge Hike
Elevation profile and route below courtesy of the HAZ Tracks App

Distance (one way): 4.1 miles
Difficulty: Strenuous
Best time of year: Spring, Summer, Fall

The Atherton Ridge Trail is a relatively forgotten trail, but is well worth the effort. Neither side is considerably easier to climb than the other, but most people prefer to hike east to west because of the great views that unfold of the Teton Mountains in the distance to the west.

Across from the Atherton Creek Campground, the trail immediately begins climbing, bringing you from an open meadow to aspen groves and thick willow growth. At roughly .5 miles, another trail will fork off to the right, the main trail continuing straight ahead and through meadows, aspens and willows. Farther up the trail, the trail crosses a few muddy areas from streams that trickle out of beaver ponds just up Atherton Creek. These only appeared a couple of years ago, so the trail’s been rerouted slightly to avoid stressing them out. Please respect this and don’t cause them any unneeded stress by getting too close. A good vantage point is just up the trail where it comes out of the trees where a small knoll lies just off of the right of the trail. This provides a good look back toward the ponds.

At this point the trail begins a steep ascent up a grassy hillside that will give you some great views over Slide Lake once you gain some altitude. The trail then begins to take the shape of an old 4WD road as two paths begin to parallel each other. The trail will go up and down a couple of small hills and then bend sharply to the north past an old evergreen tree that looks like you could push it over, but don’t try. The trail climbs steeply for a brief section here, before winding back to the west and smoothing out. At the top of this hill you’re treated to some magnificent views of the Tetons over some nearby hills. You’ll also notice that a trail veered off to the right to head back farther north. In fact there are many trails in this area and you could potentially spend an entire day or more exploring them. To remain on the Atherton Ridge Trail, either look for the trail at the top of the hill that goes to the left, or if you can’t find it, take the most obvious trail down the hill into the small valley below you. Either trail will intersect with another running north-to-south on the other side of the small valley, where you’ll want to begin heading south (left) along it.

Tip: This area’s used frequently by the Gros Ventre River Ranch for horseback rides. If you come across them, please step off the trail and let them pass.

Once on the other side of the small valley, the trail then climbs a short distance as it goes through an aspen grove and continues to climb up to a small hill. You’ll notice more trails branching off here and there, but as long as you’re continuing toward the Gros Ventre Slide (the massive landslide in the mountain to the south) you’re headed in the right direction. Of course if you want to explore a few trails, feel free. Just remember when you’re ready to start back, follow the trails in the direction of the Gros Ventre Slide.

The main trail will top out a small hill where the trail actually disappears, but can be easily found on the other side of the small hill. A bit past the hill, the trail will fork again next to a small section of an old fence. This is where you’ll want to branch off to begin your descent.

It descends steeply down the hillside for a short distance, then flattens out where it winds around a treeline before dropping again where some sandstone is exposed. It climbs back up a short distance, then the trail then forks again at the top of a steep ridge, one trail leading down the ridgeline to the right, and two seeming to head straight down. Of the two heading straight down, pick the one that looks the least steep to you and begin making your way down. They’ll connect again just a short distance down.

Continue your descent down and over the hills, and eventually the trail will pass through a lush aspen grove. As you pass through the aspens, the road pops out in front of you, as well as the parking area where you left your shuttle car.

To see more images of the Atherton Ridge Trail, check out my Gros Ventre Mountains Gallery here.

Getting there: From Jackson, take Highway 89 north out of town 6.8 miles to the Gros Ventre Junction and make a right. Less than seven miles later, you’ll reach the town of Kelly where the road bends sharply to the north. Continue for just over another mile and you’ll see a paved road to your right. Turn right there and continue on that road for another six miles, passing Kelly Warm Springs immediately to your right, then the border of Grand Teton National Park farther back, followed by the Gros Ventre River Ranch, and after more twists and turns, Slide Lake. The parking at the trailhead is very small and tight, so pull off of the road as best as you can on your left where you see the trail heading up just across the street from the Atherton Creek Campground.

Along the way, just after you pass the Gros Ventre River Ranch, the road climbs through a forest and bends sharply to the left. There is a big parking area here on top of the hill. This is where you’ll want to leave the shuttle car, otherwise you’ll have to do the whole hike the other way.

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