Although many people love watching a colorful sunrise, not everyone enjoys getting up to actually see one. Often, getting to the best sunrise locations requires a long drive or even hike.
If you’re visiting Wyoming‘s Grand Teton National Park, though, you’ll have the extraordinary opportunity to see some of the most beautiful sunrises in the national parks. And you won’t have to put in too much effort either.
A park that’s very easy to explore by car—and offers backcountry enthusiasts world-class hiking and backpacking opportunities—Grand Teton National Park is home to the scenic Teton Park Road. Together with Route 26/89/191, the Teton Park Road makes up the amazing 42-mile Teton Park Scenic Loop Drive.
All along this circular driving route, there are turnouts, overlooks and pullouts. Because the Scenic Loop circles through the Jackson Hole valley, you can enjoy spectacular views of the Teton Range basically anywhere.
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Top 7 Roadside Sunrise Locations in Grand Teton National Park
While numerous viewpoints dot this picturesque national park, there are a number of places that are undeniably better than others for sunrise viewing in Grand Teton National Park.
Below, I’ve listed my personal favorite Grand Teton National Park sunrise locations. All of them are just off the road and require no—or very minimal—walking for the greatest morning views in the park.
7. Signal Mountain
Accessible both on foot and by car, the summit of Signal Mountain offers panoramic views of Jackson Hole backed by the Teton Range.
Although not even close to the Tetons themselves in terms of height, Signal Mountain does have a commanding presence in the northern Jackson Hole valley.
You can hike to the summit from the Signal Mountain Parking Lot, a 6.8-mile there-and-back hike, or drive the Signal Mountain Road.
The road to the summit starts just south of historic Signal Mountain Lodge on the Teton Park Road. Both summit routes are mainly forested until you get to the summit overlooks.
For the best Teton Range views at sunrise, head to the Jackson Point Overlook, which is just below the actual summit.
6. Snake River Overlook
One of the best-known overlooks in Grand Teton National Park, the Snake River Overlook is about halfway between Moran and Moose on Route 26/89/191.
First made famous by none other than Ansel Adams, who photographed this very landscape in 1942, the overlook provides visitors with a wonderful views of the meandering Snake River, below the towering Tetons.
Although the trees are much higher now than they were when Adams took his famous photo and block parts of the view, this is still a pretty great place to enjoy a Grand Teton morning.
5. Jackson Lake Dam
Although Jackson Lake is a natural glacial lake, the Jackson Lake Dam greatly enlarged and deepened it.
It is now by far the largest lake in Grand Teton National Park, a main hub for all kinds of activities, from boating and shoreline hiking to wildlife, sunset and sunrise viewing.
You can walk across the Jackson Lake Dam for unobstructed views of nearly the entire Teton Range. It’s a stunning view at any time, but it’s especially beautiful during the first minutes of the day.
Additionally, the Snake River re-emerges from the dam, its first few hundred yards a super-popular fishing location in the park.
4. Willow Flats Overlook
Located just north of Jackson Lake Junction, the Willow Flats Overlook is one of Grand Teton National Park’s most popular overlooks.
From the roadside parking lot or pullout, you can enjoy a wide panoramic view of the towering Tetons, while the sprawling willow flats extend before and below you.
These patches of willows, sagebrush, open clearings and other vegetation are prime wildlife habitat. Around sunrise, you’re pretty much guaranteed to see herds of elk in this area.
Moose occasionally wander through and browse the willows, while grizzly bears are active here as well. In fact, the Willow Flats beyond the overlook boundary are closed to foot traffic due to bear activity in spring.
When the area is open to hikers, you can hike between Willow Flats and nearby Jackson Lake Lodge, a nice jaunt through one of Grand Teton’s finest landscapes.
3. Mormon Row
One of the top attractions in Grand Teton National Park, Mormon Row is along the Antelope Flats Road in the park’s southeastern corner.
Originally a late-19th-century settlement established by Mormon ranchers, the site now encompasses six groups of buildings and homesteads.
This is where you’ll find the iconic Moulton Barn, which adorns many photos and postcards of Grand Teton National Park.
It’s particularly scenic right after sunrise, when the low-angled sunrays paint the barn and Teton Range background in a warm morning glow.
If you’re choosing Mormon Row as your Grand Teton National Park sunrise spot, be aware that you won’t be alone here.
You’ll most likely have to share the experience with several photographers and other early-birds. This is, after all, one of the most famous places in Grand Teton.
2. Blacktail Ponds Overlook
Often skipped by visitors who head to more renowned viewpoints like Willow Flats or Oxbow Bend, I personally consider the Blacktail Ponds Overlooks to be one of the top Grand Teton National Park sunrise locations.
This amazing overlook is about a mile north of Moose Junction on Route 26/89/191.
It’s also just north of Antelope Flats Road, which leads to Mormon Row (see above), allowing you to easily combine two awesome sunrise spots in Grand Teton in one morning.
The Blacktail Ponds are old beaver ponds, which are almost filled with sediment and surrounded by lush meadows.
This grassy and marshy environment attracts elk, while beavers continue to build dams, keeping the area wet and watery. It’s also one of the best places to see moose in Grand Teton National Park.
I absolutely love the view from this overlook, especially when early sunbeams begin to light up the top of the Tetons in a vibrant pink—the so-called alpenglow that’s so popular among landscape photographers.
Stick around for a while and watch the shadows slowly creep back as the scenery in front up you starts basking in beautiful morning sunlight.
You can also walk down to the ponds and creeks below from the overlook for a different vantage point.
Alternative: For a somewhat similar view, you could opt to watch the sunrise in Grand Teton National Park from Schwabacher Landing. Located at the end of a spur gravel road a couple of miles north of Blacktail Ponds, this is another popular sunrise location among photographers and wildlife watchers. Schwabacher Landing provides access to the Snake River, which, on calm mornings, reflects the mountains wonderfully.
1. Oxbow Bend Turnout
While it can be difficult to rank any list of places, especially one of sunrise locations in Grand Teton National Park, picking my absolute favorite was, in this case, quite easy.
In my opinion, the Oxbow Bend Turnout is the most beautiful place to watch the sunrise in Grand Teton. Named for the huge curve in the Snake River, this national park viewpoint is nothing short of glorious in the morning.
The still water often reflects the Tetons, while the shrieks, tweets, chirps and songs of many waterfowl and other birds penetrate the silent morning air.
Additionally, this is also a fantastic spot to see Grand Teton wildlife. Moose may be seen foraging among willow thickets. Beavers, muskrats and river otters live in and along the river.
Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you can see a bald eagle or osprey (try to) pluck a fish right out of the water.
Oxbow Bend is located between Jackson Lake Junction and Moran Junction, along the northern part of the Teton Park Scenic Loop Drive.
It’s no more than ten minutes from either Signal Mountain Lodge or Jackson Lake Lodge—you can literally be there right after you get up.
Best Place to Stay for Grand Teton Sunrises
If you’re planning on enjoying a sunrise or two during your visit to Grand Teton, I recommend staying inside the park, rather than in accommodation in Jackson Hole. There are plenty of campgrounds and lodges scattered throughout the park.
I spent a few nights at the Signal Mountain Lodge, which I think is arguably the most strategic place to stay within Grand Teton—for all kinds of activities.
For example, it’s just minutes from popular Grand Teton sunrise spots like the Jackson Lake Dam, the summit of Signal Mountain, Willow Flats and Oxbow Bend. In fact, the very marina at Signal Mountain Lodge is a pretty nice sunrise spot on its own!
Signal Mountain Lodge has spacious cabins, a campground, well-stocked grocery store, laundromat, gas station, boat rentals, café, restaurant and bar.
You can also book fishing and Snake River floating trips there. In short, it’s a great base to explore this glorious national park just south of Yellowstone.
Alternative: A worthy alternative to Signal Mountain Lodge is the Jackson Lake Lodge, just a handful of miles to the north and also close to a number of excellent sunrise locations in Grand Teton National Park. Other accommodation options, which also have a wide range of nearby activity options, are Colter Bay Village and Jenny Lake Lodge.
More About Grand Teton National Park
- Park Website
- Travel Guide
- Topographic Map
- Best Grand Teton Hikes
- Top Things To Do in Grand Teton National Park
- Where to See Wildlife in Grand Teton National Park
- Best Views of the Tetons
- Names of Major Teton Range Peaks (With Photos)
- Accommodation
Wildlife Safety While Grand Teton National Park Sunrise Viewing
Always remember that wildlife is most active at dawn and dusk—and there’s lots of wildlife in Grand Teton.
For example, there are so many animals along Route 26/89/191 between Moran Junction and Moose Junction, especially bison and elk, that there’s a lower speed limit for driving at night.
Wildlife sightings on the Teton Park Road are very common, too, including grizzly bears and moose.
This is just to say that, just because you’re enjoying some epic sunrises in Grand Teton National Park at a roadside overlook, doesn’t mean there are no wild animals around. In fact, there almost certainly are. And often they’re closer than you’d think.
Moreover, one of the great Grand Teton sunrise viewing benefits is the very opportunity to see that wildlife. Moose, elk and even bears, along with myriad bird species, are regularly seen at the sunrise spots in Grand Teton National Park I’ve described above.
Therefore, I have to finish up this post with some words of caution. Don’t forget that national park wildlife is actually wild.
- Never approach a wild animal, no matter how calm, relaxed or quiet it may appear.
- Park rules require you to stay at least 100 yards from bears and wolves, and 25 yards from all other animals.
- Use binoculars, a spotting scope and/or a telephoto lens to observe and photograph wildlife.
- Don’t feed the animals!
- Always carry bear spray, keep it within easy reach and know how to use it.
- Learn more about Grand Teton wildlife on the park’s website.
Please read the following individual wildlife safety guides for more information about recreating among wildlife in national parks.
Whether you’re hiking, sunrise viewing or practicing photography, it’s important to know how to keep both yourself and the animal(s) safe.
