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Wyoming 2023 Trip➤

In September of 2023, my husband I set out to explore some National Park units in the state of Wyoming. We visited Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park, The John D. Rockefeller Parkway, and Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. In Grand Teton National Park, we visited Oxbow Bend.

Grand Teton National Park➤

The Tetons are the youngest of all the mountain ranges in the Rocky Mountain chain. Most other mountains in the region are at least 50 million years old but the Tetons are less than 10 million and are still rising. The Jackson Hole valley is of the same age and continues to sink. The tallest peaks tower almost 7,000 feet above the valley floor, already at an elevation of about 6800 feet. With no foothills, the resulting landscape is dramatic and breathtaking.

In the 1920s, John D. Rockefeller Jr. agreed to acquire thousands of acres around Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and then donate this land to the government for a national park. At the urging of Horace Albright, then director of the National Park Service, Rockefeller formed a company called the Snake River Land Company to buy up property around the Snake River in secret. Rockefeller wanted to keep his name out of it to keep the price lower.

Meanwhile, in 1929, President Calvin Coolidge signed the act creating Grand Teton National Park, at half its present size. The park only protected the Teton Range and 6 lakes at the foot of the mountains. Rockefeller encountered resistance from locals when he tried to donate his land to expand the park.

In 1943, Rockefeller told President Franklin Delano Roosevelt he would sell to the highest bidder if the government didn’t use his land for the park. Roosevelt used the Antiquities Act and declared additional land in the valley to be Jackson Hole National Monument. The two units were combined to become the present Grand Teton National Park in 1950.

Oxbow Bend➤

Oxbow Bend is a stretch of the Snake River, which forms a wide, calm, U-shaped bend. This natural curve creates a mirror-like reflection of the surrounding landscape, making it a favorite spot for photographers, especially at sunrise and sunset. The most iconic view from Oxbow Bend is the reflection of Mount Moran, a prominent peak in the Teton Range, on the calm waters of the Snake River. On clear days, the reflection is almost perfect, providing a stunning image of the mountain, sky, and trees.

Oxbow Bend is easily accessible by car, located just off U.S. Highway 89/191/287, a short drive from Jackson Hole. There’s a pullout area where visitors can park and enjoy the view. We stopped at the pullout on the drive to Jackson. Then we followed a short path to the river’s edge to snap a few photos. The water wasn’t still enough to capture a reflection, but it was still a beautiful scene.

Grand Teton Posts➤

• Snake River Overlook
• Lakeshore Trail
• Jackson Lake
• Oxbow Bend
• Schwabacher Landing
• Jenny Lake
• Teton Wildlife Sunset Tour
• Signal Mountain
• Hidden Falls
• Mormon Row
• National Elk Refuge
• Taggart Lake
• Chapel of the Transfiguration
• Menors Ferry Historic District
• Jackson National Fish Hatchery

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Location: U.S. Highway 89/191/287, Moran, Wyoming
Designation: National Park
Date designated/established: February 26, 1929
Date of my visit: September 27, 2023