Grand Teton National Park - Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks - page 357

ospreys, bald eagles, trumpeter swans, Canada geese, blue herons and white pelicans. The
oxbow was created as the river's faster water eroded the outer bank while the slower inner
flow deposited sediment.
Heading south on Teton Park Rd, you'll find interpretive displays along the west
shoulder near Jackson Lake Dam . Built in 1916, the dam raises the lake level by 39ft
and was paid for by Idaho farmers who still own the irrigation rights to the top 39ft of wa-
ter. The dam was reinforced between 1986 and 1989 to withstand earthquakes.
South of here is the Log Chapel of the Sacred Heart Offline map . Open to visitors, it's
also a pleasant picnic area.
SIGNAL MOUNTAIN SUMMIT ROAD
This 5-mile paved road (no RVs) east of Teton Park Rd winds up to the top of Signal
Mountain Offline map for dramatic panoramas from 800ft above Jackson Hole's valley
floor. Below, the Snake River, the valley's only drainage, runs a twisted course through
cottonwood and spruce. Abandoned dry channels demonstrate the changing landscape.
Views are superb at sunrise, but the best vistas are actually from three-quarters of the
way up at Jackson Point Overlook Offline map , a short walk south from a parking area.
William Jackson took a famous photograph from this point in 1878, when preparing a
single image could take a full hour, using heavy glass plates and a portable studio.
The mountain's name dates from 1891, when Robert Ray Hamilton was reported lost
on a hunting trip. Search parties lit a fire atop Signal Mountain after he was found a week
later, floating in Jackson Lake. A 6-mile round-trip hiking trail leads to the summit from
Signal Mountain Campground, through groves of scrumptious huckleberries.
In winter Signal Mountain Rd offers a great Nordic skiing route, with stunning views
and a fun 5-mile downhill return run. To get to the turnoff, ski 1 mile south from Signal
Mountain along a snowmobiling trail.
TOP FIVE SPOTS TO SPY WILDLIFE
Hunker down at dusk or dawn with a spotting scope or binoculars to feast your eyes at the following sites:
» Oxbow Bend ( Click here ) A scenic river bend populated with moose, elk, sandhill cranes, ospreys, bald
eagles, trumpeter swans, Canada geese, blue herons, white pelicans and…oh, yeah, abundant mosquitoes.
» Willow Flats Turnout ( Click here ) Views of a freshwater marsh that's home to birds, moose, elk and beavers.
» Blacktail Ponds ( Click here ) Features ospreys, eagles and moose.