Early Morning at Schwabacher Landing - Summer

As I was browsing in Grand Teton National Park’s state-of-the-art Main Visitor Center in Moose (formally named the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center) one day, I caught a few minutes of a ranger presentation being given that highlighted the main features of the park. When the ranger got to talking about Schwabacher Landing (one of my favorite areas in the park), he mentioned that is one of the most often photographed locations in the world. Looking at an image taken at this location, it is very easy to see why. With the perfectly positioned trees and Teton range in the background, as well as a reflection that is cast in a beaver pond, the landscape lends itself quite nicely for photography. Many photographers have taken advantage of the perfectly positioned elements and as a result have photographed the view numerous times.

In this blog post, I describe my experiences with photographing from Schwabacher Landing.

GPS Coordinates for Schwabacher Landing: N 43°42.69600′, W 110°40.23217′

Schwabacher Landing is one of the best places in Grand Teton National Park to photograph a sunrise illuminating the Teton range. (Keep in mind that the Teton range is an east-facing mountain range – which lends itself very nicely for some spectacular dawn and early morning photography). If you come here for sunrise, be sure to take a headlamp or flashlight.

From Jackson Hole, drive up about 20-25 minutes along Highway 191 until you reach a sign on the left marking the turnoff for “Schwabacher Landing.” The sign is about three miles north of Moose Junction. Turn left onto the road. The gravel road (no 4×4 is required on this one) drops down the hill, to the level of the Snake River. The road ends at a small parking lot. A trail leads down to the edge of the river, specifically a collection of beaver ponds.

Beaver Pond and Dam, Schwabacher Landing - Autumn

In the first beaver pond you come to (not far after starting at the parking lot), you can get a great view of the beaver dam that the beavers have been busy maintaining. It is quite impressive that such a little creature as a beaver can be so skillful at constructing such a feat of engineering as a beaver dam. You can take some great pictures here, and in some of the other nearby beaver ponds.

However, there is a much better spot for your tripod if you follow the trail north about a quarter mile or so. Here, there is a wide spot in the pond with a clearing in the woods offering a perfect view of the Teton range. It is best to come here when the wind is calm or even non-existent. If it is a windy day, there will be ripples in the pond created by the wind, and there will be distortion in the perfect reflection of the Teton range casted on the beaver pond. Sunrise and early morning are usually good bets for no wind.

Schwabacher Landing - Autumn

Move around a little bit until you get the perfect composition. From this specific location, the clearing in the area where you can setup your tripod and still get that perfect composition is small – about 6-7 photographers squeezed in can get this perfect composition. The rest have to file in around the edges or behind the first row of photographers. As a result, you really have to plan ahead and come early to secure the best tripod spot here – especially during the peak fall photography season in the park. If you miss out on the best tripod location and the perfect composition, that means you have to come back here the next morning and do it all over.

I’ve photographed from this location in Schwabacher Landing a number of times, and I have had a good mix of shooting conditions while doing so. In summer of 2009, I shot this view once, producing the image above that started this blog post. I photographed Schwabacher Landing many more times during my visit in autumn of 2009. One of my visits produced the image directly above.

One night during my autumn 2009 Grand Teton photography trip, an early season snow storm dumped a fresh layer of snow in the park. I awoke in my Jackson motel around 4:00 a.m., and looked outside to find clear night skies. I thought that sunrise was going to be fantastic. I gathered my gear and set out about an hour and a half before first light in freezing 18ºF degree weather. When I arrived at Schwabacher Landing, it was pitch black. I waited in my car, and soon after, another photographer arrived. We both descended down into the beaver ponds together. It was still pitch black, the only light available came from our headlamps. Being the first people to arrive at such a location in darkness, we didn’t know what to expect. We finally arrived at the main beaver pond – the one with the clearing in the woods and got set up. We were talking about what to expect as the first rays of sunlight would appear behind us and illuminate the Teton range, and more photographers showed up. We had a good group present, representing different areas of the United States. (I was the only one from California). We shared stories about other popular photography locations around the United States, and shared hints for photographing Grand Teton NP – in particular, where animals like moose have been spotted in the past day or two. There was still snow on the ground, and when the sun started to come out, it got a little warmer – 22ºF. Everything was in place that morning for a perfect shot: snow on the trees, reflection in the beaver pond, dramatic clouds, even a small ray of sunlight for a few minutes. The only thing that was missing was a view of the Cathedral Group of the Teton range – it was obscured by clouds.

Sunrise at Schwabacher Landing - Autumn

We waited and waited, but the clouds wouldn’t let up on the Cathedral Group. But the scene was majestic nonetheless, and I snapped a few other shots. The snow-covered trees mixed right in with trees exhibiting fall colors, producing some unique shots – a fall scene exhibiting a hint at winter.

Morning at Schwabacher Landing - Autumn

As we waited for more light and the clouds to let up a little (they never really did that morning), I noticed a little creature rummaging around in the brush behind us. It was one of Schwabacher Landing’s resident beavers. He was really busy gathering up materials for some repairs (I assume) to his beaver dam. He went back and forth many times while we were there, carrying materials, swimming in the pond right in front of us, coming up onto the land, etc… He was way to busy to stop for a proper photo session, but we got shots of him anyway – paparazzi style.

Busy Like a Beaver, Schwabacher Landing

Beavers are not the only creatures that you can find at Schwabacher Landing. I’ve heard stories of people photographing moose swimming in the main beaver pond with the Tetons in the background (a very unique shot, and it is rare to have every element in perfect place in a composition). Great Blue Herons are even known to hang out in Schwabacher Landing. I saw one during my autumn 2009 trip – several times. Stay tuned for that story.

Great Blue Heron, Schwabacher Landing

Bald Eagle, Spotted in the Madison River area, along the West Entrance Road to Yellowstone National Park, Montana/Wyoming, USA

GPS Coordinates for Bald Eagle’s Nest: N 44º39.964′, W 110º 59.299′

Clicking on each photo in this blog posting opens that photo’s page on my portfolio/gallery site in a new window.

Yellowstone National Park’s wildlife is amazing – awe-inspiring and unparalleled in any of the lower 48 states. As I wrote in my official Yellowstone and Grand Teton Wildlife portfolio, the massive Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (of which Yellowstone National Park is the centerpiece) is one of the largest intact temperate-zone ecosystems on Earth. The millions of visitors who visit the GYE every year have the amazing opportunity to point a telephoto lens, spotting scope, or set of binoculars at wild grizzly bears, bison, moose, bald eagles, elk, wolves, and other wildlife. Bison roam the park’s roads along with cars, grizzly bears can be seen yards away from the road, etc… Much more can be said about Yellowstone’s wildlife, but you get the idea. This is not a petting zoo, but the real thing.

This past summer (in July 2009, to be exact – during my recent Yellowstone visit), visitors arriving in the park via West Yellowstone, MT (through the West Entrance Road) did not have to wait long to experience their first wildlife encounter. These visitors were given a real treat: a bald eagle’s nest, just yards from the road.

Bald Eagle in Her Nest, Spotted in the Madison River area, along the West Entrance Road to Yellowstone National Park, Montana/Wyoming, USA

On my first night in Yellowstone, I took a quick stroll through the park, because I had nothing more interesting to do, and I thought it would be good to get my bearings in where I would be spending the next week. Not only did I see the mosquitos along the Madison River that parallels the West Entrance Road, but I also got to see this humungous nest up high on a dead tree located to the side of the road. The nest was empty at the time, but I made a mental note to keep an eye out. Something big had to live in it.

The next morning, my first full day in Yellowstone, I saw it: a bald eagle perched up high on on a tree limb, keeping an eye open in the forest and Madison River below (presumably for fish). I was in awe. I had never come that close to a bald eagle before. I can’t find the words to describe the feeling, but the sight of a bald eagle in the wild was magnificent. I parked my car (carefully, of course), off to the side of the road, and got to work trying to photograph it. I had a rented a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM lens for the trip. I put it on, but felt that it did not give me enough power. I decided to try on the Canon Extender EF 1.4x II. Although I lost my auto-focus, and took everything I got, I got some pretty decent shots that day.

For the entire week I was touring Yellowstone, on every day’s morning drive from my West Yellowstone, MT hotel into the park, the bald eagle was there. Sometimes in her nest, and sometimes not in her nest, but rather somewhere else.

One day, the crowd of wildlife watchers and I got to see something unique. That morning, the nest was empty. I decided to stop by anyway, to camp out to see if I would get a glimpse of the bald eagle flying back into its nest. In just a short time, a baby bald eagle (eaglet) raised its head from out of the nest. It started calling out to something in the distance. All of a sudden, the mother bald eagle was noticed on the other side of the Madison River on a hilltop tree (you could see her only with binoculars/scope/telephoto lens), and she began calling out to her baby. Her baby then tried to fly, but couldn’t.

Bald Eaglet, Spotted in the Madison River area, along the West Entrance Road to Yellowstone National Park, Montana/Wyoming, USA

Bald Eaglet, Spotted in the Madison River area, along the West Entrance Road to Yellowstone National Park, Montana/Wyoming, USA

When the show was over, I packed up my car, and drove a little further up the road into the park. A lot of people were stopped by with binoculars glancing at the sky (and of course the elk across the Madison River). I stopped by, and for some time, we saw the same bald eagle, flying in the area round the Madison River. It was quite a sight to see it flying! Unfortunately, I was not set up to photograph birds in flight, and everything was happening so quickly, but I nonetheless took the best picture I could of the bald eagle in flight:

Bald Eagle in Flight (This unprocessed RAW photo is only found here. It is NOT included in my gallery, as I did not process it due to quality issues. It is here for story-telling purposes only.)

Most of the pictures I took of the bald eagle were at 560mm – the maximum focal length allowed by putting a 100-400mm and 1.4 teleconverter together. I handheld some of these shots, especially the first ones I took, but later in the week opted to use my tripod.

On my last day in Yellowstone, as I drove through the park en route to Grand Teton National Park, traffic resembled that of my home of Los Angeles. The road was backed up for miles, almost (but not quite) all the way to the West Entrance Station, with traffic waiting to get a chance to see the magnificent sight of this bald eagle. With all the attention the bald eagles were getting, it came as no surprise to learn that Yellowstone officials designated this area an Eagle Management Area (see note below).

Bald Eagle, Spotted in the Madison River area, along the West Entrance Road to Yellowstone National Park, Montana/Wyoming, USA

For more photos of the resident bald eagle along Yellowstone’s West Entrance Road, and photos of other wildlife, see my Yellowstone and Grand Teton Wildlife gallery.

Note: These pictures were taken before word really spread about the eagle’s nest in the park. At the time, there were no special restrictions in effect, other than the standard wildlife viewing restrictions in place throughout the park. My understanding is that later that area of the West Entrance Road was designated as an Eagle Management Area, and additional restrictions were implemented for the safety of the bald eagles, as well as motorists and visitors on foot.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone from Artist Point, an HDR

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (“Canyon”) is the second most widely photographed sight in Yellowstone, after, of course, Old Faithful Geyser. It is here that one can find the dramatic walls of the canyon carved out by the Yellowstone River, as well as the spectacular Upper and Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River. Many say that if Yellowstone National Park only contained the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, then it would still be enough to grant the massive park National Park status. Luckily for the visitor and photographer, there are plenty of things to see.

The Canyon and its features can be viewed from numerous viewpoints from both its north and south rims. The Yellowstone Association publishes a Trail Guide entitled “Canyon Area Trail Guide” that describes in detail how the canyon was formed, its features, as well as its wildlife. More importantly for the visitor and photographer, it provides a detailed trail map, as well as information for both hiking and driving the Canyon, from both rims. It is available for a small donation at various ranger stations around the park, as well as around Canyon’s viewpoints and trails.

In this blog post, I describe my experiences with photographing the Canyon from one of the most popular viewpoints: Artist Point.

Artist Point

South Rim, GPS Coordinates: N 44° 43.263′, W 110° 28.762′

If the photographer must photograph the Canyon from only one location due to time or other constraints, this viewpoint located at the end of the South Rim Drive is it.  It is here that one can get one of the most photographed views in Yellowstone.  From the upper viewpoint, it is possible to view the Canyon in both directions.  Every single book and publication describes the view from Artist Point, but there is no substitute for seeing and experiencing the view for yourself: absorb the color and texture of the canyon, the roar of Lower Falls nearly a mile away, and the thrill of the rushing river below you.  The Yellowstone River thunders down 308 feet into the Canyon, making it one of the most impressive waterfalls in North America.  This is all yours to photograph here.

TIP: On a sunny day, somewhere between 9:30-10:15 a.m. or so, a rainbow appears at the bottom of the Lower Falls.  Artist Point is the perfect place to view this. This happens during the summer.  I cannot speak about other times of the year. A polarizer is essential to photograph this sight properly. Be sure to turn your polarizer until the colors of the rainbow appear strong and vivid.

My first visit to Artist Point was on July 14, 2009, around 10 a.m. The morning was cloudy. I was looking for the rainbow to appear just below Lower Falls, but I couldn’t find it. The clouds were not providing enough sunlight to make the rainbow appear. Despite getting some good overall shots of the Canyon, I vowed to try again to photograph the rainbow the next day.

Waiting for the Rainbow at Artist Point

I had more success the next day, July 15, 2009. Leaving my West Yellowstone, MT hotel after a very quick breakfast at 8 a.m., I arrived at Artist Point in the Canyon Area around 9:30 a.m. It was a much better day to photograph the Canyon from Artist Point: the skies were blue, and the sun was shining brightly. I set up my tripod and waited. Just around 9:52 a.m., the first colors of the rainbow started to appear below Lower Falls. By 10:00 a.m., the rainbow was clearly visible, and the other photographers who also decided to come out on this beautiful day to look for the rainbow, were busy clicking their shutters.

The above three unprocessed RAW exposures show the appearance of the rainbow: the first photo was taken at 9:52 a.m., the second at 9:53 a.m., and the third at 9:58 a.m. The third image above was made into my final processed product, which appears below:

A rainbow appears below Lower Yellowstone Falls during the summer around 10.a.m. at Artist Point.

By around 10:05 a.m., the rainbow had disappeared, and I was off to photograph other areas of Yellowstone National Park. Was it worth coming back the second day to get a more interesting photo of the Lower Falls? Definitely.

As said before, numerous viewpoints exist from where one can view and photograph the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.  In subsequent blog posts, I plan to discuss some of these.

One last shot…

Lower Falls, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone from Artist Point