Grand Teton National Park – Wild Moose Wilson Road

After spending a night at the Jenny Lake Campground, I woke up early to find a space at Gros Venture Campground. It was dark, cold, and eerie to find spot in these parks during dawn time. If you come little late, there is a long queue to the entry. Even after coming before 6AM, I had to wait for 1.5h, I finally reserved a camping spot for the 3 nights and used as central hub to explore various parts of Grand Teton National Park. The campground was nice, and its comparatively larger than the Jenny lake Campground. After the day light had come, I was astonished by the fall colors all over the park. The golden light was mesmerizing and was lighting up the mountains and the fall foliage. The towering mountains were playing with light and shadows.

I believe first week of October is the right time to visit the park for stunning fall colors. The fall colors could be seen on the distant mountains, trails, lakeside and all over park. It was just a memorable experience exploring the park during this beautiful time. On the way to the park, I also found pebble stacks along the shores of Gros Venture River. The scenes were so breathtaking that I had to go down the road to explore a bit further.

Taggart Lake is the next major attraction close to the Jenny Lake. I headed to the Trailhead to hike the trail loop towards the Taggart Lake. This is a moderate hike with pretty views of Tetons and areas of forest and meadow. This area was far less crowded than the Jenny lake area. It took me 2 hours to do this 4 mile hike. I always had the Bear spray on this trail, as I was told that a mama bear with two cubs were present in that area, but throughout my hike I only saw ground Squirrels. The trail was stunning during the fall season. The fall foliage was everywhere and so colorful, from light pink colors to vibrant yellow and orange. The fall colors accentuated the beauty of Tetons.

The Taggart lake is located 6900ft above sea level. It was very pretty, and I could see the reflections of mountains on the lake. The path has lots of scenic stops and a great opportunity to immerse yourself with the beauty of small waterfalls, creeks, beautiful vistas, and a dense forest. When you reach the lake, there are many boulders, and you could sit on them to enjoy the peaceful and beautiful view. I even dipped my feet, as it was super cold but it was totally worth it.

After soaking in the beautiful scenes at Taggart Lake, I then headed to Moose-Wilson Road for some wildlife sightings. I headed during the sunset time. I should say I was not disappointed. I encountered a black bear, moose, Elk, and a deer. The path is a narrow and rough dirt road. There are signs that says don’t stop, or don’t park along the road. But when the wildlife appears, there exist a long queue of vehicles with people taking out their phones to take a picture.

I also encountered a male Elk at a distance grazing over with a backdrop of the mighty Tetons. It was just wonderful being there to enjoy their presence. I strongly suggest if you are in this area, Moose Wilson road is must go place to explore sure shot sightings of wildlife.

Schwabacher landing is hands down the most beautiful spot in Grand Teton National Park. About 1/2 mile down the path is the most picturesque spot where the river meets the Grand Teton, and during the golden light the scene presents itself with a beautiful reflections of mountains on the calm river. The fall foliage is spectacular during this time of the year, with reflections accentuating the beauty of mountains. I was enjoying the golden light reflecting on the river, as the time went, the colors changed to pink and finally dusk. It was such a beautiful sight of the mountains in a new perspective. If you walk further, you could see a beaver dam and also quite a few beautiful birds.

Finally after a long day, I returned to my tent, where I had fun with camp fire, as it was very chilly night. I had dinner and was ready for another adventurous day. The current day was so vivid and lively, and I hoped that it would continue as long as possible. Sometimes these experiences defines who you are and what you truly want in life. I will stop here, and will continue with Day 3 in coming few days. Thank you for reading, and would love to hear your feedback. I have also uploaded a youtube video capturing the moments of Day 2. Please check it down below.