Hi there!
As it goes in Grand Teton National Park, there are many mountain views to see!
And one of the spots that you can go to for pictures of the Teton mountain range is Oxbow Bend.
This is a popular photo spot in Grand Teton National Park.
Driving the Grand Teton scenic loop drive to Oxbow Bend
Side note! Check the reviews at partner websites included below!
How to save money on your trip
Hotels near Jackson Hole and Yellowstone are expensive. And they book up. So book sooner rather than later!
For my trip to Grand Teton National Park, I stayed in a budget room at Hatchet Resort in the small town of Moran WY.
Lots of people also stay in Jackson Hole to go to Grand Teton.
Search for the cheapest hotels in Jackson Hole at hotels.com and Jackson Hole hotels on expedia. Or see if you like any of the Jackson Hole vacation rentals or cabins.
For my trip to Yellowstone National Park, I stayed at Days Inn in West Yellowstone.
West Yellowstone is in Montana located right outside of Yellowstone National Park, and this is a popular gateway town with many chain hotels.
Search for the cheapest hotels in West Yellowstone at hotels.com and West Yellowstone hotels on expedia.
Or look for vacation rentals and cabins near Yellowstone.
/end side note
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You get to Oxbow Bend by driving the Grand Teton Scenic Loop Drive.
The Oxbow Bend turnout is an easy stop to make as you are driving along the 42-mile Grand Teton scenic loop drive. This is the main road that goes through Grand Teton National Park.
You’ll come across Oxbow Bend as you’re driving.
The Oxbow Bend parking is located directly along the side of the road. There’s a parking lot for the Oxbow Bend turnout, along with roadside parking nearby.
Cost to go to Oxbow Bend
Oxbow Bend is within the paid entry area of Grand Teton National Park.
So in order to go to Oxbow Bend, you need to pay the national park entry fee. In 2021, this was $35 per car for a 7-day pass. (There is no one-day pass.) See current fees.
👆 Cost of Grand Teton National Park entry fees in 2021.
If you will be visiting at least 3 national parks in one year, then you may want to consider getting the annual national parks pass.
Oxbow Bend in September
For reference, my drive to Oxbow Bend was in late September 2021 around 8:30am.
More below about a quick stop to see the Tetons from Oxbow Bend!
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Now…
Driving to Oxbow Bend
Oxbow Bend is located on the northern side of the Grand Teton Scenic Loop Drive.
Explore the map.
Jackson WY to Oxbow Bend is around a 40 minute drive with no stops, and you will naturally end up on the eastern side of the Grand Teton scenic loop drive by following google maps, and this can be a good way to go. And then you can follow Teton Park Road which is the western side of the scenic loop drive to finish up the loop and to get back to Jackson Hole. (map)
Or, from Oxbow Bend, you can continue on to Yellowstone National Park! You’ll go to the northern side of Grand Teton National Park to get to Yellowstone. (Although if this is going to be your only time driving through Grand Teton National Park, then you will want to decide if you want to drive up the eastern side or the western side of the loop from Jackson to Yellowstone.)
Oxbow Bend to the Yellowstone National Park south entrance is about a 30 minute drive. Driving from Jackson to Yellowstone, Oxbow Bend can be along the way. Your first “real” stop in Yellowstone can be West Thumb which is on the southern side of Yellowstone. See more about driving from Grand Teton to Yellowstone.
I started the drive to Oxbow Bend from just outside Bridger-Teton National Forest near the Hatchet Campground. I stayed in a budget room at the Hatchet Resort.
So to get to Oxbow Bend, I entered Grand Teton National Park at the Moran entrance, and this is how the drive is reflected below.
Driving further along, you’ll see a notable parking area along the side of the road.
This isn’t the Oxbow Bend parking lot.
Your indication that this isn’t the Oxbow Bend is that there is no Oxbow Bend Turnout sign in front of the parking lot, and more notably, there’s no river!
But, you may want to stop here too as it can also offer a picturesque photo spot of the Teton Range.
It seems to be another popular photography spot among photographers.
Then, you can keep driving!
You will then come to another parking area along the side of the road, and this one will have a sign to confirm to you that it’s the famous Oxbow Bend photo spot.
And then you can go and take your pictures of Oxbow Bend, the Snake River, and Teton mountains together!
And once you’ve gotten the photos you want, you can move on to more of the Grand Teton Scenic Loop Drive!
Next up you can drive to the Jackson Lake Dam overlook, the Potholes Turnout, and the Mount Moran Turnout!
And that’s a bit about stopping for photos at Oxbow Bend!
Plan more of your trip to Grand Teton and beyond:
- Grand Teton scenic loop drive
- One day in Grand Teton
- Grand Teton to Yellowstone
- How to spend one day in Yellowstone
- Yellowstone to Craters of the Moon
- Day hikes in the Wyoming mountains
HAPPY PHOTOGRAPHING OXBOW BEND AND THE TETON MOUNTAINS!