Stopping at the Snake River Overlook in Grand Teton

The Snake River is a major part of Grand Teton National Park, which is located in northwestern Wyoming, just south of Yellowstone. The river flows through the middle of the park and has shaped its landscape throughout thousands of years. The Snake River is fed by snowmelt flowing down from the Tetons and feeds Jackson Lake, which was created by a damn built in the early 1900s.

The Snake River Overlook is a famous viewpoint in Grand Teton National Park just south of Jackson Lake. This particular overlook gained fame through the work of renowned photographer Ansel Adams. In 1942, Adams captured a stunning black and white photograph titled “The Tetons and the Snake River” from this location.

Adams’ photograph depicts the majestic Teton Range rising in the background, with the Snake River flowing serenely in the foreground. The image captures both perfectly and highlights the contrast between the towering, rugged mountains and the peaceful, slow-moving river.

Today, the Snake River Overlook stands at the spot where Adams took his photograph. Stopping by this spot to try to recreate this famous picture is a common bucket list item for many amateur photographers.

Getting to the Snake River Overlook

Address: US Highway 191, Jenny Lake, WY 83012
GPS Coordinates: 43.751876, -110.625046

9.5 miles south of the Moran Junction on US 191/26/89 will be the entrance to the parking lot for the lookout. When I visited, I didn’t see a sign for the overlook, however, there is a small wooden sign labeled “Snake River”. The long, flat parking lot has room for more than enough vehicles for this small overlook.

From the western side of the parking lot, there is a small concrete/stone walkway down to the overlook. It can’t be any more than a few dozen feet. There is no hiking involved to see this view.

From the overlook, you can see exactly what is in the picture above, although it looks further away in real life. The photo above was captured with a zoom lens. The view is still unreal and fantastic, but the Snake River is a little further away in the distance than what most pictures show.

Also, in Ansel Adams’ photograph, you can see the Snake River “snake” back towards the right in front of you. However, now, there are plenty of trees and shrubbery that obscure the complete view that was captured 80 years ago.

Trails Surrounding the Snake River Overlook

There are no trailheads at or near the Snake River Overlook. There are however two access roads within the vicinity of the overlook.

• Deadmans Bar Road – This is a 1-mile road that leads to a river access point called Deadman’s Bar. From the river access point, there is a half-mile service road that you can hike in order to get very close to the point of the river the Overlook looks at.
• River Road – This 16-mile gravel road mostly follows along the Snake River, and was only suitable for 4-wheel drive vehicles. However, it is on the opposite side of the river than the Overlook. It appears to be closed since 2017 due to damage during a high river event.