Feeling satisfied, I hike back towards the trailhead high as a kite. Grand Teton, you’ve done it again.

May 23–26, 2026

A good park gives you an unforgettable experience. An outstanding park can recreate that experience visit upon visit. But only the best park can continually give you new moments that level up each time leaving you utterly speechless. So far, that has been my luck with Grand Teton National Park. My first time a bull moose stepped out from golden aspens in mid-September along the Snake River. The next visit, a juvenile moose waded through the same river just after sunrise under some of the best alpenglow I’ve ever seen. Last time, I was just passing through from Yellowstone and saw cars parked along the Gros Ventre River. Lo and behold, two full-rack bull moose were grazing among the shrubs.

So this time, I don’t know what to expect. Do I set expectations low because surely I can’t win 4 for 4. Or do I see a pattern forming and recognize Grand Teton may just be replete with these sorts of encounters. Either way, I’m here to record some footage for my coffee table book launching later this summer, so I’ll be happy with clear weather and good mountain views. All week the forecast for late May looks pretty gloomy.

Arriving midday, I check into my campground at 2:30 p.m. and drive over to Taggert Lake Trailhead for an easy afternoon hike. So far, the weather apps prove to be wrong. Strong sunlight and blue skies grace the park. Taggert Lake sits just southeast of Grand Teton peak presenting stunning views of the majestic pinnacle perched high above the water. I tool around the lake for an hour or so before heading back to the car.

It getting close to sunset so I head out to Blacktail Ponds to test some environment shots for my book video. Grand Teton National Park is a tricky park for sunset. Facing east the entire mountain range becomes silhouetted and obscured by the westering sun. So alpenglow is not possible in the evening. And with the best views facing into the sun, correct exposure for photography is difficult to achieve. But it makes for a good challenge.

As I explore Blacktail Ponds, a commotion stirs below the overlook in the underbrush. A lone black bear makes his way across the ponds below and disappears into the forest. Not bad for a first few hours in the park.

The sun sets and clouds roll in so I pack up and drive back to the campground, hoping the morning will bring a clear sunrise. The temperature plummets to 31˚F overnight so I rise 4 a.m. and drive around the park to warm up and await the sunrise. I find myself at Blacktail Ponds again with the promise of some good alpenglow despite the lingering clouds from the night before. A slow sunrise washes the land in pinks and purples before illuminating the peaks in clear sunlight. Not the best sunrise, but not the worst either.

The rest of the day, I drive around the scenic loop looking for wildlife and promising scenes. Bison are nowhere to be found, but pronghorn and elk are abundant in the sagebrush flats. I even see a coyote dart across the road near Mormon Row. Evening comes and I determine Blacktail Ponds is the best venue to film the video for photography book. After countless attempts I finally nail the video just before sunset in gorgeous golden hour light and return back at camp for some campfire pizza.

The next morning comes early again, hoping for a sunrise at Mormon Row. I wake up well before sunrise to secure a good spot at the famous barn. What I don’t foresee is the amount of people who will unintentionally clutter the scene snagging their own photos. It truly is the wild west of photography out here. With a growing crowd and 15 minutes to sunrise, I cut my losses and return Blacktail Ponds for the sunrise. It’s just not worth elbowing people out of the way for a single shot.

Conveniently, Blacktail Ponds is nearly empty. One other photographer and I are the only ones at the overlook this morning. Feeling good about my last minute change, I catch the day’s first light trickling down the mountains in a clear clean sunrise. This is what I was waiting for yesterday but never came.

After a quick breakfast of overnight oats and peaches, I make my way toward Lupine Meadows Trailhead to hike up to Delta Lake, one of the most photogenic alpine lakes in the park. The trail is easy and quiet at 8 a.m. I pass marmots and plenty of mule deer. I even see a black bear off in the shadows of the treeline. But it’s too far and dark to get a good photo.

About two miles up, I branch off on an unmaintained trail towards Delta Lake and this is when things become a little dicey. Slushy snow still covers the ground at this high elevation and the only route is straight upward. Thankfully, I packed my micro-spikes at the last minute. Attaching them to my boots, I trudge uphill at a slow but steady pace. Roughly 30 minutes later, I crest a small ridge and there lies Delta Lake before me in all its snowy glory.

It’s a small lake with deep snow around it, so there’s not much to explore. I soak in the accomplishment and rewarding view for a bit before returning back down the slopes. The dirt path is a welcome sight as I return to the main trail back to the car. On my way down, passers-by tell me of a black bear and cubs further down. I switch to my 600mm lens and prepare for whatever comes my way.

For a long time, I don’t see any signs of the bears. I am just about to give up on the idea when I round a corner and spot a large fuzzy hump and two smaller fur balls rustling in the underbrush up the slope. I give them room and settle in for some photos. Aware of my presence, but not alarmed, the bears graze among the grass and shrubs. Eventually mama and cubs make their way down to the trail, setting the perfect scene for photography. I wildly snag as many pictures as I can taking advantage of this magical moment. Unafraid, the cubs play and roughhouse among the trees while mom saunters nearby.

Feeling satisfied, I hike back towards the trailhead high as a kite. Grand Teton, you’ve done it again. Maybe this isn’t luck, but just the grace of God in creating an exceptional park that delivers every time.

Back at the campsite, I take a nap during a rainstorm and prepare for an evening of shooting more footage for the book promo video. For some reason, that bear encounter takes off any pressure to get good photos. It’s almost as if that moment alone justified the whole trip. I set up shop near Mormon Row, film what I need to, and wrap up my shoot for the day.

Back at camp, I make plans to pack up and head back to Colorado the next morning. My time at Grand Teton comes to a close yet again, but leaves me fully satisfied. I’m actually eager to get home and spill over the footage to relive the magic. It’s for reasons like this that Grand Teton will continue to reign as my favorite park of them all.