Oxbow Bend
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming · 6,755 ft
Mount Moran rises nearly 6,000 feet above a slack bend of the Snake River, with aspen and cottonwood packed along the far bank. Windless mornings hold the reflection, and moose working the willow flats turn up in the same frame.
Typical peak
Sep 13 – Sep 21
Long range. Treat as a planning estimate only.
Best light
Best at sunrise
Classic view faces W (260°)
Crowds
extreme
Gridlocked at peak weekends. Go on a weekday, or be there an hour before light.
Getting there
Paved turnout on US 89/191 one mile east of Jackson Lake Junction, with the bank a few steps from the parking.
What turns here
- quaking aspen
- narrowleaf cottonwood
- willow
Color progression
Typical peak Sep 17Typical color progression for Oxbow Bend. No change from Aug 10 to Aug 27. First color from Aug 27 to Sep 5. Approaching peak from Sep 5 to Sep 13. Peak from Sep 13 to Sep 21. Past peak from Sep 21 to Oct 1. Bare from Oct 1 to Oct 15.
Color starts around Aug 27.
Light at peak
Oxbow Bend on September 17, the day it typically peaks. Knowing when color arrives is one thing. Knowing where the sun will be is another.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:34 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 86° | 7:03 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 38 min of low, warm light | 7:41 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:16 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 38 min before sunset | 6:51 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 274° | 7:29 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:58 PM |
Times in America/Denver · day length 12h 26m · computed from NOAA solar equations
Which way to point the camera
Sunrise: front-lit
Sun behind you. Flat, even light — accurate color, little drama. Good for wide valley scenes, weak for single trees.
Sunset: backlit
Sun behind the canopy — leaves glow translucent. The shot most people are after. Expect flare; a hood or a hand helps.
Based on the classic composition here facing W (260°).
Shooting conditions
Glassy water, wind blur, and what the cloud will do to your light.
Recent reports
What people actually saw here. Been recently? Add yours.