Moose-Teton Road Ponds

In a park known for its great wildlife, one of the best spots to see large mammals, moose especially, is along the Moose-Wilson Road, just outside the south entrance kiosk to the park. This road has a short section that is rough dirt, but the part this adventure is concerned with is paved.

Turning left from the park road just past the visitor center, Moose-Wilson Road climbs for a bit up to a plateau over a tributary of the Snake River. At about 1.2 miles, there is a paved turnout on the east side of the road (left side when coming from Moose-Wilson). From this turnout, there is a short dirt path that leads to the overlook area. Just a short way past this turnout there is a large parking area on the left that overlooks the river and pools below. Here is the best area to see wildlife, though it is quite a distance down and will be difficult to get good pictures if moose are present. For the next 1.5 miles, the road winds past many marshy areas, streams, and pools that are prime habitat for wildlife and birds. The birds here are really abundant, though in spring the area is too wet to walk very far off the road.

The open meadow area ends at about 2.8 miles, and the road enters the woods, but about a mile from here is the Laurance S. Rockerfeller Preserve and the trailhead for the Phelps Lake trails. At 4.5 miles there is a bridge over the outlet creek for Phelps Lake—which is quite pretty—and shortly after this the road becomes unpaved but continues on another 4 miles to the Jackson Hole Ski Area and Teton Village.