Glacier View Turnout is a great spot to see the remains of glaciers formed during the Little Ice Age, from 1400 to 1850. Although warming temperatures are causing the glaciers to shrink and retreat, giant masses of snow-covered ice remain in the high valleys between the peaks of the Cathedral Group. See Middle Teton Glacier, Teepee Glacier and Teton Glacier, with the Grand Teton peak at the center of your view.
Besides these ice masses, notice other features of Pleistocene Age glacial activity: knife-edged peaks and U-shaped canyons beyond the outwash plains covered with scrubby vegetation. Elk and bison prefer the sweeter grasses elsewhere in the valley, but if you look closely here you might see antelope nibbling on sagebrush.
Stop at this turnout as part of a leisurely route along the park’s eastern road, which has year-round access. Head north from the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center near Moose. See wildlife at the Blacktail Ponds Overlook and photograph the J.A. Moulton Barn in the Mormon Row Historic District on Antelope Flats Road.
After visiting Glacier View Turnout, park at Schwabacher Landing, with beautiful reflections of the Tetons in still waters. Continue to Teton Point Turnout, which offers a more distant perspective of the mountains and glaciers with the grasslands in the foreground, often featuring animals. Finally, stop at the Snake River Overlook, the shooting location for Ansel Adams’ famous 1942 black-and-white photo.
A second glacier observation point, Teton Glacier Turnout, brings you even closer to the mountains and glaciers by traveling on the park’s inner seasonal road. Note, however, that access to the area in winter is limited.
Drive north from Jackson to Glacier View Turnout in about 20 minutes. The entrance fee to Grand Teton National Park allows access for a full week. Alternatively, purchase an annual pass or senior pass, which provide free or reduced admission to 2,000 federal recreational sites in the United States.
