I would recommend the four-hour sunrise tour to anyone looking to see/photograph wildlife in the Grand Tetons.
Eco tour guide Eric met us promptly at the Visitors Center in Jackson at 6:30 a.m. on a weekday in mid-September, and we boarded the comfortable, executive-style small bus that held about 10 passengers. The vehicle has large windows and pop-up hatches in the roof for good viewing.
Eco provides powerful, lightweight binoculars to each passenger for quick and easy spotting of wildlife. Eric stayed in radio contact with other guides to have the best chance of success.
Before we even entered the park, we spotted a female moose and her calf along a riverbank as the sun was coming up. We were close enough to see the mother's mouth opening and closing as she munched on plants.
Then it was on to the national park, where we spotted a male moose, a male elk, numerous pronghorn, several mule deer, a bald eagle, and bison.
Sometimes it's possible for the passengers to take good pictures; sometimes the animals are too far away for the average zoom lens. Regardless, Eric set up a powerful scope on a tripod, and connected it to a smartphone for easy viewing by all of us. This way, he could record video of the animals and take quality photos, which he later texted to us.
About an hour into our tour, after a particularly chilly stop, Eric parked at a visitor center and made fresh coffee for all of us, and offered us muffins and other items from a local bakery. There was also access to a bathroom. Delightful.
At our last stop, we were watching a herd of bison when we spotted a month-old calf trotting after her mother to nurse. The viewing was so good that we lost track of time and stayed later than our scheduled tour time -- no complaints from the customers!
I would urge others to pay attention not only to the wildlife, but to the magnificent mountain vistas that greet you at nearly every turn on the tour. For me, it was well worth the cost and a memorable excursion.
Dave Boyer
Alexandria, VA
Response from Host
Sep 2019
Thank you for your kind words, Dave. We are thrilled you enjoyed your sunrise tour with Eric! You had some excellent wildlife sightings on your tour. The Phone Skope adaptors and Maven spotting scopes definitely help maximize those sightings and photo opportunities. Thank you for touring with us. We hope to adventure with you again soon!
Cheers,
Elise