History Highlight: Mt. Moran

Mt. Moran as seen from Oxbow Bend in Grand Teton National Park

If you’ve visited Grand Teton National Park, you are probably familiar with this picturesque view of Mt. Moran from Oxbow Bend. Mt. Moran is the most prominent of the northern Teton peaks, notable for its flat top, diabase dike (the vertical band of black diabase rock on the mountain’s east face), and five remaining glaciers. According to Grand Teton National Park, the amount of molten diabase in the visible part of Mt. Moran's dike could fill Jenny Lake three times! And this peak’s history is just as interesting as its geology.

Explorers in the early 1800’s told of Yellowstone’s wild landscape. They described water shooting out of the ground, bubbling mud, colorful pools, waterfalls, and terraced rock features - sights that were almost unbelievable to the US government, or anyone who had not seen the area. Three expeditions traversed the area in 1869, 1870, and 1871. A young artist, Thomas Moran, was asked to improve upon sketches that members of the 1870 expedition had created. Moran’s illustrations earned him a spot on the first official expedition to the region in 1871 - the Hayden Geological Survey. The government wanted to use this expedition to find out if the rumored geologic wonders were true. Other notable members included William Henry Jackson, a civil war veteran and photographer. After a failed engagement in New York, Jackson moved around the West, eventually settling in Nebraska and opening his own photography studio. His images captured the attention of expedition leader Ferdinand Hayden, who invited Jackson to document this new landscape with photographs. Like Moran, Jackson has a peak named after him - Mount Jackson in Yellowstone’s Gallatin Range.

Interestingly, while Thomas Moran visited the west side of the Tetons on this expedition (the area now known as Teton Valley), he did not see the mountain that was later named after him. His legacy also lives on in the town of Moran at the north end of Grand Teton National Park. However, Moran left behind more than just namesakes - he helped create real change in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. His watercolors and sketches, combined with Jackson’s photographs from the Hayden Geological Survey, were many Easterners’ first introduction to Yellowstone. These images stoked the public’s passion for protecting the area and prompted congress to take action. Yellowstone National Park was established the following year in 1872 as the country’s first national park!

Although 2.5-3 million people visit Grand Teton every summer, very few hike near Mt. Moran, as there are no maintained trails and it can only be accessed via boat. Climbing this mountain requires a canoe trip across String Lake, a portage (carrying the canoe), a paddle across Leigh Lake, and a 6,000 ft climb with some sections on ropes. However, the general public can enjoy beautiful views of Mt. Moran without technical climbing - some of our favorite viewpoints include Oxbow Bend, Mt. Moran Turnout, and Mountain View Turnout.