Bird-Watching

With more than 300 species of birds, the Tetons make excellent bird-watching country. Here you might spot both the calliope hummingbird (the smallest North American hummingbird) and the trumpeter swan (the world's largest waterfowl). Birds of prey circle around Antelope Flats Road—the surrounding fields are good hunting turf for red-tailed hawks and prairie falcons, and Oxbow Bend, which draws white pelicans during their spring northerly migration along with bald eagles and great blue herons. At Taggart Lake and Phelps Lake you might see woodpeckers, bluebirds, and hummingbirds. Look for songbirds, such as pine and evening grosbeaks and Cassin's finches, in surrounding open pine and aspen forests.

Phelps Lake Overlook and Loop Trail. The quickest way to view this stunning lake, this 2-mile round-trip Phelps Lake Overlook Trail takes you from the Death Canyon trailhead up conifer- and aspen-lined glacial moraine to a view that's accessible only on foot. Expect abundant bird life: Western tanagers, northern flickers, and ruby-crowned kinglets thrive in the bordering woods, and hummingbirds feed on scarlet gilia beneath the overlook. From here, if you're up for a longer, enjoyable adventure, continue along the steep trail down to the north shore of the lake, where you can pick up the Phelps Loop Trail and follow it around the lake or all the way to Rockefeller Preserve. Hiking just to the overlook and back takes just over an hour, but allow four to five hours if continuing on to the Phelps Loop Trail. Moderate–Difficult. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 83012.