Last updated: April 21, 2023
Article
Enjoy the View Like Kirsten King
How do you enjoy the view?
The Enjoy the View Like Us series invites National Park Service employees to share their stories about their favorite park views. The ways to enjoy the view are as unique as parks and their visitors. We hope these stories inspire you to enjoy the view! Learn more about scenic views in national parks.
NPS Photo / Kirsten King
“A co-worker and I had gotten up early, before sunrise, to get to the oxbow before the sun started to rise. We stood in the dark, freezing and listening to the owls hoot and wolves howl...”
Kirsten King describes the moment before she came face to face with her favorite national park view: Ox Bow in Grand Teton National Park. And then the magic happened:
“The peak rose above the frozen river. The sun was just touching the peak and everything else was tinted pink with reflected light.”
Experiencing majestic and beautiful moments like this is one of the highlights of Kirsten’s job as the lead for the Air Resources Division.
Her program works to maintain and improve air quality in the national parks. She says, ”Air quality is important, not only so you can see the amazing views in national parks, but for the health of the ecosystems and the people who visit.”
What makes this view so special?
Kirsten says, “Standing in the freezing cold listening to nothing but the wind in the trees and the animals calling made the Park seem so huge and me so small. There’s something special about seeing a place and feeling the responsibility that is carried by so many, as your responsibility and honor as well. These protected places exist and will only continue to exist because of all the people that love and treasure them.”
Grand Teton was the first park Kirsten got to visit as an employee of the National Park Service and the Air Resources Division. It’s no wonder it holds a special place in her heart!
For centuries, people have connected to a place by taking in the beauty around them. The significance and value of a scenic view can be as unique as the individual enjoying it. Kirsten’s program works hard to protecting air quality to ensure that clean air = clear views for future generations to come.
What should visitors know?
Oxbow Bend is one of the more popular locations to watch wild wildlife like moose, black bears, and river otters in Grand Teton National Park. This view also draws many photographs to capture unobstructed views of the sunrise or sunset over the Tetons and the bend in the river. Parking in this area is limited so be prepared if you are planning to visit. Visit the Grand Teton National Park website to get trip planning tips.