This story originally appeared in the 2026 Locals’ Guidebook featuring the Best of Jackson Hole, on newsstands now. Pick up a copy today!
JACKSON, Wyo. — Ask wildlife photographer and biologist Mark Gocke how his weekend was, and he’s likely to pull out a video of a sharp-tailed grouse doing its mating dance. After spending decades with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Gocke is focusing on guided photography tours and educational endeavors, like leading a trip to Nebraska to witness and photograph sandhill crane migration. But it’s not just the birds that keep him here — it’s the rich combination of wildlife encounters and creature comforts.
Gocke’s day starts pre-dawn. If the timing works out, he likes to begin with a vanilla latte from the Cowboy Coffee drive-through, sometimes also springing for the double-chocolate-chip muffin. Then he’s off to Grand Teton National Park to try to catch sunrise on the mountains, then get some wildlife shots in the warm morning light, ideally beating the crowds at hotspots like Oxbow Bend.
“I love to be able to get into a good wildlife viewing or photography session with some animal with absolutely zero other people there, which has basically a 0% chance of happening, but every now and then it happens,” Gocke said.
He’s developed a fondness for photographing the common loon, partly for its striking black and white plumage and also to hear its eerie call.
“Once near Oxbow Bend, I was photographing this pair of birds and another loon started returning their call, and then a wolf started howling to answer their call,” he shared.
As the sunlight gets harsh later in the morning, Gocke packs up his camera and heads to Signal Mountain Lodge for “killer pancakes” and bacon. After eating, he might pull his kayak off the truck and go for a paddle in Jackson Lake, or down the Snake River if he’s out with a pal. After some time in the water, he’ll head home to pick up his dog for an afternoon spent on the trails. Gocke enjoys mountain biking while his dog runs alongside him. “He’s got a lot of energy to burn,” he says. They like Game Creek, or Arrow Trail near Teton Pass, or even the Mike Harris Campground area.
After some exercise, Gocke might indulge in an evening at Calico in Wilson, where he loves the lasagna and considers the spicy margarita “a must.” If it’s still light enough, he’ll take another lap on Moose-Wilson Road to watch for moose and black bears.
Gocke said Jackson’s access to abundant wildlife and public lands is what keeps people here, despite challenges like housing prices.
“Where else could I bike from my door onto national forest land?” he said. “That’s pretty hard to come by when you start looking around. I’ve talked to people that moved to Alaska and said they don’t see the wildlife there that you see in Jackson. We have a lot more interaction with wildlife; it’s close and there’s access. And, not only do you have the wildlife, you have it in a setting that’s pretty iconic. As a photographer, that’s hard to beat.”
