Things to Do - Visit Jackson Hole (2024)

It’s the best way to experience Jackson Hole! Slow travel is a mindful approach to traveling that emphasizes taking the time to fully experience and appreciate a destination rather than rushing through it in a short amount of time. It often involves using more sustainable modes of transportation, staying in locally owned accommodations, and engaging in authentic cultural experiences.

Slow travel can also help reduce the impact of tourism on local communities and the environment by supporting local businesses and reducing carbon emissions. It allows travelers to connect with the places they visit on a deeper level and gain a greater understanding of and appreciation for their cultures and histories. If you don’t know, go slow!

We’re glad you asked! The scenery, wildlife, and culture will make you feel alive, even in the dead of winter, but there are plenty of other ways to experience the Tetons. Other snow sports for active people include sledding, tubing, snowshoeing, ice skating, fat biking, and cross-country skiing. Adventurous outdoor activities that don’t require any special skills include wildlife tours via snowcat, snowmobile, or dogsled to Yellowstone National Park or Granite Hot Springs or a sleigh ride through the National Elk Refuge. No matter how you enjoy our winter wonderland during the day, a hot toddy (or hot cocoa for the kiddos) enjoyed around a roaring fire at one of our world-class accommodations is the best way to spend a chilly afternoon waiting for your friends to come off the slopes.

Things to Do

Yes, both Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks are open year-round, though access to certain areas and roads changes by season. If you prefer a quieter experience, consider visiting during the spring or fall, when the weather is cooler and the crowds are thinner. During these months, you can enjoy hiking, wildlife watching, and scenic drives while also avoiding the peak tourist season. Winter is a unique and magical time with plenty to do besides downhill skiing.

No matter when you visit, be sure to plan for any kind of weather conditions. As Jackson old-timers will tell you, they’ve seen snow flurries every month of the year! Many of the national parks’ roads and facilities are closed due to snow and ice from late October to sometime in May, so it’s important to check the Wyoming road report, look up Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks’ current conditions, have good tires no matter the time of year, and plan accordingly.

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one of the few remaining intact ecosystems on Earth, is home to more than 200 species of animals including wolves, black and grizzly bears, bison (did you know that Yellowstone bison comprise the nation’s largest bison population on public land?), elk, and nearly 60 other species of mammals. We’re also home to more than 300 species of birds including fantastic raptors like bald eagles, ospreys, and peregrine falcons. You might not see them, but we also have 16 species of fish, six species of reptiles (non-poisonous), and four species of amphibians.

Please help preserve this incredible natural treasure for future generations by observing wildlife from a distance, never feeding the animals, extinguishing wildfires, and driving slowly.

Wildlife Watching

We welcome your furry friends here in the Tetons, and there are a wide variety of pet-friendly accommodations, restaurants, and trails. But to protect our wildlife they aren’t welcome everywhere, so it’s important to do your homework so everyone has a great time.

In the national parks, a good rule of thumb is anywhere a car can go, a dog on a leash can go too, like campgrounds and visitor centers but not the trails. We’re surrounded by national forests and other public lands where well-behaved pets are welcome to roam free, but they must be on a leash in the parking areas. Make sure to have a leash in preparation for possible encounters with wildlife, people or other dogs, pick up your pup’s poop, and bring extra water and food.

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We like to think of Jackson as the home of the wild child. It’s a place where families can disconnect from technology and immerse themselves in transformative adventures, Western culture, and natural experiences. While you may be tempted to schedule a lot of activities to keep your kids entertained, we recommend you leave plenty of time to explore the natural environment with no goal in mind. Once you get them on the slopes or on the trail, we promise they will amaze themselves.

Learn more about visiting Jackson Hole with kids