April Events
7: Free Wyoming Stargazing program at Center for the Arts - From 7:30-9:30 p.m. on the lawn outside the Center, astronomers from Wyoming Stargazing will have a Dobsonian telescope to look at planets, stars, nebulae, galaxies and more! There will also be several iPads with the Star Walk application installed. - wyomingstargazing.org
8-9: Closing weekend at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort - The 2016-17 ski season will come to a close with celebrations and costumed skiers all over the mountain. Be sure to catch Music Under the Tram at 3 p.m. both days featuring local bands.
8: 17th Annual Cardboard Box Derby at Grand Targhee Resort - Watch homemade cardboard crafts such as dragons, race cars, UFO’s, and more zoom down the slopes. A panel of judges will rate each craft for originality, costumes and construction. 10 a.m. - grandtarghee.com
9: National Theatre Live: “Coriolanus” – National Theatre Live’s 2013 broadcast of the Donmar Warehouse’s production of “Coriolanus,” Shakespeare’s searing tragedy of political manipulation and revenge. – jhcenterforthearts.org
13: The Met Live in HD: “Indomeneo” - Mozart’s first operatic masterpiece returns to the Met in the classic Jean-Pierre Ponnelle production, conducted by Music Director Emeritus James Levine – jhcenterforthearts.org
14: Free Wyoming Stargazing program at Center for the Arts - From 7:30-9:30 p.m. on the lawn outside the Center, astronomers from Wyoming Stargazing will have a Dobsonian telescope to look at planets, stars, nebulae, galaxies and more! There will also be several iPads with the Star Walk application installed. - wyomingstargazing.org
15: 49th Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Town Square - 10 a.m.; ages 1-8
12: Yellowstone National Park opens north and west entrances.
16: Closing day at Grand Targhee Resort - grandtarghee.com
21: Free Wyoming Stargazing program at Center for the Arts - From 7:30-9:30 p.m. on the lawn outside the Center, astronomers from Wyoming Stargazing will have a Dobsonian telescope to look at planets, stars, nebulae, galaxies and more! There will also be several iPads with the Star Walk application installed. - wyomingstargazing.org
21: U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera at Center for the Arts - "We Come From Everything: Poetry and Migration;" book signing after presentation - jhcenterforthearts
22: Spring Music Festival at Center for the Arts - Presented by Cathedral Voices Choir of Jackson Hole, featuring Jackson Hole High School Concert Choir and Jackson Hole Chorale. - jhcenterforthearts.org
27-29: “Water by the Spoonful: Quiara Alegria Hudes” – Winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize, presented by Off Square Theatre Company at Black Box Theatre in Center for the Arts - jhcenterforthearts.org
28: Free Wyoming Stargazing program at Center for the Arts - From 7:30-9:30 p.m. on the lawn outside the Center, astronomers from Wyoming Stargazing will have a Dobsonian telescope to look at planets, stars, nebulae, galaxies and more! There will also be several iPads with the Star Walk application installed. - wyomingstargazing.org
May Events
Ongoing throughout month: Free Wyoming Stargazing program at Rendezvous Park (R Park) - Fridays from 9-11 p.m. near the north entrance to R Park off Hwy 390 astronomers from Wyoming Stargazing will have a Dobsonian telescope to look at planets, stars, nebulae, galaxies and more! There will also be several iPads with the Star Walk application installed. Free. - wyomingstargazing.org
1: Grand Teton National Park opens all roads to vehicle traffic.
12: "Grouse Strut" program in Grand Teton National Park - A ranger-led program to observe grouse during mating season; meet at 5:30 a.m. at Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center in Moose. For reservations call 307-739-3399.
13: Granite Hot Springs Pool opens for summer season - $6 adults/$4 kids; 307-690-6323
16: Party celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the National Museum of Wildlife Art - Held from 6-9 p.m., celebrates opening of two exhibits: "Exploring Wildlife Art," and "Andy Warhol: Endangered Species;" food, entertainment - wildlifeart.org
17: "Andy Warhol: Endangered Species" exhibit opens at National Museum of Wildlife Art - wildlifeart.org
18: Free Public Planetarium Program - A free, indoor virtual tour of the solar system, offered by Wyoming Stargazing inside its inflatable planetarium at the Teton County Library auditorium. From 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. – wyomingstargazing.org
20: Aerial Tram opens for summer at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Teton Village; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. - jacksonhole.com
21-22: The 50th annual, world-famous Elkfest (pictured above- see our article.) kicks off May 21st with the Jackson Hole Boy Scout's Elk Antler Auction, and includes the High Noon Chili Cook-Off on May 22nd.
26: Opening day of summer season at Snow King - snowkingmountain.com
27: "Iridescence: John Gould's Hummingbirds" exhibit opens at National Museum of Wildlife Art - wildlifeart.org
27-30: Old West Days - Held annually over Memorial Day weekend, this celebration of Jackson Hole’s western heritage is a huge, much-anticipated event. (See our article) It includes the unique, days-long Mountain Man Rendezvous, Old West Days Parade—one of the only remaining horse-drawn parades in the country—and plenty of authentic Old West entertainment.
27: Yellowstone National Park opens all roads to vehicle traffic.
27: Old West Brew Fest - 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Town Square. Enjoy a variety of beers from regional breweries. Free.
27: Jackson Hole Shootout begins on Town Square at 6:15 p.m. The free Jackson Hole Shootout has been a Wyoming tradition since 1957 and is the longest, continuously running gunfight in the United States.
27: Jackson Hole Rodeo opens for season at 8 p.m. at Teton County Fairgrounds. - jhrodeo.com
Other Spring Things To Do
TAKE A GUIDED WILDLIFE TOUR
Wildlife is in abundance during the springtime in the Tetons. Animals such as bears are coming out of hibernation, bison become more active after a winter of hunkering down, large herds of elk and moose begin to march northward from the National Elk Refuge up into the hills, and eagles prowl the skies for signs of rodent or fish life below. Spring also means that it’s time for the ungulates (deer, elk and moose) to begin calving.
Take a sunrise or sunset wildlife tour in and around Grand Teton National Park and Bridger-Teton National Forest with trained and knowledgeable naturalists. Try Wolf Den Safaris, Wildlife Expeditions, Eco Tour Adventures,or Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris.
Click here for our story on wildlife spotting in Grand Teton National Park.
GO FISHIN'
Spring fly fishing in Jackson Hole is a terrific activity. In April, as the days get warmer but before the snow melts, river fishing is prime, especially on the Snake River. Good fishing is also found during May in the alpine lakes as they stay clear and are largely unaffected by runoff.
We highly recommend anglers go with a guide, such as Grand Teton Fly Fishing or Fish the Fly.
TAKE A FAT BIKE TOUR
Fat bikes are all the rage here in Jackson Hole, no matter what the weather. The bike's 4- to 5-inch tires allow for durable traction on and off the beaten path.
With the majority of the roads in Grand Teton National Park closed to vehicular traffic until May 1st, bike riding through this gem of a park is especially pleasurable in spring. Rent a bike and take a self-guided tour, or sign up with Teton Mountain Bike Tours for a half or full day fat bike tour with awesome views of the Teton Mountain Range.
