Ski and Play at Snow King!
Snow King Mountain Resort — lovingly dubbed the “Town Hill” by locals — is a skier’s mountain in its own right, with plenty of terrain for skiers of all abilities. And this weekend, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort pass/ticket holders and Mountain Collective pass holders will receive a 20% discount on lift tickets! Lift tickets are less than half the price of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort: $55 for a full day. Half-day (1-4 p.m.) tickets are $45, and night skiing (4-7 p.m.) is $30.
New activity packages include a Coaster/King Tubes combo package that combines one Cowboy Coaster ride with one hour of tubing for $30, and a Winter Big King Pass which includes unlimited skiing or snowboarding, Cowboy Coaster rides and tubing for $90.
The Cowboy Coaster winds its way up and down a good chunk of the town ski hill. Once you’ve reached the top, your two-person sled twists and turns through nearly a mile of loops, curves and hairpin turns—some as high as four stories tall! There are windscreens on the carts which makes the ride a little more comfy in the colder temperatures. Hours: Mon.-Fri. from 2 to 7 p.m.; weekends 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Cost: $20 per driver (must be 54” tall), $10 per passenger (38” and taller). Tickets available in the Rafferty Center, located at the base of the Rafferty chairlift.
King Tubes is a winter family fun institution in Jackson Hole. The tube park has three smooth groomed lanes and a rope tow to pull you and your snow tube up the hill. Cost for 1 hour: $20 for ages 14 and up; $15 kids 13 and under; buy an extra hour for only $5. Kids must be 42” tall to participate. Tickets available at Summit Lift Ticket office.
See Raptors Up Close and Personal
The National Elk Refuge and Teton Raptor Center have a series of free "Feathered Friday" visits this winter at the Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center. The “Feathered Fridays” programs feature naturalists and educators from the raptor center and the elk refuge, along with a variety of live raptors on the glove. This is an excellent way to learn about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem through the eyes of live birds of prey. There is no beginning, middle or end to the program during the two hours; stop by at any time to meet with the fine-feathered friends. Contact: (800) 772-5386; fws.gov/refuge/national_elk_refuge/
Tour the Town Square and Art Galleries
Go on a walkabout on the wooden sidewalks of Jackson's historic Town Square. The Square features shops, restaurants, galleries and the famous elk antler arches of Jackson's outdoor living room. Luckily for you, there are plenty of places to duck in for a glass of wine, amazing find, or warming cup of Joe.
Jackson Hole is one of the top art towns in the West. Offering everything from Western to contemporary visual art and sculpture, our galleries can keep you enthralled for days. Mostly located in and around the Town Square, pick up a gallery map at your first stop and craft an itinerary from there.
And Speaking of Art Galleries ...
... Visit the wildlife art museum! Just 2.5 miles north of the Town of Jackson and overlooking the National Elk Refuge, this 51,000-square foot facility offers 14 galleries, a sculpture trail, library and gift shop. On May 8, 2008, President George W. Bush signed a Public Lands bill recognizing the NMWA as the "National Museum of Wildlife Art of the United States", so don't miss this cultural icon in Jackson Hole. Great activities are here for kids, too, including a Children's Discovery Gallery.
Take a Sleigh Ride on Elk Refuge
Nowhere else in the world but here in Jackson Hole can you get up-close-and-personal with the thousands of elk who every winter call the National Elk Refuge home. Horse-drawn sleighs—driven by the cowboys from Bar-T-Five—depart between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily from the Jackson Hole and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center at 532 North Cache St. Dress warmly, as you will be sitting still for about an hour in the open sleigh. Cost: Adults $21 and ages 5-12, $15. Kids 4 and under ride for free. Contact: (800) 772-5386; fws.gov/refuge/national_elk_refuge/
Stop By the National Fish Hatchery
Jackson Hole is home to the National Fish Hatchery and this little-known local attraction is fascinating. Located four miles north of the town of Jackson and adjacent to the National Elk Refuge, the National Fish Hatchery welcomes visitors for free tours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily (except on federal holidays) for a close up view of Snake River cutthroat trout. Observe fish in several indoor tanks and view photographic displays of spawning and stocking.
Check Out the History Museum
Founded more than 50 years ago, the Jackson Hole Historical Society & Museum offers a place where "the Old West is still alive." Current exhibits include "Homesteading in the Hole" and "Indians of the Greater Yellowstone." One admission is good for both locations (225 N. Cache and 105 Glenwood).
Take a Wildlife Tour
A number of wildlife tour outfitters offer 4-hour sunrise safaris in comfy, customized safari-style vehicles. Trained biologists will guide you to the best viewing spots for elk, moose, big horn sheep, foxes, eagles and a variety of other animals around Jackson Hole. If you’re really lucky you might even be able to spot wolves hunting on the National Elk Refuge during the winter months! Perks include kid’s guidebooks and complimentary coffee, tea, hot cocoa and soft drinks, plus snacks. Typical cost: $130 for adults, $99 for children ages 6 to 12; free for those 5 and younger. Outfitters to try: Eco Tour Adventures, Teton Science Schools Wildlife Expeditions, Wolf Den Safaris
Bring the Kids To the Children's Museum
The Jackson Hole Children’s Museum recently opened a new exhibit —"Take Flight.” The Jackson Hole Airport exhibit is a representation of our unique local community airport. Jump into the pilot's seat and bring the plane in for a landing, buckle in as a passenger, or serve beverages as a flight attendant. Or you can help planes come into the gate from the control tower, or load luggage into the plane as a member of the ground crew. There’s also a complete security gate and check-in counter. Museum hours are: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Cost: $8. Free for kids age 2 and under.
Go To a Hockey Game
Jackson Hole’s own semi-pro hockey team, the Jackson Hole Moose, will play games at 7 p.m. this Friday and Saturday night at the Snow King Sports and Event Center. Tickets are $10 adults/$5 kids.
See Stars
Wyoming Stargazing hosts free, public stargazing events from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Fridays at the Center for the Arts in downtown Jackson. Experts from the stargazing organization will set up on the large lawn right next to the Center. You’ll have access to a giant Dobsonian Telescope with a 20-inch primary mirror to look at planets, stars, nebulae, galaxies and more. There will also be several iPads with the Star Walk application installed on them so you can explore the heavens while others are looking through the telescopes. There is no need to RSVP; feel free to show up for whatever portion of the program works for you. And don’t forget to wear a warm jacket!
Go Snowmobiling
With hundreds of miles of trails and some of the most beautiful winter terrain in the country to explore, a snowmobile trip in Jackson Hole is a day you won't soon forget. Rent a snowmobile or join an outfitter for guided half- and full-day tours. Tours are mostly early wake-up affairs that make the most of an entire day of snowmobiling.
Where to go:
• Yellowstone National Park is closed to vehicular traffic in winter, making a snowmobile tour on the park’s snow-covered roads a special, once in a lifetime experience.
• Togwotee Pass: Zoom along the Continental Divide trail system on the No. 1 ranked snowmobile terrain in the country.
• Cruise out to Granite Hot Springs. The thermal pool is closed due to heavy snow cover, but the trip out there is still beautiful.
Soak Up the Nightlife
Town Square is home to a vibrant and rollicking music scene at venues such as the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, the Silver Dollar Showroom in the Wort Hotel, Town Square Tavern and the Pink Garter Theatre.
Catch a Ski/Mountain Culture Film .. Or Two!
The Best of the Banff Film Festival will be presented here Saturday and Sunday evening, with a slate of nine mountain adventure flicks shown each night at 7 p.m. at the Jackson Hole High School Auditorium. The cost is $12 per night or $20 for both nights. Tickets available at Skinny Skis, Valley Bookstore and Hungry Jack’s in Wilson. “An Evening of Ski and Art Films” will take place at 8 p.m. at the Center for the Arts, featuring “Where the Wind Blows” and “Frostheaves.” Admission is free.
Take a Dog Sled Tour
Imagine silently gliding through the snow on a sled powered only by an experienced team of Alaskan Huskies. Dog sledding tours have a wide range of costs because they are very customizable, from half-days to multi-overnights. It’s best to call the outfitters and discuss trip options and costs with them for the most clarity and choice.
Explore the Best Nordic Trails
Take in Jackson Hole’s amazing wilderness on cross-country skis, snowshoes or a “fat bike.” With most of the roads in Grand Teton National Park closed in the winter, a half- or full-day cross-country ski or snowshoe tour with an outfitter such as Hole Hiking Experience offers a truly unique glimpse into the park's winter habitat.
For do-it-yourselfer’s, multiple options are also available in town and throughout the valley. Popular destinations include the Cache Creek and Game Creek trails near the town of Jackson, the Snake River levee at Emily Stevens Park and the Wilson Centennial Pathway. In Grand Teton National Park, skiers and snowshoers enjoy the trails to Bradley and Taggart lakes or the Phelps Lake overlook. Nordic ski packages are available for rent at Skinny Skis and Teton Mountaineering.
Traveler Tip: Find out about groomed cross-country ski trails and conditions in the Greater Teton area at JHNordic.com, or tetonparksandrec.org.