Jackson Hole

Jackson Hole offers world-class recreation — floating, rafting and fly-fishing the Snake River, hiking and mountaineering in Grand Teton and the surrounding Bridger-Teton National Forest, wildlife watching (elk at the National Elk Refuge, moose, bison, bears), world-renowned skiing and snowboarding (Jackson Hole Mountain Resort), winter sleigh rides among the elk, mountain biking, horseback riding, and exploring the lively town of Jackson. The valley is a gateway to Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. The combination of the Snake River, the Teton wilderness, the abundant wildlife and the Western town makes Jackson Hole a premier year-round destination.

Summer (June to September) is prime for floating the Snake River, hiking, climbing and exploring the parks, with wildflowers and long days, while fall brings golden aspens, the elk rut and crisp air. Winter is a world-class ski season, with deep snow at the resorts, sleigh rides among the wintering elk at the refuge, and a snowy wonderland (though mountain passes and some park roads close). Spring brings emerging wildlife and runoff. Summer for the river and parks, fall for color and elk, and winter for skiing and the elk refuge are highlights; the valley and the Tetons are spectacular year-round.

Jackson Hole was used by Native peoples for thousands of years and became a crossroads of the fur trade in the early 1800s, when trappers gave the valley its name. Homesteaders and ranchers settled the valley, and dude ranches drew early visitors to its beauty. The fight to protect the Tetons and the valley led to Grand Teton National Park, with John D. Rockefeller Jr. quietly buying valley land to donate. The town of Jackson grew as a gateway and resort. Jackson Hole preserves both the spectacular valley landscape and its Western and homestead heritage, a treasured gateway to the Northern Rockies.

Jackson Hole is a classic fault valley, a broad basin that has dropped down along the same active fault by which the Teton Range has been thrust dramatically upward — the valley floor and the soaring peaks moving in opposite directions, which is why the Tetons rise so abruptly from the flat valley with no foothills. Glaciers shaped the valley and left behind lakes and moraines, and the Snake River winds across the valley floor. The fault that drops the valley and raises the Tetons, and the glacial sculpting, created the spectacular contrast of the broad valley and the jagged peaks that defines Jackson Hole.

Jackson Hole, in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, is renowned for wildlife — the National Elk Refuge shelters thousands of elk each winter (a spectacular sight, viewable by sleigh ride), while moose browse the willows, bison and pronghorn roam the valley, and grizzly and black bears, wolves and bighorn sheep range the mountains and the parks, with trumpeter swans, bald eagles and ospreys along the Snake River. The valley, river and surrounding wilderness support a nearly complete native fauna. Jackson Hole is one of the finest places in America for watching wildlife, with the wintering elk, the moose, and the great animals of the ecosystem among the highlights.

Jackson Hole sits at the heart of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one of the largest intact temperate ecosystems on Earth, where the valley’s sagebrush flats, the Snake River’s riparian corridor, the wetlands and the surrounding montane and alpine wilderness support abundant wildlife and a nearly complete native fauna. The National Elk Refuge protects critical winter range for the great elk herds. The river, the wetlands and the wild mountains are vital. Protecting the valley, the river, the refuge and the surrounding wilderness sustains this globally significant Northern Rockies ecosystem and the abundant wildlife that makes Jackson Hole extraordinary.

Jackson Hole holds a treasured place as one of the most spectacular mountain valleys in America and a beloved gateway to Grand Teton and Yellowstone, its setting beneath the soaring Tetons, its abundant wildlife, and its lively Western town of Jackson embodying the grandeur and spirit of the Northern Rockies. From the fur trappers who named it and the ranchers who settled it to the conservationists who protected the Tetons and the millions who come for the parks, the wildlife and the skiing, Jackson Hole is a cherished icon of the mountain West, a gateway to wild beauty and a destination of Western character and adventure.

Jackson Hole is in northwestern Wyoming, with the town of Jackson at its south end, reached via US-26/89/189/191, and served by the Jackson Hole airport (located within Grand Teton National Park). Grand Teton National Park occupies much of the valley, with Yellowstone just to the north and the Bridger-Teton National Forest surrounding it. The valley is free to explore (national-park and some recreation fees apply), with the town, the National Elk Refuge, river-access points, trailheads, and the ski resort. Some mountain passes and roads are seasonal. Check Grand Teton, the National Elk Refuge and the U.S. Forest Service for access and conditions before visiting.

A patchwork of stewards — the National Park Service (Grand Teton), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (National Elk Refuge), the U.S. Forest Service (Bridger-Teton) and the community — protects the valley, the Snake River, the wildlife and the wilderness of Jackson Hole, part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Visitors help by keeping their distance from wildlife (especially moose, bison and bears — never approach or feed them), carrying bear spray, protecting the river’s water quality, staying on trails, packing out everything, respecting winter wildlife range (especially the elk refuge), and following Leave No Trace. Protecting the valley, the river, the refuge and the wilderness sustains this globally significant ecosystem.

Jackson Hole is bear and wildlife country — carry bear spray, store food properly, and keep your distance from bears, moose (which can be aggressive, especially with calves), bison and elk; never approach or feed wildlife. The high valley and mountains bring altitude, fast-changing weather, afternoon storms and lightning, and snow possible in any season up high — carry layers and water. On the Snake River, wear a life jacket, mind the cold water and currents, and float with skill or an outfitter. In winter, be avalanche-aware in the backcountry. Respect the wildlife, the altitude, the weather and the river.

National-park (Grand Teton) and some recreation fees apply; follow the rules of the various lands (national park, elk refuge, national forest). Keep required wildlife distances; never approach or feed animals. Carry bear spray and store food in bear country. Float and fish the Snake River per regulations and licensing; some stretches require permits or outfitters. Camp only in designated or permitted areas. Respect winter wildlife range and refuge rules. Pets are restricted in the parks. Pack out all trash. Check Grand Teton, the National Elk Refuge and the U.S. Forest Service for current rules before visiting.

Grand Teton National Park occupies much of the valley, with Yellowstone National Park just to the north, the Bridger-Teton and Caribou-Targhee national forests, the National Elk Refuge, the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (in Teton Village), and the Snake River and the Wind River Range in the broader region. The town of Jackson anchors the valley. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem defines the region. Jackson Hole anchors the premier gateway region to the Northern Rockies’ national parks, a centerpiece of a Grand Teton, Yellowstone and mountain adventure in northwestern Wyoming.

Use Jackson Hole as your base for Grand Teton and Yellowstone — float or fly-fish the Snake River beneath the Tetons, hike and explore the parks and the Bridger-Teton forest, and watch for moose, elk, bison and bears (keeping your distance and carrying bear spray). In winter, ski the famous resort and take a sleigh ride among the thousands of wintering elk at the National Elk Refuge. Explore the lively town of Jackson with its antler-arched square, visit in summer for the river and parks or fall for golden aspens and the elk rut, and savor the gateway to the Northern Rockies.