Grand Teton National Park
Winter Activities
The snowy months of the year showcase some of the park's lesser-known but still fascinating features. Wild animals replace tourists as the primary winter inhabitants and deep snows bring new challenges to park travel. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, backcountry camping, ice fishing and ice climbing are some of the seasonal activities that are popular with experienced outdoor lovers.
Come prepared for extreme weather. Between three and five feet of snow are common in the valley areas, though some years have seen up to six feet blanketing the valley floor. Daytime temperatures hover around freezing, and nights can hit —25°F and lower. Cold temperatures, low humidity and little wind make for some exceptionally clear, crisp and calm days.
U.S. 26-89-191 is plowed in winter, from Jackson past the Moose Village Junction all the way to Flagg Ranch. Other park roads may be closed to vehicle traffic.
Skiing
Park roads that are closed to cars in winter make excellent cross-country skiing routes; wildlife may even appear along the quiet roadsides as you glide across the snowy landscape. Stop by the Moose Visitor Center to pickup a map of cross-country ski trails or ask for advice on cross-country ski locations. All winter visitors are required to observe winter closure areas for protection of wildlife. Winter closure maps are also available at the visitor center. Downhill skiing enthusiasts enjoy the benefits of excellent snow conditions in the Teton Range. Three diverse ski resorts in the Jackson Hole area offer a variety of skiing adventures: Jackson Hole Ski Resort, based in Teton Village, (307) 733-2292; Grand Targhee Ski & Summer Resort, located on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, (800) TARGHEE (827-4433); and Snow King Ski Resort adjacent to Jackson, (307) 733-5200. Snowboarding is also popular on the ski slopes. For complete information, please call the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce at (307) 733-3316.
Snowmobiling
Snowmobiling is allowed on the Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail. Some businesses in Jackson also provide rentals and guided tours to Yellowstone; please call (307) 733-3316 for more information.
Snowshoeing
NPS rangers offer guided hikes (snowshoes available for a nominal donation fee) starting at the Moose Visitor Center. Reservations are required; please call (307) 739-3399.
Sleigh Rides
Sleigh rides through the National Elk Refuge offer an exciting look at the wintering elk herd, which numbers up to 8,000 animals. Please call the refuge at (307) 733-9212 for reservations. Dinner sleigh rides are also offered near the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort; please call (307) 733-3316 for details.
Winter Lodging
Triangle X Ranch offers summer and winter accommodations and snowmobile excursions. Call (307) 733-2183. For numerous other lodging options in the Jackson Hole area, please call the Chamber of Commerce at (307) 733-3316.
Grand Teton In Depth
News from the Parks
Light Pollution Harms Not Just Stargazers
December 2, 2008 - 1:03pm
For students of astronomy, Sunday and Monday night is the equivalent of a World Cup Final, a new Mac operating system, and a Zeppelin reunion show all rolled into one. That’s because, as Horizons guest blogger Pete Spotts noted in his post Sunday, Jupiter, Venus, and the moon will gather to direct a lopsided frown at North America, an arrangement that won’t happen again for another 44 years.
December 2, 2008 - 1:03pm
For students of astronomy, Sunday and Monday night is the equivalent of a World Cup Final, a new Mac operating system, and a Zeppelin reunion show all rolled into one. That’s because, as Horizons guest blogger Pete Spotts noted in his post Sunday, Jupiter, Venus, and the moon will gather to direct a lopsided frown at North America, an arrangement that won’t happen again for another 44 years.
Tourists Bite on ‘Twilight’ Vampire Tours of Forks, Washington
December 2, 2008 - 12:59pm
Fans of the hit movie “Twilight,” inspired by Stephenie Meyer’s vampire series, are swarming tiny Forks on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, where the novels are set, and checking out “Twilight”-themed tours, hotel packages and even food.
December 2, 2008 - 12:59pm
Fans of the hit movie “Twilight,” inspired by Stephenie Meyer’s vampire series, are swarming tiny Forks on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, where the novels are set, and checking out “Twilight”-themed tours, hotel packages and even food.
Crowds Observe World AIDS Day In GG Park
December 2, 2008 - 12:56pm
People from across the country gathered in Golden Gate Park's National AIDS Memorial Grove Monday to observe the 20th annual World AIDS Day.
December 2, 2008 - 12:56pm
People from across the country gathered in Golden Gate Park's National AIDS Memorial Grove Monday to observe the 20th annual World AIDS Day.
Grounded in God, Green and Glaciers
December 2, 2008 - 12:37pm
Remember when Arizona Sen. John McCain criticized spending millions of taxpayer dollars to fund the DNA of grizzly bears in Montana during one of the presidential debates? “That’s us,” said David Restivo, a Roberts Wesleyan College alumnus and visual information specialist at Glacier National Park in Montana.
December 2, 2008 - 12:37pm
Remember when Arizona Sen. John McCain criticized spending millions of taxpayer dollars to fund the DNA of grizzly bears in Montana during one of the presidential debates? “That’s us,” said David Restivo, a Roberts Wesleyan College alumnus and visual information specialist at Glacier National Park in Montana.
Smokies' Formation Began 500 Million to 600 Million Years Ago
December 2, 2008 - 12:35pm
As the Great Smoky Mountains National Park prepares to celebrate its 75th year, students of history and geology are pondering questions that go back much farther than the park's creation in the 1930s. The most fascinating queries to them concern the actual formation of the mountains, their age and topography.
December 2, 2008 - 12:35pm
As the Great Smoky Mountains National Park prepares to celebrate its 75th year, students of history and geology are pondering questions that go back much farther than the park's creation in the 1930s. The most fascinating queries to them concern the actual formation of the mountains, their age and topography.
