Surrounding National Parks

Majestic bighorn sheep butting heads on a rocky cliff above a blue ribbon trout stream, elk herds enjoying the last snow free days of fall grazing on grassy slopes and gray wolves napping the afternoon away were all just a few if the sights I was able to take in during a recent trip to Yellowstone National Park.

This trip to Yellowstone during the week of Thanksgiving reminded me yet again of how unique an experience it is to visit our local national parks during the late fall and winter.

Grand Teton National Park sits right in our backyard all summer, but once the snow flies it is an altogether unique and different place, offering exciting adventures that can’t be experienced in the warmer months. The fresh blanket of snow opens up new terrain to cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Diminished crowds allow anyone willing to put forth a little effort to experience the quiet and beauty of the park without fighting the throngs so frequent during the summer. Anything from an all day ski tour to an hour snowshoe in the park can offer a rewarding experience that does well to add variety to any visit to Jackson in the winter.

Only slightly farther up the road, but still well worth the drive in winter is Yellowstone Park. Our nation’s first national park, Yellowstone holds a charm that seems to only grow stronger as the snow gets deeper Once the snows begin, the only way to access the park through the southern and western entrances is via snowmobile, snow coach, or on skis. The trip is well worth it to see Old Faithful Geyser spout thousands of gallons of water over a hundred feet into the air with a snow covered backdrop, or to watch bison herds trudging through the winter snows.

Keep in mind that over half of the hot springs and geysers in the world are located in Yellowstone and you can see many of the most impressive ones during the winter. You undertake anything from a one day trip to a multiple day snow coach and wildlife viewing trip. Wolf watching in winter has become one of the biggest draws to the northern areas of the park. During the winter wolves follow their prey into the lower elevations, often ending up near roads, making it one of the best times of year to view them.

In short, if you make it to Jackson in the winter make sure that you get off the beaten track to explore some of the true gems that the area has to offer. Please feel free to contact us to arrange an unforgettable winter adventure so you can experience the best of Jackson in winter.

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