Long winter weekend in Jackson, Wyoming
Jackson, Wyoming itinerary for the non-skier
My husband and I wanted to visit Jackson, Wyoming (and winter was a viable option) but neither of us ski or snowboard. Here’s some fun things to do in Jackson, Wyoming - what we did in 3 days to embrace the snow and explore around the Grand Tetons.
During our trip, we learned that Jackson Hole is a section of Jackson, Wyoming. Of course, you probably know that Jackson gets A LOT of snow so if you are planning to come in the wintertime, be prepared. We opted to rent a JEEP to help us easily get around Jackson. If you stay only in Jackson Hole and are okay with walking in the cold, you could certainly get by without a car.
We stayed at The Lodge at Jackson Hole which was just outside of the downtown area but across the street from a shopping center and a close walk to a couple of restaurants. We did walk to downtown once or twice – trenching through snow and quite cold, but it’s completely doable.
Snowmobiling on the Continental Divide
Day 1 – Arrive & visit town square
We arrived in Jackson in the late afternoon right before dark. We knew we had a few jam-packed days ahead of us, so we ventured straight into town after quickly dropping our luggage at the hotel. We hit the obligatory, touristy spots to start off with like capturing the obligatory picture in front of the antlers and shopping at Jackson Trading Company. I love a brewery so we ate dinner and clanked our glasses at Snake River Brewing.
Tip: Reserve your four-wheel drive rental vehicle in advance! With the limited supply, it’s better to be safe then out of luck! If you don’t feel like driving or aren’t planning to explore solo, ride share services are available in Jackson.
Day 2 - Gaze at elk & snow tube like a kid again
Our first adventure was the sleigh ride in the National Elk Refuge. The sleigh is led by horses and the tour guide provides an overview of the elk and the refuge. They seem to be respectful of the elk, not getting too close but allowing you to be close enough to make the trip worth it. Elk roam here in the winter time and migrate to higher elevations in the spring and summer. The elk are surrounded by the Grand Tetons so it’s really a majestic sight to see!
Tip: Make a reservation and arrive early to beat the crowds. The sleigh rides start at 10:00am and are about an hour. Parking is located at the Visitor Center in town, and they pick you up from there and drive you to the National Elk Refuge.
We stopped by Persephone Bakery for lunch. Despite the cold, we ate our warm soup and breakfast on the outdoor patio. It was delicious! This place is popular so unless you order to-go and ahead, be prepared to wait for a bit. Service is great and the food is delicious so the wait it totally worth it!
That afternoon, we went to Snow King Mountain to snow tube. For the next two hours, we waited in line to aboard the “magic carpet” which was an escalator that took you to the top of the mountain. Then my husband and I sat in our snow tubes and giggled the whole way down. For the most part, snow tubing was filled with parents and their kids or awkward teenagers, but we didn’t care. We laughed and laughed each ride down the mountain and had the time of our lives. The cost was $30 per person for two hours.
Day 3 – Snow mobile on the continental divide
Our third day was reserved for an eight hour snow mobile tour across the Continental Divide in Wyoming. We woke up early the next morning to be picked up at 6:45 am and brought to the snow mobile departure station. We were given snow suits, a helmet, and boots and boarded a van headed for the Togwotee Pass, a high mountain pass about 10,000 feet above sea level on Continental Divide. The ride was about an hour until we reached our destination – a cabin-like restaurant/hotel in the middle of nowhere Wyoming.
We were each given snowmobiles and instruction and off we went into the wilderness. My husband and I shared a snow mobile but you could also go solo as well. The tour guide company we used seems to out of business but there are many options discoverable via search engines (here’s an example: Old Faithful Snowmobile Tours).
During the tour, we drove in a single file line through forests and of course a ton of snow. Our first stop was a huge open field where we had an opportunity to get more comfortable with the snowmobile and discover the power of speed and steering.
After about 3 hours of riding, we headed back to the restaurant for lunch and a rest before taking off again for a few more hours of snowmobiling.
The visibility during our ride was quite low at some points during the ride, and sometimes it was snowing so hard we could barely see. We passed sled dogs on our way back which was really magical! This was an adventure of a lifetime and highly recommend!
Tip: Book your Jackson snowmobile tours in advance and if this is on your must-do list, make sure there’s a tour available before booking your flight. Snowmobile tours fill up fast - many of the routes (ex: Yellowstone) were already sold out for the season. There are a lot of Jackson Hole snowmobiling tour companies so check out a few places before booking.
After we got back to the hotel, we showered, freshened up and headed into town to Gather, a cute date spot close to town. We did end up walking to this restaurant and it wasn’t too bad! The drinks and food at Gather were delicious!
Day 4 – Joy rides & live music
On our last day, we made great use of the JEEP and drove wherever we could including Moose (ZIP: 83012) within Grand Teton National Park and Inspiration Point overlooking Jenny Lake. We even saw a moose on our way out of Moose . Please note, some sections of the Grand Teton National Park are closed to vehicles in the winter.
That night we celebrated our last night at the famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, a massive, old western bar right in the center of town with some bar stools shaped like horse saddles. A country band was performing which was most exciting to us because it was the first “concert” we’d experience since the start of COVID. It felt “normal” to be back enjoying live music.
jackson, Wyoming
