Grand Teton National Park and its surrounding area is one of the United States’ best-loved winter wonderlands. The park’s towering, picturesque mountains and the nearby Jackson Hole area make the region a destination for all manner of winter adventurers. Grab your gloves and head to Grand Teton for the best winter weekend getaway in Wyoming.
All of Grand Teton National Park’s campgrounds close in the winter. However, primitive winter camping is allowed near the Colter Bay Visitor’s Center. Campers must pay a nightly fee, using the self-service box at the center. Backcountry camping is also permitted but requires all campers to obtain a free backcountry permit before setting out.
Snowshoeing is a fantastic way to explore the wonders of winter in Grand Teton National Park. The five-mile round-trip trek to Phelps Lake Overlook is a perfect way to get a taste of the park’s beauty. Start at the ominous-sounding Death Canyon Trailhead, and head up the trail about two-and-half miles to the overlook. You’ll enjoy panoramic vistas along the way, and your legs will remember the 730 feet of total elevation the next day.
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Grassy Lake Road—known as the Ashton-Flagg Ranch Road on some GPS/mapping sites and software—is the major east-west thoroughfare in the park. It connects the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway with Ashton, Idaho. In winters, the almost-forty miles of road that lie inside the park are closed to vehicles but open to exploration by snowmobile. It’s a great way to see some of Grand Teton’s more-remote areas in wintertime. If you need a rental, Jackson Hole Adventure Rentals can help you out.
Minutes away from Grand Teton National Park, you’ll find the famous Jackson Hole Mountain Resort—and some of the best downhill skiing and boarding in the United States. More than 2,500 acres of in-bounds slopes, 133 named trails and more than 4,100 feet of vertical attract skiers from all over the world. There’s plenty of terrain for the more board-oriented, as well.
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Jackson Lake, which lies within Grand Teton National Park, is renowned as a year-round lake trout fishery. The lake is big, but fortunately best-available technology (BAT) snowmobiles can be used on the lake for ice fishing purposes. Jackson Hole Adventure Rentals can set you up with a conforming sled if you didn’t bring your own.
Limited elk hunting is permitted in Grand Teton National Park in the early winter months. The hunt is allowed through the park’s Elk Management Program but administered through the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Other species may be hunted in areas contiguous to the park. Valid Wyoming hunting licenses are required of all hunters. Check the Game and Fish Department website for the most up-to-date seasons and regulations.
Start from the Taggart Lake Trailhead and ski the relatively-level—only 200 feet of total climbing—Jenny Lake Trail to the lake’s edge. Explore the lake and Teton views by ski, if you like. Join up with the Teton Park Road Trail and loop back to the trailhead to complete the gorgeous eight-mile round trip.
The Grand Teton/Jackson Hole area has some of the country’s clearest, darkest skies. With plenty of altitude and very little light pollution, the region is a destination for stargazers. Hook up with Wyoming Stargazing—and their big telescopes—to see what’s going on in the night sky while you’re staying in Grand Teton.
On the south side of Jackson, a few minutes from Grand Teton, fat bike enthusiasts will find an awesome trail system with a regular grooming schedule. The hilly loop circles Snow King mountain, and it makes for a great ride through creek valleys and forests with frequent mountain vistas. Start out at the Cache Creek Trailhead and watch for trail closures—trails that are typically open during the summer can be closed during the winter months. Teton Mountain Bike Tours can set you up with a rental if you need one.
All that cold, outdoor air makes a body hungry, and you’ll find plenty of tasty, tummy-filling comfort food at the Virginian. This cowboy-themed, family-owned restaurant is a longtime favorite among the locals, who come in for their hearty breakfast and lunch fare. Dig into some steak and eggs or their version of chilaquiles—you won’t be sorry, but you will be full.
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