The Best Things To Do in Jackson Hole
Jackson Hole is one of the most beautiful areas in the world. With the most incredible exposed mountain peaks, unique wildlife, secluded hiking trails, photography opportunities, and cute mountain town vibes, there is so much to experience. No matter what time of year you visit Jackson Hole, there is so much to do.
We were lucky enough to spend two months exploring Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park from late-August to mid-October. We love how accessible Jackson, Wyoming is with an airport 10 minutes from downtown and Grand Teton National Park only 30 minutes away. Below we have provided an in-depth guide for the best things to do in Jackson Hole.
In this in-depth guide to Jackson Hole, we provide:
Book your stay in Jackson Hole today! During our first visit to Jackson we stayed at the Wyoming Inn of Jackson Hole and absolutely loved the in-room fireplaces and Tom Mangelsen photos on all of the walls.
The Best Things to do in Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park
1. Wildlife Viewing
Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park offers some of the most untouched wilderness and wildlife opportunities that we’ve ever experienced. Grand Teton National Park is well known for its grizzly bears, black bears, moose, elk, bison, pronghorn antelope, fox, beavers, river otters, ospreys, bald eagles, and American white pelicans.
The most incredible part is that most of this wildlife can be viewed from the road in the safety of your car! We absolutely love driving through Grand Teton National Park searching for wildlife. We even had the chance to photograph Grand Teton National Park’s oldest grizzly bear, Grizzly 399 and her four cubs.
Some of the best places to spot wildlife are Moose Wilson Road, Oxbow Bend, Pilgrim Creek and Cascade Canyon.
These are some of our favorite wildlife photos we captured in Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park.
2. Hiking
The Tetons have some of the most incredible hiking trails we’ve ever been on, and that’s saying a lot coming from the Pacific Northwest! There are hiking trails for everyone that range from easy to difficult with many ending at serene mountain lakes which make for a perfect way to cool off in the summer.
Make sure you have the ten essentials while hiking in the Tetons and always expect the unexpected in the mountains. We put together a list of our day hiking essentials which we run through before every time before heading out to the trails and we have helped out several unprepared hikers with extra water and first aid. Make sure you have the essentials for your hike. Read More: Day Hike Packing List
Below, we go into more detail about our favorite hikes in Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park. Some of our favorites include Delta Lake and the absolutely stunning Paintbrush Canyon to Cascade Canyon Loop.
3. Photography
Depending on the time of year, Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park offer some of the most spectacular views and photography opportunities. From wildlife to landscapes the area offers some of the best photography opportunities we have ever experienced. Some of our favorite photography spots in Jackson Hole include:
Oxbow Bend
Schwabacher Landing
Mormon Row
Snake River Overlook
Willow Flats Overlook
Elk Ranch Flats Overlook
Read more about The Best Jackson Hole Photography Spots and tips about our favorite locations.
4. Paddleboarding
With so many gorgeous lakes, Jackson Hole offers some of the best, and most scenic, paddleboarding we have ever experienced. Each lake has its own unique features and with scenic views of the Tetons along most of these lakes, it makes for a great afternoon or evening SUP.
We picked up two inflatable paddleboards and left them inflated for our entire stay in Jackson! We even had them shipped straight to our house which was super convenient.
Some of our favorite spots to paddleboard in Jackson Hole include
Oxbow Bend (while searching for grizzly bears on the shoreline)
String Lake with a cool, and short, portage opportunity to get to Leigh Lake
Jenny Lake
Lower Slide Lake (a local and quiet lake off the beaten track)
We highly recommend bringing a cooler with dinner and beers to enjoy out on the lake in the evening!
5. E-Bike Rentals
Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park have hundreds of miles of paved biking trails which offer a great way to get exercise while exploring the scenic surroundings. We rented E-bikes from E-Bikes of Jackson Hole and did The Grand Loop, a 33 mile loop which starts in Jackson, heading North to the Moose Junction and back around to Jackson on Moose Wilson Road. This was such a fun and unique adventure and the “E” on the E-Bikes gave an extra boost on the hills making it a challenging but do-able ride.
6. Sleigh Ride through the National Elk Refuge
During the winter months, thousands of elk migrate to the National Elk Refuge on the Northern side of Jackson, WY. Visitors are able to take a sleigh ride to visit the elk up close. The sleigh rides run throughout the day and tickets are sold in-person at the Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center.
The elk are not afraid of the sleighs and the tour offers incredible viewing and photography opportunities of thousands of elk. The knowledgeable tour guides offer really interesting facts about the elk making it a great family friendly experience.
7. Day Trip to Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park touches the Northern side of Grand Teton National Park and dwarfs the Jackson Hole in its size. At over 2.2 million acres, Yellowstone is larger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined. However, much of Yellowstone is easily accessible as a day trip destination from Jackson Hole. Some of our favorite day trip spots include:
Old Faithful
Grand Prismatic Spring
Hayden Valley
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
8. Rent ATVs
With so many places to explore off the beaten path, exploring by ATV is a great way to get around and adventure. Jackson Hole Adventure Rentals offers full day 4x4 and other adventure vehicle rentals.
The Best Views in Jackson Hole
Driving around Jackson Hole is absolutely incredible. With frequent scenic turn-offs and overlooks, there are so many places to see the beauty of this mountainous area. Below are a few of our favorite views in Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park. Read more about The Best Jackson Hole Photography Spots and tips about our favorite views.
1. Willow Flats Overlook
2. Snake River Overlook
3. Mormon Row
4. Schwabacher Landing
If you’re lucky enough to be visiting Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park in late-September through early-October, be prepared for some of the most spectacular fall colors in the world. Read more about the Best Spots for Fall Colors in the Tetons.
Fall colors in Grand Teton National Park
The Best Hikes in Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park
There are so many fantastic hikes in the Jackson Hole area and what seems like endless miles of trails to explore. We had the opportunity to explore many of the trails and several of the lakes in the Tetons during our two months in Jackson Hole.
Make sure you have the ten essentials while hiking in the Tetons and always expect the unexpected in the mountains. We’ve put together a list of our day hiking essentials which we run through before every time before heading out to the trails. We have helped out several unprepared hikers with extra water and first aid. Make sure you have the essentials for your hike. Read More: Day Hike Packing List
Below are some of our favorite hikes in Jackson Hole which we have arranged in order of difficulty: easiest to hardest. Read more details about The Best Hikes in Grand Teton National Park.
1. Taggart Lake
Trailhead: Bradley-Taggart Trailhead
Miles: 3.3 miles out-and-back
Elevation: 374 ft
Taggart Lake is one of the most accessible lakes to hike in Grand Teton National Park and it’s easy to see with the normally overflowing trailhead parking lot. We highly recommend hiking to Taggart Lake early in the morning for sunrise to get the most spectacular views and beat the crowds! From Taggart Lake, it’s easy to add some additional mileage by looping into Bradley Lake to explore the other nearby areas.
2. Bradley Lake
Trailhead: Bradley-Taggart Trailhead
Miles: 4 miles out-and-back
Elevation: 600 ft
Similar to Taggart Lake, Bradley is very accessible and one of the easier hikes in Grand Teton National Park. We suggest getting there early for parking and sunrise! There are several trails connecting Taggart Lake and Bradley Lake which make for a great loop instead of an out-and-back.
3. Leigh Lake Trail to Bearpaw Lake
Trailhead: String Lake
Miles: 7.8 mile out-and-back
Elevation: 137 ft
Have you ever seen such a flat 7.8 mile trail?! At only 137 feet of elevation gain, this scenic 7.8 mile hike wraps around String Lake, Leigh Lake and ends at Bearpaw lake at the base of Mt. Moran. With lake and mountain views the entire way, this is a great intermediate level hike which can be shortened by turning around at any point.
4. PHELPS LAKE
Trailhead: Death Canyon
Miles: 4.5 miles out-and-back
Elevation: 1000 ft
Phelps Lake is a popular lake tucked against the Southern part of the Teton Range. Most people hike to, and around, Phelps Lake starting from Moose Wilson Road, however starting at Death Canyon Trailhead, at a higher elevation, provides some of the most spectacular views of Phelps Lake and the surrounding areas. We highly recommend bringing a hammock down to the lake as there are several great spots along the water to relax and soak in the sun. We ran into a black bear (that looked like a grizzly!) on this trail, so make noise and always be aware of your surroundings.
5. Delta Lake
Trailhead: Lupine Meadows
Miles: 8 miles out-and-back
Elevation: 2,236 ft
Delta Lake in Grand Teton National Park is one of the most beautiful hikes we have ever done. The lake is nestled right below Grand Teton in Western Wyoming and is definitely the best up-close views of the mountain you can get, next to actually climbing it. However, the trail leading up to Delta Lake is unmaintained and requires a bit of navigation. The unmaintained trail crosses three boulder fields and ends with a steep climb, but it is so worth it! Read more about the details of the Delta Lake Grand Teton Hike.
6. Lake Solitude
Trailhead: String Lake
Miles: 18 miles out-and-back
Elevation: 2,516 ft
Lake Solitude is one of the more remote lakes of Grand Teton National Park and reaching this tranquil and serene lake, tucked behind Grand Teton, is no easy feat. Although we left from String Lake Trailhead, there are a few different options for reaching this lake. We highly recommend this trail, as the entire hike has stunning views of the Tetons and Lake Solitude is absolutely stunning. Read more about the details of Hiking to Lake Solitude.
7. Paintbrush Canyon to Cascade Canyon Loop
Trailhead: String Lake
Miles: 20.5 mile loop
Elevation: 4,115 ft
Talk about an EPIC hike. After spending the two months hiking in Grand Teton National Park, this loop, passing over a Paintbrush Divide, and stopping by Holly Lake and Lake Solitude tops our list as the best hike in Grand Teton National Park. Read more about the details of The Paintbrush Canyon to Cascade Canyon Loop.
The Best Restaurants in Jackson Hole
Not only does Jackson Hole have some of the best outdoor activities in the US, the town of Jackson is also one of the cutest and nicest mountain towns we have visited! This “old west” town is extremely walkable with a picture-perfect town square surrounded by several shops, restaurants, and great breweries.
Although we have spent a majority of our time visiting Jackson Hole during COVID, and we did not feel comfortable dining indoors, we were still able to experience the great culinary scene of Jackson by getting take-out at several amazing restaurants. Below are some of our favorite restaurants in Jackson, Wyoming.
1. Hand Fire Pizza
We got Hand Fire Pizza after every single hike in Jackson Hole… need we say more?! This local pizza joint makes some of the best oven fired pizzas with simple, yet flavorful, toppings. Make sure to ask for your pizza extra-crispy :)
2. Glorietta
Rachel spent a year studying abroad in Italy and is most definitely a “pasta snob.” Glorietta did not disappoint! With unique pastas and small plates, this italian restaurant in downtown Jackson is a great spot for an upscale dining experience.
3. Healthy Being
Being primarily vegetarian, we pride ourselves in finding the best veggie order-at-the-counter spot in each city we visit. Healthy Being is that spot! With amazing toasts (get the caprese toast!), salads, wraps, smoothies and desserts, Healthy Being is a great spot for healthy takeaway.
4. Persephone Bakery
Persephone is the most luxurious and delicious bakery we have ever visited (besides Purebread in Whistler, BC!). The croissants are perfect and the zucchini bread is to die for. During our stay in Jackson Hole, we purchased frozen croissants from Persephone to keep in our freezer and make at home in the mornings.
5. Pearl Street Bagels
Pearl Street Bagels is a great spot to drop by in the morning for a delicious bagel, unique cream cheese, and coffee. If you’re going on a late morning hike, these bagels are a great way to carb up before hitting the trail!
6. Melvin Brewery
Every great mountain town has to have a good brewery and Jackson, WY knocks it out of the park. Our favorite brewery in Jackson Hole is Melvin! Grab any of their amazing 6-packs at the brewery or at any local liquor store. Their beer tastes best at the top of a mountain or on a paddleboard.
7. Snake River Brewery
Coming in a close 2nd place for best brewery in Jackson Hole is the Snake River Brewery. Their Cowboy Gold beer is a fantastic summer beer for a hot day, and their brewery location in downtown Jackson has great indoor/outdoor seating with a full menu.
Thank you for reading our complete Jackson Hole guide. Have fun, and if you have any questions please let us know!
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