Vacationing in Jackson Hole, Wyoming During the Winter

Jackson Hole, a town nestled in the northwestern corner of Wyoming, is a skier's dream. Steep slopes surround the city, which got its name from fur trappers entering the valley as if they were descending into a hole in a mountain range. Getting there is easy enough with connecting flights from several majors cities like Denver, Chicago, and Dallas. The airport is just 10 minutes away from downtown and buses regularly shuttle people from the town to the mountain resort.

Jackson is also a stone's throw away from Yellowstone National Park, which travelers and residents alike can visit by snowmobile. In the winter, snow covers the park in white and animals dot the landscape grazing on grass where geysers have melted the snow.

The main attraction of Jackson Hole, however, are the slopes for skiing and snowboarding. Due to the town's isolation, people rarely crowd the slopes, so skiers and snowboards can often feel like they're alone on the trails. A favorite and surreal experience happens when fog descends upon the valley below with clear blue sky above; skiers feel as if they're flying off the slopes and into the clouds. Rendezvous Mountain has challenging terrain for advanced skiers and snowboards, while beginners can have fun and try their luck on the gentler, deep-powder trails of Apres Vous Mountain.

But this town isn't just a skiing or snowboarding vacation stop. If that isn't your thing and you want to skip the Yellowstone Park tour, there are several other ways to entertain yourself. Go visit the National Museum of Wildlife Art to see photos, painting, and sculptures. Go snowshoe walking with a guide in Grand Teton National Park, or enjoy a dogsled tour of valley pine tree trails. Join residents for a honky tonk night at The Stagecoach diner, see a show at the Playhouse theater, or learn to do the two-step at Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. Finally, you can take a ride through the National Elk Refuge on a horse-drawn sleigh to see these animals in their home...until the snow melts.

Walking around town reminds you of the Wild West. Jackson Hole still holds onto its cowboy culture and heritage. Cowboys work on nearby ranches (and may catch them on the slopes), people tip their hat to you with a "howdy", and country music spills out of bars.