Among the best wildlife viewing in the lower 48 — elk, moose, bison, and bears in accessible, open landscapes.
Why It’s Worth Your Time
Jackson Hole's wildlife viewing density is extraordinary by the standards of the lower 48 states — a function of the valley's position between two national parks, the National Elk Refuge, and the surrounding wilderness areas that create a contiguous protected ecosystem large enough to sustain populations of large mammals that have been eliminated everywhere else. Bison herds graze the Antelope Flats below the Tetons daily in summer and fall. Moose browse the willow flats along the Snake River and Gros Ventre River year-round. Grizzly bears are regularly observed in spring and fall on the sagebrush flats near the park's east entrance. Black bears are common in the forest margins. The National Elk Refuge — a federal preserve directly north of Jackson — shelters 6,000–11,000 elk each winter (the largest elk herd in North America), accessible by horse-drawn sleigh in January and February through a program operated by the Jackson Hole Historical Society. Wolf packs from the Greater Yellowstone area are occasionally spotted in the valley; the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone (90 minutes north) is the most reliable wolf viewing site in the world.
What Stands Out
- Most accessible large-mammal wildlife viewing in the lower 48 states — daily sightings of bison, moose, bears
- National Elk Refuge: 6,000–11,000 elk sheltered each winter — horse-drawn sleigh access in January and February
- Grizzly bears on the sagebrush flats: spring and fall sightings near the park's east entrance
- Lamar Valley in Yellowstone (90 min north): the world's most reliable wolf viewing corridor
- Wildlife is not behind fences — elk cross the highway near the grocery store