What To Do in Jackson Hole, WY If You Don’t Ski

Jackson Hole in Winter: It’s Not Just For Skiers

If, like me, you don’t really ski, you might wonder what to do in Jackson Hole in winter.

Life in Jackson, a small western Wyoming town of about 11,000 residents, definitely revolves around the three nearby ski resorts. However, Jackson Hole, with its fun country western vibe, is so much more than a ski town.

No matter if you identify as an outdoor enthusiast, boutique shopper, or foodie, you’ll find plenty to do in Jackson Hole without ever clipping into a pair of skis. Read on for my round-up of the very best non-skiing activities in town! 

A Quick Introduction to Jackson Hole

Jackson is the main town in this 55-mile valley in western Wyoming. The term “Jackson Hole” refers to the entire valley that stretches east of the Rocky Mountains’ Teton Range. Both the town and valley take their name from an 1820s trapper. 

Interestingly, although Native people have passed through the valley for centuries, the area wasn’t permanently inhabited until the 1870s. Perhaps that’s why this town leans so hard into its wild west vibe. Or maybe that’s just because the town transforms into a rodeo town all summer long . . .

The mountains around Jackson Hole host three ski resorts:

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort: The most prestigious, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort can be reached in about 20 minutes from downtown Jackson.

Snow King Mountain: While it doesn’t have even a third of the runs you’ll find at Jackson Hole, this small ski resort has the distinct advantage of being right in the town of Jackson.

Grand Targhee: You’ll find Grand Targhee about a 45-mile drive from Jackson on the mountain range’s west side.

Sometimes bemoaned by Wyomingites as not being “real Wyoming,” Jackson definitely trends more politically liberal than the rest of the state. The region is also known as a bit of a celebrity haven. Harrison Ford and Kanye are among those with second homes in the area.

While the area may attract wealthy clientele who utilize Jackson’s private airport, you don’t need to be a big spender to visit. In fact, one of Jackson’s most popular shops, MADE, has a best selling t-shirt that simply reads “I fly commercial.”

Visit Grand Teton National Park

Besides ski hills and rodeos, a huge draw in Jackson is the town’s proximity to national parks. The town sits only about a ten-minute drive south of Grand Teton National Park. In the summer you can reach Yellowstone in about an hour. Across the border, there are also lots of great National Park Service sites to visit in Idaho.

Although both national parks offer the most in summer, you should still visit Grand Teton National Park in winter. If you’ve always associated national parks with crowds, you’re in for a treat. Since the park visitor centers only operate seasonally, be prepared for a self-guided experience. The park’s inner roads are closed to traffic in winter and are occasionally groomed for skiing.

Favorite winter activities at Grand Teton National Park include hiking to Taggart Lake, cross-country skiing or snowshoeing on the park’s inner roads, and visiting Mormon Row. Since we had pretty poor weather during our visit, we decided to check out Mormon Row rather than tackle a hike.

Visit Mormon Row

Before it became Grand Teton National Park, the land east of the Teton mountain range housed several homesteading communities. Many buildings constructed by these homesteaders still stand. In fact, the park has two historic districts – Mormon Row and Menors Ferry – along with a few other dispersed buildings. A great winter activity in Grand Teton National Park is trekking to Mormon Row to photograph “the most photographed barns in America.”

It’s easy to see why these two barns have inspired so many to reach for their cameras. The Grand Tetons rise dramatic behind barns constructed by the Moulton family in the late 19th century. In addition to the barns, you’ll find many other extant buildings, including outhouses and granaries. Since Mormon Row was inhabited until the 1950s, you’ll find the distinctively more modern “Pink House” in the midst of these early homesteading buildings.

To visit Mormon Row in the winter, park in a small parking area right in front of the gate on Antelope Flats Road. From there, it’s a very flat mile hike to reach Mormon Row and the barns.

Tour the National Museum of Wildlife Art

Honestly, I didn’t find the idea of a wildlife art museum especially compelling when I saw it mentioned in other Jackson Hole guides. I’m so glad I didn’t write it off as a snoozefest! The National Museum of Wildlife Art located about ten minutes north of downtown Jackson is absolutely stunning. Also, it turns out I really enjoy wildlife art. Who knew?!

The museum’s unique stone building sits perched above U.S. Highway 191. Amazing wildlife sculptures surround the building. The museum galleries are carefully curated, providing an excellent introduction to the history and significance of wildlife art in America without being overwhelming.

I probably liked learning about local celebrity grizzly bear, Grizzly 399, best, but the museum offers so much, including a gallery that replicates artist John Clymer’s Jackson Hole studio.

We especially enjoyed catching the special exhibit of National Geographic’s 50 Greatest Wildlife Photographs since we’d visited a similar exhibit at London’s Natural History Museum as housemates in London.

Go hiking

Prior to our visit to Jackson Hole, I couldn’t tell if you could really hike around Jackson in the winter months. In particular, I wasn’t certain if you could actually hike the trails or if you’d need snowshoes. But with basically no snow cover during our early April visit, we definitely just needed hiking boots.

Although I’d read a bit about hiking options in Grand Teton National Park, you don’t even need to get into your car to access hiking trails from downtown Jackson. The Cache Creek Trailhead located just east of Jackson’s town square offers a whole network of non-motorized trails. Park at the Nelson Trailhead parking area to hike up Crystal Butte or the Woods Canyon Trail.

Go tubing

You’ll need to visit while Snow King Mountain is still operating for the season if you want to go tubing in Jackson. The resort closes for the winter season the last weekend in March. If you’re feeling even more daring, you can zigzag down the mountain on the Cowboy Coaster. This alpine slide operates in both winter and summer.

Check out bluegrass night at the Wort Hotel

Tuesday night is bluegrass night at the historic Wort Hotel in downtown Jackson. For the last 15 years (!!!) local bluegrass band One Ton Pig has taken to the Silver Dollar Bar and Grill stage every single week. Let me tell you, this is a scene. Expect a packed bar and poppin’ dance floor.

To be clear, we didn’t really end up here on purpose. Mostly, we wanted to grab dinner without having to drive anywhere. By far the most crowded setting either of us had been in since the pandemic’s beginning, we basically scarfed down our dinner and hightailed it out of there.

Attend some Jackson area events

Maybe bluegrass isn’t your jam. Not to worry. As a ski town, Jackson’s got you covered with plenty of other live music opportunities. In fact, our visit fell just after the Rendezvous Spring Festival, which included two nights of live music with stages in both in Jackson and Teton Village. The 2022 Jackson Hole Rendezvous Spring Festival featured Fitz and The Tantrums and Ben Harper.

Check out the Jackson Hole Chamber event calendar to see if your visit coincides with any fun events!

Eat waffles

I had my heart set on eating waffles at “The Top of the World” during our visit to Jackson.

Corbet’s Cabin is a small cabin that’s made a name of itself serving up waffles at the top of the 10,450’ Rendezvous Peak in Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. To reach Corbet’s Cabin Top of the World Waffles, you take the resort’s aerial tram.

Normally, non-skiers seeking waffles can purchase a sightseeing ticket for around $40. Unfortunately, we visited on the heels of the pandemic and with some social distancing rules still in place, the only way to board the tram was a $180 day lift ticket. Woof!

In the end, we headed to the Bunnery Bakery in downtown Jackson to get our waffle fix. Maybe not quite the alpine ambiance we’d hoped for, but their O.S.M. (oats, sunflower seeds, and millet) waffles with huckleberries hit the spot.

Take a gondola up to Piste Mountain Bistro

For $20 per person, you can take a gondola ride up to Piste Mountain Bistro on another (lower) peak at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. This is only available if you have a bistro reservation, so make sure you have your OpenTable reservation handy before you get to the ticket office. During the winter, the bistro only opens for lunch. Conversely, in the summer you can only grab dinner here.

Wander through Teton Village

With restaurants, shops, and spas, there’s plenty to do at Teton Village in Jackson Hole Mountain Resort even if you never plan to hit the slopes. Short term parking (one hour) is free – so make your visit snappy if you don’t want to bother with parking fees.

Go shopping

Let’s not forget the obvious: downtown Jackson is absolutely chock-a-block full of independent shops that would love to take some of your money. We spent a snowy afternoon wandering through the shops lining the town square.

Favorite shops in Jackson Hole

Mursell’s – I felt like I’d walked into a real-life Honeyduke’s! This adorable shop offers just about every kind of candy ever, including a great selection of European treats. I was so overwhelmed, I actually had to come back to actually make my purchase. Upon reflection, those gummy bunnies were calling my name!

MADE – You’ll find a little bit of everything – from housewares to clothing – in this carefully curated shop. I loved their artwork collection and came home with a special big horn sheep ornament for the Christmas tree.

Wyoming Outfitters – This shop has beautiful selection of clothing, but it’s definitely pricey. We enjoyed just looking, although I was tempted by some lovely loungewear.

Valley Bookstore – As two bookworms, we definitely had to hit up the local bookshop. You’ll find every genre of books well stocked as well as a nice offering of stationery and other book-ish gifts.

Do some thrifting

While I don’t usually seek out thrift shops, we hit up Browse N’ Buy, a thrift shop run by the local Episcopal Church. I came dangerously close to buying an armload of sweaters before remembering that I’d have to squeeze them all into my suitcase. Other thrift/consignment shops in town include Country Women, Habitat Teton ReStore, and Eclectic Consignment.

Get a drink at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar

Want to feel like you’ve walked into a 1990s country western music video?

Then you definitely need to swing into the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar right off Jackson’s town square. With its iconic neon sign, the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar is a Jackson institution. The distinctive interior features saddle seats, a lot of burl wood, and plenty of western decor, including silver dollars embedded in the bar tops.  

The bar often features live music . . . country western, natch. Recently the bar’s basement was refurbished into a steakhouse.

Go to a brewery . . . or two

I’d really hoped to grab some pints – and a round of mini golf – at Snake River Brewing Co., but they were on spring hiatus. Instead we ended up at the Roadhouse Tap Room. We enjoyed the atmosphere and the food looked delicious. However, I strongly recommend getting a flight. We sure wish we had instead of both committing to a pint of their key lime pie inspired brew. Whoops!

The next time I’m in town, I’ll definitely check out Thai Me Up, a Melvin Brewery brewpub, as well as Stillwest Brewery and Grill at the base of Snow King Mountain.

Tour the National Elk Refuge

The National Elk Refuge abuts downtown Jackson. It’s pretty amazing to drive just a minute out of downtown Jackson and suddenly find yourself surrounded by elk, big horn sheep, and other wildlife.

Established in 1912, the National Elk Refuge covers nearly 25,000 acres. In the winter, you can drive about 3.5 miles in on a wide gravel road. If you want to stop to watch the wildlife or take pictures, be sure to use the pull offs. Along the road, you’ll pass the Miller Cabin, a historic residence that was once home to the first superintendent of Teton National Monument.

If you want, you can even take sleigh rides in the refuge. We were happy with the view right from the road and visited multiple times during our stay.

Grab at latte from Cowboy Coffee Company

Who doesn’t love a good coffee shop? Cowboy Coffee Company is a great one. They roast their own beans and offer a delicious array of baked goods. Their Huckleberry Mudpot latte was delicious!  

Knit in front of a crackling fire  

Sometimes you just have to lean into the gloomy weather and get a little hygge on. One of my very favorite things we did in Jackson was take those Cowboy Coffee Company oat milk lattes back to our hotel, plop into the comfy chairs in front of the fireplace, and get a few rows of knitting in. Nothing beats knitting in good company! 

Forgot to pack any yarn? You can hit up Knit on Pearl yarn shop right in downtown Jackson to grab all the essential supplies.

Other Things To Do in Jackson Hole

Where to Stay in Jackson Hole, WY

We had a great stay in the Wort Hotel. Located right off the town square, the Wort has operated since 1941. With its cheery, stone façade and Tudor style architecture, I immediately felt at home. Inside, we found clean, comfortable Western style furnishings (i.e. lots of log furniture) and kind, helpful staff. Since the weather was downright inclement during our visit, we sure enjoyed all the cushy couches and armchairs in their large lobby area.

In my advancing age, I find myself more and more appreciative of hotels that provide you with bathrobes. We definitely made the most of the Wort’s robes on our nightly trips down to the jacuzzis. And we certainly weren’t saying no to the chocolate coins that appeared on our pillows as part of the turndown service. Although we were (surprise, surprise) one week too late to use it, during ski season, they run a free shuttle for guests to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

It never made my top five of places to visit in 2020 (places to visit in 2020, that’s a laugh!), but the one trip I actually had on the books before the pandemic forced the world sideways was a quick early April trip to Jackson Hole, WY to reunite with one of my London housemates. I felt the loss of the trip acutely, although the airline credit from it did morph into first-class tickets to Savannah, so those lemons definitely made some lemonade.

Fast forward two years and somehow Lisa and I booked our do-over trip to Jackson Hole for the exact same dates we’d originally scheduled in 2020: the first week of April.

Now, as someone who specializes in off-season travel, you’d think Jackson Hole would be one place I could actually hit in-season. But did I? Oh heck no.

What worked logistically for our trip meant we arrived in town the exact day many Jackson Hole businesses close for the gap between ski season and summer. Although Jackson Hole Ski Resort operates through the second weekend in April, the in-town resort – Snow King – shuts down at the end of March and many local businesses take that as their cue for a spring hiatus.

Luckily, Jackson is a beautiful place any time of year. Even in the off-season, we’re living proof that you can keep yourself well entertained.

Is it worth visiting Jackson Hole in April?

In a word, yes. But April definitely isn’t the best time to visit Jackson Hole. If you have a completely free schedule and can visit whenever you want, I don’t recommend April. Even if you’re not interested in skiing, if you want a full winter experience in Jackson, don’t visit any later than the last weekend in March.

We had straight up bad weather for our entire visit: think highs in the 30s, cloudy skies, lots of wind, and some sleet/snow mix. Despite the snow in the air, the valley had essentially no snow cover. The weather we experienced is pretty typical April weather in Jackson. Not quite winter, not quite spring, April in Jackson Hole typically comes with average temps right above freezing and a smattering of all forms of precipitation.

That inclement weather inspired a lot of shopping and coffee and pastry breaks. However, seasonal closures really limited our shopping and dining experiences. On the flipside, we got some of the most popular attractions in Grand Tetons National Park all to ourselves. While I wasn’t a savvy enough traveler to research these, I imagine we could have found significant lodging and activity discounts.

In a nutshell, here’s the pros and cons of visiting Jackson Hole in April:

Pros: Fewer people, potential discounts on lodging and activities

Cons: Significant number of businesses closed, erratic weather