Hotel at a Glance: Snow King Hotel

For lovers of the outdoors, it’s hard to beat the Snow King Hotel. The recently renovated property sits at the edge of the Bridger-Teton National Forest and at the base of Snow King Mountain Resort, which offers skiing in the winter and mountain biking in the summer. And since the hotel is located in the historic town of Jackson, two of America’s most popular national parks—Grand Teton and Yellowstone—are only a short drive away.

• Contemporary western ambiance: Guest rooms are spacious and stylish, with traditional touches like lodgepole pine furnishings and vintage photos. All of them have views of the outdoor scenery, too.
• Outdoor adventures: An onsite rental shop offers skis, snowboards, and mountain bikes, depending on the season. A free shuttle will take you to the slopes during the winter.
• Rest weary muscles after a day in the mountains in the hotel’s outdoor heated pool and hot tub. There’s also a spa onsite.
• Elevated campsite fare is served at Haydens Post Restaurant & Bar, where you can try elk sausage, bison brisket, and s’mores.

Jackson, Wyoming: Wildlife and World-Class Skiing in the Old West

Jackson may be the only place on earth where you might see a rodeo cowboy, rock climber, and Hollywood starlet on the same block. The former frontier outpost draws visitors of all stripes for its special blend of Old West flavor and jaw-dropping natural beauty. Old-fashioned saloons and high-end galleries line the town square, but a few miles north in Grand Teton National Park, you’ll find nothing but wilderness.

Though summer and winter are Jackson’s high seasons, you’ll encounter lighter crowds in spring and spectacular foliage in the fall. As the snows begin to melt in May, the rivers swell and fill with rapids. There are about a dozen rafting outfitters in Jackson that run whitewater trips on the Snake River and scenic floats on a calmer stretch upstream, where you’ll have a chance to see eagles, moose, and pelicans.

By early December, the ski lifts are up and running at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, famed for its challenging terrain and laissez-faire backcountry policy. Back in town, the much smaller Snow King Resort boasts the only night skiing in the area; unlike the slopes, the lift tickets aren’t too steep—about $40 for a full-day adult ticket.

Ski bums are seduced by Jackson’s epic snowfalls, but a different species objects to the cold. Each winter, about 12,000 elk migrate to the valley floor, where the temperatures are milder. At the National Elk Refuge, which borders downtown Jackson, conservationists lead horse-drawn sleigh rides to view the mammals up close, mid-December through early April. If the elk prove elusive, head across the street to see them in bronze or watercolor at the National Museum of Wildlife Art.

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