The steepest big mountain in the lower 48, a cowboy town at its foot and elk by the thousand, with honest advice on who should ski it.
Jackson Hole is a valley, not a town. Early trappers called a high mountain valley a hole, and this one took the name of David Edward Jackson, who trapped beaver here in the late 1820s and was one of the first Europeans to spend a whole winter in the valley. The Teton Range rises from the valley floor with almost no foothills, which is why the mountains look so tall: Grand Teton National Park was created in 1929 to protect the peaks, and in the 1930s John D. Rockefeller Jr. bought land in the valley to widen it, against local opposition. Skiing arrived in 1965, when Apres Vous Mountain opened with three double chairlifts, and in 1966 the first tram carried 62 people up Rendezvous Mountain. The tram that runs today, in service since December 2008, carries 100.
Skiing here is a different thing than in the Alps or in Colorado. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort calls its 4,139 feet of vertical the largest in the United States, and it has a famous couloir that you have to jump into. It is also one of the more expensive places to ski. The honest summary: if you ski black runs comfortably, this is the main event; if you are a beginner, spend your time on the small teaching zone, then see the valley and spend a day at Grand Targhee or Snow King. The rest of the trip is the reason to pick this valley over a purpose-built resort: an elk refuge in the town's backyard, a national park you can ski into, and a Town Square with arches made of antlers.
Four days of skiing and one day off skis is the right balance in a place where lift tickets cost what they do. The plan starts on a Tuesday. Day one is an easy first day on the big mountain and the Town Square at dusk, day two is the steep one with the Tram, day three is Grand Targhee over Teton Pass, day four is half a day at the Village and the small hill above the town under its lights (Friday, when Snow King runs night skiing), and day five, a Saturday, is the sleigh ride and the national park. There is more on the United States elsewhere on the site; this is the Wyoming corner of it.
Every stop from the plan below, colored by day. Pick a day to see its route.
A first day on the big mountain at an easy pace: the gondola side, the teaching zone, a warm-up on Apres Vous and the Town Square at dusk.
The steep day: the Aerial Tram to 10,450 feet, a look into Corbet's Couloir, lunch at the Piste, intermediate bowls and an evening at the Mangy Moose.
Over Teton Pass to Idaho for bagels in Driggs, then the powder side of the Tetons at Grand Targhee.
A half day on the Sweetwater side of the big mountain, then the wildlife art museum and the small hill above the town under its lights.
A rest day off skis: thousands of elk from a horse-drawn sleigh, a ski or snowshoe on the closed park road, pizza in Moose and a Saturday night at the Cowboy Bar.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is a big, steep mountain: 2,500 in-bounds acres, 4,139 vertical feet and, by the resort's own split, 50% expert, 40% intermediate and only 10% beginner terrain. That makes it the best choice in this guide for strong skiers and a hard sell for beginners, who have a small, good zone near the base and not much else. Intermediates do well if they stay on the looker's-right side of the mountain and use the Casper and Apres Vous areas. The other two hills in the plan fill the gaps: Snow King is a small, cheap hill above the town (1,571 feet of vertical), and Grand Targhee, on the far side of Teton Pass, is the powder-and-families option with 500 inches of snow a year and a gentler pitch.
| Jackson Hole, 1 day adult, lowest advance rate | From 85 USD (76 EUR) |
|---|---|
| Jackson Hole, multi-day adult (book 3+ days), lowest rate | From 60 USD (54 EUR) |
| Grand Targhee, 1 day adult, online | 125-180 USD (112-161 EUR) |
| Aerial Tram sightseeing ride (no skis) | 55 USD (49 EUR) |
Jackson Hole sells tiered, limited-quantity tickets: the earlier you buy and the quieter the date, the cheaper, and the resort does not publish window prices or the 2 to 6 day rates on its ticket page. Only the full Ikon Pass is valid here (7 days on the 2026/27 Ikon Pass; the Ikon Base Pass and Session Pass are not), and every Ikon and Mountain Collective day must be reserved on the pass holder's account. Three Golden Ticket windows give pass holders from any resort 50% off a day ticket: 27 November to 11 December, 4 to 15 January and 22 March to 11 April. Grand Targhee adds 10 USD (9 EUR) to any ticket bought at the window. Rate: 1 USD = 0.89686 EUR on 2026-10-27.
Source: Stats (2,500 acres, 6,311 to 10,450 ft, 4,139 ft vertical, the lift list adding up to 16, 131 named trails, 50/40/10 split, 27 November 2026) from the resort's winter stats page; prices and reservations from the lift ticket page and the Ikon page; 7 Ikon days from ikonpass.com; beginner terrain from the resort's beginner runs post; Grand Targhee from its stats and ticket pages. The resort publishes only the total of 131 named trails and the 50/40/10 percent split, no run count by colour, so none is derived here. Altitude (6,311 to 10,450 ft) and the vertical belong to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort alone, not to Snow King or Grand Targhee. Checked 2026-10-27
Jackson sits at 6,237 feet and most people arrive from sea level the day before, so this is the gentle day. Take the START bus from Jackson to Teton Village (12 miles), ride the Bridger Gondola first and stay low on the mountain. If you ski black runs, you still use this day to learn the snow, because tomorrow is the steep one.
The Bridger Gondola leaves from the village and climbs almost 3,000 vertical feet toward the Piste Mountain Bistro at 9,095 feet (tomorrow's lunch, once it opens for the season on 17 December). It is the right first ride: a scenic trip with views back over Teton Village and across the valley to the Gros Ventre Range, and a look at the snow before you commit to a run.
Intermediates and up can ski one or two easy laps from the top to find their legs at altitude. Beginners should ride up for the view, ride down and keep their skiing to the base zone. The gondolas are not heated, so dress warmly.
Eagle's Rest is the base-area quad chairlift that serves only beginner terrain, wide and gentle, with a nearby kids' trail called the Wookie Wiggle. The Mountain Sports School runs group and private lessons for all levels. Lessons do not include a lift ticket or rental gear.
This is the best part of Jackson Hole for a beginner, and it is only a small part of the mountain: about 10% of the terrain is green. Teewinot, the other beginner lift, has Lower Teewinot, the longest green run on the mountain, and a steady gentle pitch for building stamina.
Solitude Station is the Sweetwater mid-station lodge, just over 180 vertical feet above the base, and the easy lunch stop for anyone skiing the low mountain. Trapper's Restaurant is inside: an upscale table-service room serving regional dishes with a modern twist, open for lunch from 11am to 2:30pm, then apr猫s until 4pm.
Expect resort prices, and carry a sandwich in your jacket if your budget is tight. The room is warm, the rush is around noon, and it is a good place to wait out a storm.
Apres Vous Mountain is where the resort began: it opened in the winter of 1965/66 with three double chairlifts, before the tram existed. Today it is the warm-up mountain, with the long, gentle runs that Jackson Hole's own guides recommend before you try anything harder. If your legs are tired or the weather is bad, this is the right place to spend the afternoon.
The resort says that the best way to ski Jackson Hole if you are not an expert is to ski the looker's-right side, and this is where that advice leads. Do not expect the steeps of the Tram side. Do expect sun, fewer people and good turns.
The Town Square is a small park lined with wooden sidewalks, and at each of its four corners stands an arch made of elk antlers. The Rotary Club built the first one in 1953, the other three followed between 1966 and 1969, and in 2006 all four were rebuilt because the old antlers were rotting. The antlers are shed, not hunted: they come from the National Elk Refuge, which borders the town, and Boy Scouts gather them every spring.
Take the photo, then look at the buildings around it. Behind the arches are the Wort Hotel, the Cowboy Bar and the souvenir shops, and all of it is built for visitors, but the antlers and the elk are real.
Be at the Tram dock early. The Tram is the point of the day, and the line builds from 9am. Ikon and Mountain Collective pass holders must have reserved the day in advance. Beginners can ride the Tram as a 55 USD (49 EUR) sightseeing trip and ski the base zone again; early in the season, check the lift status, because the upper mountain may not be open yet.
The Aerial Tram climbs 4,139 vertical feet to the summit in about nine minutes. The current car, in service since December 2008, holds 100 people and replaced the original of 1966, which closed in spring 2006. It is the signature of the resort: everyone queues for it, and a lot of what makes Jackson Hole steep starts at its top.
If you do not ski, you can ride it for a sightseeing fee of 55 USD (49 EUR). If you do, expect a stand-up crowd in the car, and be ready to ski off the top onto terrain with a lot of exposure. A tram trip back down is possible if you change your mind.
Corbet's Couloir is a narrow chute with a 20-foot drop-in and a pitch of about 50 degrees; the resort says it is one of the steepest ski slopes in North America. Barry Corbet, a mountaineer who was on the 1963 American Everest expedition, spotted the crease while guiding here and said that someday someone would ski it.
Whether you drop in is a question for your honest self. Only highly experienced skiers should try, and the resort offers a Steep and Deep camp if you want to build up to it. For everyone else, the reward is Corbet's Cabin at the top (10,450 feet), which serves gourmet waffles: a small box of a hut where a waffle tastes better than it should.
The Piste Mountain Bistro sits at the top of the Bridger Gondola at 9,095 feet. The resort lists winter lunch from 17 December 2026 to closing day, with the last seating at 2:30pm and the doors from 11am. The dinner menu is a rotating fixed-price one by Executive Chef Fernando Mendez that uses produce and meat from producers in Idaho and Wyoming, by reservation through Resy.
Lunch is the easy way in on a ski day, between the Tram and Casper. A dinner ride up is free with a reservation, but the gondolas are not heated.
After a morning on the top of Rendezvous, ski over to the Casper chair for wide, groomed runs where you can build confidence. The resort calls them good for building confidence, and Casper is where intermediates learn what Jackson Hole's snow is like. The terrain off Teton, Thunder and Sublette is the next step up once you are warmed up.
Half the mountain is advanced, so be honest about your level; a blue here feels like a black elsewhere. The looker's-right side of the mountain is generally easier. If conditions are icy or the visibility is bad, this is the place to stay.
The Mangy Moose is the Teton Village restaurant and saloon, a few steps from the Tram, and it has been the apr猫s-ski room here since it opened in 1967. It reopens for winter on 27 November. Go at 4pm when the lifts close, order a drink and a plate of something fried and look at the room: old skis, ancient photos and a stage that has seen a lot of bands.
The food is hearty and priced like a resort, but the point is the room. If the band is good, stay for the music; if not, ride the START bus back to Jackson, where the night continues.
Grand Targhee is in Wyoming, but the road to it goes through Idaho: over Teton Pass, down to Driggs and back up to the resort, about 46 miles and 80 minutes from Jackson in good conditions. The pass is closed for avalanche control on many winter mornings, so leave early, check 511 and consider booking the Ride GTR shuttle, which runs daily from stops in Jackson and Teton Village (transportation only from 69 USD, 62 EUR, outside holiday dates) and is cancelled, with a refund, if the pass is still closed at 6am.
Teton Pass, at 8,431 feet, is the road from Wilson to Victor, Idaho, and it is the road from Jackson Hole to the Teton Valley on the Idaho side. The maximum grade is 10%, and several avalanche paths, including Glory Bowl, cross the road, so the Wyoming Department of Transportation often closes it in the early morning for avalanche control.
In June 2024 the Big Fill landslide destroyed a section of the road, cutting the link for three weeks and forcing commuters on a long detour. A temporary bypass reopened it on 28 June 2024, and the permanent rebuild opened at the end of June 2025, designed to last 75 years.
Driggs is the biggest town on the Idaho side, and the Jackson Hole bagel shop has a branch here at 80 North Main Street, open from 6:30am to 2:30pm. It opened in 2025, and it works well as a breakfast stop on the way to the hill.
It is also the last real stop before the resort, 13 miles and about 30 minutes further, so fill the tank, buy water and check the road to the resort before you start.
Grand Targhee is on the western slopes of the Tetons, and it has been skiing there since 1969. It gets more than 500 inches of snow a year, and its two mountains cover 2,602 acres, with a base at 7,851 feet and 2,270 feet of vertical. The terrain is rated 10% beginner, 45% intermediate, 30% advanced and 15% expert, much gentler than Jackson Hole.
Fred's Mountain, the original mountain, has three quad chairs, among them Dreamcatcher to the summit and Blackfoot, plus a Magic Carpet. Start here: the glades and open bowls are the reason people drive over the pass. Shoshone is the main beginner lift.
Peaked Mountain is the second hill, with a high-speed six-pack and a high-speed quad. Move over in the afternoon, when Fred's has been skied out, and look for soft snow on the sheltered runs. The resort's summit elevations are 9,830 feet on Peaked and 9,862 on Fred's.
If you are a strong intermediate, ride Dreamcatcher to Fred's and take the Teton Vista Traverse, at 2.7 miles the longest run at the resort, with the Tetons in view the whole way. Plan to leave by 3:30pm so you are over the pass before dark.
Friday works for Snow King because the hill runs night skiing from Tuesday to Friday, 4pm to 6:30pm (last winter's hours). Ski the Village in the morning, ride back to Jackson, see the museum and finish under the lights. If your legs are tired, do the town half only.
Start Friday where the locals go before a morning on the hill. Pearl Street Bagels on West Pearl Avenue has been a Jackson Hole fixture for about 35 years, open from 7am to 3pm daily, and it bakes bagels hot, makes its own cream cheeses and does proper coffee drinks.
Order the bagel sandwich and a coffee, and take it to the Town Square, a block away.
The Sweetwater Gondola rides up to Solitude Station, and from there you can reach Pooh Bear, a mellow green run that connects to the Wild Goose Chase and Bison Bump kids' trails. The resort calls it a favorite for practicing your glide.
The views are the reason to ride even if you do not ski: you look back across the Village roofs to the valley, with the Gros Ventre Range beyond. Experts can use the morning for a few more laps on the steeps instead, and still make the museum.
Three miles north of the Square, on a hill that looks over the National Elk Refuge, the National Museum of Wildlife Art is the best place to understand why the valley matters. The galleries are open from 10am to 5pm daily, and an outdoor Sculpture Trail designed by the landscape architect Walter Hood runs through the grounds.
It is a rainy-day option in most places; in a ski town it is the right choice for the hours between a morning on the hill and the lights of Snow King. Check the museum's site for the admission price, which it does not list on the home page.
Snow King is the hill above the town: 7,808 feet at the top, 6,237 at the base and 1,571 feet of vertical, with three chairlifts, a gondola and three magic carpets. Lift-served skiing started here in 1939. It is a short ride from the Square, and the base hotel is now Trailborn Jackson Hole.
Snow King is the best place to find your legs, and the best place in the valley for a beginner: the lowest lift ticket prices around, free base parking and first-timer lessons on the magic carpets. Turnpike off the Rafferty mid-station is the easiest run. Be careful with the green-labeled Slow trail off the Summit lift: it is narrow and steep enough to be a blue.
Dinner after Snow King belongs in the Wort Hotel, the first luxury hotel in Jackson. The Wort brothers opened it in 1941, and in 1950 they added the Silver Dollar Bar, with 2,032 uncirculated silver dollars set into the bar top.
Order the bison burger and a local beer, and have a look at the bar before you sit down. The grill is aimed at both visitors and locals, and it is usually busy after a day on the hill.
The sleigh runs daily from 19 December to 3 April, and the park is open every day, so Saturday works well for a break from the hill. Before the sleigh starts, put the park road first and the refuge visitor center second. Dress for the wind. You need a car or a taxi for the park.
The National Elk Refuge and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center, at 532 North Cache Street, is open year-round and is where the sleigh rides start. The refuge was created in 1912 to protect winter habitat for one of the largest elk herds, and it covers 24,700 acres bordering the town. An average of 7,500 elk spend the winter here.
Go in first for the exhibits and the map of what is open in the national park.
The sleigh ride is a trip of 45 minutes to an hour, pulled by draft horses through the herd. Shuttles leave the visitor center's parking lot every 20 to 30 minutes between 10am and 4pm, except on Christmas Day. A private operator runs it for the refuge.
This is the best non-skiing hour of the trip. The elk are close, and in the middle of the winter the herd is thick on the flats. The operator's 2026/27 season runs from 19 December to 3 April, conditions permitting, so in early December there is no sleigh yet.
From November 1 to April 30, Teton Park Road is closed to vehicles from the Taggart Lake trailhead to Signal Mountain Lodge, and in winter it is open to non-motorized use only, intermittently groomed for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Skiing on the park road is free of lifts and crowds, with the Teton Range filling the view.
The easiest plan is a few miles of snowshoeing or ski touring from the Taggart Lake end. You can rent gear in Jackson. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are the main winter activities in the park, and most services, lodges and restaurants are closed. The Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center is open only from May to October.
Dornan's is the small settlement at Moose, the park's southern gateway. Its Pizza and Pasta Co. is inside The Spur Bar and is open all year for lunch and dinner. In summer the Chuckwagon serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, but it is closed in winter.
Moose is on the way to Taggart Lake, so eat first and ski afterward, or come back for dinner if you finish by dusk. The winter hours change by year and the page does not list them, so call 307-733-2415 before you drive.
The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, at 25 North Cache Street, is the best-known room in Jackson. Ben Goe took it over in the late 1930s and got Wyoming's first liquor license after Prohibition, and the saddles that serve as bar stools are its trademark to this day.
It is touristy and loud, and a Saturday night is when it is at its best: it is open from 11am to 12:30am, with live music Monday to Saturday at 8:30pm. Climb on a saddle, order a whiskey and be a visitor.
If you have a spare day, or if conditions on the hill are poor, these are the best options.
Beyond Taggart Lake, Teton Park Road is intermittently groomed; other winter areas are Colter Bay, Antelope Flats Road, Flagg Ranch and the unplowed Moose-Wilson Road (park at Granite Canyon Trailhead or the Death Canyon Road junction). Overnight winter backcountry permits are free and issued by phone.
Getting there: 16 miles north of Jackson to the Taggart Lake end of Teton Park Road, about 27 minutes by car
Official website
Highways 89/191 and 26/287 are plowed from Jackson to Flagg Ranch, and most park lodging, restaurants and stores are closed in winter. The winter drive north to Colter Bay is for wildlife and views of the range; fuel is available at Dornans, Signal Mountain, Jackson Lake Lodge and Headwaters Lodge at Flagg Ranch.
Getting there: 41 miles north of Jackson, about 67 minutes by car, on US 89/191
The park's winter season typically runs from mid-December to mid-March; most roads are closed to cars and reached by approved commercially guided snowcoaches and snowmobiles, and the only year-round road runs from Gardiner to Cooke City. Scenic Safaris' 12-hour Old Faithful snowcoach day from Jackson is listed by resellers at 450 USD (404 EUR) per adult with hotel pickup, breakfast and lunch, park fees excluded, but the season of that price and the 2026/27 dates are unconfirmed: ask the operator. Nonresidents aged 16+ pay the 100 USD (90 EUR) fee on top. It is worth doing once, and it is a long, expensive day. For the park in summer, see 5 Days in Yellowstone.
Getting there: 98 miles north of Jackson to Old Faithful, but in winter the roads are closed to cars; tours leave from Jackson or Flagg Ranch
Official websiteSnow King runs a snow-tubing park with three groomed lanes and a magic carpet (Monday to Friday last winter, 50 USD, 45 EUR, for two hours), and the Cowboy Coaster, an alpine coaster of nearly a mile with drops up to four stories (50 to 65 USD, 45-58 EUR, for an hour). These were the 2025/26 prices and hours, so check before you go.
Getting there: 1.5 miles south of the Town Square, 7 minutes by car or a short bus ride
Teton Pass is the valley's backcountry skiing classic, but avalanche paths cross the road and it is serious terrain, for people with training, a partner and a beacon. If you do not have those, do not go; hire a guide in Jackson.
Getting there: 13 miles west of Jackson, about 22 minutes on WYO 22
Idaho Falls Regional Airport is the cheaper alternative to flying into Jackson and the way to reach Grand Targhee without crossing Teton Pass. Driggs and Victor, on the Idaho side, have more affordable lodging than Jackson and the shortest drive to Targhee.
Getting there: 90 miles west of Jackson, about 2 hours via US 26, or 74 miles from Idaho Falls to Driggs via Victor
Jackson Hole eats like a ski town and a cowboy town at once: big burgers, game, bagels and pizza, with the best meal of the day often the one on the mountain.
The hamburger is the dish of the United States, and in Jackson the local version is a bison burger. Buffalo burgers are made from American bison, leaner and a little sweeter than beef. Ask whether the bison is local, and cook it no more than medium.
Where to try it: Any bar and grill with a ski-town menu, such as the Silver Dollar Bar and Grill in the Wort Hotel or the Mangy Moose in Teton Village.
Trout comes from the rivers and lakes of the Greater Yellowstone region and is a standard on Jackson menus, pan-fried or grilled. It is lighter than the red meat, and a good choice for a second dinner.
Where to try it: A steakhouse or a lodge dining room; ask where the fish was raised.
The gourmet waffles at the Cabin at the top of the Tram, at 10,450 feet, are the most photographed snack in the valley. Order one before or after your first Corbet's decision.
Where to try it: Corbet's Cabin, Top of the World Loop, accessible only by Tram.
Skiers eat bagels, and in Jackson the place for them is Pearl Street Bagels. Hot bagels, house-made cream cheese and coffee drinks make a day on the hill start well.
Where to try it: Pearl Street Bagels, 145 West Pearl Avenue, open daily 7am to 3pm.
Bourbon and rye are American whiskeys, and a cowboy bar is the place to try them. Order a neat pour or an old fashioned and ask the bartender what is local.
Where to try it: The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar or the Silver Dollar Bar.
Jackson has a long-running brewpub, Snake River Brewing (check that it is open), and American craft beer on tap at ski-town bars. A pint after a day at 10,000 feet goes down fast, so go slowly at altitude.
Where to try it: Snake River Brewing in Jackson, or Dornan's Wine Shop in Moose for bottles.
American coffee is drip coffee in a big cup, and a flask of it on the chairlift is the standard ski accessory. Espresso drinks are in every coffee shop in town.
Where to try it: Pearl Street Bagels or any coffee bar on the Town Square.
Game is the other local meat. Restaurants in the valley serve elk, bison and venison, usually as a steak, a chop or a stew. The Piste Mountain Bistro, for example, builds its menu around meat and produce from Idaho and Wyoming.
Where to try it: A restaurant in Jackson or the Piste Mountain Bistro; check the menu for the cut and the origin.
Pizza in Moose is not New York pizza, but it is a decent wood-fire-style pie with a view of the Tetons. The Pizza and Pasta Co. is inside The Spur Bar and open all year.
Where to try it: Dornan's Pizza and Pasta Co. in Moose, inside the national park.
A rotating tasting-style menu at the top of the gondola, using regional ingredients and finished with handcrafted cocktails. It is a splurge, but a memorable one.
Where to try it: Piste Mountain Bistro, Resy reservation required.
Wyoming is not a wine state, so expect California, Oregon and Washington bottles on the list. A wine shop in the valley will help you choose.
Where to try it: Dornan's Wine Shop in Moose, or a restaurant wine list in Jackson.
Pick your base by how you ski: the Village puts you at the lifts, the town puts you near everything else.
Best for: Skiers who want to be at the lifts at 9am and care more about the mountain than the nightlife
The Village is a compact resort base with hotels, condos and restaurants within a short walk of the lifts. The catch: it is the most expensive place to sleep in the valley, it is quiet in the evening and Village parking costs money.
Best for: Travelers who want restaurants, bars and the town, and who do not mind a bus to the big mountain
Jackson is where the dinners, the bars and the museums are, and it is the base for the evenings of days 1 and 4 and for day 5. The catch: the big mountain is a bus ride away, and the hotels near the Square book up early for holidays.
Best for: Families and beginners who want a ski-in room, low-cost lift tickets and a short walk to town
The Snow King Resort hotel, now Trailborn Jackson Hole, sits at the base of the hill 1.5 miles from the Town Square, with ski-in, ski-out condos. The catch: the hill is small, so you will still need a bus or a car for the big mountain.
Best for: Visitors who want a quieter, more local base on the west side, and a head start on Teton Pass
Wilson is the small village at the foot of Teton Pass on the way to Idaho, with its own branch of Pearl Street Bagels (open 7am to 6pm). It is a good place to base yourself if you plan to ski Grand Targhee more than once. The catch: it is a car-dependent base and a long way from the Tram.
Pinpoint USA: click each state on a blank map of America - inside the border for full points.
The practical stuff that makes the first day in Jackson Hole easier.
The US dollar is the currency, and cards are accepted almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips. Tipping is expected in restaurants and bars, and 15 to 20 percent is the norm. Prices in this guide are in USD with the euro in brackets, converted at 1 USD = 0.89686 EUR (reference rate of 2026-10-27, via frankfurter.dev).
Grand Teton and Yellowstone charge 35 USD (31 EUR) per private vehicle for 7 days. Nonresidents aged 16 and older pay an extra 100 USD (90 EUR) per person at both parks, unless they hold an annual or America the Beautiful pass. A nonresident annual pass costs 250 USD (224 EUR) and covers the pass holder and passengers in one vehicle. If you will visit both parks, the pass is cheaper for a group.
If you ski on an Ikon Pass, you must reserve each day on your account before you arrive; days can sell out, and reservations cannot be transferred. Cancel by 11am on the day if your plans change. The Ikon Base Pass and Session Pass do not include Jackson Hole. Mountain Collective holders must also reserve, and at Grand Targhee they can only buy their half-price ticket at the window.
Teton Pass closes for avalanche control on many winter mornings, and storms close it for hours. Call 511 or check WYDOT before you leave for Grand Targhee, and carry chains or winter tires. The airport and Teton Village are not on the pass, so you do not need to cross it unless you go to Idaho.
START buses run between Jackson and Teton Village; the 2026/27 timetable is not out, but last winter it ran from 29 November to 12 April. An airport shuttle ran daily from 13 December to 6 April for 10 USD (9 EUR) one way. For Targhee, Ride GTR picks up in Jackson. You need a car or a taxi for the national park.
Jackson is at 6,237 feet, the Village base at 6,311 and the Tram summit at 10,450. Drink water, go easy on alcohol on the first night and give yourself a mellow day. Daytime temperatures in Yellowstone in winter are typically 0 to 20 F (-18 to -7 C), and sub-zero nights are common.
US clocks go back an hour on the first Sunday of November, so the 2026/27 season is always on winter time. Jackson is on Mountain Time. Cell service is limited in Yellowstone and parts of the national park. US plugs are two flat pins, 120 volts.
Not at the big mountain. Only about 10% of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort's terrain is beginner, concentrated in the Eagle's Rest, Teewinot and Sweetwater zone. It is excellent for a first lesson, but there is little to progress to. Snow King is cheaper and gentler, and Grand Targhee has easier terrain and a Start Me Up package.
Yes, it is the reason to go. Half the mountain is rated expert, there are 4,139 vertical feet and the Tram opens up Corbet's Couloir and the bowls. If you want it, the backcountry gate system accesses more than 3,000 acres; use it with training and gear.
Yes for a ski trip. Two days on the big mountain, one at Grand Targhee and a half day each at the Village and Snow King cover the three hills, and the fifth day gives you the sleigh ride and the park. Add a day for Yellowstone if you want it.
Jackson Hole's page says single-day adult tickets start at 85 USD (76 EUR) and multi-day tickets start at 60 USD (54 EUR) a day, with the lowest prices on the quietest dates. Grand Targhee's online prices run from 125 to 180 USD (112-161 EUR). Snow King was about 100 USD (90 EUR) last winter.
January to March for snow and cold; February and the holidays are the busiest. The resort opens on 27 November 2026. Midweek is quieter than weekends and holiday weeks.
Yes. Fly to Jackson Hole Airport, take the START airport shuttle to town and START buses to Teton Village. You will need a taxi or a tour for Grand Targhee and the park.
Yes. A section of the road was destroyed by a landslide in June 2024, and the permanent rebuild reopened at the end of June 2025. In winter it closes for avalanche control and storms, so check 511 before you go.
Yes. It is one of the most expensive ski destinations in the country: lift tickets, Village parking, lodging and restaurant meals are all high. Staying in Jackson, buying lift tickets early and using START buses keep the costs down.
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