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The Jackson Hole and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center
Located a half mile north of the Town Square, the Visitor Center is open year-round to assist you during your vacation. Our friendly staff from a variety of agencies look forward to making your trip memorable. Sit in on an interpretive presentation with a naturalist or catch a film screening on local wildlife. Learn about the local wildlife and ecosystem with our interactive displays. Relax on our wildlife and wetlands viewing decks, or check out the bookstore and gift shop with guides, maps, books and souvenirs. The Visitor Center is also the place to obtain Federal lands passes as well as hunting and fishing licenses. We also have restrooms, courtesy telephones and a mail drop for our guests’ convenience.
The National Elk Refuge
On a cold, crisp winter day, visitors and residents in Jackson Hole can bundle up and enjoy a unique wildlife experience—riding a horse- drawn sleigh to watch thousands of elk wintering on the National Elk Refuge. Through the sleigh rides and programs at the Jackson Hole Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center, visitors learn intriguing facts about the life history of the elk and management of the Refuge. The Jackson Elk Herd is one of the outstanding natural resources of this country and comprises the largest, concentrated wintering herd of elk in North America.
Elk once ranged from eastern states through central and western North America. They grazed the open prairies, mountain valleys, and foothills. But as civilization pushed slowly westward, the distribution of these animals was rapidly reduced to the western mountainous regions. By the turn of the century, elk had disappeared from over 90% of their original range in the U.S.
The National Elk Refuge was established to preserve and manage habitat for elk wintering area in the valley and is operated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. It was created in 1912 as a result of public interest in the survival of the Jackson Elk Herd. The National Elk Refuge is one of over 540 areas within the National Wildlife Refuge System. It is approximately 25,000 acres and is devoted primarily to the preservation of elk winter range. Refuge lands represent about one quarter of the historic elk wintering area in the valley. In addition, the area provides habitat and crucial wintering areas for a variety of other wildlife including trumpeter swans, bald eagles, bison, bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyotes, wolves, and a variety of ducks and geese.
Please look for more details coming soon!
Elk Fest
May 19, 2012 ?
- The famous Elk Antler Auction takes place on Town Square, 7am-5pm
May 20, 2012 ?
- Elk Fest Chili Cook Off on the Town Square, 12-3pm
Old West Days
Wednesday May 22 – Monday May 28, 2012
- Mountain Man Rendezvous: Pre-1840 Mountain Men Celebration complete with a Traders Row, Candy Cannon, Bow & Arrow Competition, Hawk & Knife Competition, and Atlatal Competition. For more information contact Dale Bollman at 307.699.1651.
Friday, May 25, 2012
- Kickoff for Old West Days at the famous Bar J Chuckwagon
Saturday, May 26-31, 2012
- OldWest Days Parade
- OldWest Brewfest (Regional beer tasting festival on the Town Square)
- Summer Kickoff for JACKSON HOLE Town Square Shootout - Shootout gang, the longest running shootout in the country, since 1957
- Summer Kickoff for JACKSON HOLE RODEO 8:00 p.m. Teton County Fairgrounds
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