National Elk Refuge Sleigh Rides

The National Elk Refuge sleigh ride is the best winter wildlife hour in Jackson Hole and one of the most reliable in the whole Greater Yellowstone region. The refuge, established in 1912, covers about 25,000 acres on the northern edge of Jackson and protects what is now the main remaining winter range for the valley's elk; when deep snow pushes the herds down from the high country, an average of roughly 5,000 elk gather on these flats, with herds reported well above that in some winters. Because the animals are accustomed to the sleighs, the horse-drawn wagons-on-runners can roll among them at a distance no car or hiker could manage: bulls carrying full racks, cows and calves bedded in the snow, and often bald eagles, coyotes, trumpeter swans or even wolves working the edges. The ride itself is simple and well run. Tickets are sold at the Jackson Hole and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center on North Cache Street; a shuttle carries riders to the sleigh staging area; the ride lasts roughly 45 minutes to an hour, with a naturalist driver explaining elk biology, the refuge's history and the management debates that surround winter feeding. The whole outing, including shuttles, takes about an hour and a half. Seasonal honesty: rides run from about mid-December to the end of March or the first days of April, depending on weather and herd conditions, so this is a winter-only experience and is not operating in November. Fit: winter trips above all, families (the sleigh is warm-blanket cozy and kid-friendly), wildlife lovers who want elk at close range, and first-time visitors who want a classic Jackson Hole moment.

The refuge exists because of a crisis. As ranches and the town claimed the valley floor in the late 1800s and early 1900s, elk lost their traditional winter range, and hard winters brought mass starvation; public outcry led Congress to create the refuge in 1912, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service still manages it.

Sleigh tours began in the 1960s and have been run under concession contracts since, which is why the experience feels both interpretive and folksy: the drivers are part naturalist, part teamster, and the questions they field (why are the elk here, should they be fed, what about disease) are real conservation issues that the refuge works through publicly.

To do it well, dress as if you will sit still in an open field in midwinter, because you will: insulated boots, a warm hat, gloves and a layer more than you think. Morning rides tend to be calmer and colder, and bring the best light on clear days; afternoon rides can catch the herd more active.

Reservations are optional but recommended around the winter holidays and for groups. Bring binoculars and a camera with some zoom, keep voices low as the sleigh approaches the herd, and ask the driver about anything you see, from antler size to the wolves that sometimes test the edges of the herd.

Pair the ride with the National Museum of Wildlife Art on the butte directly above the refuge, or with a winter drive north to Oxbow Bend. Fit: winter travelers, families, photographers and anyone who wants elk without a long drive.