Painted Buffalo Inn's Blog

Itinerary for the Adventure Lover Visiting Jackson Hole

August 29, 2012 at 7:51 pm Painted Buffalo Inn Leave a comment

Jackson Hole is an adventure lover’s playground. There are so many fun activities on the water, in the mountains and in the air. When my family was planning on coming to visit I sent them a bunch of different ideas on what to do during their trip. Below I will list what I recommended for them. You probably will not be able to fit all of the activities in (they were here for 10 days and just scratched the surface). In fact, I have lived here for 3 years and I am still discovering new activities to do. If you have a taste for adventure or in some cases are an adrenaline junky, the following activities are for you!

Go Paragliding

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (located in Teton Village) as well as Snow King Resort (located in Jackson) offer tandem paragliding rides from the summit of their mountains. These scenic flights can be tailored to your thirst for adrenaline. If you want to do flips and sharp turns the guide can cater to your requests. If you just want a mellow scenic flight they are more than happy to provide that for you too. Contact Jackson Hole Paragliding for more information.

Whitewater Rafting

There are plenty of great local rafting companies that can take you down the Snake River. They all run the same stretch of river for their Whitewater and Scenic trips, so they are pretty comparable. If you stay with us we can provide you with a 10% discount on your whitewater rafting trip with Dave Hansen Whitewater. You may choose between a scenic trip, whitewater or combination of the two. You may also choose to be in an 8 man raft as opposed to the larger 16 person rafts. The 8 man rafts are more exciting due to their smaller size. All of the raft companies provide life jackets, paddles and helmets. Wetsuits and booties are available at an additional cost.
Kayak the Snake in Duckies

The Snake River meanders through Grand Teton National Park south through Hoback Canyon. The portion before the canyon is mellow, but once the Snake hits the canyon it turns into class 3 whitewater (with one class 4 section). If the 8 man whitewater rafts don’t provide enough excitement for you, going down the canyon in a Ducky is your best bet for an adrenaline rush. Duckies are inflatable kayaks that come in singles or doubles. A double is a little more stable, not to mention you have a partner in crime to scream at as you get doused by the rapids.

You may rent duckies at Rendezvous River Sports or Leisure Sports. You will need two cars so that you may spot one car at the take-out point. When my parents visited we put in at the Astoria boat drop, just south of Hoback Junction. We had a longer float with a few miles of flat, relaxing water, before the rapids. We took out at Sheep Gulch. The typical put in for just the 8 mile whitewater section is at West Table. Be aware that the river does have some nasty rapids, so make sure that you are confident in reading the water and have good paddle skills. Rafting and whitewater kayaking are dangerous sports, so make sure that you are completely confident in your abilities before taking Duckies down the Snake River.

Rent Stand Up Paddleboards or Canoes

Depending on how adventurous you are there are some great lakes to paddleboard on or canoe. Please visit either my post on Stand Up Paddleboarding in Jackson Hole or Canoeing on Leigh Lake. Both provide nice options for a leisure outing on the water.

Take a Hike

There are a few great day hikes that I recommend in Grand Teton National Park. Please find them listed in my previous post 3 Great Day Hikes in Grand Teton National Park. If you are looking to summit something, Jackson Peak and Sleeping Indian are good options in the Gros Ventres Range. These peaks are located across the valley from Grand Teton National Park and provide gorgeous views of the Teton Range.
Mountain Bike

There is plenty of smooth single track around Jackson. For a nice long loop try Cache to Game Creek.  Shadow Mountain is also a fun bike ride. You bike a dirt road up to the top and then take a fun single track trail down through the woods back to your car. For a shorter afternoon ride Putt Putt is a fun trail. Most of the trails in the valley are cross country mountain bike rides. If you are looking to ride some good downhill trails try the bike park at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort or head up to Teton Pass. Friends of Pathways have maps of the trails area – find them online here.

Horseback Riding

Well, you are in the Wild West, right? I think one of the best ways to take in the scenery is from the back of a horse. There are a variety of companies that offer different sorts of rides. For a short easy ride see my post of Spring Creek Ranch. For a longer, more adventurous ride look no further than Mill Iron Ranch. Cowboy up and jump into the saddle for an unforgettable adventure.
Take the Tram

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort offers summer tram rides. These rides are scenic and if you get lucky you may catch a glimpse of some wildlife (I saw a moose from the tram earlier this summer). There are also a lot of different options  for a short hike around Rendezvous Mountain. For the more adventurous you may want to hike out to Marion Lake, located in Grand Teton National Park behind Rendezvous Mountain. Also, the waffles in Corbet’s Cabin at the top of the tram are pretty hard to resist – I highly recommend them!

Road Bike
With the new pathways open, there are plenty options for short scenic rides or longer athletic rides. See my previous post Road Biking in Jackson Hole for ideas on where to ride and rent bikes.

So there you have it – a few ideas for your trip. I could keep going, but I think that I provided enough options to get you started. Hopefully, you will be able to get off the beaten path and experience at least one of these activities during your stay in Jackson Hole!

Entry filed under: Biking, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, National Parks, Summer Activities. Tags: Activities, adventure, bike, grand teton national park, Hike, itinerary, jackson, Jackson Hole, raft, wyoming.