Winter Wildlife Tour: Jackson, Tetons & Yellowstone

We will arrive independently at Jackson Hole Airport (JAC), one of the most scenic airports in the country, located within Grand Teton National Park. After a private transfer into town, we settle into an intimate boutique lodge, Alpine House, well known for its historic Western vernacular architecture and walkability to the Jackson town square. This will be our home for the first three evenings.

After breakfast, we depart for a full-day guided wildlife adventure in Grand Teton National Park. Winter offers some of the finest wildlife viewing of the year. Against a snow-covered valley floor, pronghorn, elk, moose, coyotes, fox, and bighorn sheep are often easier to spot—and if we are fortunate, perhaps even wolves. Our experienced naturalist guides will interpret the ecology of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, discussing migration patterns, predator-prey relationships, and the geological forces that shaped the dramatic Teton Range. A light breakfast and lunch are included during our excursion. We
return to Jackson in the late afternoon, with the evening free to explore the town’s excellent dining scene at your leisure.

After breakfast, we visit the National Museum of Wildlife Art, perched above the valley with sweeping views of the National Elk Refuge. The museum’s world-class collection provides an opportunity to reflect on how artists have interpreted wildlife and landscape across cultures and centuries.

Following lunch at the museum café, we travel to the nearby National Elk Refuge Visitor Center for one of winter’s most memorable experiences: a horse-drawn sleigh ride among thousands of wintering elk. Gliding quietly across the snow, we observe these magnificent animals up close as we learn about habitat conservation and the refuge’s role in sustaining regional wildlife populations. The evening is free for independent dining and exploration in Jackson.

After breakfast and a relaxed morning in Jackson, we travel north into a more secluded setting at Turpin Meadow Ranch, nestled along the Buffalo Fork River near the eastern boundary of Grand Teton National Park. The private riverfront setting is where timeless Western spirit meets modern luxury. At the ranch, you’ll step out of the everyday and into the extraordinary wild beauty of Wyoming.

Upon arrival and check-in, we step directly into the winter landscape with a guided snowshoe excursion—an introduction to moving thoughtfully through a snow-covered ecosystem. Along the way, guides will interpret animal tracks, winter adaptations, and the quiet rhythms of this high-elevation environment. We gather for dinner at the ranch, enjoying the intimacy and stillness of this remote setting.

An early start brings us into Yellowstone National Park by heated snowcoach—an extraordinary way to experience America’s first national park in its most dramatic season. Snow transforms Yellowstone’s geothermal basins into otherworldly landscapes. Old Faithful erupts into frigid air, steam billows across frozen rivers, and bison move deliberately through white expanses.

Breakfast and lunch are included during our full-day exploration. Throughout the day, naturalist guides will illuminate Yellowstone’s geology, hydrothermal features, wildlife ecology, and the park’s foundational role in the American conservation movement. We return to Turpin Meadow Ranch for dinner and our final evening together.

After breakfast at the ranch, we transfer back to Jackson Hole Airport for departures. We leave having experienced the Tetons and Yellowstone not merely as scenic destinations, but as living systems—places of profound ecological complexity, artistic inspiration, and enduring wonder.