Grand Teton National Park

Wildlife, Elk Refuge Sleigh Ride & Wildlife Art Museum

Jackson Hole's Best Winter Wildlife Experience!

Head out into the winter wonderland of Jackson Hole, Grand Teton National Park, and the National Elk Refuge on a one of a kind winter wildlife tour with EcoTour Adventures. We'll spend the morning uncovering the valley's wildlife hotspots before enjoying a visit to the National Museum of Wildlife Art, and a sleigh ride through wild elk herds on the National Elk Refuge.  EcoTour Guides focus their attention to the needs of the group and are driven by the desire to inspire each and every guest. Let us create an experience to last a lifetime by turning you on to this stunning natural environment and all the winter wonders that make it fascinating.

The Day

We’ll get an early start from the town of Jackson to experience the best wildlife viewing hours of the day. From the comfort of our 4x4 vehicle, use our high quality spotting scopes or binoculars to catch a glimpse of a moose and her calf as they greet the day, or photograph a bighorn sheep as it scales the snowy cliffs and craggy areas of Miller Butte. Your experienced and professional EcoTour guide will lead you on an educational tour through the dramatic natural environment of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, teaching you interesting tidbits on winter ecology, animal adaptations to a harsh Wyoming winter, and snow science.

After you enjoy the morning viewing wildlife in Grand Teton National Park, we’ll visit the National Museum of Wildlife Art, an architectural feat inspired by the ruins of Slains Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. We will wander through the Museum’s 51,000 square feet of award winning collections from the 19th and 20th centuries as you guide helps you explore the fantastic works of art.  Enjoy lunch with a view at Palate, the museums restaurant, which overlooks the Elk Refuge.  Our day concludes with a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the National Elk Refuge for an up close view and educational tour of a wintering elk herd that numbers in the thousands.

What's included

• Professionally trained and knowledgeable guide who is passionate about your experience on the tour.
• High quality Swarovski Optik Optics.
• Pick-up/Drop-off in the town of Jackson, either at a convenient meeting place or at your hotel.
• Tasty and light breakfast, to be enjoyed on the road.
• Good variety of locally produced, and organic when possible, snacks.
• Museum and Sleigh Ride Admission
• Lunch at the National Museum of Wildlife Art or in the Town of Jackson
• Cold and Hot beverages.
• 4 Wheel Drive Safari Style vehicle with Comfortable Seating.
• Guaranteed window seat for every guest.
• Interactive tools and hands-on aides for learning.

Covid-19 Protocol

We understand your need to be flexible with travel plans and have amended our cancellation policy.  For all single-day tours, the deposit is completely refundable up to two weeks before your tour.  Please see our Covid-19 page for full details on our protocols currently in place.

Your Customized Experience

Custom Safari Style Vehicles

• We provide vehicles with  roof hatches for safe and unobstructed viewing.
• All of our vehicles have 4-wheel-drive and studded tires, essential for winter travel in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
• Everyone is granted a window seat, to ensure a great view! There is plenty of room for jackets, camera gear, backpacks, etc.
• In our larger van, there are no uncomfortable benches that are hard to get in and out of. We have installed comfortable captain's chairs.
• We use PA systems when needed, have installed cup holders, and provide stools for easier access. Our guides are always willing to help you in and out of the vehicle.

Professional Optics

We are proud to partner with Austrian-born Swarovski Optik—award-winning, world class optics. Each guest has access to Swarovski CL (8x30), EL (10x42) or NL (10x42) binoculars for personal use throughout the tour. ATX spotting scopes (30-70x magnification) are also available for viewing wildlife from afar. And, to help preserve the memory of your adventure, we capture all the action with Ollin spotting scope adapters, sending you home with photos and videoes!

Mobile Wildlife Museum

Our naturalist kits provide the opportunity to touch and see different items up close. We have antlers, pelts, claws, horns, and more! All items were collected or purchased outside of the National Parks; it is prohibited to take anything out of the parks.

Additional Amenities

• We provide a Wildlife Sightings List for tour participants to fill out, if you'd like. You take home a copy and we keep a copy for our records.
• Your children will love our “Children’s Activity Book”. They can work on this during the tour or take it home for later. This book is filled with crosswords, coloring pages, matching games, wildlife bingo, and other engaging activities. You provide the child and we provide the book and crayons.
• All of our guides carry radios to aid in sharing wildlife sightings. When the location and timing is right, we will head to that active wildlife hotspot for uninterrupted viewing.
• We provide iPads on all tours that are filled with maps, wildlife photos, diagrams, animal sounds, and other visual aids to enhance your learning experience.
• We take our coffee seriously. This is why we brew Cowboy Coffee organic beans for you every morning. We will serve your coffee from our vacuum insulated French Press carafe while in the park watching the sunrise. We also provide a selection of organic teas and hot chocolate.