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Try your hand at mushing (with some very cute steeds) at Jackson Hole Iditarod Sled Dog Tours.
(Photo: Courtesy of Jackson Hole Iditarod Sled Dog Tours) |
Trek into the local wildnerness on a wildlife safari (from $235 per person for a half-day tour; $99 for kids; five-person maximum) through Grand Teton National Park. The Four Seasons offers a tour including top-of-the-line Swarovski binoculars and a cooler stocked with breakfast burritos, pastries, fruit, and juice. But the real draw is wildlife biologist Tenley Thompson, hands-down the most knowledgeable guide in the area. Expect to spot wolves, moose, bighorn sheep, elk, and bald eagles. For a less opulent but still invigorating wildlife experience, take a sleigh ride through the National Elk Refuge ($20 for adults, $15 for kids), a nearly 25,000-acre sanctuary on the edge of town that’s home to migratory elk during the winter months.
Book well in advance to mush with eight-time Iditarod veteran Frank Teasley and his team of Alaskan racing dogs at Jackson Hole Iditarod Sled Dog Tours. All trips include a short orientation with an introduction to the doggies (part Eskimo work dogs, part Northern huskies, all related to Iditarod teams), basic commands, and a practice run, plus hot soups and beverages. You can run the dogs yourself or let the experts lead the way while you take in the Tetons. The full-day tour ($340 per person) out to Granite Creek Canyon includes a midday dip in the nearby hot springs.
Try out the lastest winter-sport craze and rent a fat bike ($25 for half day; $40 for full day) from Hoback Sports in downtown Jackson. Basically mountain bikes with oversize tires designed to accommodate snow, fat bikes can handle nearly any terrain. Get into the swing of things by cruising around town, then take your wheels off-road. The Cache Creek Trail System, which has trailheads in town, offers several beginner trails; opt for the Putt-Putt-Hagen loop, which leaves from the Nelson Drive Trailhead (on the east side of town), follows the Cache Creek, and has a few climbs and some thrilling downhills.