Family Adventure in Jackson Hole, Wyoming
We are sharing one of our favorite family destinations, Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
We prefer vacations that allow
us to be active and outdoors and include a big mix of
adventure to keep everyone happy.
In and around Jackson Hole, Wyoming, we share our favorite adventures. From where
to camp, hike, fish, bike, raft, ATV, and end it all with a night at a rodeo. On this trip we camped a lot. But we also love to rent vacation homes from sites such as houfy.com, where you can book direct and avoid service fees.
Tags: Family travel, adventure, outdoors, nature, camping, hiking, biking, fishing, rafting, houfy
Address: 1060 S Hwy 89, Jackson, WY 83001
Contact: (307) 733-5678
There are many ways to see the Jackson Hole Valley. On this trip, we chose to rent a
SUV and trail a 19 foot Jay Trailer (with kitchen and beds to sleep 5) from Jackson Hole
Adventure Rentals. We had a great experience renting from them and highly recommend.
With this set up, we could make camp and leave our trailer during the day while exploring
the region in the SUV. PS...Ask them if they have any extra, partially used cans of bear spray
you can borrow. Saves buying a new one!
The closest campground to the town of Jackson, Gros Ventre is 20 minutes north via highway, 191.
Address: 100 Gros Ventre Campground Road, Kelly, WY
Reservations: 307-543-3100
Info: www.gtlc.com/camping/gros-ventre-campground
Gros Ventre Campground is the closest campground to the town of Jackson and is a great
central spot to lay down your tent or RV for the week and explore the area. The facility
includes electric hook ups if needed. We stayed here 3 nights and wished we had stayed
longer. We found that picking up and trying new campgrounds every 2 days was too much.
If you are traveling by trailer, make sure to get a site with electric hook-ups!
BONUS: Take the Antelope Flats Scenic Drive in the early AM to see some wildlife. We often
did this on our way to get fresh coffee in the AM. Get great coffee nearby at the Kelly Deli
nearby. Off the beaten path and worth it!
ALTERNATIVES: If you would rather stay in a vacation rental/home,
then check out a sampling of the homes on Houfy.com below!
If camping is not your thing, check out these local Houfy.com rentals in Jackson Hole. Houfy.com is a book direct platform for vacation rentals. When you book on Houfy.com, you get to communicate directly with the host and there are no service fees for the host or guest.
Located 7.7 miles north of Moose Junction (only 30 minutes from Gros Ventre Campground)
Jenny lake is a crowded but gorgeous lake with many hiking options. You can do a 7.1 mile
hike around the lake or hike the nearby/almost adjoining Leigh Lake and String Lakes or my
favorite, hike a mile up to Inspiration Point for a gorgeous view of it all.
Park at Jenny Lake entrance and take the shuttle boat to the Cascade Canyon Trailhead.
From there, hike 1.1 miles up to inspiration point with a gorgeous view of the lake. You can
stop there and go home like most hikers, but I highly recommend continuing on through
the canyon. You will pass meandering rivers and boulders to play on. We barely missed a
bear on our path a few minutes before. Bring your bear spray! You can continue for several
miles up through the canyon.
BONUS: For a great multi-day backpack, the Paintbrush Canyon Loop is epic.
Recommended by a family with a 7 year old daughter, they took it slow, starting at Leigh
Lake and camping at Lower Paintbrush, Holly, and Upper Paintbrush campgrounds.
http://www.tetonhikingtrails.com/paintbrush-cascade-canyon-loop.htm
30 minute drive from Gros Ventre Campground to Laurance Rockefeller Preserve and Trailhead
via the town of Moose Junction.
Bonus: grab snacks in Moose before the trip and Ice cream after the hike!
An easy, 4 miles RT to the gorgeous Phelps lake or 7 miles extended hike around the lake.
If you do the shorter hike (which we did!), make sure to make it and extra half mile to
Jumping Rock where you can jump 30 feet down into the cold mountain water! It’s a great
pit stop before continuing or returning the way you came
www.jacksonholeanglers.com
Although you can find many a gorgeous fishing spot all along the many rivers, we chose to
hire a guide for a day and float and fly fish our way down the Snake river. We caught many
a cuthroat and eyed bald eagles along the way. Since each boat holds only 3 guests plus
the guide, we divided the day with each of us doing a half day. Or hire two boats to carry
the whole family.
Bonus: If fishing isn’t your thing, try rafting instead. We used Lewis and Clark Expeditions
to take a day rafting down the Snake River. A great chance to have a little whitewater
adventure and see lots of wildlife as well.
Address: 20 W Broadway, Jackson, WY 83001
Phone: 307-733-5335
Rent your bikes in Jackson and take off on trails that lead you all the way to Teton Village
with beautiful rivers and mountain vistas along the way. The trip was about 15 miles and
we used tandem/trailer bikes. I wouldn’t recommend these trailer bikes again as they were
a little wobbly. Once in Teton Village, grab lunch and then take the free shuttle back to
Jackson! Teton Village also offers a mountain bike park where you can take the tram to the
top and bike all the way down. It requires renting a lot of protective gear as this is a real
bike park!
JACKSON HOLE ADVENTURE RENTALS
Address: 1060 S Hwy 89 Jackson, WY 83001
Phone: (307) 733-5678
Every trip has an activity for someone. And renting the ATVs was definitely a top choice
for all three boys. We rented one in Jackson that seated all 4 of us. We were able to drive
through town and then hit an antelope reserve outside of town where we could play on dirt
roads and get very messy! Definitely a highlight of the trip....for them.
www.jhrodeo.com
Wednesdays and Saturdays during the summer
Don’t miss the town of Jackson’s rodeo which takes place on Thursday and Saturday nights.
Kids not only watch other kids and adults in barrel racing, bull riding, but also get to
participate in some fun calf wrangling themselves. An event not to miss! We went twice.
2 Triangle X Ranch Rd, Moose, WY 83012
www.trianglex.com
Phone: (307) 733-2183
If you haven’t gotten enough of Wyoming yet, add another week and do a Dude Ranch.
We took the recommendation of friends, and booked the Triangle X Ranch, just north
of Jackson by 20 minutes and it was the experience of a lite time. If you want a truly
authentic experience, this is the place for you. This is a family owned and run dude ranch
that has been in the family for over 50 years. Be ready to do some serious horseback riding
(dedicated programs for kids), spend time with great people and feel like a real cowgirl or
boy for a week.
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