The Fleeting Wilds of a Jackson Hole Summer

When summer vacation is over and the Wyoming air starts feeling the first hints of fall, the crowds dissipate across Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park. At the same time, the park comes alive with resident wildlife beginning to prepare for winter.

Bull elk bugle across the valley and begin to gather their harem for the upcoming rut. Mother moose lead their calves, now close to four months old, through the park, teaching them the skills they will eventually need to survive on their own. Bears are out in abundance, filling up on huckleberries, plants, and insects to develop a thick layer of fat to carry them through the harsh winter conditions.

I landed in Jackson Hole in mid-August, expecting to be surrounded by the towering peaks of the Teton Range. Instead, I was met with pounding rain and clouds so low I wasn’t sure the mountains even existed.

This is the risky part of traveling to Wyoming during the last days of summer. The weather is unpredictable and changes rapidly. The upside is fewer crowds, excellent wildlife, and still enough summer-type activities to make an exciting and memorable vacation.

Big Red

My first wildlife sighting came less than 24 hours after arriving. Steps from my room at Hotel Terra, I started on my first Wyoming adventure. Riding Big Red, Jackson Hole’s famous aerial tram, I looked down and saw movement: a momma moose and her calf munching on the brush below us.

The tram takes 12 minutes to climb 4139 vertical feet to the top of Rendezvous Mountain, which sits at an elevation of 10,450 feet.

At the summit, it had snowed the day before. But today, the snow was gone, and we had fleeting views of the village below. I walked the skywalk before becoming too cold to stay outside comfortably.

So I did the logical thing and went inside for a waffle (or 3).

Corbet’s Cabin serves made-to-order waffles at the top of the mountain, a tradition famous enough that people ride the tram specifically to eat one. There are several waffles on the menu. Get the brown sugar butter; it’s my favorite. Actually, get a few different waffles and split them with your friends. They are all so good.

After you descend the mountain, drive or take the free shuttle from Teton Village into the quaint town of Jackson. Stroll the wooden sidewalks and wander in and out of shops and historic bars.

Snake River

Squeeze in every last drop of summer by heading to the Snake River for either a scenic ride or whitewater rafting (my choice, always). I booked an afternoon trip down the river with Jackson Hole Whitewater.

Our raft tipped into a rapid; water came over the side and over the top, drenching our wetsuits. Paddles dug in. Everyone was laughing and screaming with delight. Then the river settled down again, giving us just enough time to look around before the next stretch of whitewater.

This was my kind of rafting. Enough adrenaline to make it exciting, not enough to spend the entire trip wondering about my life choices.

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Between rapids, the river revealed another side of Jackson Hole’s wildlife: bald eagles watching from above, ospreys circling overhead, and a double-breasted cormorant propelling itself into the river to catch fish. A beaver (affectionately called Justin Beaver by the rafting guides) tucked into his bank den, watching us glide by.

Late summer makes it possible to experience both versions of Jackson Hole on the same trip. You can stand above 10,000 feet in the morning and find yourself wet and laughing on the Snake River later. The high country is accessible. The river is running. Wildlife is raising the young that must be ready before winter arrives.

Grand Teton National Park

The next day, despite another wild day of weather, I entered Grand Teton National Park with Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris. I passed the weathered barns of Mormon Row before heading deeper into the park. Soon, the landscape changed to the majestic landscape I had seen on the postcards. The Tetons stood proudly against the gray sky, alternating between crystal-clear views and periods of cloud cover.

The river running through the park was full and rushing, and I stopped to watch a cow moose lead her twins away from the riverbank and into the trees.

Nearly all the ungulates that inhabit the park were seen today. Bison stood in large herds, heavy and dark against the sagebrush. Pronghorn appeared in the open flats, filling up on grass. Rocky Mountain elk and white-tailed deer were spotted in the valley.

Later, we saw a black bear foraging through brush, eating berries.

Our safari began around 3 p.m., when the August afternoon was still warm. Many animals were bedded down, conserving energy until the temperature dropped. The guide knew where to look and how to read the landscape, but wild animals do not care that you have a spotting scope and a schedule. They live and move through their own routines. I suggest booking a very early-morning or late-evening wildlife trip for your best chances of seeing active wildlife.

Go, while it lasts

By September, aspens are shifting to yellow, the days are shorter, the river is running colder, and the first flakes of snow dust the sharp peaks of the mountains. 

Elk enter the rut, during which bulls compete for mates and become less tolerant of human disruption. Moose and deer enter their breeding seasons. Pronghorn begin gathering before moving toward winter range near Pinedale, part of a migration stretching roughly 150 miles. Elk start their own journey south toward the National Elk Refuge near Jackson, while bison move toward lower elevations where snow will make food easier to reach.

What I loved most about this time of year is that nothing felt finished yet. The days were still warm enough to raft. The mountains were open. Mothers still moved through the park with their young close behind.

Summer doesn’t end all at once in Jackson Hole; it slips away.