Jackson · North edge of town · Wildlife refuge and winter sleigh rides
National Elk Refuge
More than 24,700 acres of grassland and wetland on Jackson’s doorstep, where thousands of elk spend the winter and horse-drawn sleighs carry visitors out among them.
Opens the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service page for the refuge. Visiting the refuge is free; sleigh ride tickets are sold at the visitor center.
Details checked October 2026
Type
Wildlife refuge
Winter elk herd, bison and bighorn sheep
Admission
Free
Sleigh rides were $42 adults, $27 ages 5–12 in 2025–26
Hours
Sunrise–sunset
Visitor center daily 9–5, closed federal holidays
Time needed
1–2 hours
Sleigh rides last about an hour
Parking
Visitor center lot
Sleighs leave from 532 N Cache St
Acres
24,700+
Set aside in 1912 to keep elk from starving
What you’ll see
Thousands of elk at the edge of town
Elk usually arrive in mid-December and stay through early April. Bison, bighorn sheep and waterfowl share the refuge.
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey on Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Winter favorite
Ride a horse-drawn sleigh among the elk
Each winter a concessionaire runs hour-long sleigh rides from the visitor center lot at 532 N Cache St, with departures every 20 to 30 minutes. In the 2025–26 season they ran December 20 to April 4, generally from 10 am to 4 pm. The 2026–27 dates and prices aren’t posted yet; the season has traditionally started the day after the elk hunt ends.
RV tip: Arrive about 15 minutes early and bring your own blankets; they weren’t provided last season. For holiday weekends, book by phone at (307) 733-0277.
More to see
- Refuge Road driveA free drive into the refuge from the East Broadway entrance. From December 1 to April 30 only the first 3.5 miles, to the Twin Creek subdivision, are open.
- Bighorn sheepIn winter, bighorns often come down near the Refuge Road. If they approach to lick salt off your car, move slowly on to a pullout farther away.
- The visitor centerExhibits, wildlife films, viewing decks, park passes and guidebooks at the Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center, open daily 9 to 5.
- Highway turnoutsPull into the turnouts on the east side of US-26/89/191 north of town to scan the herd from your vehicle.
Why go
Why the elk refuge belongs on your Jackson trip
The refuge was set aside in 1912 to keep the valley’s elk from starving in hard winters. Today the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages more than 24,700 acres of grassland and wetland here, right on the north edge of Jackson.
It’s free to visit from sunrise to sunset all year. The sleigh rides, run by a concessionaire, are the only paid part. The visitor center at 532 N Cache St is where the sleighs leave and where you can pick up park passes, so it makes a handy first stop when you drive into town from camp.
Winter is the time to come for the herd, but summer has its own draw: wetland birds, green meadows and evening drives on the Refuge Road. From December 1, 2026, only the first 3.5 miles of the road will be open.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Why it made our list
- Thousands of wintering elk
- Free to visit all year
- Sleigh rides from downtown
- Bison and bighorn sheep
- Next to the Wildlife Art Museum
For RVers
Visiting the elk refuge in an RV
The practical stuff we wished someone had told us before we pulled in.
Use the tow car
From December 1 to April 30 only the first 3.5 miles of the Refuge Road are open, and you have to stay on the roadway. A tow car is much easier to turn around and pull over than a motorhome.
No stopping on the road
Stopping on the Refuge Road isn’t allowed. Pull fully into a designated pullout to watch wildlife or take photos, which is hard to do with a long rig.
Parking for sleigh rides
Sleighs leave from the visitor center lot at 532 N Cache St, a few blocks north of Town Square. The refuge doesn’t publish RV spaces there, so come in the car if you can.
No antler collecting
Collecting shed antlers is banned everywhere on the refuge. Leave sheds where they lie, and stay on the road with leashed dogs in winter.
What visitors say about the National Elk Refuge
The visitor report card
We don’t copy other sites’ reviews, but the published scores are worth reading together. Scores checked October 30, 2026.
There is no fee to visit the Refuge.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · fws.gov
What we’d bring
Our own short list, not taken from reviews
BinocularsWarm blanketsHand warmers
Tripadvisor doesn’t show review highlights for the refuge, so this is our own list. Blankets matter most: the sleigh ride didn’t provide them last season.
Sleigh ride prices, 2025–26
Last season’s sleigh prices from the Jackson Hole Chamber, checked October 30, 2026. 2026–27 prices haven’t been posted yet.
Good to know
Freerefuge entry and the Refuge Road
Sleigh rides$42 adults $27 ages 5–12 (2025–26)
SeasonMid-Dec to early April, about 10–4
Road limit3.5 mi open Dec 1–Apr 30
Refuge facts come from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; sleigh details from the Jackson Hole Chamber, checked October 30, 2026. Check nersleighrides.com for the new season.
Know before you go
Plan your visit
National Elk Refuge
- Address532 N Cache St, Jackson, WY 83001
- HoursSunrise–sunset
Visitor center daily 9–5, closed federal holidays - Phone(307) 201-5409
- AdmissionRefuge free; sleigh tickets at the visitor center – sleigh ride info
- Getting thereThe visitor center is at 532 N Cache St, a few blocks north of Town Square on US-191. The Refuge Road starts at the east end of East Broadway.
- ParkingPark at the visitor center for sleigh rides. On the Refuge Road, use the designated pullouts; stopping on the road isn’t allowed.
Check fws.gov or call (307) 201-5409 before you go for road conditions, and nersleighrides.com for sleigh ride dates.
Where to stay nearby
RV parks near the National Elk Refuge
All three of these RV parks put the visitor center within about 20 minutes in the tow car.
Fireside Resort Jackson Hole
Full-hookup RV sites in Wilson on the road to Teton Village, with showers, a coin laundry and a camp store.
Gros Ventre Campground
Big Grand Teton campground on the Gros Ventre River, with electric sites and room for rigs up to 45 feet.
Snake River Cabins & RV Village
Riverside full-hookup sites south of town, best for rigs up to 30 feet, with a pathway toward Jackson.
Helpful answers
Frequently asked questions
The questions RVers ask most before pulling in.
Refuge open sunrise to sunset
Ready to see the elk?
Check road conditions on the refuge site, then start at the visitor center on North Cache Street.
Thank you to the people behind these photos and this video. Please support them by giving their work a look. Photos: U.S. Geological Survey (bull elk in snow; public domain), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (elk below the Tetons; public domain), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (bison and elk; public domain), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Refuge Road; public domain), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Flat Creek; public domain), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (elk in willows; public domain) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (summer view; public domain), via Wikimedia Commons; the images were resized. Video: Trekking withTrevor on YouTube (sleigh ride). Review-site logos are trademarks of their owners.
Disclaimer
RV-Roundup is an independent, community-based resource created to help RV travelers and to support and promote the places we feature. RV-Roundup is not owned by, operated by, or officially affiliated with National Elk Refuge unless otherwise stated.
The information on this page was prepared using the most current details available at the time of publication, including published materials from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other publicly available sources. Hours, pricing, rules and other details may change at any time without notice. Before you travel, please confirm all details directly at fws.gov or (307) 201-5409. RV-Roundup is not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes made after publication.
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