Jackson Hole, Wyoming Fall Weekend Trip
These days Jackson Hole is jumping with fall activities.
It used to be that Jackson Hole closed up shop—and its restaurants, galleries, and entertainment—between summer and winter. These days, fall jumps with cultural and outdoor options.
Sights and Events
David Sedaris and Ani DiFranco have performed at the 525-seat theater at the Center for the Arts. In October, it holds the Frank’s Fall Film Festival, with films and speakers.
Neighboring shops Mountain Dandy and Made sell a cutely curated collection—jewelry, cards, animal mounts fashioned from Pendleton blankets—handcrafted by artists from across the country.
From its free outdoor Sculpture Trail to its permanent collection of 5,000-plus pieces, including works by Picasso and Western painter John Clymer, National Museum of Wildlife Art defines wildlife broadly.
Jackson is a biking haven, whether you want to downhill mountain bike or cruise paved trails.
Outdoor Fun
You should be able to drive the 10 miles from U.S. Route 191 to this naturally fed Granite Hot Springs Pool through October. But during the winter season, starting Dec. 6, the pool is accessible only by dogsled, snowmobile, snow bike, or skis.
Starting in downtown Jackson, follow a 20-mile stretch of the valley's paved Jackson Pathways system. It travels through the National Elk Refuge and over the Gros Ventre and Snake Rivers before heading to Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park.
Gather's pork buns.
Where to Eat in Jackson
Get a reservation at Gather, where you can find everything from local ribeye with General Tso steak sauce and ramen KFC powder to wild mushroom toast with melted blue cheese.
A historic log cabin that began life as a blacksmith shop now houses King Sushi that serves playful Japanese dishes such as a scallop shooter: scallops with uzura (quail egg), negi (a kind of onion), tobiko (flying fish roe), and ponzu.
This article was first published in Fall 2015 and was last updated in October 2024.