Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs Listings: (add your listing)
Charlie Sands - Jackson Hole Scenic Float Trips
For over 35 years we've shown more people a "good time" than anyone. U-Paddle, guided trips, dinner & overnight packages. Perfect for family groups. Exceptional safety record.
(800) 358-8184
Jackson Hole Pack Trips - Overnight Adventures
Specializing in 1-night, last minute trips for Jackson visitors who want a taste of the backcountry without long rides or big cost. Awesome fishing, wildlife viewing and food.
(866) 505-7007
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is it Jackson, or Jackson Hole?
A: Jackson Hole is the valley - about 80 miles long and 15 miles wide. It is encompasses national forest, Grand Teton National Park and the National Elk Refuge. The valley floor is between 6,200' and 6,800.' The top of Rendezvous Mountain in Teton Village is 10,483' and the top of the Grand Teton is at 13,770'.Yellowstone borders Jackson Hole to the north and is elsewhere surrounded by more national forests. The towns of Moose, Kelly and Wilson are also in Jackson Hole.
Q: Where and what is Teton Village?
A:Teton Village is another community in Jackson Hole. It is the home of the Jackson Hole Ski Resort, which operates one of the largest lift-serviced mountains in North America - a 4,139' vertical rise. In addition to the ski slopes, there are specialty shops, restaurants, motels and condominiums. It is about twelve miles northwest of the town of Jackson.
Q: Where is the closest airport?
A: The valley is serviced by the Jackson Hole Airport located in Grand Teton National Park. It is about eight miles north of the town of Jackson.
Q: Where is Grand Teton National Park?
A: GTNP begins about five miles north of Jackson. Entrance gates are at Moose Junction (12 miles north) and Moran Junction (about 30 miles north). Entrance fees are $10 per car (which includes passage to Yellowstone National Park) and is good for 7 days.
Q: How far is Yellowstone? How about Old Faithful?
A: The south entrance to YNP is about 60 north of Jackson, with Old Faithful another 40 miles past the entrance.
Q: When did Yellowstone become a park?
A: The first park in the nation (and in the world) came to be in 1872, eighteen years before Wyoming became a state.
Q: How many miles is the lower and upper loops of Yellowstone?
A: 96 miles and 70 miles, respectively.
Q: How often does Old Faithful erupt?
A: It's anybody's guess. Just kidding. Old Faithful erupts about every 67 minutes. Other geysers in the area erupt more dramatically, but not as consistently.
Q: Where are the elk? And how come they're (not) on the National Elk Refuge?
A: You can see them on the National Elk Refuge just north of the town of Jackson in winter. In the spring, the elk return to the wilderness areas in the north as the snow melts. They can usually been seen in parts of Yellowstone during summer and early fall.
Q: What and when is the Fall Arts Festival?
A: The 40-some galleries in Jackson Hole participate in the Fall Arts Festival from mid-September to mid-October. Different galleries feature collections of artists from around the valley and the world.
Q: How long is the Snake River?
A: Called the Mad River by early settlers, the Snake winds 120 miles through the valley and is Wyoming's largest river.
Dumb A$$ Questions
Grade-school teachers will tell you there are no stupid questions, but these often overheard inquiries always bring a smile to the face of locals. Wanna look like you did your homework for your ski instructor or river-rafting guide? Read on...
Q: How many elk did they kill to make the Town Square arches?
A: None. The famous Jackson Town Square is adorned by four magnificent elkhorn arches - one at each corner. Elk lose their antlers each spring naturally, which are collected and sold as a commodity. Hunters' trophy mounts perpetuate the myth that the animal must be harvested to collect their racks.
Q: When do deer become elk (or elk become moose, etc.)?
A: Never. Pronghorn antelope do not grow up to become deer, nor do elk evolve into moose as they mature. Each are unique species native to the area.
Q: Where do they keep the animals in Grand Teton/Yellowstone Park at night?
A: The same place they keep them during the day - everywhere. These National Parks are not zoos. Grizzly bears do not have feeding times (unless of course the bear decides it is and, in that case, you don't want to be around to watch). National Parks are federally owned land and keep the environment in its natural state, hopefully forever. Animals that call these parks home are as wild as they come. They do not take kindly to humans messing with them just like in the wilderness. A number of tourists find out the hard way that bison have horns for a reason. What starts as a photo shoot can quickly evolve into a run for your life. Use extreme caution when you encounter wildlife. One tradgic story, which I have been unable to verify, told of a family who lost a child because they thought it would be cute to have the child ride piggyback on a black bear. The normally docile bear didn't take kindly to the idea.
Q: When are they going to finish the Sleeping Indian?
A: About the same time they start the bust of Harrison Ford... Sheep Mountain, part of the Gros Ventre (pronounced Gro Vont) Range, is at the east side of the valley. It's silhouette resembles a Native American chief in full headdress lying on his back. It is a naturally occurring rock formation, not an attempt to create our own Mount Rushmore.
Q: Where does Gerry Spence (or any other celebrity) live?
A: Why, heck, they sell maps to the homes of the stars on the Town Square. Wrong. You'll notice things move a little slower in Jackson. After all, amid all this beauty, culture and activity, you had better stop to smell the roses (or Indian Paintbrushes, for that matter) or you're wasting your time. Folks who call this small town "home" do so because it is so close knit. Generally, they're not into wearing ties or signing autographs. President Clinton's visit in July was extremely more high profile than what people are used to around here. Some even resented the President's entourage when they booked Nora's Fish Creek Inn (a popular locals' spot) in Wilson one Sunday morning, disrupting many Jacksonites' weekend.
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