You’re in Elk Territory Now

by Natasha Wolff | February 10, 2014 10:44 am

For humans, snowfall in Jackson Hole means time to grab the ski gear. For elk, it means time to head down from the mountains—and to rest and forage inside a 25,000-acre plot of land that’s been set aside for them for more than 100 years.

This isn’t your average elk gathering: At around 13,000 head, Jackson’s herd is the world’s largest. (Around half of them tend to inhabit the National Elk Refuge[1] in winter, although in harsh conditions as many as 8,000 might cram in. Opportunistic eagles and coyotes follow.) The elk are protected from interloping tourists; the only way for visitors to enter the refuge is via horse-drawn sleigh, an experience not available during Yellowstone’s busy summer season, when the elks scatter.

The refuge, which is overseen by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, is remarkably accessible—closer to downtown than the ski areas, in fact.  And in many ways, wilder.

WHEN YOU GO

Hotel: Spring Creek Ranch[2], located atop a butte and a ten-minute drive outside town, is a cozy and scenic home base for the National Elk Refuge and Jackson’s other winter options. The two-bedroom condominiums (done up in understated Western-lodge style) come with a kitchen and fireplace, and the on-site restaurant, the Granary, serves up free-range bison tenderloin, Idaho trout and a hearty game stew. Wild elk roam the hotel’s 1,000-acre grounds, which can be toured via snowshoe or horse-drawn sleigh.

Flights: American Airlines offers seasonal nonstop flights to Jackson from Chicago and Dallas/Fort Worth, and one-stop flights from cities including New York and Los Angeles. Visit AA.com[3]. Other carriers also serve Jackson with nonstop flights.

Watch ‘Elk Refuge’ by Jungles in Paris above.

MORE:

Into the Wild, the Luxe Way
Backcountry and Beyond: Colorado Escape[4]
Five-Star Accommodations in the Luxury “Un-Hotel”[5]

Source URL: https://dujour.com/life/video-national-elk-refuge-wyoming-jungles-in-paris/