Head to Snow King Mountain Resort for Family Fun near Grand Teton
Jackson, Wyo.’s best-kept secret offers a ton of activities for all ages, plus bike and SUP rentals.
Five miles from Yellowstone’s South Entrance to Grand Teton National Park lies a family activity paradise that makes having fun easy and affordable. Snow King Mountain Resort in the heart of Jackson, Wyo., offers zipline courses, mini golf, an alpine slide, a coaster, bike rentals and a restaurant at its base. With close-in, complimentary parking, it’s a hassle-free experience.
“It’s super convenient to do, even if you just have two hours when you’re just stopping through Jackson or the whole day if you are staying longer,” says Ryan Stanley, general manager of Snow King Mountain Resort.
Head to Treetop Adventure Ropes Course & Ziplines to spend some time suspended in the air, working your way through different challenges like crossing suspended bridges, swinging logs and scrambling up nets. The new Summer Cowboy Coaster takes you more than 450 feet up the mountain before you descend nearly a mile in a coaster sled through turns and twists.
The Alpine Slide offers a half mile of track where you can reach speeds up to 25 miles per hour as you catch views of town and surrounding mountains. For younger kids who want to avoid speed, there’s mini golf, the Bungee Trampoline for ages 2 and up and Amaze ‘N Maze where you compete with others to find four checkpoints before exiting the fastest.
Purchase individual tickets for each activity or buy the Big King Pass to dive deep into all the activities. The Big King Pass gives you unlimited all-day access to all the activities and one tour on the Treetop Adventure Ropes Course & Ziplines.
The scenic chairlift will not open in summer 2021 because the resort is replacing it with a gondola. That, along with the construction to build new trails and an additional lift on the back side, means you should hit the nearby popular Cache Creek Trailhead for hiking opportunities.
When you’ve worked up your appetite, hit the King’s Grill at Snow King right near the coaster. There are burgers, hot dogs and a ton of sandwiches from a turkey club to grilled cheese. You can even order bison chili to sample what bison meat tastes like.
If you’d like to explore some of the area’s great bike trails, head to Snow King Mountain Sports, the on-site gear rental shop, to rent everything from ebikes, mountain bikes, kids’ bikes, Burley bike trailers and more. You can also rent stand-up paddleboards and kids’ kayaks. Simply load them on the roof of your car and explore String Lake or Jackson Lake in Grand Teton National Park
In winter, Snow King Mountain Resort is a great spot for families, especially those learning to ski. The base area is right next to town and is so compact that there’s no lugging equipment across large distances to get to ticket booths and ski schools. Plus, those lessons are a fraction of the cost of major ski resorts. And if you did not get enough turns in during the day, it’s the only nearby ski area offering night skiing.
“Taking a ski school lesson is so convenient here,” says Stanley. “You park right here, get your equipment and hop on the magic carpet, all within 100 feet.”
More Information:
Snow King Mountain Resort
snowkingmountain.com