. Everything to know about Mount Rainier National Park
Why go and what to know
One of the world’s oldest national parks, Mount Rainier became part of the federal system in 1899, shortly after its last eruption. Park status was the culmination of a long campaign by John Muir and other conservationists to preserve a unique forest, field, and glacial landscape under threat from the timber and mining extraction that had already ravaged much of the American West. (Here’s why wild salmon remains king in the Pacific Northwest.)
That wasn’t the last battle over the mountain. There was also a bitter feud over the name. British explorer George Vancouver originally christened the peak in 1792, naming it after his friend Rear Admiral Peter Rainier of the Royal Navy. With memories of the redcoats still fresh in their minds, Americans who settled the region in the early 19th century preferred the name Mount Tacoma. The lexical dispute continued into the 1920s and returned again with the official designation of Denali as the name of Alaska’s highest peak in 2015.
Despite its mountainous topography, the national park is accessible via five different roads from the surrounding lowlands. One of the most popular areas is Sunrise in the northeast, easy to reach from the Seattle–Tacoma metropolitan area (around two hours) and also the highest point (6,400 feet) in the park that visitors can venture with their cars. (Discover the best activities in Seattle.)
Wildflowers blanket the park during July and August.
PHOTOGRAPH BY BOB GIBBONS, ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are popular activities during winter.
PHOTOGRAPH BY TMI, ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
Renowned for its panoramic views of Mount Rainier and Emmons Glacier, Sunrise Visitor Center is well stocked with maps, books, and information on the park. Ranger-led programs are a staple during the summer season. Snacks, drinks, and souvenirs are available at the nearby Sunrise Day Lodge.
Set amid a large alpine meadow, Sunrise is also the jumping-off point for numerous trails, both short and long, around the fringe of Mount Rainier. One of the easier hikes is the Silver Forest Trail (2 miles) to the Emmons Vista Overlook and an old burn area where the grayish tree trunks glisten silver in a certain light. Far more difficult—and far more rewarding in scenery—is Boroughs Mountain Trail, which climbs steadily upward through wildflower-filled tundra to Frozen Lake and the edge of Winthrop Glacier. Another great route is the 7-mile hike to the Palisades Lakes area, which starts at the parking lot for Sunrise Point (also the best place in the park to catch daybreak over the hazy plains of central Washington).
The park’s most visited area is Paradise on the mountain’s south side, which owes its name to Martha Longmire, a young settler who is said to have exclaimed “What a paradise!” when her family homesteaded the area in the 1880s.
Paradise Jackson Visitor Center offers exhibits, ranger programs, and films. Even if you’re not sleeping at the historic Paradise Inn (opened in 1917), grab a meal or check out the iconic “parkitecture.” Permits for climbing Rainier and hiking the backcountry are available at the Paradise Climbing Information Center. With the entrance road plowed throughout the winter, Paradise is also the park’s favorite spot for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and tubing.
Right down the road from Paradise is the Longmire Historic District, where James Longmire (the father of Mount Rainier tourism) and his family settled in the 1880s. The two old park headquarters buildings are now home to the Longmire Museum of local history and the Longmire Wilderness Information Center (another place that issues climbing and backcountry permits).
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Tucked in Rainier’s southeast corner is the Ohanapecosh Visitor Center, nestled in a thick old-growth forest that offers a dramatic contrast to the park’s higher altitudes. The Grove of the Old Patriarchs shelters trees as tall as 300 feet and up to 1,000 years old, while the Silver Falls Loop (2.8 miles) leads to the eponymous cascade.
Separated from the rest of the park by Rainier’s bulk, the Carbon River area in the northwest has few facilities and few visitors but offers excellent hikes through the temperate rainforest. Carbon Glacier—the lowest elevation glacier in the lower 48 states—is a 17-mile (27.36 km) round-trip walk from the ranger station. Mowich Lake, the park’s largest water body, is the best place to canoe or kayak at Rainier.
Plan your trip
Get there: From Seattle (95 miles) or Tacoma (70 miles) to the Nisqually Entrance (open year-round), take I-5 to Wash. 7, then follow Wash. 706. From Yakima, take Wash. 12 west to Wash. 123 or Wash. 410, and enter from the park's east side (Stevens Canyon or White River Entrances closed in winter). For the northwest entrances (Carbon River and Mowich Lake), take Wash. 410 to Wash. 169 to Wash. 165, then follow the signs. Carbon River Road washed out in a November 2006 flood (check with the park for closure information).
When to go: Year-round. Wildflowers are at their best in July and August. High trails may remain snow covered until mid-July. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are popular in winter. Summer and winter, to miss the crowds, time your visit to midweek.
Where to stay: Inside the park, stay at Paradise Inn, an iconic national park lodge on the south side of Mount Rainier, or the historic National Park Inn located in Rainier’s Longmire village with a restaurant, general store, and winter ski and snowshoe rental. A half hour from the park entrance on Highway 504, Eco Park Resort offers cabins and yurts. Find campsites at Cougar Rock, White River, Ohanapecosh, and Mowich Lake.
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Why you should go to Grand Teton National Park
TRAVEL
Sharpened by glaciers, Grand Teton National Park’s snow-etched mountains erupt above Jackson Hole valley, composing one of the most iconic views in the country. “The Tetons rise to over 13,000 feet in a matter of miles. Just seeing that makes you feel humble,” says Vasu Sojitra, a professional athlete and disability access advocate, who completed the first disabled ascent on crutches of the Grand Teton in 2014.
The towering granite crags of the Grand Teton range have drawn mountaineers, hikers, and photographers to this Wyoming park.
PHOTOGRAPH BY JIMMY CHIN, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION
Clouds drift above a herd of bison grazing in a valley in Grand Teton National Park. Visitors can also spot moose, bald eagles, ospreys, and pikas.
PHOTOGRAPH BY BARRETT HEDGES, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION
In the fall, quaking aspen trees bring golden color to Grand Teton National Park.
PHOTOGRAPH BY TOM MURPHY, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION
Some 200 years ago these majestic mountains were called Pilot Knobs by fur trappers because they could be seen from miles away. One of the Tetons’ tallest peaks, Teewinot, meaning “many pinnacles” in the Shoshone language, references the region’s ancestral roots. The 1800s homesteading tradition in the nearby town of Jackson gives the valley its moniker “The Last of the Old West.” Gazing out at verdant plains, towering crags, and fields of lemon-yellow balsamroot blooms, visitors understand why the park has become an emblem of the American West.
Today, adventure athletes travel to the park to climb historic mountaineering routes, backpack into wildflower-strewn basins, or ski down advanced backcountry slopes in winter. But the park is also ideal for leisurely activities like biking, photography, and canoeing—set against the backdrop of the meandering Snake River, numerous lakes and streams, and the Grand Teton range.
Although a fraction of the size of nearby Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton offers equally dramatic mountain vistas and impressive wildlife viewing. Outdoor photographer and Jackson local Steven Shelesky says it’s common to see wildlife, including elk, moose, pronghorn, and bison, while simply driving through the park.
Shelesky says getting up early to catch a sunrise in the park is well worth the effort. “The entire Teton range is east facing, which makes for an amazing spectacle,” he says. Located about 350 yards from the parking lot, Schwabacher Landing offers particularly memorable views of a beaver pond off the Snake River. “You can see beautiful reflections of the Grand Teton on the water’s surface,” says Shelesky.
Sunset casts a rosy glow on the Snake River, in Grand Teton National Park, where families can go on scenic rafting tours.
PHOTOGRAPH BY KEITH LADZINSKI, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION
Nearby, the Snake River Overlook is another vista Shelesky recommends. The famous viewpoint captured by photographer Ansel Adams in 1942 highlights the curving river framed by the towering Tetons. Look for the Snake River Overlook turnout sign off Highway 191/89.
Beginning at the Taggart Lake Trailhead on Teton Park Road, Taggart Lake is an easy hike that leads to a gorgeous lakeside picnic spot, where the Tetons reflect in the water. The three-mile round-trip trail rises just over 300 feet as it crosses bridges and weaves through a grove of quaking aspen trees, whose leaves tremble at the slightest breeze. For a more moderate hike, it’s well worth the extra steps to tack on the Taggart Lake-Bradley Lake Loop, which takes you 5.6 miles to both lakes. Both trails are also popular snowshoeing routes in winter.
Hikers looking for a more challenging route can follow the roaring Cascade Creek up the Forks of Cascade Canyontrail, where the glacially carved landscape leads to numerous viewpoints, including Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls. The 9.8-mile out-and-back route can be made more challenging during the day or as part of an overnight trip (permits required), by trekking 14.1 miles to Lake Solitude. You canbook a round-trip ticket on the Jenny Lake Shuttle Service to avoid hiking an extra four miles roundtrip.
Where to find the best drives in the park
Teton Park Road and Highway 191/89/26 make a 42-mile loop that takes you to several pullouts and viewing sites in the park. Signal Hill Mountain Summit Road winds to the top of Signal Hill (nearly a thousand feet), where you’ll find two overlooks of the plunging Jackson Hole valley. The narrow road is five miles long and closed during winter.
Where to find the best spots for seeing wildlife
Whether you’re on the slopes of Mt. Moran or canoeing Jackson Lake, wildlife abounds in Grand Teton National Park. Find elk and pronghorn in the sharp sagebrush of Timbered Island, just south of the Jenny Lake Visitor Center. Bison and moose roam the woods near various overlooks including Oxbow Bend along the Snake River, while bald eagles and osprey circle the sky.
Climb up the glacially carved Cascade Canyon trail and look for yellow-bellied marmots as you listen for the high-pitched chirp of pikas, a small lagomorph related to rabbits and hares. You just might see them collecting wildflowers and grass, which they store in hay piles for cold, snowy winters.
The wildlife of Grand Teton National Park
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A remote camera captures a grizzly bear in Bridger Teton National Park.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHARLIE HAMILTON JAMES, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION
Wildlife safety: One of the park’s greatest attributes is its wildlife. To ensure your safety and theirs, obey the law requiring visitors to stay at least a hundred yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from all other wildlife, including bison, moose, and pronghorn.
Posted speed limits are especially important in Grand Teton, which has seen increased wildlife collisions since 2000. Park officials advise extra caution during the fall, when animals migrate, and during low-light hours at dawn, dusk, and nighttime, when the speed limit is 45 miles per hour.
Wildlife biologist and National GeographicExplorer Autumn Iverson recommends getting an early start in Grand Teton. “Early in the morning is when birds and other wildlife are going to be more active,” says Iverson, whose work focuses on Brewer’s sparrows, a small songbird with a distinct call that lives in sagebrush. During her many field trips at dawn, she often saw elk, moose, and pronghorn, the second fastest land animal in the world.
Researchers count lodgepole pine seedlings near Flagg Ranch, where the 2016 Berry Fire—the largest in national park history—burned forests that were about 150 years old.
PHOTOGRAPH BY SOFIA JARAMILLO, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION
Ski mountaineers trek up the crest on Mount Owen in Grand Teton National Park. Outfitters such as Exum Mountain Guides and Jackson Hole Mountain Guides lead visitors up into the Tetons in winter and summer.
PHOTOGRAPH BY JIMMY CHIN, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION
Jackson Lake glimmers like a black-and-white photograph in the winter. The lake is a popular spot for ranger-led programs, wildlife spotting, and canoeing. Signal Mountain Lodge is located on these shores.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL K. NICHOLS, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION
Iverson says she particularly enjoyed paddling one of the many lakes. That’s when “you get this whole expansive view of everything around you,” she says. Visitors can rent canoes or kayaks from Signal Mountain Marina and the Colter Bay Marina, among other outfitters. Paddling is generally recommended in the morning before afternoon winds arrive.
Notable activities and excursions
The Tetons are a steep mountain range that have attracted mountaineers and climbers like Irene Ortenburger and Yvon Chouinard. Because of their steep pitch and high elevation, many of the park’s high-altitude trails may be inaccessible for the first-time hiker.
Experienced hikers are drawn to the park for its challenging backpacking routes, including the sought-after Teton Crest Trail, which follows the range’s spine through wildflower-filled peaks from Teton Pass to String Lake. Totaling 40 miles, the trail generally takes backpackers three to five days to complete. Apply for a permit six months in advance on Recreation.gov.
Ambitious hikers and mountaineers may opt for a multiday trip in the backcountry to make summit attempts on the coveted 13,775-foot Grand Teton. Exum Mountain Guides and Jackson Hole Mountain Guides lead visitors up the lofty peaks in summer and offer ski mountaineering trips throughout the winter.
(Looking for room to roam? Try a ‘pack trip.’)
Best things to do for families
From mid-June to September, the park puts on various complimentary interpretive programs, which generally occur at Jackson Lake Lodge, Colter Bay Village, and Headwaters Lodge and Cabins. Jackson Lake Lodge’s naturalist programs illuminate the world of wildlife in the park, including birds of prey, mountain lions, and grizzly bears. Ranger-led hikes, wildlife viewing, and campfire talks occur daily in the summer throughout the park at its many visitors centers. Check the event calendar for the latest listings.
Outfitters like Solitude Float Trips or National Park Float Trips guide families on scenic rafting tours on the Snake River. Rafts generally put in at Deadmans Bar and take two to three hours to float 10 miles to Moose Landing, passing through a mellow stretch of the river. Knowledgeable guides educate guests on the park’s history and point out fauna, including white pelicans, beavers, and bison. Fall can be particularly picturesque, when rafts float by quaking aspen trees studded with golden leaves and stately Colorado blue spruce.
Campers have over a thousand sites to choose from, ranging from $10 to just over $100 per night. Book six months in advance through Recreation.gov. Colter Bay Tent Village has 66 “tent cabins” with wood walls and canvas tent roofs. The small cabins include covered porches, bunk beds, and wood-burning stoves. Note that all lodges, cabins, and campsites within the park close during the winter.
Outside the park: There are plenty of options in the bustling town of Jackson. About 13 miles from the park’s Moose entrance, Jackson has numerous restaurants, historic hotels, and live music venues.
You can also find lodging in Teton Village at the base of Jackson Hole Mountain resort. The charming area is just under two miles from the park’s southern Granite Canyon entrance, making it a great basecamp for skiers.
(Here’s how to plan the ultimate camping adventure.)
The Milky Way glitters over the Grand Teton mountain range, in Wyoming.
PHOTOGRAPH BY BABAK TAFRESHI, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION
Here’s what else you need to know
Access: The park is located in northwest Wyoming near the border of eastern Idaho, accessible via three entrances: Granite Canyon, Moose, and Moran Junction. Since Grand Teton is connected to Yellowstone National Park by the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, most visitors tack Grand Teton onto a multiday trip to Yellowstone.
When to visit: July and August are the most popular times to visit Grand Teton. May, September, and October see fewer crowds and cooler temperatures. Although wintertime shuts down many amenities and roads, it’s a great time to experience the region by snowshoe, cross-country skis, or snowmobile.
Spring can be an especially nice time to visit when portions of Teton Park Road open for a short time to cyclists, inline skaters, and other recreationists before cars are permitted in May. Before your trip, check the park’s alerts and current conditions page for road closures.
Plan ahead: Weather changes quickly in the Rocky Mountains, especially in the summer. Always pack extra layers and a rain jacket on all outdoor excursions. When venturing into the high country, start early so you can get below the treeline by noon, thereby avoiding afternoon thunderstorms, which can be violent.
Bear safety: Grand Teton National Park is black and grizzly bear country. The National Park Service recommends hikers carry bear spray, a non-lethal deterrent that’s EPA-approved.
(Bear safety rules are easy to learn. Why don’t people follow them?)
Are pets allowed in Grand Teton National Park?
Pets are allowed in Grand Teton National Park, but they must be restrained at all times for their safety and that of wildlife. Owners must pick up after them and properly dispose of their waste. Pets are not permitted on trails, in facilities, on swimming beaches, on boats (except on Jackson Lake), or in the backcountry. See full rules, including special considerations for service animals, here.
Accessibility
While some visitors centers, campsites, and lodges are accessible, there aren’t many trails for wheelchair and other medical aid users, says Vasu Sojitra, the disability access advocate. He notes that the North Pathway, a 20-mile paved trail that connects Jackson, Wyoming, with the park at Jenny Lake, is one of the more accessible areas in the region. “It is a really great way to experience and make a bigger day out of visiting the park,” he says.
Check the nonprofit Teton Adaptive’s website for information on adaptive paddling, skiing, climbing, and other activities inside and outside the park. Visit the park’s website for specific programs and details at lodgings and visitors centers.
How to visit Grand Teton National Park
Alternative winter experiences, from ice-climbing in Italy to camping in Finland
TRAVEL
1. Snowshoe in Romania
There’s no better time to sink your teeth into Transylvania than winter. One of Europe’s wildest corners becomes a smidgen wilder in the colder months: meadows are buried under drifts, bears snooze in woodland burrows, church towers and castle battlements are strung with icicles. Exodus offers a winter hiking tour of the Romanian region, using either boots or snowshoes, depending on the depth of snow. Participants poke their noses into bat caves, look for wolf prints on mountain plateaus and stop in traditional villages and farms to taste plum brandy. The tour ends with a visit to Bran Castle, traditionally, if not accurately, known as the home of Dracula. Eight days from £1,299 per person.
2. Spot wildlife in Scotland
Mull is among the most stately of the Hebridean islands, with a convoluted coastline carved up by inlets and an interior crowned by brooding Ben More. Up close, it’s equally captivating, particularly if you happen to be snooping on its animal residents through binoculars. Join a week-long winter wildlife safari with Naturetrek to see Mull during this most majestic season, when snow dusts the hills and the vegetation has thinned out, making it easier to spot herds of red deer. Birds of prey are busy at this time — look out for both golden eagles and white-tailed eagles riding the thermals, as well as otters swimming in the sea lochs below. Seven days from £1,795 per person.
3. Take a train through the Alps
While the British railway network grinds to a halt with the slightest dusting of snow, Swiss trains soldier on undaunted through snowdrifts, raging blizzards and conditions that would make polar explorers wince. Perhaps the boldest trains running through the Alps are those of the Bernina Express— reaching an ear-popping elevation of 2,253 metres as they enter a realm of glaciers while traversing a mountain pass dividing Switzerland and Italy. The sublime four-hour journey leaves skiers behind in St Moritz, as each train screeches skyward to the railway’s highest point at frozen Lago Bianco, before looping its way downhill to Tirano. Look out for the snow plough train that clears the line — it’s affectionately known as ‘the monster’. One way from CHF 61 (£63) per person.
The Bernina Express passes through Graubünden in Switzerland.
PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBERTO MOIOLA, ALAMY
4. Ride a bobsled in Latvia
The closest many folks get to bobsleighing is watching a certain ’90s film with a reggae soundtrack. The Sigulda Bobsleigh and Luge Track, about 50 minutes by rail from the handsome Latvian capital of Riga, however, is doing its bit to change all that. The course is 1,500 metres long, contains 16 curves and was built in 1986, mainly for use by Soviet athletes during the twilight years of the USSR. Since then, history has taken its own twists and turns, and the track now serves as a training ground for the Latvian Winter Olympic team. An exception is made for paying visitors, however. During each session, an expert bobsleigh pilot takes the controls while ordinary mortals cower in the back, clinging on for dear life as speeds of up to 80mph are reached. From £40.
5. Ice fish in Estonia
No winter activity is as meditative as ice fishing. Swaddled in winter clothing, participants plod onto frozen lakes, drill saucer-sized holes in the surface and spend still, silent hours with their eyes trained on the void below, minds wandering as they await a snag on the line. It’s especially popular in Estonia, where Sauga Fishing Village offers classes for beginners close to the town of Pärnu in the south. Expert fishermen guide you on a woodland walk, heaving along a sledful of supplies to a remote lake. Tea and soup are on hand while you await your catch; should your body need a thorough defrosting afterwards, there’s the chance to conclude your day in a sauna set inside an old fishing boat. Four hours of fishing instruction for two people from €425 (£372).
6. Skate in Sweden
Come winter, ice rinks establish themselves in market squares across Europe, with stollen and mulled wine in abundance. None, though, can compare to the experience of skating on the natural ice in Sweden — should the temperature sink low enough, thousands of miles of possible routes unfurl for anyone with a pair of skates and a spot of gumption. Guided tours with Nature Travels see skaters slice their way across backcountry lakes, gliding amid boreal forests, listening to the creak and rumble of shifting ice and peering into the crystalline depths beneath the metal blades. If conditions allow, itineraries also allow participants to skate on the salty ice of the Stockholm archipelago, where a frozen sea is studded with thousands of islets and skerries. Four days from £748 per person.
With over 95,000 lakes, Sweden is a popular place for outdoor ice-skating.
PHOTOGRAPH BY DAMKIER MEDIA GROUP, ALAMY
7. Whale-watch in Norway
Winter sees vast shoals of herring migrate to the Lofoten archipelago, where they seek sanctuary in fjords warmed by the Gulf Stream. Hot on their fishtails come pods of orcas that congregate here to gobble up mouthfuls of said herring, their sleek black forms rupturing the surface of the Norwegian Sea. Third in line are the tourists who come to see these whales on seasonal safaris — Lofoten Opplevelser offers daily departures in rigid inflatable boats, watching dorsal fins circling and clouds of spray erupting from blowholes. Almost as distracting is the backdrop to all this fishy drama: snow-capped mountains rising sheer from the sea, and villages of blood-red cabins strung along the shore. Four-hour safari from NOK 1,800 (£133) per person.
8. Ice climb in Italy
Most of the year, the waterfalls of the Italian Dolomites form the backdrop to holiday photographs, but in winter they offer themselves as ice climbing routes for enthusiasts armed with axes and crampons who scale nooks of the mountain range normally out of bounds. Local operator Mapo Tapo has a three-day guided introduction to ice climbing in the region, during which you learn belaying techniques and how to use ice screws and, hopefully, take the occasional moment to glance away from the ice at your fingertips to admire the limestone mountains beyond. Two nights from £290 per person.
An ice climber tackles a frozen waterfall in the Serrai di Sottoguda gorge in the Italian Dolomites.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MAKASANA, ALAMY
9. Hike In Slovakia
Most people craving snowy landscapes instinctively head for Scandinavia or the Alps. Far fewer venture into the Tatras, the mountain range that arches along the Slovakia-Poland border. Much Better Adventures offers a four-day hiking trip on the Slovakian side of the range — groups spend days treading through forests shaggy with fresh snowfall, climbing to highland lakes ringed by frosty peaks. After sundown, you get to experience Slovakian apres — expect goulash instead of fondue — with thermal springs on hand to revive trail-weary limbs. Three nights from £512.
10. Cross-country ski in Finland
Cross-country skiing is deeply ingrained in Finnish culture — it was the nimbleness and manoeuvrability of skis that saw the Finnish army outsmart Russian invaders during the Second World War. To this day, skis are deployed on missions as diverse as marathons, school runs and brief hops to the shops. To learn how to use them yourself, take a day-long cross-country ski trip out of Saariselkä, a resort set among the fells and forests of Finnish Lapland. Participants traverse an upland area crisscrossed with over 100 miles of trails, forging a deeper connection with the Arctic landscape as they swoosh along snowbound tracks. €82 (£72).
11. Fat bike in France
With the arrival of snow, the French Alps welcome hordes of skiers, crowds of snowboarders, a smattering of snowshoers and a sprinkling of ice climbers. Perhaps the rarest of these tribes are the fat bikers — the ‘fat’ in this case applies to the supersized, knobbly tyres adapted to get maximum purchase on snow and ice. Ride the Alps offers winter fat biking trips out of Samoens — a commune on the Swiss border, set in the shadows of the Chablais Alps. Here, fat bikers get to experience a different kind of Alpine descent — ski lifts are off limits, so riders hop in a support van to gain some elevation before carving their way through snowy forests and descending pistes once skiers have adjourned for their apres. Two days from £349 per person.
12. Horse-ride in Iceland
Descended from steeds brought over on Viking longships, Icelandic horses are small but sturdy creatures. With their thick coats they’re accustomed to working year-round so it’s possible to take a horse-riding trip even in the thick of winter. Íslandshestar offers itineraries in southern Iceland. Short days might involve riders trotting beside the glacial Thjorsa River and passing under the brooding Hekla volcano, as well as learning about the horse’s unique gait, the tölt (somewhere between a canter and a gallop). There are also interludes where guests get to dismount and explore the sights of the Golden Circle via bus. Four days from €1,299 (£1,136) per person.
See any moose on your ski vacation? Here’s how to share the slopes with wildlife
Alternative winter experiences, from ice-climbing in Italy to camping in Finland
“It was just hanging out, bedded down next to all of the skis,” says Tom Davies, a district wildlife manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). When it showed no signs of returning to the safety of the woods, Davies fired a rubber bullet into its hindquarters, a protocol used to condition animals to keep away from people and cause only temporary pain.
What ensued was one of the most harrowing encounters of Davies’ career. “He charged after me so fast. I ran behind a tree,” he says. “He stopped at the tree, kind of huffed at me, and then trotted off into the woods.”
Of the many wildlife species in the Colorado Rockies, moose are the most unpredictable and dangerous to encounter during ski season, says Davies. Introduced in the 1970s in the northern part of the state, Colorado’s moose population has grown tremendously. It’s not uncommon to see the animals wandering through forests, meadows, and ski slopes throughout winter.
(Here’s how to survive an encounter with wildlife—from bears to bison.)
With more people heading outdoors for ski recreation—a 6.6 percent increase from the 2020-2021 season to 2022-2023—there have been more accounts of animal encounters, including moose racing down the slopes and weaving in and out of lines of people at chairlifts. According to CPW, at least 18 moose attacks were reported in Colorado between 2020 and 2023.
So what should you do if you encounter wildlife during your winter vacation? The general rule is that if you don’t bother the animal, the animal won’t bother you, says Davies. “The worst part of my job is putting wildlife down because people were being careless, reckless, or negligent,” he says.
Even if you don’t run into a potentially harmful animal, there are things you can do to maximize safety and fun on your winter break. Here’s what you should know before hitting the slopes.
Respecting wildlife habitat
Colorado ski resorts operating under a land use permit from the U.S. Forest Service must follow ongoing wildlife conservation measures to ensure that various species have safe habitats in and around ski area boundaries.
These measures include roping off sections within ski area boundaries and closing roads, trails, and recreation paths on public lands that are important wildlife habitats and corridors in the winter. They also establish protected winter spaces for deer and elk. This, in turn, helps conserve the mountain lion population, since deer and elk are the lions’ primary food source.
Forest Service, wildlife biologists, and recreation managers do their best to “strike a balance” between protecting species and allowing public access and recreation, says Adam Bianchi, ranger for the U.S. Forest Service Dillon district.
However, “mapping apps and other new technologies are boosting the confidence of novice backcountry travelers to venture off trail, spreading them out across the previously untrampled alpine landscapes,” says Amy Seglund, a wildlife biologist and species conservation coordinator for CPW since 2006.
For example, Guanella Pass has for many years been a habitat for the white-tailed ptarmigan, the namesake for several peaks, trails, and neighborhoods in the mountain communities. But over the last two winters, the region has become increasingly popular for outdoor recreation.
“It was the only study site where the radio-collared female ptarmigan left and never came back,” says Seglund. “Birds that left moved to a location where a lot less recreation was occurring.”
Wildlife conservation groups in Colorado are working to protect plant and animal species, such as the white-tailed ptarmigan (pictured here), as more backcountry travelers seek outdoor winter recreation off trail.
PHOTOGRAPH BY GERRIT VYN/ NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY
Bianchi says that as wildlife officials and ski areas implement these mitigation measures to maintain wildlife habitat and minimize disturbances, individual recreation seekers must do the same.
(Strap on snowshoes for stellar views of this Colorado national park.)
“People camping and hiking have become accustomed to the mantra of leave no trace, pack it in, and pack it out,” he says. “This carries over to winter recreation, too. Give wildlife their space, especially in winter when their resources are limited. Anytime we move them around, it’s a major impact.”
What to know
Seeing wildlife on the slopes is a major highlight of any outdoor adventure. If you spot a wild animal nearby, the safest measure for you and the animal is to avoid getting any nearer.
If it is a large, potentially dangerous animal such as a moose, do not make sudden movements. Move away slowly without taking your eyes off the animal. According to CPW, moose—especially a cow with its calf—are most likely to charge when they feel trapped or threatened.
If you are on skis or a snowboard and see moose, give the animal as wide a berth as possible as you glide by. If an animal aggressively moves toward you, quickly put a large object between you, such as a tree, boulder, sign, or fence.
See any moose on your ski vacation? Here’s how to share the slopes with wildlife
TRAVEL
Since wildlife perceive equines as just another animal, exploring the landscape atop a horse makes for an intimate experience. “To journey on horseback is to break down the walls—meant to protect but also to separate—between oneself and the natural world,” says Nichole Sobecki, a photographer and equestrian who’s ridden in Borana. “Your horse is a translator, responding to the low growl of the lion, the soft scent of a herd of elephants.” A horse’s ears are an advance warning system, she says, helping knowledgeable guides navigate routes.
20 of the coolest travel adventures for 2024
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The world’s largest flattop mountain is an adventurer’s paradise
