The Hole Hiking Experience – Snowshoeing
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The Hole Hiking Experience runs guided snowshoe tours through Grand Teton National Park, the Bridger-Teton, and the Targhee-Caribou National Forests. Operating since 1989 as Jackson's original nature company, the snowshoe program is the winter extension of their year-round hiking tour line. The right fit is anyone who can walk and wants a guided winter walk in the park or surrounding forest, with naturalist depth on tracks, wildlife, and winter ecology. The wrong fit is hardcore winter athletes who want unguided pace, or backcountry travelers who want avalanche-terrain off-piste routes.
What you actually do
Half-day and full-day guided snowshoe tours. Routes are picked the day-of based on snow conditions, weather, group ability, and what wildlife is moving. Common zones: groomed cross-country trails inside Grand Teton National Park, quieter Forest Service trails outside the park, and lower-elevation winter routes when storms close higher zones. Pace options match group fitness; private tours can be customized.
Where the program goes
Three main zones. Grand Teton National Park: the headline scenery, with the closed-in-winter Teton Park Road becoming a quiet snowshoe corridor. Bridger-Teton National Forest: longer routes, fewer people, and access to drainages east of the park. Targhee-Caribou National Forest: trails on the western side of the range with different snow conditions and views. The guides pick zones the visitor would not find on their own.
How this compares to the year-round hiking tour
Same operator, different program. The year-round hiking tour line handles spring through fall plus sunrise/sunset wildlife tours; this snowshoeing line is winter-specific. If you are visiting in winter and want to be on foot, this is the natural booking; for shoulder-season hiking, switch to the hiking tour line.
Snowshoeing Tour Highlights and Activities in Jackson Hole
Three honest tradeoffs. First, snowshoeing is slower than people expect. A morning out covers less ground than a summer hike. Second, this is interpretive guided time; if you want to grind out distance, rent snowshoes and go on your own. Third, weather. Heavy storms or extreme cold can change route plans or pause tours; the operation prioritizes safety.
Before you go
For the best wildlife windows on snowshoe tours, mornings beat afternoons. Animals are more active in cold morning conditions than in midday warm. Cold mornings are real (often single digits at the trailheads); the body warms up quickly with snowshoe motion, but the first ten minutes are a layer-management exercise. Bring a thin base, an insulating mid, and a windproof shell, and adjust as you warm.
Final word
For visitors who want a quiet winter walk in the Tetons with naturalist context, this is the long-running operation that does it best. For pure exercise or unguided exploration, rent gear and go on your own.
FAQ
Do I need experience snowshoeing?
No. If you can walk, you can snowshoe. Technique takes about five minutes to learn.
What gear is provided?
Snowshoes, trekking poles, gaiters, backpacks, snacks, water, and optics. Bring your own warm clothing, boots, hat, gloves, and eye protection.
What ages can do this?
Tours can be adapted for kids; ask about age recommendations and pace when you book.
What if there isn't enough snow?
The operation switches to dry-trail hiking on lower-elevation routes when snow is insufficient, or reschedules. Confirm the day-of plan when you book in shoulder seasons.