You can drop a small fortune entertaining yourself in Jackson — or not, advises Rick Schreiber, 73, who raised his kids in western Wyoming’s renowned resort town.
On a recent weekend, his granddaughter Eloise was learning to paddle a kayak for the first time at Rendezvous Park, a free public park nicknamed R Park off Wilson Road. After driving down Teton Pass, turn left at the light and the park is about 1/4 mile later on the right.
As Eloise guided herself near shore, the smooth water in the park’s pond built her 5-year-old confidence. Nearby, families fished, hiked and explored meadows, knolls and trails.
“Most of the land here in Teton County is public,” said Schreiber. “There’s an incredible network of public paved bike paths.”
As Schreiber’s son Matt coached Eloise, he reminisced about his childhood.
“I grew up fishing, climbing, skiing, mountain biking, camping, boating,” said Matt. “There are hikes galore. I can’t think of a better place to raise kids.”
Along with exploring Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks, here are a few free or expensive activities to do throughout the summer in Jackson.
- Free downtown walking tours at town square: At 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, guides lead an hour-long tour and tell of Jackson’s wild past and architecture.
- The Jackson Hole Shootout: At 6 p.m., villains and heroes confront each other in a shootout at the town square. A tradition since 1957, it is the longest continuously running gunfight in in the nation.
- Free star parties at R Park: From 9:30 to 11:30 p.m. on clear Friday nights from May through September near the north entrance to R Park, astronomers from Wyoming Stargazing set up a Dobsonian telescope to look at planets, stars, nebulae and galaxies. The non-profit organization also has an outdoor inflatable planetarium and augmented reality goggles from Universe2go for virtual stargazing.
- Grand Teton Music Festival: From July 3 to Aug. 20, free family concerts are offered Wednesday afternoons and weekends at Teton Village. At 10 a.m. on Fridays, rehearsals are open and free with tickets required. Times vary and are listed at www.gtmf.org.
- Free bouldering park: At the base of Snow King Mountain, a free bouldering park offers three large boulders/walls for all ages and skill levels. Adjacent to the wall is a small picnic shelter with eight tables, horseshoe pits and a grassy area.
- Free mountain bike trails: Trails from Snow King connect with Cache Creek and Game Creek network.
- Alive @ 5: From June 27 to Aug. 15 at Teton Village Commons Tuesday through Friday, a free summer program includes music, education and storytelling starting at 5 p.m.
- Browse N Buy, 139 N. Cache St.: The St. John’s Episcopal Church runs an upscale thrift retail store with everything from clothes to sporting goods and household items. It’s not free but close.
- Granite Hot Springs: A short drive south of Jackson, the natural hot springs offer a soaking pool and campground, fishing along Granite Creek and hiking into the Gros Ventre Mountain Range.
- Other events in town charging a nominal fee are a nightly ghost tour, Children’s Museum, Jackson Hole and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center and Wildlife Art Museum.
At www.jacksonholetraveler.com, a calendar is listed, and under a tab labeled “specials,” coupons are offered.
