7 Great Places to Run in Jackson Hole

Jackson Hole has a long, storied history of being a great place to run. In fact, the first thing the trapper Davey Jackson did when he arrived in the valley was lace up his beaver-skin trail running shoes and go for a refreshing run up the mountain. We can’t actually back that up with facts, but we can confirm that Jackson is a great place to run, with a healthy dose of great views, mild weather, and pleasantly technical trails. 

It goes without saying that all of these make great hiking trails as well, but we wrote this list with runners in mind. So here goes: seven great places to run in Jackson Hole. Click on each of the names for more details.

Josie’s Ridge 

Photo credit: Savannah Webster

Distance: 2.5 miles one way

Elevation gain: 1543 feet

Feeling up for some elevation? This trail goes from Flat Creek Bridge to the top of Snow King. You’ll climb a steep ridge, getting both great views and a

great glute workout along the way.

Snow King 

Photo credit: Wikipedia

Distance: 1.8 miles one way

Elevation gain: 1571 feet

Another short, steep trail, with more gorgeous Teton views. Snow King Mountain resort bills this hike as the best hiking in Jackson; you’ll have to decide for yourself whether the running experience lives up to that claim. If you get to the top and would rather not run the whole way down, you can take the chairlift for a small fee. 

Cache Creek

Photo credit: Paul Cecil Jr.

Distance: 2.7 miles out and back officially, though you can take various forks as far as you want

Elevation gain: 288 feet

At less than 300 feet of elevation gain, this one’s a bit less steep than the other two, but that doesn’t mean it skimps in the scenery department. Enjoy the wildflowers along this gentle uphill climb. 

Putt-Putt 

Photo credit: Douglas McGregor

Distance: 3.2 mile loop

Elevation: 515 feet

If you’re in the mood for another run partway between a flat jog and a strenuous climb, look no further. Enjoy wildflowers, a great view of downtown Jackson, and enough incline to get your heart rate up—all along a quiet path through rolling hills. 

Mormon Row

Photo credit: Wikipedia

Distance: roughly 2.75 miles to barns

Elevation: flat

You know those famous barns situated picturesquely in front of the Tetons? You do, trust us. They’re known around the world. We even recently wrote a blog about them. So whether your lifelong dream has been to run past these historic, screensaver-ready structures or you just want a great view, start by turning off Highway 89 onto Antelope Flats Road (closed November through May). See more directions in the link above. 

Elk Refuge Road 

Photo credit: Wikipedia

Distance: 8.4 miles in summer, 7 in winter

Elevation: roughly 100 feet

Say hi to the elk and bighorn sheep as you run along this flat, scenic road with great views of the Tetons. You may even spot a solitary wolf off in the distance, though we don’t recommend saying hello. (We don’t actually recommend approaching any animals. Just to be clear. They don’t make good running buddies.) Note that the elk are only in the refuge in the winter.

Highway 89 path

This is more or less the view from the trail.

Distance: as far as you want

Elevation: flat

Not to be confused with the Elk Refuge Road, this path nevertheless runs along the edge of the Elk Refuge along Highway 89, which makes it near and dear to our hearts—and our parking lot. It’s a flat, mostly paved track that runs toward Jenny Lake and through town toward Wilson the other way. If you’re staying with us or anywhere along its route, this path provides a refreshing morning run. The path is typically closed from October to April, which is basically when you’d be getting a good view of the elk, but you’ll still get to see sandhill cranes, antelope, and the occasional moose. 

Got any other favorite places to run? Let us know!

What do all these running trails have in common? Other than being, you know, scenic paths in the Jackson Hole area to get some exercise and maybe see some wildlife? These, the best places to run in Jackson, are all accessible to someone staying at Flat Creek Inn. Come stay with us soon!