The tours, which run from mid-December to early April, last for roughly an hour and allow participants to see the elk up close safely. One of the most popular ways to explore the refuge is by taking a sleigh ride. Winter sleigh ride through the National Elk Refuge. There are mounded and raised “elk jumps,” or openings in the fence, on the western boundary that allow animals to get into the refuge, without letting them get out. The animals can leave and re-enter the refuge on the northern and eastern boundaries, but 8-ft high fences on the southern and western borders exist to protect the elk from traffic in Jackson and along Highway 26, respectively. So just how many elk will you see? The refuge’s objective is 5,000 elk, but their numbers regularly reach 6,000 to 7,000 or even more. They make their way back to higher elevation in April and May. The animals typically migrate down from the high country when cold weather sets in from late October through December in search of food. During the summer, this “Jackson herd” grazes in higher elevations – 30 percent in Grand Teton National Park, 30 percent in Gros Ventre, 25 percent in Yellowstone National Park and 15 percent in the Teton Wilderness. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Elk Refuge provides a winter habitat for elk. The refuge was originally established in 1912 to protect one of the world’s largest elk herds. If you have a hankering to see elk-and we mean a lot of elk-then visit the National Elk Refuge, just a mile from Jackson, Wyo.’s Town Square, in the winter.
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