Snow King Mountain in Summer

At 80-plus years, Snow King Mountain is the oldest ski area in Wyoming. Known by locals as the "Town Hill," in summer the ski resort transforms its base into a real community hub, offering a wide range of summer activities for all ages along with spectacular views of Jackson Hole and the Teton Mountain Range.

Daily activities at Snow King include scenic gondola rides, the alpine slide, a "Cowboy Coaster" and Treetop Adventure ropes course—complete with zip lines—a miniature golf course, paragliding, hiking, biking, bungee trampolines, an interactive maze and a bouldering park, plus the steepest zip line in North America. Additionally, a concert series at the summit and a new state-of-the-art observatory and planetarium await. Play on!

What To Do and Big King Pass

Snow King is amazing from top to bottom. Case in point: The 360-degree views from the top of the mountain are famous—you can stare back at the buildings in town below you and out over the buttes to the clear and jagged Teton mountains just beyond. To reach the summit, hike or bike up on the 1,500-vertical extensive trail network—a great workout or place for a reflective walk. A new gondola is available for stunning scenic rides in the summer.

Down at the base, there is action aplenty, as well as a new way to save money on all the activities with the "Big King Pass" options. The Big King Ultimate ($200 for  adults). includes a single day of unlimited use of all activities including mini-golf, the Cowboy Coaster, Alpine Slide, Amaze'n Maze, bungee trampoline and scenic gondola ride plus three tours on the Treetop Adventure Course and two tours on the new summit to base zip line. The Big King Lite Pass is $120 for ages 7 and older and $60 for kids ages 2 through 6. It is good for unlimited use of all activities except  Treetop Adventure and zip line. For more options, click on link here.

Below we highlight what's in store at "the King" for hours—or a full day—of mountain fun in the sun.

Don't Miss the View!

We can't say enough about the view, so don't miss a chance to take a scenic gondola ride all the way to the top and be prepared to be astounded by the panorama of Jackson Hole—on a clear day you can even see Yellowstone! You can also take it all in from the top of the Rafferty chairlift, which is where you will start the Alpine Slide.

Cost for Scenic Gondola: $30 ages 13-64; $15 seniors and kids age 6 to 12; free for those age 5 and under.

Related Article: Winter at Snow King

Snow King Observatory and Planetarium

Seated on the crest of the ridge atop Snow King Mountain, the brand new Snow King Observatory and Planetarium is state of the art with a large (one meter) Plane Wave telescope available for public observation via on-site staff. The telescope rests on a 20-foot concrete pier anchored in the earth and isolated from the greater structure to prevent vibrations from disrupting its position.

The 4,400-square-foot observatory features a 35-seat planetarium space theater and a 40-seat auditorium for group presentations and learning opportunities. Adjacent to the 24-foot dome is a rooftop observation deck where portable telescopes can be set up for additional viewing during astronomical events.

The Snow King Gondola can access the observatory, or if you’d prefer to hike some trails, go up 1,600 feet to the summit. The admission ticket to the observatory includes a gondola ride up, plus a tour of the facility, including showings of previous nights’ observations on multiple large-screen TVs throughout the building; there will also be nighttime activities include of course stargazing and other astronomical events such as meteor showers.

Cost: Daytime Experience is $60 for adults and $50 for students; free for kids age 5 and under. Nighttime Experience is $125 for adults, $100 for students; free for ages 5 and under.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the Daytime Experience, and 9 p.m. to midnight for the Nighttime Experience. Arrive at the base of the gondola by 9 to maximize your time at the facility on the mountaintop. At the end of the night experience, you will be back down at the base of the gondola at midnight.

Visit the website at snowkingmountain.com for more information and ticket purchase.

Zip Line

Fly down the face of Snow King Mountain on North America’s steepest zip line, with views of Jackson Hole and the Tetons in the background. Each of the three sections has two lines, allowing you to share the thrill with family and friends! Start at the top with the beginner section to test your confidence and skill, which includes awesome views where your family can take photos and watch you learn. Then, with speeds up to 60 mph and a 36% grade, take the plunge into the steepest span. Finally, at a 31% grade and a total distance of 1,275 feet, ride down the final span over the Cowboy Coaster and land at the base of the mountain.

Participants must be 12 years old to ride; ages 12 to 15 must be accompanied by an adult and must be able to participate independently.

Cost: $175

Treetop Adventure

With course elements 12 to 80 feet off the ground, you'll quickly discover why this activity is called Treetop Adventure! Think Swiss Family Robinson meets X-Games. After a safety brief you’ll clip in and ride zip lines, shimmy over suspended bridges, scramble up nets, cross swinging logs and even ride an aerial skateboard. This adventure is essentially a high-flying tour of the forest! Kids under age 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Cost: $80 (ages 12 and up).

The Flying Squirrel Course is designed for kids ages 7 to 12. Cables are 6 to 10 feet above the forest floor for all challenges except the zip line which gets as high as 20 feet off the ground. Cost: $50.

Both the Treetop Adventure and Flying Squirrel tickets include a ride on the Alpine Slide.

Alpine Slide

One Jackson Hole experience not to be missed is the Snow King Alpine Slide which combines a scenic chairlift ride up with an exhilarating sled-like ride down the mountain. A Jackson Hole institution for more than 40 years, the slide takes you zooming across the mountain and down 350 feet over the half mile track at speeds up to 25 miles per hour. There is also a tunnel on the slide! Fly through twists and turns on one of two side-by-side tracks as you slide through banked turns and hairpin thrills at your own pace.

Cost: $15 (7 years and older); $5 (ages 2-6).

Cowboy Coaster

The unique—and uniquely fun!—Cowboy Coaster made its big summer debut five years ago.  Jackson Hole's most exciting attraction zips, twists and turns through nearly a mile of loops, curves and drops—some as high as four stories tall. The mountain coaster is also the only one in the state!

Cost: $20 driver, $10 passenger. Five-trip packages are available.

Insider tip: This is a thrill not to be missed! If you are a brave passenger, keep your hands up in the air going down and around the curves and hills, regular roller coaster-style. And after your ride, don't forget to check out the photo that is taken of you on the last turn; priceless!

Mini-Golf

Fore! This state-of-the-art 18-hole miniature golf course features water challenges including a waterfall and a pond. The family-friendly course travels through multiple levels and is a great activity for kids of all ages. Plus, it's the only mini-golf spot in the Tetons! Cost: $15 adults/kids age 7 and older; $5 kids age 6 and under.

Amaze'n Snow King!

The Amaze'n Maze is themed with animals of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Maze runners are timed searching for different checkpoints in the structure, including interpretive elements related to eight animals that are hidden within. There is even a mini zipline!

Cost: $10 for ages 7 and up; $5 under age 6. Re-runs through the maze are $5. The maze is included with all the other activities on the mountain with the Big King Passes.

Bungee Trampoline

The bungee trampoline isn't just for kids—even adults will marvel at how high they can get while perfecting flips (or belly flops!). Securely harnessed to the bungee cords, you can try flips and tricks without fear of falling. A 2-minute jump is $10 and the minimum age to do it is 2 years old.

Bouldering

At the base of Snow King lies a free bouldering park that features three large boulders/walls for all ages and skill levels. On Tuesday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m., a "Town Pump" summer bouldering series competition is held. A youth division is available for climbers under age 14. This weekly event generates money for climbing holds for the boulder park.

King Concert Series

An exciting live music option exists for summer atop Snow King: King Concerts Summer Series at the summit stage. The summit stage sits at roughly 8,000 ft with spectacular views of the Teton mountain range and is accessed via a 5-minute scenic gondola ride.

King Concerts 2024 schedule is as follows:

June 27 and 28: The String Cheese Incident
June 29: Stephen Marley—Old Soul Tour Unplugged, and a special acoustic performance with Full Band
July 5: Old Crow Medicine Show
July 6: Blues Traveler and JJ Grey & Mofro
July 16: Portugal. the Man with Spoon Benders
July 25: moe., Melvin Seals & JGB, and Pink Talking Fish
August 2: Cypress Hill with Souls of Mischief

Ticket prices vary for each concert and include the gondola ride. Venue gates and band start times will also vary each night. Limited VIP Express tickets include priority loading and downloading on the gondola and access to a stageside VIP zone and tents for complimentary beer, wine, soft drinks and appetizers, from approximately 4:30 to 8 p.m.

Tickets are available online at kingconcerts.com.

Patrons are encouraged to bring blankets, low-back chairs, sturdy shoes and mountain weather-appropriate clothing to enjoy the alpine environment in comfort.

Snow King Mountain Sports

Snow King Mountain Sports has gear and accessories to help you make the most of your time in Jackson Hole—bike and stand up paddle board (SUP) rentals, outdoor adventure clothing, swimwear, and even souvenir T-shirts. Rent an adult pathway bike for $49 for a half day or a kid’s bike for $39 (helmet included in all bike rentals). Mountain bike rentals start at $85. You can rent e-bikes starting at $89. There are also Trail-a-Bikes for kids not quite ready to bike on their own. SUP’s cost $50 a day to rent and youth kayaks are $40 for the day. To reserve, call 307-201-5096 or visit snowkingmountain.com.

Slopeside Dining

Snow King is host to three eateries. The King's Grill (pictured) is an All-American restaurant in the Rafferty Center, steps away from the Cowboy Coaster. It is open daily for lunch or dinner and frequently has specials on food and/or adult beverages. The Snow King Cafe is located in the Lodge Room, adjacent to the Snow King Sports & Events Center, and finally, the Panorama House at the summit of the mountain offers a bar and outdoor BBQ in the summer months, crepes and snacks year-round.