Sights to see: National Elk Refuge, Jackson Hole, Wyoming

National Elk Refuge 800-772-5386, 307-733- 0277.  Sleigh rides mid-Dec through first weekend in April; adults $18, 5-12 $12. Lodging suggestions: 307-733-3316. Take a draft horse-drawn sleigh tour of North America’s largest established elk preserve. Featuring the spectacular Grand Teton Mountain Range on one side and the Gros Venture Mountain range on the other, this is not a zoo Some of the thousands of elk migrate here from as far as 100 miles away. Sleighs are a cheery photogenic red with black trim and have padded seats. From them you’ll see wildlife up close and in motion. I heard the 4-year-old daughter of a park ranger exclaim with glee, “Wow, look at all that poop!” After, you can pet the horses and take pictures with them.

Then, warm up across the street within the impressive stone walls of the National Museum of Wildlife, where galleries let you get even closer to a wide array of wild animals.

image c2011 Carole Terwilliger Meyers