In January, a dog on a six-foot leash is legal on the Game Creek Trail. In July, the same dog on the same leash is banned from every Town of Jackson park, and the owner can be fined $100. The Bridger-Teton's winter rules return December 1 and get most of the attention every fall. The longer-running restriction is the one in town, and this fall the Town is asking residents whether to keep it.
So two sets of rules are moving at once this season. The Forest tightens on a fixed calendar, and the Town's rules may loosen on a slower one. The Forest rules arrive first.
What Changes on the Forest December 1
The Jackson Ranger District's Dog Leash Order applies "annually December 1 to May 1 (6 am)." Within the areas it covers, it prohibits "possessing a dog... unless it is tethered by a leash not longer than six feet." The order took effect December 19, 2024, and runs through April 24, 2028 unless it is rescinded. That makes this winter the third season under the same text.
The order covers specific trails and lots:
- Putt Putt Trail #4038, from the southern kiosk at the Nelson Drive Trailhead about 2.4 miles to the Wiggle Trail junction, plus the Putt Putt Connector #4038E
- Woods Canyon Trail #4041 and the Woods Canyon Connector #4041A
- Crystal Butte Trail #4030
- Teton Pass parking areas, east to the Shovel Slide overflow lot
- Game Creek parking and trailhead area, the first 1.2 miles of Game Creek Trail #4025, and the 1.15-mile Game Creek Connector #4025B that parallels Game Creek Road
The order says its purpose is to protect wintering elk, deer and moose "by reducing disturbance from uncontrolled dogs."
The Forest's November 2025 winter restrictions release goes further than the order's list. It says dogs must be leashed at developed trailheads including Cache Creek, Trail Creek and Teton Pass, "where the combination of congestion and vehicles necessitates greater control." The same release also says off-leash areas "are still available in many other locations including Nelson Knoll Trail."
Where No One Goes, Leash or Not
Leash rules govern where a dog can go on a leash. A separate set of winter closures shuts some places to dogs and people completely. Starting December 1, the release lists these areas near town as "closed to all human presence":
- Josie's Ridge, and the slopes above Highway 89 south to Game Creek
- The slopes above Cache Creek and Nelson Drive
- The slopes above Hoback Canyon
- The slopes north of Gros Ventre Road
- The full A&W Trail between Adams and Wilson canyons
The A&W closure crosses three owners: Teton County, the National Forest and the Jackson Hole Land Trust. It was extended over the whole trail starting last winter so the rule would be the same from end to end. For people who walked it, the Forest points to the plowed multi-use pathway along South Highway 89, which Teton County keeps open in winter.
These closures and the leash corridors share boundaries. The order defines the Putt Putt corridor as running northeast to the Winter Wildlife Closure boundary. That means the leashed trail is the buffer, and the closed hillside sits right beside it.
Boundaries can change from year to year. Teton Conservation District's interagency winter closure map calls itself informational and updates it annually. It sends users to agency maps and posted signs for the authoritative version.
The Park Rule That Never Takes a Season Off
The Forest rules switch on and off with the calendar. The Town rule doesn't. In the Jackson Hole News&Guide's words, dogs "aren't allowed at all in town parks at any time, even if they're leashed." Buckrail's August report lists Town Square, Mike Yokel, Miller, Phil Baux, Powderhorn and Garaman among the parks under that single ban.
| Where | When | What the rule says |
|---|---|---|
| Town of Jackson parks | All year | No dogs, leashed or not; $100 fine possible |
| Putt Putt, Woods Canyon, Crystal Butte, Game Creek corridors | Dec. 1 to May 1 | Leash no longer than six feet |
| Josie's Ridge, slopes above Cache Creek and Nelson Drive, A&W Trail | Winter closure from Dec. 1 | Closed to all human presence |
| Nelson Knoll Trail | Winter | Named by the Forest as an off-leash option |
| Grand Teton, past the 4 Lazy F gate | Nov. 1 to Apr. 30 | No pets, leashed or not |
The park ban covers more of the year than anything else in the table, and it is the only rule here that is under review. Grand Teton's January 2026 Superintendent's Compendium has a narrow winter allowance of its own. While the Snake River floodplain is closed from December 15 to April 1, leashed pets may go from just northwest of the Moose residential area to the 4 Lazy F gate.
Why the Town Is Asking Now
The question goes back to June. Councilor Devon Viehman asked Town staff to look into the policy, and she told the Jackson Hole News&Guide that "it's never been enforced before ever" and that she had "heard from a lot of people in the community that they really want options to be able to take their dogs in parks."
In August the council voted unanimously to direct staff to draft policy options and a community engagement plan, Citizen Portal reported. In a press release quoted by Buckrail, the Town said it is looking for "'both/and' solutions" so that people who do and don't enjoy canine company can all use the parks. The goal is a decision by summer 2027, according to the News&Guide's August preview of the council review.
Mayor Arne Jorgensen has suggested that the answer may not have to apply to every park the same way. As quoted by the News&Guide:
"May Park, that many of us are very much familiar with, is a large enough park where you could designate areas that are allowed for dogs and some that aren't."
May Park has a history here. When the News&Guide covered earlier off-leash planning there, an informal April 2021 poll of the Hansen Meadows Homeowners Association found most respondents opposed to a dog park. Any plan for the park will start from that earlier conversation.
What the Survey Actually Asks
The Town's Dogs in Town Parks Community Survey was posted September 16 and updated September 30. It takes about five minutes, and responses are anonymous. The Town asks people who filled out an earlier version to take the updated one, and says "no decision has been made." A Spanish version is available too.
According to the News&Guide, the answer choices cover a range of options:
- Keep dogs out of Town parks entirely, as the rule reads now
- Allow dogs only at certain times
- Allow dogs only in certain spaces
- Create a fenced area where dogs can run off-leash
The survey also asks residents what concerns they have. Susan Scarlata, the Town's external affairs director, told the paper, "We are aware that there are strong feelings on a lot of sides of this issue."
The Town says you don't need to own a dog, or avoid them, for your answer to count.
A Place on North King Street Built for the Dog
While the park question is still open, a dog-focused business is getting ready to open downtown. Biscuit Bar, which the News&Guide described as a "treatery," is set to open on North King Street. It comes from Lona Williams and Hope Reiners, who also run ModernBeast around the corner.
The planned menu for dogs includes bison sliders, fetch fries and bone broth shots. For people, there will be house-made pastries and Caffe Luxxe coffee, with planned hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The paper calls the shop's photo booth Jackson's only dog photo booth. Reiners hand-painted tiles of every dog, past and present, owned by the people involved in the business.
The owners also support local rescue groups, including Dog Is My CoPilot, the Animal Adoption Center and Aska's Animals Foundation. Each quarter, the business gives a $25,000 grant to a different nonprofit through its roundup program. "There are a lot of dog communities, but this is a community where people care, where people take action for animals," Williams told the paper.
The Dates Between Now and Next Summer
- November 1: Grand Teton closes the area past the 4 Lazy F gate to pets
- December 1: The Bridger-Teton leash order and winter closures take effect
- December 15: Grand Teton's Snake River floodplain closure begins
- May 1, 6 a.m.: The Forest leash order lifts for the season
- Summer 2027: The Town's reported target for deciding on dogs in parks
Under the Forest order, a violation is a Class B misdemeanor with a fine of up to $5,000 for individuals. The Jackson Ranger District takes questions at (307) 739-5500. This post is general information, not legal advice, so check the linked orders and posted trailhead signs before you head out.
If you'd like to talk through how trail access and the town park rules fit the daily routine you have in mind, Bryan Lyster is happy to help. Let's Connect.
