The Town of Jackson is located toward the southern end of the valley, nestled between the Hoback Range, which contributes to Snow King Mountain on the southern edge of the valley, and the East Gros Ventre Butte. Today the park includes 485 square miles or 310,000 acres. To the delight of the park's visitors, many of the large animals roam undisturbed across the valley floor, and numerous trails lead into the mountains to satisfy curious minds. The native wildlife includes moose, mule deer, pronghorn, elk, grizzly and black bears, bison, and trumpeter swans. Grand Teton National Park occupies most of the valley of Jackson Hole, preserving the towering peaks of the Teton Valley Mountains and the beautiful glacial lakes. By contrast with the impressive Tetons, the tallest mountain in the Gros Ventre Range is Doubletop Peak at 11,682 feet, some twenty miles as the crow flies, southeast of Jackson Hole. In the valley to the east, The Gros Ventre (Big Belly) Mountains roll up a little more gently from the valley floor. Grand Teton, the tallest mountain in the range, is 13,772 feet above sea level and towers over Jenny Lake at its base. Along the western side of the valley, the famous Teton Mountains proudly rise into the sky, a sharp canvas of rock without the preamble of foothills to separate the massive mountains from the valley floor. Several lakes lie along the course of the Snake River among them is Jackson Lake and Jenny Lake. The Snake River, originating in the high country of Yellowstone, meanders through the valley and is fed by streams and rivers, such as the Gros Ventre River and Flat Creek. The valley floor sits at 6,779 feet above sea level in the north to about 6,069 feet at the southern end. The original size of the elk herd has been estimated to have been in excess of 25,000.The valley is 48 miles long and varies in width between 8 to 15 miles wide. During the spring, the herd would follow the retreating snows and growing grasses back into the Yellowstone National Park region. Historically, they migrated to the present location of the refuge and further south into southwestern Wyoming during the fall, wintering on grassy plains that were both sheltered from weather and that maintained less snowfall or snow depth than surrounding lands. The refuge's elk migrate from as far away as southern Yellowstone National Park. The original size of the elk herd has been estimated to have been in excess of 25,000. Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency of the U.S. It is home to an average of 7,500 elk each winter. With a total of 24,700 acres, the refuge borders the town of Jackson, Wyoming on the southwest, Bridger-Teton National Forest on the east and Grand Teton National Park on the north. It was created in 1912 to protect habitat and provide sanctuary for one of the largest elk herds. The National Elk Refuge is a Wildlife Refuge located in Jackson Hole in the U.S.
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