This
all-year resort town in Jackson Hole is filled with the
ambience of the Old West, combined with the modern frills
of one of the top ski resorts in the country. The
community lies at the south end of Jackson Hole, a valley
which was occupied only by Indians until shortly after
mountain man and guide John Colter discovered the area in
1807.
Originally
a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, Colter came
to the area alone and spread the word about this
beautiful valley with its distinctive mountain range
which were later named the Tetons.
After
Colter, the fur trade dominated Jackson Hole. This was
the period of the "Mountain Men", those rugged characters
who opened the western frontier during the next 20 years.
Among the residents of the hole were Jim Bridger,
Jedediah Smith and David Jackson after whom the valley
and the town were named. Jackson was a hub for the fur
trade, where six major fur trails converged. The trappers
had disappeared by 1845 and the Tetons were largely left
alone for forty years, except for nomadic Indians who
passed through the valley.
The
Hayden expeditions of 1871 to 1878 surveyed the valley
and its geological features, giving names to the Teton
peaks and several of the lakes. By the 1880s, settlers
entered the region and homesteads were
established.
What
to See & Do
Today,
Jackson is a fine mixture of the old days and modern
chic. Snow King Mountain provides good powder
skiing from mid-December to April. The ski lift operates
during the summer, taking tourists to splendid views of
the Grand Tetons and the "Hole" below.
Most
people come to Jackson before or after a visit to
Grand
Teton National Park.
The park is located just north of town, and the route
running north through the park is the highway to
Yellowstone National Park. The Tetons are among the most
scenic mountain range in North America -- with jagged
peaks and high walls on the Wyoming side, while on the
Idaho side, the mountains are much less dramatic.
The
western boundary of the Teton Wilderness is less
than a mile from the town. This is 585,000 acres of
backcountry through which there are no roads. The
wilderness is accessible by foot or horse and offers
views of waterfalls, evergreen forest, large meadows and
lakes. It is possible to hike to the Continental Divide.
The highest point in the wilderness is Yount's Peak (el.
12,165 feet). Gros Ventre Wilderness is another
large preserve, with dramatic Rocky Mountain peaks and
deep canyons. A dozen or more fishing lakes are in this
area, with many fishing streams where cutthroat, eastern
brook and rainbow trout are caught. There is an extensive
network of trails running through the Gros Ventre
Wilderness. Wildlife species include black bear, moose,
bighorn sheep, mule deer and elk. There are large
subalpine meadows in the wilderness, surrounded by
Engelmann spruce; the lower slopes are populated by
lodgepole pine.
Jackson
has been a summer haunt of President Clinton and his
family, in the early years of the presidency. The area,
with its rustic-looking but deluxe lodges, has been
attracting the high and the mighty for many
decades.
Where
to Eat
Eating
in Jackson provides a choice from burgers to fine dining,
including several which serve game including the
Cadillac Grille on the Town Square serving an
eclectic range of American dishes, and JJ's Silver
Dollar Bar and Grill in the Wort Hotel.
The
Gun Barrel Steak House specialties incclude
mesquite grilled steaks and game. Off Broadway
Grill has a very innovative menu, that includes fresh
seafood dishess.
Rafferty's,
at the Snow King Ski Resort, serves Northwest
cuisine.
