A Hole in the Mountains with Heaps of Charm
After a winding, snowy drive from Idaho, we arrived in the west Wyoming town of Jackson Hole just as darkness started to fall. We were in town to explore, do some snowmobiling in the national parks, and check out some of the local wildlife at the National Elk Refuge.
It was our first time in Jackson – in fact, our first time in Wyoming – so we didn’t really know what to expect. Stepping off the bus, we were immediately found ourselves in the belly of a town hugged on every side by towering mountains; some world-renowned ski resorts, aglow with cascading lights. The town is surrounded by three ski resorts – Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (which is celebrating its 50
th
birthday), Snow King (Wyoming’s first ski area) and Grand Targhee Resort. The cabin-like buildings glowed from within, snow gathered in rifts on the pavement. The town was bustling, but not overly so. In fact, winter might just be the best time to visit Jackson Hole. Its population of around 10,000 people only grows by around 5,000 – compared with 52,000 in the summer!
We stayed at the
, which we were happy to discover is conveniently positioned just five minutes’ walk from the centre of town. The warm reception, helpful staff and free cookies had us feeling at home and relaxed in no time. And that’s before we even stepped inside our very own personal log cabin. Consisting of a living room, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom, the cabins have exposed log interiors, traditional decoration depicting the Wyoming of the 1880’s and a real, authentic, cosy feel. In my mind, the lively town of Jackson just outside our cabin fell away and was suddenly replaced with miles of snowy forest.
It was tempting to stay curled up in there all night, but we had a new town to explore. And Jackson Hole definitely has a lot to offer.
We ambled aimlessly at first, soaking up the jovial, quaint feeling of the town. The streets are lined with classy boutiques, souvenir shops and galleries, as well as a delicious menu of restaurants and bars. Phil and I started where every newbie to Jackson should – at the
.
Located right in the town square, the bar has been an iconic watering hole for both locals and visitors since the 1930’s. As the name would suggest, a classic western theme is the name of the game here – the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar is crammed full of western memorabilia, architecture, art and wall mounts. You can play a game of pool, or sit at the bar on a real saddle and order a cowboy beer or a hot buttered rum (if your thighs can last longer than half an hour)! The bar is inlaid with genuine silver dollars. Before you get any ideas about where the barman’s tip is going to come from, you should know that they’re nailed into the bar because cowboys kept stealing them…
The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar is also famous for being home to real western entertainment – there’s live music six nights a week, and free dance lessons on a Thursday so you can polish up your two-step or swing dance. If you like Jack Daniels, you’re in luck – the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar is the largest outlet for JD in the Northwest of America. They’re on their tenth barrel of the stuff – and considering each barrel contains 240 bottles of whiskey, that’s pretty impressive. Back in its early days, the bar was known as the place to indulge in some Illicit gambling - as was Jackson’s most historic and notable hotel,
.
The Wort is a great place for drinks, as we found out on another of our nights in the town. The town’s favourite band (
everyone
mentioned them) Sneaky Pete and the Secret Weapons were playing, and their brand of laidback jazz was perfectly washed down with a Wyoming Mule. Order one to taste whiskey that’s brewed right there in Wyoming (apparently the first batch was questionable – the second is much tastier!) I’ve also heard good things about the Long Island Iced Tea, although with snowmobiling the next day, I had to pass.
If you have no such commitments and are ready to make a night of it, Jackson Hole is happy to oblige.
on is one classy joint – ornate chandeliers drip from the ceiling and soft candlelight flickers on the dark, mahogany booths. The cocktail is unusual and extensive – I’m pretty sure I spotted artichoke as one of the ingredients!
If you’re looking for something a bit more casual, head to the
We didn’t get the chance to go here, but it had an iconic reputation throughout the town. You can grab a locally brewed Snake River pint, and apparently the food is fantastic.
Speaking of food – feeling peckish? Sometimes I forget we’re travelling, and think we’re on some kind of eating tour through the states. Jackson was no different. One of my favourite places we discovered was
– home to the Melvin Brewery (try the cherry and honey beer. It’s called “Hell Bitch”, but don’t be put off, it’s delicious) and some damn tasty Thai food for under $20pp.
Needing to work off all of that deliciousness, we headed back to the town square. At each of the four corners of the central park are elaborate arches, with a pair of suspended moose antlers hanging in the middle. On closer inspection, we saw that the arches are completely made out of antlers. Over the next few days, we learned the full story behind these unusual structures. The local Boy Scouts have a permit to pick up shedded elk antlers, which are used to make the arches. They’re then auctioned off during the annual elk fest. It’s a cute, time-honoured tradition.
It was just another factor that made Jackson Hole so effortlessly endearing. I haven’t had this feeling many times so far on our travels, but the cosy, friendly town of Jackson Hole is definitely somewhere I could see myself living. I could have easily spent another few days exploring the town and its attractions – but we had some adventuring to do, by the name of snowmobiling in both Yellowstone and Gros Ventre wilderness. Stay tuned!
My stay in Jackson Hole was in partnership with Jackson Hole Chamber. I enjoyed complimentary accommodation and activities in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own
!
