Jackson, WY

I knew very little about Jackson (or Wyoming in general) before arriving, other than there is a well-regarded ski area there (Jackson Hole) and that there are grizzly bears. Thanks to a Utah friend’s enthusiasm, I had some expectations that it would be pretty, negated by my mom’s scorn that it would be a “tourist trap.” After a few days, I can confirm all of the above.

The drive up from Utah was snowy and rainy, but nonetheless quite pretty, especially once we got within 45 minutes of town. We drove along the Snake River, which is known for it’s rafting and hot springs, and then ultimately drove out through Grand Teton National Park. (We considered going into Yellowstone National Park, but decided it was a little too far out of the way for this quick trip.)

In town, we enjoyed Persephone Bakery; Workshop, which sold locally-made art; the Center for the Arts; and Hand Fire Pizza, which is located inside of a converted theater. We tried to get breakfast burritos at D.O.G., but our timing was unfortunately off. Out of town we did 15-miles of hiking in the National Park in the snow, but didn’t see the majesty of the mountains until our drive out the following day.

The Good

• Cute town with interesting and varied shops and restaurants. I especially liked how art-focused things were.
• Tons of options for outdoor adventures. There are multiple nearby national parks, national forests, rivers, lakes, skiing, and surely any other adventure sport I could hope for.
• Jackson Hole Ski Resort is a definite draw. We didn’t make it to the ski area this time around, but there’s a good chance we’ll spend a few days there later this winter.
• It seems like Utah may become my family’s hub, so it’s nice that this is only a 4 hour drive away.
• Additionally, it’s a destination location, so I expect we’d have more distant friends and family interested in visiting us.

The Bad

• Excessively touristy. Even though we visited during off season on a rainy day, the sidewalks were bustling and restaurants were packed during peak hours.
• Excessively expensive. There’s not a single property on the market within 50 miles of town that is less than a few million dollars.
• It feels like a resort town, not a residential town. As an indicator, quite a few shops were advertising limited hours or extended closures while in “off season,” which for some spots seemed to be from October-May.
• Similarly, many of the access roads within the national parks were advertising closures from November-May. Although the snow predictions are heartening for skiing, I think the winters might leave me feeling cooped up and antsy.

The Verdict

No. Although Jackson boasts tons of nearby public lands and is a charming place for visitors, we’ve decided we don’t want to live in a resort town.

The main town square has four of these antler arches – there's definitely character, but maybe not my vibe. 

I really liked the large-scale art all around town. These nest-like structures were outside of the Center for the Arts.

In addition to the art, there was something very Wyoming-esque to the buildings around town. 

My initial impressions were good. Despite the gloom, I though the drive along the Snake River was gorgeous. The waterfall across the way was hot springs runoff. 

This was our view of the mountains on Sunday – we chose this hike at Lake Jackson's Hermitage Point in hopes for mountain views and limited snow, but both hopes were unfulfilled. 

We did a second hike to Hidden Falls. Despite the cold and snow there were plenty of folks out on this popular trail.

We saw plenty of beaver lodges, a small herd of elk, and lots of interesting birds. Thankfully we didn't see any grizzlies, even though the rangers and signs reminded us we were in bear country.

It was cold, especially for mid-October. It was below freezing all day and I was wearing 3+ layers everywhere. 

Work Shop was so adorable! I can't wait to furnish my future house with overly-priced handcrafted art like this. 

Although Jackson Hold Ski Resort is about 25 minutes outside of town, there is a small ski area that is just a few blocks from the main downtown streets. 

Although Hand Fire Pizza is fully converted into a restaurant, there are still aspects of the former theater flair. 

Finally on the drive out, we had clear views of the Teton Range. This photo is from the Wedding Tree – a popular spot for small weddings thanks to these views. 

None of my photos capture how spectacular these mountains are! I'd love to come back and backpack here in the summer. 

I'll close this off with my pleasure at finding so much rabbit-themed art in one of the local galleries.