Jackson Hole

For our final blog post in this miniseries, we’re stepping out of Montana and into our fellow country neighbor state: Wyoming. Just like Montana, Wyoming is filled with natural beauty and small towns that radiate character: rivers, lakes, and mountains. Horse riding trails, old bars, and life long ranchers with countless stories. 

One such town can be found right near the stunning Teton Mountains. Jackson is the only incorporated municipality in Teton County. Many refer to the town as Jackson Hole, but “Jackson Hole” actually refers to the entire valley next to the Teton Mountains range. That is, Jackson is a town at the southern end of the Jackson Hole valley.

The area was settled and explored in the 1800s by trappers, but was used as traveling routes and for seasonal camps for thousands and thousands of years before by a number of Native tribes, including the Bannock, the Blackfoot, the Crow, the Eastern and Mountain Shoshone, the Gros Ventre, the Nez Perce, and the Northern Arapaho.

Trapper and explorer David Edward Jackson, having setup his own fur trapping territory,  would often return to the valley, even in the harsh winter. William Sublette, one of his business partners, named the area “Jackson’s Hole.” The town would go on to be named Jackson in 1894, but wouldn’t become an incorporated municipality until 1914. Just six years later, in 1920, Jackson would have a historic city council made up entirely of women. 

Like many of these western towns, Jackson’s history can still be felt as you walk through the streets. Buildings from the town’s founding and early years are still standing to this day. Sometimes, the town is slow, quiet, and laid back. Other times, Jackson’ downtown is busy and filled with life and energy from the tourism that is drawn in by the town’s unique, yet classic, western flair. Jackson Hole is a popular destination for skiers, thanks to the ski resorts not far from the town.The area’s first ski hill was constructed in 1937. Two years later in 1939 Snow King, the ski resort closest to Jackson, was established and remains widely popular to this day. Even if you don’t ski and simply want to see the grandeur of the Teton Mountain range, take some extra time to stop by Jackson.