Jackson Hole in Wyoming - Pictures of Great Attractions

In the summer of 1988 my mother, niece and I decided to explore Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We were to see many great attractions and capture numerous photos on this vacation trip.

For once, we decided to unpack just one time and make our headquarters in one place, venturing out on daily sightseeing trips.

We flew from Houston to Jackson Hole and our airplane landing was the first exciting moment of our planned two week vacation trip.

The landing strip is on top of a butte and it appeared to us that the small aircraft stopped just in time before the end of the landing strip was in sight!

We could envision tumbling over the edge...........but I won't go there!

One has a choice of many places to stay in Jackson Hole and the surrounding area. We chose to stay at Spring Creek Ranch which sits 700 feet high above the valley floor where the town of Jackson Hole exists. This Four-Diamond Resort offered much in the way of amenities.

We deposited our belongings in a charming and rustic condo that offered views of the mountains; water; spectacular sunsets; fireplace (which we used every night as the night's were cool enough to enjoy a blazing fire); swimming pool and jacuzzi near our unit; great food service and most of all a beautifully tranquil and peaceful place in which to relax.

Spring Creek Ranch is also a wildlife sanctuary. It sits at the north end of the town of Jackson Hole. What we particularly liked was the free transportation that was provided by Spring Creek Ranch that would take us down the butte, into the town and then back up again. It ran on a regular and frequent schedule and we utilized it often. The drivers were very friendly and often asked us what we had seen and what we were planning to do. They were also very knowledgeable as to what the area attractions provided and made good suggestions as to how best spend our time.

One area of the ranch was set up for outdoor picnics and was very rustic. Bales of hay along with picnic tables provided seating.

After enjoying a restful sleep we caught a ride into Jackson Hole and spent much of the day exploring.

Elk Horn Arches are located on each of the four corners of the city park in the center of Jackson Hole. Boy Scouts were responsible for collecting approximately 5,000 horns per arch and this is now a focal point of this town.

All of the sidewalks are wooden and the town definitely has that Wild West flavor.

The sounds of clapping horse hoofs in the streets taking tourists through the area adds to that old western flavor.

The town is filled with wonderful art galleries. We toured the Wildlife of the American West Art Museum one day. We were truly impressed with the array of paintings and sculptures all portraying western subjects. I purchased a bunch of postcards relating to big game species that the artist Carl Rungius had done. Each and every one was magnificently painted and executed in a backdrop of natural settings.

The museum is dedicated to the preservation of animals living with our encroaching civilization and hopefully learning to co-exist peacefully with one another. This area of the country, of course, still has much natural habitat for wild animals.

Several other art galleries were explored by us. Each one was worth a visit and if Western Art is what you desire......this is the place to find it! Much of it was museum quality and pricing varied from affordable to dropping some serious investment dollars. Something for everyone...

Wandering into many of the town's stores we ended up purchasing some Indian moccasins; turquoise jewelry and other souvenirs.

We ended this particular day back up at Spring Creek Ranch where The Granary Restaurant became our location of choice for a delicious dinner. It has a wall of glass facing the Teton Mountains and the sun was viewed as it began to set over the mountains as we dined. My mother and I sipped on a glass of 1981 Chateau Baron Segur Montagne St. Emilion with our dinner that evening.

Perfect ending to a day of exploration in Jackson Hole.

One day my niece and I enjoyed the ski lift to the top of Snow King Mountain. Not my mother's "cup of tea." She stayed below at a picnic area while we did some exploring.

Terrific panoramic views can be seen from the top of the mountain looking down on Jackson Hole. One can easily pick out the road leading up to our lodging at the top of the butte. This is a ski area that many people enjoy in snow season. Summertime also has it's attractions.

The nice thing about this area of the country is that it is enjoyable no matter what the season has to offer.

Horseback riding through a grove of aspens on the top of the butte where Spring Creek Ranch is located was another pleasure in which my niece and I indulged. At times we saw glimpses of the town below similar to what we had viewed from the top of Snow King Mountain. Primarily we just enjoyed the trail ride through this pristine area of natural beauty.

We ate al fresco in the town that evening at Sweetwaters and went to the 8 PM show at Dirty Jacks Wild West Theatre.

It is a fun filled evening of hilarious wild west comedy. It is also very family friendly. At the time we happily attended their performance, they had been performing there for 17 years. Much laughter was heard throughout the comedy skit and we smiled for days thinking about the actors crazy antics on stage.

White water rafting experience...

Another day we decided to widen our horizons and try our hand at a Snake River Whitewater Rafting experience. We signed on for the Dave Hansen tour and we were in for a day of excitement!

Whitewater rafting for novices (like we were) is not only an education in basic river safety, but an exhilarating day of fun and water splashed excitement.

We joined our assembled group that day and were all issued coast guard-approved life jackets. When reservations were made in advance of this trip, correct wearing apparel was suggested depending upon the season.

Each raft had an experienced guide and he advised us of basic river safety and paddling guidelines while still in quiet waters.

Of course the main point was the enjoyment of the Snake River scenery as experienced from this flowing water experience through the canyon, coupled with a reasonable degree of safety.

Our tour group was divided into several rafts that pushed off about the same time that day. Many of the people in our particular raft were from Germany.

What we did not realize (this being our first white water rafting trip) is that typically at some point while still in relatively quiet waters, a water fight between the people in the different rafts ensues. Suddenly as the rafts drew near one another, pails were brought out and what was until this point, a relatively dry encounter with the river became a very wet one! Some people got drenched if the aim from a person in the opposing raft was good.

Lots of laughter..........lots of wet smiles and clothes...........and a commonality of purpose was devised........."Lets soak the others!!!"

Of course, after this encounter, many people just jumped in the river and swam along with our floating raft. My niece did so, getting back in prior to the water getting rougher.

Roaring white water ahead of us could be heard long before we could see it!

Photographers from above the most active encounter of whitewater ( a place called "The Lunch Counter" ) snap photos of each group as they enter the whitewater and emerge on the other side. Back at the place of origin, these photos which have been developed in the mean time, are offered for sale to each group completing this adventurous trip.

I purchased the set of 5 photos simply because there is no other way to capture that exhilarating moment in time. Prior to that a disposable camera was utilized to capture the more quiet stages of this river trip.

The organizers of this trip offer a lunch on the banks of the Snake River after the whitewater experience. It was fun talking to people that had just experienced the same thing that we had and comparing notes. After this, we were bused back to our point of origin.

Depending upon river conditions, this same trip could be more calm or wildly dangerous all depending upon the season.

That evening we signed up for the Bar-T-5 Covered Wagon Cookout and Wild West Show.   While a tad bit touristy, my niece in particular enjoyed the experience.  We were drawn by horses to an outdoor dining room adjacent to a mountain stream in Cache Creek Canyon.

Bar-be-que chicken, corn on the cob, baked beans and other offerings were enjoyed as we were entertained by singing cowboys, Indians and so-called "mountain men." 

This locale is a renowned ski resort area and offers many ski lifts and an arial tram to delight both summer and winter visitors.

It has many accommodations, restaurants, shops, etc. to satisfy travelers to this region.

 Numerous beautiful private homes are built up the steep road leading up the mountain.

Driving to Teton Village from the East we went over some rickety bridges and ended up on some gravel roads for a time. After leaving Teton Village, we took the paved road back to the west. Much easier to traverse!

We enjoyed the trip to see Teton Village and the surrounding countryside.

That evening we went into Jackson Hole and had supper at the Blue Lion. Our evening meal was enjoyed while sitting outside at a covered table.

The weather was perfect.

Tickets were purchased to see the Music Hall Revue at the Pink Garter Theatre that night. Filled with great 1950's music to country favorites and high kicking dance productions, it is a fun filled evening for people of all ages.

Attached is a picture of one of the performers hugging my mother and niece prior to the show.

Much of what you will find in Jackson Hole, Wyoming is geared for good, wholesome family entertainment.

This only showcases our involvement in the town of Jackson Hole and some short day trips.

Our main focus of this vacation was the Teton National Park of which we spent numerous days exploring and enjoying and also a couple of days sightseeing in Yellowstone National Park.

Stay tuned for those hubs...

This particular hub filled with an assortment of photos hopefully should give you a flavor of the town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming and share a sampling of the great attractions that might keep you entertained while there. Please post a comment if you liked this hub. Thanks!