I Visited Jackson Hole, Wyoming — Here’s What Surprised Me

For the vast majority of Americans, Wyoming is something of a forgotten state, especially if you don’t live in the Mountain West. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who could name a city in Wyoming, let alone tell you what the state is famous for. Growing up on the East Coast, Wyoming existed mostly as a vague idea in my mind—a place of tumbleweeds, dusty roads, and old saloons that looked like they belonged in a Western movie. It felt impossibly far away, almost like a place that existed in another time.

About a year ago, while living in China ironically enough, I came across a poster advertising Grand Teton National Park. Until then, I had never even heard of it. I did a quick Google search and discovered it was in Wyoming. The photos immediately caught my attention, and from that point on, I knew I had to visit the moment I returned to the United States.

Best Time to Visit Jackson Hole?

For most people, late June through mid-September is the sweet spot. If you’re into winter activities, then winter is probably the better time to visit, but you’ll give up much of Grand Teton National Park, as many of the roads are closed off for the season.

I visited during the last week of August, which I found to be perfect. The summer crowds were beginning to thin out, and the weather was cool enough to comfortably spend the day outside, with temperatures hovering around 60°F (15°C). It gets cold at night, even in the summer, so remember to bring a jacket!

How much time is needed?

I spent three full days in Wyoming, and I regret not spending more. For Jackson Hole, I’d say three days is enough to see the highlights without feeling rushed, but this is the kind of place where you never really feel like you’ve had enough time.

There’s something about how peaceful it is that makes you want to stay a little longer. In an ideal world, I’d make Jackson Hole my secondary residence.

I spent two days exploring Grand Teton & Jackson Hole, and 1 day in the outskirts of the year.

One thing that confused me before visiting was the difference between Jackson Hole and Grand Teton. Jackson Hole is the valley, while Grand Teton is the national park that sits just north of it. Most visitors will experience both on the same trip—spending time in the town of Jackson before heading into the park to explore the mountains, lakes, and trails. Jackson is just a short drive from the park.

Day 1 – Mormon Row & Grand Teton

Before getting on the road, I stopped by Pearl Street Bagels(located in downtown Jackson) for a quick breakfast. Their bagels are made fresh throughout the day, and there’s a surprisingly large selection of flavors and cream cheeses. 

Mormon Row

The first stop on my itinerary was Mormon Row. Mormon Row is one of the most photographed spots in Grand Teton National Park, and once you get there, it’s easy to see why. The area is home to several historic homesteads built by Mormon settlers in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The most famous is the Moulton Barn, which has become one of the unofficial symbols of Wyoming.

Many recommend coming early in the morning because the light is usually much better for photos. You don’t need to spend hours here, just 30 minutes is more than enough to walk around, see the buildings, and take photos.

For me, Mormon Row was one of those stops that was worth doing simply because you’re already in the area. It’s easy to get to, doesn’t require a hike, and gives you one of the most recognizable views of the Grand Teton landscape.

Schwabacher Landing

The next stop after Mormon Row was Schwabacher Landing. This is a small pullout along the Snake River with a short, easy trail leading down to the water. On a calm day, the river creates a near-perfect reflection of the Teton Range, which is why this is such a popular photography spot.

Snake River

Snake River Overlook is one of the more famous viewpoints in Grand Teton National Park, and it has a pretty interesting connection to photography. This is where Ansel Adams took his famous photograph of the Snake River winding through the valley with the Tetons in the background.

The viewpoint itself is very easy to visit. You can pull into the parking area, walk a short distance to the overlook, and you’re immediately looking out across the valley. There’s no hike required, which makes it a particularly easy stop if you’re driving around the park.

Lunch

After the viewpoint, I grabbed lunch at Dormans for a bison burger, which is a local favorite!

Scenic Drive

For the remainder of the day, I decided to drive through Grand Teton National Park and take in the views.

One of the great things about Grand Teton is how easy it is to pull over and take photos. There are scenic views pretty much everywhere you look, and it’s not uncommon to see a row of cars pulled over along the side of the road as everyone stops to get a closer look or snap a few photos.

Jackson Lake Dam is another easy stop to add to your Grand Teton itinerary. The dam sits at the southern end of Jackson Lake and offers some pretty impressive views of the lake and the Teton Range in the distance.

There’s a parking area right next to the dam, so you don’t need to hike to get there. You can walk across the dam and along the shoreline, and there are several spots where you can stop for photos.

Dinner – Gun Barrel Steak and Game House

This is the best place for a classic Wyoming experience. If you want steak and wild game in a rustic, very Western setting, this is probably themost obvious choice. I had the platter with venison sausage, elk, and bison steak!

Day 2 – Grand Teton & Jackson Hole

After breakfast, I started the day with another scenic drive through the park. This time, however, I wasn’t just looking at the scenery—I was looking for wildlife.

Jenny Lake

Jenny Lake is probably one of the places you shouldn’t skip in Grand Teton. It’s one of the park’s most popular destinations, and for good reason. The lake sits directly at the base of the Teton Range, so you get an excellent combination of mountain and water views.

One of the easiest ways to experience it is to walk along the Jenny Lake Loop, which circles the lake for about 7 miles. You definitely don’t have to do the entire thing, though. There are plenty of shorter sections where you can walk along the shoreline and get great views without committing to a long hike. You can easily spend a few hours here.

There’s also a shuttle boat that crosses the lake, which can save you a good amount of walking. From the west side, you can continue on to popular spots like Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point.

What I liked about Jenny Lake is that there’s something for pretty much everyone. You can spend a few minutes at the shoreline taking photos, take the boat across, or spend several hours hiking around the lake and into the mountains. I recommend bringing your lunch here!

Explore Jackson

After spending so much time surrounded by mountains and open land, walking around downtown Jackson was a nice change of pace. The town is small enough that you can easily explore it on foot, and most of the interesting spots are concentrated around the main square.

From there, I spent some time wandering through the shops and streets around the square. There are plenty of Western-themed stores selling everything from cowboy boots and hats to artwork and souvenirs. Even if you’re not interested in buying anything, it’s worth walking around simply to take in the atmosphere.

Teton Village – Dinner

If you want dinner with a view, it’s hard to beat Piste Mountain Bistro. Located at the top of the Bridger Gondola in Teton Village, getting to the restaurant is almost as much of the experience as the meal itself. You take the gondola up the mountain, and by the time you reach the top, you’re looking out over Jackson Hole from thousands of feet above the valley.

The restaurant has a more upscale mountain-lodge feel, with large windows overlooking the surrounding mountains. The menu focuses on contemporary American food and locally sourced ingredients, with options ranging from steaks and bison to seafood and smaller plates.

Day 3 – Outskirts of Jackson

For my final day, I wanted to venture beyond the tourist loop and see some of the more rural parts of Wyoming, so I set off for Dubois, a small town about an hour and a half from Jackson.

To be honest, there wasn’t any particular reason I chose Dubois. I simply wanted to pick a random town, get off the beaten path, and see what the “real” Wyoming looked like outside of Jackson Hole and Grand Teton.

Dubois is a tiny town, and you probably wouldn’t need anymore than an hour here.

I drove another hour or so and visited Wind River Reservation, which is home to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes. I’ll be honest, there wasn’t really anything to see in the traditional tourist sense, but that was kind of the point. I wasn’t looking for another attraction or scenic viewpoint, I wanted to see what Wyoming looked like away from the places that tourists normally visit.

There were no crowds, no souvenir shops, and no carefully designed viewpoints. Just long stretches of road, small communities, and the enormous Wyoming landscape surrounding them. It wasn’t necessarily exciting, but it gave me a glimpse of a side of Wyoming that I wouldn’t have seen if I’d stayed around Jackson Hole.

On my way back to Jackson, I spent some time driving through random neighborhoods, mostly just looking at the houses and getting a feel for the local housing market. After spending a few days seeing the tourist side of Jackson Hole, I was curious to see what people actually lived in and what homes in the area looked like.

A Dream Destination

When I first thought about Wyoming, all that came to mind were tumbleweeds, old Western bars, and a state I’d never really had a reason to visit. After three days, that perception had completely changed. I was surprised by how much there was to see, how peaceful the area felt, and just how easy it was to get away from the tourist crowds and into the quieter side of Wyoming.

Three days was enough to see the highlights, but if I were to do it again, I’d spend even more time in Grand Teton National Park. There are countless trails, viewpoints, lakes, and scenic drives, and I felt like I was only scratching the surface. The funny thing is, I came to Wyoming expecting very little and left already thinking about when I could come back. In an ideal world, I’d make Jackson Hole my secondary residence.