With four layers of clothes and under snow, I entered a bar with a Wild West look. The doors, typical of a genuine saloon, slid forward with ease. I took off my coat and, without thinking twice, ordered a beer. I was in Jackson Hole, a city of 10,000 inhabitants in Wyoming, in the United States. The main attraction of the place, as we already said here at 360, is the ski resort that attracts people from different parts of the world. But Jackson Hole has more. Starting with the western atmosphere.
I arrived on an American Airlines flight – I went from Dallas, a city in Texas that serves as the company’s hub and where daily flights depart to Brazil. I already knew this would be a special trip, but it was difficult not to be impressed by what I saw through the plane window.
See too: What’s it like to fly on American Airlines to the United States?
We disembarked, collected our luggage and 20 minutes later we were in the city center. I checked in, left my bags in the room and immediately went for a walk around the village. Practically opposite the Hotel Jackson, where I stayed, was another reference to the time of the diligence: an entire museum to tell a little about the history of the region. The Jackson Hole Museum talks about life in this part of the country, the Native American people, the march to the west and the animals that inhabit this area of the United States.
The city is also full of good restaurants and craft shops, as well as friendly squares – and, in winter, covered in snow. It is possible to cover everything on foot. But since the mountains are Jackson’s main attractions, let’s start by talking about the region’s main ski resort.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
Yes, skiing was the highlight of this trip. Voted the best ski resort in the country five times in a row by Forbes magazine, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is located in Teton Village, 20 kilometers from the city center and just 35 kilometers from the airport. It can receive up to 17,833 skiers on the mountain per hour. Speaking of which, this chain is part of the Rocky Mountains, a mountain range almost 5 thousand kilometers long that runs from the American Old West to Canada.
There are 133 ski slopes. 50% for advanced level, 40% for intermediate level skiers and 10% for beginners. I, who took my first ski lessons there, took advantage of some of the beginner slopes for two days. Snowboarding is also allowed on every mountain – that’s for the next time.
Furthermore, the resort has several bars, restaurants, viewpoints, places to have a good hot chocolate and even some nightlife options, as many people end up staying on the mountain itself. The Four Seasons is one of the options.
See too: What it’s like to learn to ski in the United States
What to do in Jackson Hole besides skiing
Where to eat: restaurants and brewery
It was only five days in the region. And I confess that I was impressed with the food options I found there, especially considering that it is a city with only 10 thousand inhabitants. But tourism has brought chefs and restaurants of various styles and tastes to Jackson Hole.
My first meal was at Lotus, which mixes elements of Indian, Thai, Vietnamese and Asian cuisine in general. I ordered chicken with masala, Indian style, and I think I got the order right. The meal was well served. To accompany it I ordered an IPA from Snake River, a craft brewery that claims to be the oldest in Wyoming. It’s at 140 N. Cache Street in downtown Jackson. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Details on the official website.
Dinner at Lotus
Another option is the the Kitchen. They serve a variety of dishes, mixing culinary elements from different parts of the world, with an emphasis on seafood. We ordered portions to share, but they also serve full meals. The address is 155 N Glenwood Street. Menu and more information on the official website.
I also visited the Snake River Brewpub, bar of the state’s best-known craft brewery. The interesting thing is that the beer is made there, in the middle of the pub and while customers are spread out across the tables. They are open for lunch and, of course, at night. It is at 265 S Millward Street. Official site.
Still on the nightlife, I was also at Silver Dollar Bar, which is located inside the Wort Hotel. Beer, drinks, cowboy-style decor and typical music are the attractions there. The address is 50 Glenwood St. Official website.
Climbing the mountain and already in Teton Village, between skiing and skiing, we had lunch at Piste Mountain Bistro, which is located within the Jackson Hole Resort and serves as one of the easiest options for skiers on duty. Access is via the gondola and the view is one of the attractions of this restaurant, which was recently opened. Details here. Another option on the mountain is Italian The Villagio Osteria, which also works for breakfast, lunch and dinner. More information and menu on the official website.
Two other alternatives for those who don’t want to leave the resort are the The Handle Barwhich faces the ski slope and serves, among other things, great burgers (website), and the Mangy Moose, another saloon-style pub that usually has live music – is located at the entrance to the resort. Official site.
The Handle Bar
Yellowstone
If skiing is the first attraction for almost everyone who passes through Jackson Hole in winter, the second goes by the name of Yellowstone. Created in 1872, the oldest national park in the world is a refuge for the most varied animals: moose, bears, foxes and wolves are some of the most famous inhabitants of the park, which is located in the area of a supervolcano that last erupted 640 years ago. a thousand years.
It is this terrain that creates Yellowstone’s main postcard, with its unbelievably colorful lagoons and geysers of all types. Furthermore, waterfalls, canyons, mountains and forests complete the list of attractions at the park, which is the largest in continuous area in the United States – most of the park is in Wyoming.
Yellowstone (Foto: Shutterstock)
In winter, the most interesting tour departs from Jackson. We went with Scenic Safaris, which has a full-day tour to explore the colors of Yellowstone and which includes an almost 180-kilometer snowmobile adventure through the interior of the park – those snowmobiles, very similar to a jet ski.
We woke up early for the tour – a Scenic Safaris van picked us up at the hotel. We brought warm clothing (several layers), neck protector, balaclava, finger warmers and, of course, the camera. To drive a snowmobile you must be of legal age and have a driver’s license. The one in Brazil is worth it.
It took us 1h30 on the journey between Jackson Hole and the entrance to Yellowstone. We had coffee at the company’s base (it is included, as is lunch) and picked up waterproof clothes, also included in the price, and which would serve as the last layer of protection (jackets, pants and boots). The bad news arrived when we had finished getting dressed and getting ready to take the snowmobiles: the park had been closed due to a blizzard, something that had happened again in the winter of 2017, which was very harsh, but before that there had only been occurred six years ago.
The tour was aborted, but I recommend it anyway. It costs between 275 and 395 dollars for a driver and 175 and 250 for a passenger, depending on the time of year and the person’s age. Details on the Scenic Safaris website.
Grand Teton National Park
If Jackson is the city, Jackson Hole encompasses the entire valley that forms in this part of the Rocky Mountains. And this valley is also a protected area, Grand Teton National Park, which is just 10 miles from Yellowstone. The name comes from the highest mountain in the region, which reaches 4200 meters.
Snow-capped peaks, rivers and lakes form the landscape, which can be explored through hiking. There are camping areas in the region, which is very popular in summer and spring, but it is also possible to visit it in winter. More information on the official website.
Foto: Shutterstock
National Elk Refuge
We had just left the airport. Still impressed by the scenery we saw around us, covered in the white of the omnipresent snow, we were surprised again when the driver pointed out small black dots spread across the horizon. They were moose. Thousands of them.
Created in 1912, the National Elk Refuge aims to protect these animals, which have been passing through the area where Jackson is today for thousands of years. Urban growth, the presence of hunters and other threats have reduced the number of elk – at the end of the 19th century there were 50,000, 10 years later the estimate is that only 10,000 elk passed through Jackson Hole during their migrations.
It is possible to go on safaris to observe the elk, which migrate to this area every winter. Information here.
And in the summer?
The snow leaves, the moose continue on their way, but the landscapes remain beautiful. In the summer, the Jackson Hole region becomes a pilgrimage point for those who want to hike through the national parks, discover animal life or even practice different sports, such as rafting. It’s a different season and a completely different journey.
Attention: It is not a good idea to travel to the United States without international health insurance, as hospital costs there are very high. Read here how to find cost-effective insurance.
*The 360meridians trip to Jackson Hole was sponsored by American Airlines.
