Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Oh! What fun you'll have! It's so very beautiful there, just be aware of some of the costs (because things in Jackson Hole can be pricey if you're not careful). However, if you're willing to spend some money, I HIGHLY recommend going on a covered wagon trip! My mom took my sister and me on a trip there when we were younger and it still ranks as one of my all-time favorite vacations! We traveled across the countryside by covered wagon or horseback each day to our camp where we could hike, explore, and sometimes swim. The food was amazing as were the campfire stories and music. They really made us feel like we had stepped back in time. This is the trip that we took:

http://tetonwagontrain.com/

However, they also have day trips which would be almost as exciting and are definitely more affordable:

http://www.bart5.com/

Have fun!!

I know the area very well having spent every other summer there since birth (until about five years ago). My great grandfather built a ranch there in the 50s, but sold it back to the park before his death with a 25 year lease, which expired the year after my daughter was born. I got to take my newborn daughter there for most of my maternity leave, which was my last visit to the area. The park service now uses the cabins for training or something. Kind of depressing.... I love and miss the area sooooo much!

Since we always had a place to stay, I never tried out any of the dude ranches. The ones I heard about the most often were:

https://www.trianglex.com/
http://www.rlazys.com/
http://www.mooseheadranch.com (I don't think this is a dude ranch, but is a ranch setting)

You might also look at cabins at Dornan's (www.dornans.com). If you don't stay there, you should at least have breakfast at the Chuckwagon one morning. Great views!

There are some nice lodges in the park too, but I never stayed in the rooms - just visited the lodges for dinner/drinks/shopping/taking photos.

Feel free to email me with any questions you have about the area. I know it's changed a bit since I was last there, but the basics are still in place - like where to best see wildlife, the touristy things not to miss and the less touristy things to do, etc.

Have fun if you go!!

C.

I have a friend who is there for the first time right now for 1 week with her family. I'd be happy to forward an email to her if you would like. I'm sure she would love to share her experience and any helpful hints.

Send me the message at ____@____.com and I will forward it to her.