Jackson Hole, Wyoming

September 15–20, 2020

Six days of fly fishing, mountain biking, hiking, vintage boat cruises, private chef dinners, and the kind of scenery that stops you mid-sentence. Jackson Hole at its finest.

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Tuesday, September 15 — Arrival

Getting There & Settling In

Flew into Jackson Hole Airport via Omaha, arriving around 1pm MST. A quick stop at Albertsons for provisions, then on to Teton Village where we were staying in Jim and Janet Frantz’s condominium in the Moose Creek division. A quick walk down memory lane with a beer at the Mangy Moose in the village before settling in.

Dinner — Il Villagio Osteria

Welcomed Rachel Garrett and John Michael for drinks before dinner at Il Villagio Osteria in the Hotel Terra in the Village. A terrific start — and we ran into the Frantzes there too.

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Wednesday, September 16 — Fly Fishing the South Fork

Swan Valley & the South Fork of the Snake River

7:30am departure for Victor, Idaho — the drive across Wilson Pass was pretty enough to make the early rise worthwhile. From Victor, we headed to Swan Valley to put in three drift boats for a full day of fly fishing with Worldcast Anglers. Chilly in the morning, but the winds settled down for a high of 86 degrees, full sun, and great fishing — Brown, Rainbow, and a few Whitefish on Section One of the South Fork. Even if you don’t fish, the boat ride alone is worth the trip.

Dinner — Personal Chef Erin Oda

Per recommendation of JH locals the Belks and the Frantzes, we booked personal chef Erin Oda for an extraordinary meal at the Frantz’s gorgeous log home in the John Dodge neighborhood. The spread was gourmet without being over-the-top: short ribs, sea bass, blistered green beans, coconut rice, skillet cookies, bison tostados, salmon on potato cakes, and buffalo cauliflower. Great company, great setting.

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Thursday, September 17 — Biking & a Vintage River Cruise

22-Mile Valley Ride with Teton Mountain Biking Tours

Meeting at the Gros Ventre turnout in the park, we rode toward the village of Kelly, stopped for lunch with magnificent Teton views, then headed back through Antelope Flats past The Barns and onto the inter-park multipurpose paved path — 22 miles total, riding parallel to the Tetons for most of it with Teton Mountain Biking Tours. Smoke from the West Coast fires made the sky hazy, but the mountains remain jaw-dropping in any conditions. Being IN the outdoors is the only way to go.

Note: You could easily do this route independently by renting bikes from Dornan’s and packing your own lunch — but it’s nice not to have to think and just follow.

Vintage Adventures with Dutch Gottschling

After a quick hot tub dip, we met Dutch and Christina Gottschling of Vintage Adventures at 4pm for a scenic float down the Snake River in a vintage wooden drift boat circa 1935. Guide Cassie had us drifting stern-first as the fall colors blazed in the Cottonwoods — two early snows had already turned the banks a spectacular gold. Several huge Bald Eagles spotted along the way were a highlight.

The campground down Fall Creek Road below Wilson was a true delight — a lovingly evolved hodgepodge of tents and teepees with the world’s best outhouse. Appetizers riverside around the fire pit, dinner of grilled fish and meats in the tent, dessert in the fire-warmed teepee as the evening chill arrived. A really fun, completely different experience. Keep in mind the price tag is steep — but the memory is worth it.

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Friday, September 18 — The Big Day

Jenny Lake: Bike, Boat & Hike

Rented bikes at Dornan’s, grabbed sandwiches from the Dornan’s Market, and rode 8 miles to Jenny Lake. From there, we cut two miles off the Jenny Lake trail by taking the boat across the lake to begin a short but steep hike past Hidden Falls to Inspiration Point — probably the most popular hike in the park, and deservedly so.

We continued on through Cascade Canyon — brilliant yellows in the Aspens with hints of red and green, following a stream most of the way. Hustled back to make the last ferry at 4pm, opted to hike the 2.5 miles back to the bikes rather than risk missing the shuttle, and pumped hard on the 8-mile return ride. Made it just under the wire.

Dinner — Snake River Grill

Spicy margarita sloshies from the Mangy Moose (thanks, Jordy!) and a hot tub to recover, then on to Snake River Grill in Jackson for a divine dinner at an outdoor table overlooking the courtyard. Almost everything on the menu. Wow. What a day.

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Saturday, September 19 — A Slower Pace

Phelps Lake Hike

Cool and rainy weather called for a gentler day. We settled on an easy hike to Phelps Lake where Rachel joined us in the mist. A good leg-stretcher and perfect cobweb-clearing conditions.

Lunch — His & Hers

The group split: the fellas headed for burgers at Jackson Drug Company, while the gals had a delightful lunch at Coelette (from the famed Persephone owners) with hometown boy Taylor Glenn, a local photographer. We toured the gallery that represents him — WRJ Design — and then cruised the town shops and Tayloe Piggott Gallery, where we found more hometown friends.

Dinner — Blue Lion

Blue Lion — under different circumstances it might have been better received. Given our previous outstanding meals, the rain, general fatigue, a less-than-helpful waiter, and an expensive and tired menu, it earned a less-than-stellar review. But we were home and in bed by 10pm — never a bad thing.

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Sunday, September 20 — Farewell Breakfast

The previous night’s rain had cleared the smoke completely. Our mountainside outdoor breakfast at Dornan’s Chuckwagon — watching the sun and clouds work their magic around the Tetons — was the perfect send-off. Hearty, beautiful, and bittersweet.

Never fear. We’ll be back.

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Local Tips & Recommendations

Compiled from JH locals Rachel Garrett and Janet Frantz.

Restaurants

BREAKFAST

•       Café Genevieve — a Jackson classic

•       Persephone — best bakery in town, two locations; always crowded

•       The Bunnery

LUNCH

•       Pearl Street Market — great for grab-and-go off the Town Square

•       Dornan’s — best view of the Grand Teton; perfect for a post-hike beer or early dinner

•       Creekside Deli — best and least expensive sandwich on the way to a hike; where the locals eat

DINNER — JACKSON

•       Snake River Grill — must try; upscale, almost everything fantastic

•       Coelette — newer, from Persephone owners; excellent

•       Glorietta — local new favorite

•       Rondezvous Bistro — always good, local favorite

•       The Kitchen — Asian fusion; get the shrimp appetizer

•       Blue Lion — old Jackson standby; order the lamb chops, ask for the deck

DINNER — TETON VILLAGE

•       Il Villagio Osteria — the go-to in the Village, Hotel Terra

•       Calico Restaurant — on the Village Road; ask for the porch in summer

LOCAL FAVORITES & BARS

•       Million Dollar Cowboy Bar — must see; sit on the saddle stools

•       The Bird — colorful bar with great burgers

Activities

HIKING

•       Jenny Lake — boat across the lake, hike to Inspiration Point and Cascade Canyon

•       Phelps Lake — ~5 miles, very flat, always see wildlife

•       String Lake Loop — ~3 miles, pretty flat

•       Bradley-Taggart Loop — ~5 miles, pretty flat

FLY FISHING

•       Worldcast Anglers — Orvis endorsed; highly recommended

•       Grand Fishing Adventures — request guide Joe Irby

•       Snake River Anglers

•       West Bank Anglers

BIKING

•       Rent from Dornan’s, Hoback Sports, or Teton Village Sports

RAFTING

•       Barker Ewing — scenic wildlife and whitewater floats

•       Vintage Adventures — unique vintage wooden boat float with campfire dinner; steep but memorable

MUST-DOS

•       Ride the gondola (free after 5pm) — cocktails on the deck at Piste Mountain Bistro

•       Amangani Hotel — stop for a cocktail; stunning views

•       Craig Thomas Grand Teton National Park Visitor Center — great orientation

•       National Museum of Wildlife Art — perfect for a rainy day

Where to Stay

IN JACKSON

•       Hotel Jackson — newest chic boutique hotel in town

•       Inn on the Creek — 11 rooms, locally owned; request a creekside room; incredible breakfast

•       Mountain Modern Motel — for the adventuring, outdoorsy, hip types

IN TETON VILLAGE

•       Four Seasons Jackson Hole — expensive; incredible ski-in, ski-out

•       Hotel Terra — newer, upscale; great restaurant

•       Teton Mountain Lodge

•       Snake River Lodge & Spa

•       Caldera House

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

•       Clear Creek Group

•       Mountain Property Management

Shopping

•       Stio — Jackson’s own outdoor clothing brand; if you wear it, you know JH

•       Bella Cose — really beautiful things; multiple stores in town

•       Tayloe Piggott Gallery — modern art; fun to browse

•       JD High Country Outfitters — outdoor clothing, shoes, fishing gear