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 Steam Vents, Yellowstone National Park © NPS The town is a unique blend of fashionable resort and the Old West, with designer boutiques and art galleries lining the cowboy-style boardwalks. Tourism is the most important industry in the area and spread across the valley are a sprinkling of million-dollar houses between the remaining cattle ranches, which offer guest facilities to supplement their farming income. During the summer, vacationers swarm the shopping malls and fancy restaurants, and the town square becomes the stage for a performed shoot-out every evening. Jackson Hole is primarily a winter and summer playground for outdoor enthusiasts, with hiking, mountaineering, biking and kayaking in summer. In winter it becomes a premier ski destination, home to two of the state's best ski areas. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort has a massive vertical drop and skiing suitable for extremists, while Snow King resort offers family-orientated skiing and snowboarding. Resorts See our separate guides to the following Jackson, Wyoming holiday resorts: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Excursions Grand Teton National Park Occupying the valley of Jackson Hole, Grand Teton National Park's identifying feature is the sharp granite peaks of the impressive Teton Range, with the dramatic Cathedral Group known as 'Les Trois Tetons' or 'The Three Beasts' towering above the valley floor. At their centre is the Grand Teton, the 13,770-foot (4,197m) peak that defines the skyline and dominates almost every view within the park. The mountains are popular with climbers and hikers, as well as photographers who can capture a variety of different angles from the park's scenic winding road or on one of its numerous trails that forms part of a vast network of hikes starting from the valley floor. Beneath the Teton Range lie a string of lakes and the scenic Snake River that meanders the length of the park, offering numerous opportunities to kayak, fish and raft. The stunning scenery can be easily seen and enjoyed from a drive through the park, but taking to the mountain trails or waterways is the best way to appreciate the spectacular views and experience the beautiful backcountry. A great abundance of large wildlife roams the valley floor, including moose, elk, bison, and grizzly and black bears.Website: www.nps.gov/grte; Telephone: (307) 739 3300; Transport: Private transport is essential; Opening time: The park is open year-round but facility hours vary seasonally, see website for details.; Admission: $25 (7 days), $5 day passes available in winter. Yellowstone National Park The world’s first national park, Yellowstone was established in 1872 and despite its popularity today, most of the park still remains an undeveloped wilderness of magnificent mountain scenery, waterfalls, alpine lakes and rivers. It is renowned for its geothermal wonders and abundance of wildlife. Spilling over into Montana and Idaho, the enormous park is situated on top of the Yellowstone Caldera, a collapsed volcanic crater that was formed 600,000 years ago and holds within it the greatest geothermic area in the world. This unique environment includes features such as exploding geysers, thousands of steaming fumaroles, hot springs and bubbling mud pools, and is where the park’s most famous attraction, the Old Faithful Geyser is to be found, drawing thousands of tourists to witness its regular eruption of steaming water. Yellowstone is also home to the largest concentration of wildlife in lower USA, including grizzly and black bears, wolves, moose, and large herds of bison and elk. The two narrow waterfalls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River cut a striking picture in the yellow-coloured rock that gives the park its name, with superb views and hiking trails for all abilities. The large alpine Yellowstone Lake fills the eastern part of the caldera and offers opportunities for boating and fishing expeditions in summer. All places of interest are accessible along the loop roads, but the intensity of visitors in summer, especially between July and August, means that one needs to hike away from the main paths to experience the true wilderness of Yellowstone National Park.Website: www.nps.gov/yell; Telephone: (307) 344 7381 (recorded information); Transport: A bus service from Bozeman, Montana to West Yellowstone, Montana is available all year. A bus service directly from Idaho to West Yellowstone operates during the summer months. Commercial transportation from Bozeman to Gardiner, Montana is available during the winter and summer seasons. Commercial transportation to the park from Cody and Jackson is available during the summer season. There is no public transportation within the park, but many commercial businesses offer tours; Opening time: Most visitor centres are open in summer only, from 8am to 7pm daily, except Albright Visitor Center which is open year-round. The North Entrance remains open year-round to traffic. Some areas and roads are not accessible during winter, see website for details.; Admission: $25 (vehicle), $12 (individual hiker or cyclist). The entrance fee is valid for seven days and covers both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks |
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