Travel
Wyoming

By Cathy Orr
back to Dude/Guest Ranch info

In the 30 years since I first visited Grand Teton National Park in northeastern Wyoming, aka the "Hole," aka Jackson's Hole, the scenery hasn't changed, thanks mainly, I suppose, to the fact that it is a park. The valley, aka Jackson Hole—named in 1829 for William Sublette's trapping partner David E. Jackson-is a rarefied shrine for those who value natural wonders. Mountains, most notably the Teton Range, surround it, displaying the Maker's handiwork, and to drive U.S. Highway 191 through it is to be awed by one scenic "canvas" after another, as if someone hung them all next to each other on the wall of the sky's "gallery."

A century ago, this was all ranching country. Tourism now commands the economy year-round, and working ranches still entertain dudes as they have since the 1920s. But the Tetons still tower above the lush valley in which elk roam in large herds and moose linger in full view of tourists sidelined on the highway wielding binoculars, scopes, and cameras.

I hit Jackson's outskirts and begin a somewhat perilous drive to the Antler Inn downtown. Jackson's not big-as of 2000, pop. 8,647-but that swells by the thousands during the summer, and pedestrians walk in dense clusters across streets and storefront boardwalks, so my car slows to a crawl.

A half hour later, I'm settled into the Antler Inn, a comfortable refuge a short walk from Jackson's heart, and if you want to soak in the atmosphere of a mountain town, it's perfect. But if it's the deeply penetrating aroma of a real ranch you want, that's here too, ranging from rustic to ritzy. The Triangle X Ranch is one of the oldest. Owned and operated by the Turner family for over 78 years, the ranch offers a taste of area history and scenery in cowboy style and comfort.

I finally rendezvous with my husband, who rode his Harley here for a medical conference. But work didn't keep him from packing his fishing pole, and it's not long before we're on the banks of the Gros Ventre River (pronounced gro-vont). While he throws his line into the current, I focus my camera on a rather large-I've never seen a small one-bull moose placidly munching his lunch on the opposite bank. With bull moose typically standing more than 5 feet at the shoulder, I'm glad the river is between us.

My brief stay here goes fast, but I don't leave without breakfast at the Bunnery Bakery and Restaurant. Enjoying a hot, dark roast brew, I take a minute to admire the cedar paneling and warm, woodsy atmosphere, while I wait for my wholegrain pancakes and decide what I'll buy in the bakery. The music's relaxing, and I'm in no hurry to leave. I've imbibed the leisure pace of nature and nonchalance that pervades this place, and I plan on keeping it as long as I can.

back to Dude/Guest Ranch info