Wild adventure and luxury lodging in Jackson Hole, WY

Jackson Hole, Wyoming is a place of staggering beauty and endless outdoor adventure. World-class downhill and cross country skiing. Snowshoeing. Trail riding. River tubing. Kayaking. Hot air ballooning. Hiking to hidden hot springs, swimming in sunlit alpine lakes. Golf, hunting, parasailing, fly fishing, snowmobiling. And the list goes on. All of it takes place within an Eden-like realm of towering mountains, deep wilderness and wide open plains. The air in Jackson Hole is sweet and dry as Champagne, the snowfall is positively epic, and Class-1 trout streams beribbon the valley floor. Heaven, as they say, on earth. And yet this wild wonderland is just as stylish and sophisticated and as anywhere in the world – Jackson Holers don’t see much point in putting up walls between nature and culture. In downtown Jackson, top-notch dining, theatre, art, dance and music happily coexist with cowboy boots, wagon rides, antler archways, and a beloved ice cream store called “Moo’s.” Jackson Hole, no stranger to luxury, is a place where movie stars and ranch hands raise a glass together around the sushi bar one night, and the campfire the next. You can rent a cabin in the woods as easily as a ranch complete with stable and horses, or a grand mountain estate. Options abound. The Four Seasons, right in the middle of Teton Village, is pure, unadulterated ski-in, ski-out indulgence for the sporting set. The restaurant and bar are fantastic, of course, and the Four Seasons’ legendary, superlative service is manifest at every turn. Sleek, modern western décor, a sumptuous spa and a year-round, heated outdoor pool make The Four Seasons a very popular choice, with a loyal guest list. Amangani – the renowned Aman Resorts retreat – sits perched on a butte high above the valley, with panoramic views and an atmophere of quiet, gorgeous serenity. A triumph of modern design, everything at Amangani is of superb quality, from the linens on the beds to the art on the walls. Amangani’s zen-like spa and beauty salon are legendary, as is the long, heated infinity pool which reflects the sky and the mountains. Spacious suites and contemporary villas can be rented for weeks at a time. If you plan on visiting for more than a couple of days – and it would take a month in both summer and winter to really “do” Jackson Hole – the best way is with a private rental house of your own. From there you can go anywhere, and come back home at the end of the day. There are reputable property management companies that can find you the house of your dreams, stock it with food, flowers and lift tickets, arrange everything from dinner reservations to heli-skiing lessons… and even turn down the beds at night. Since fall, winter, spring and summer are all stunning in Jackson Hole – and since every season brings its own unique outdoor adventures – there’s no time like the present to visit. Betsy Stevenson is a Partner at The Clear Creek Group. If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.