A western-themed community

This town has tourist appeal and a unique flair

We left Yellowstone on Saturday, September 10, and headed for Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Going through the Grand Tetons park was unforgettable. The high rocky crags of the mountains were quite different from those at Yellowstone. They were more like the Rockies at home. As we got into Jackson we found the town very busy, in fact all the streets were crowded with people and vehicles.

There was a market in the town square and visitors everywhere. All the campgrounds were full and we found out later they are very pricey. We travelled 12 miles south to Horbak junction and a further 11 miles west till we found a forestry campground that had space. We also learned that in Wyoming all of the forestry campgrounds close at the end of September. The next day we explored the town of Jackson and the Jackson Hole ski hill.

Jackson, or Jackson Hole as the locals like to call it, is a very interesting town. Very historic and western. The town has many art galleries with exquisite paintings and bronze sculptures. There is also an abundance of the normal tourist shops selling all sorts of Jackson Hole memorabilia. There was an arts and food-tasting festival going on and the main square was blocked off from traffic.

Many tents up and down the street and in the town square were selling artisan articles as well as food samples. We tasted food from several different chefs and it was all delicious. There was almost every type of western dish and dessert that you could imagine. The town buildings date back to the late 1800s and all the newer buildings are done up in the same western style.

After walking around for a couple of hours we drove to the famous Jackson Hole ski hill and resort village. No wonder this place is a must-see destination for skiers. The extremely steep and long runs come down the mountainside right into the village. It is easy to see why the Olympic skiers train here. We drove around the streets up the mountain among the private residences. Most of the homes are not occupied and look more like small lodges than houses. We were told these are often the second homes of wealthy owners. I spoke with a real estate lady who told me she was showing a condo unit that is listed for $2.4 million. The average selling price of the homes is between $3 and $4 million. Needless to say these are very luxurious homes. Later we drove back to our trailer at the campground and enjoyed the solitude of the mountains and river around us. Tomorrow we leave for points south, toward Rock Springs, Wyoming.

The drive to Rock Springs took us through a gorgeous canyon to the town of Alpine. From there it was out into the desert to Montpellier and then through badlands to Rock Springs, Wyoming. The next day we drove south through the Flaming Gorge to Vernal, Utah.

This is a spectacular drive. Very steep and winding, both up and down. The first part of the drive out of Green River is uninteresting desert, however once you get past the town of Milan, the red rock formations are truly breathtaking. From high up on the hilltops you can see for miles up or down the red rocks of the valley and the Flaming Gorge lake. For the evening we camped at the Steinaker state park. It is a very quiet park in the midst of sage and brush-like trees.