The community, the valley and the lake were all named after mountain man, trapper and trader, David Jackson. Approximately four miles north of Jackson, to the east off US 26-89-191, upheavals of mountains and erosion have produced an interesting formation. The works of nature have created a "Sleeping Indian," complete with mouth, nose, flowing headdress and folded arms across the chest. With a sharp eye and a little imagination you can see the Indian on the horizon. The National Elk Refuge, northeast of Jackson, provides a home for thousands of elk each winter. Visitors can take sleigh rides among the elk from mid-December through April.
Until shortly after 1800, the area of Wyoming known as Jackson Hole belonged to the Indians. Up to 1,800 Native Americans held undisputed sway over the country dominated by the towering Teton Mountain Range. Jackson Hole was literally a happy hunting ground, and while the severe winters precluded permanent habitation, during the milder seasons, bands of Indians frequently came across the passes into the basins on warring or hunting expeditions. In 1807, the adventurous John Colter, whose name is closely linked with both Yellowstone and Grand Teton history, passed through the area on a solitary exploration trip.
Fred Pflughoft
Originally a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Colter had set out to induce the Crow Indians to trade. The decades that followed are frequently referred to as the "Fur Trade Era," for the Teton region became the scene of intensive exploration and trapping activities by British and American interests. You will hear many references to the "mountain men" of Jackson Hole. They were hardy characters who, over a period of about two decades, in one way or another, contributed to the opening of the western frontier. Among them were Jedediah Smith, Jim Bridger and David Jackson. Historians tell us it was William Sublette (a partner of Jackson's) who, in 1829, named the lake and valley after Jackson.
Jackson Hole was an important crossroads for the trapper trails of the fur trade era, for here six major trails converged as the spokes of a wheel upon their hub. By 1845, the romantic trapper of the fur trade era vanished from the Rockies because of the declining demand for beaver pelts. During the next four decades, the valleys near the Tetons were largely deserted, except for wandering bands of Indians who occasionally drifted in. But the frontier was relentlessly closing in and one government expedition after another passed through the area.
The most important of these were the Hayden Surveys of 1871, 1872, 1877 and 1878. These parties named many of the area's natural features, including Leigh, Jenny, Taggart, Bradley and Phelps lakes and Mount St. John. William H. Jackson, a member of the 1872 Hayden Expedition, took the first known photographs of the Tetons. In 1879, famed artist Thomas Moran put them on canvas. In the middle 1880s, the first settlers came. They entered by the Gros Ventre River and Teton Pass, and the villages of Kelly, Jackson, Wilson and later Moran were established.
Two old homesteads have been restored as historic buildings - the Menors Ferry holdings, near Grand Teton National Park headquarters at Moose, and the Cunningham place, on the east side of the valley.
Jackson Hole is encompassed on all sides by mountain barriers. The hole - or valley - is 48 miles long and for the most part, six to eight miles wide, embracing an area of approximately 400 square miles.
Jackson Hole lies a few miles west of the Continental Divide and occupies the central portion of the headwaters of the Snake River. Mountain streams converge radically toward it from the surrounding highlands, and the Snake River receives these as it flows through the valley.
With so many mountain ranges within a stone’s throw,
Stagecoach ride in Jackson, Wyoming Mark Gocke
Jackson is a hub of outdoor recreation opportunity. Wildlife watching is easy here; elk, deer, and many other small mammals can be found throughout the valley. A plethora of bird species hangs in the valley throughout the year including various ducks, geese and even swans.
As it is with mountain ranges, skiing is the major winter pastime and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Snow King and Grand Targhee all offer an excellent skiing experience and accommodations.
Clearly, Wyoming's natural attractions have been around a long, long time. But human demands on the land have dramatically changed the face of Wyoming over the past century, and not always in a positive way. That's why a growing number of the state's travel and recreation businesses are working hard to conserve natural resources and lessen their long-term impact on the environment. It's all about making sure future generations can enjoy Wyoming's wonders, too. read more
Five Springs Falls Recreation Site, along Hwy 14A about 25 miles east of Lovell, provides unique vertical cliff habitat that is kept moist by the spray from a 100 foot waterfall. The granite walls surrounding the falls provide a home for four rare and sensitive plant species. read more
