Jackson Hole Airport

Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to backpack or hike more than two dozen of the US national parks, beginning in the 1970s with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and recently the Mighty Five in Utah. Next on my list was Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park.

In May of this year, we caught a nonstop flight from DFW into Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The state captured my heart the moment we landed. What’s not to love about a runway fringed by snowcapped mountains?

We had reserved a four-night stay at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge, which took some locating since there was a bit of confusion between it and the Old Faithful Inn and the Old Faithful Lodge and Cabins. Regardless, we finally found the right lodge, only to queue up at check-in behind a busload of tourists. Fortunately, the desk manager summoned more help and we quickly checked into our room, eager to freshen up after the two-hour drive from the airport. The room was simply furnished, clean, and comfortable, the lodge food good, and the service excellent.

Over dinner, we mapped out our plans for the following day. To our disappointment, the north road into the Lamar Valley hadn’t opened after the winter closure. If we wanted to reach the area, we’d have to drive north into Montana, head east, and then travel south, which was too far out of our way. So we decided to save the visit for a future trip to Glacier National Park in Montana.