5 Interesting Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Jackson Hole

Whether you’re a lifelong Jackson Hole resident or just passin’ through, chances are the area still has a few mysteries you’ve never explored. This week we’re covering 5 interesting facts about Jackson Hole, ranging from the basic to the “wait, really?” First up … [caption id="attachment_2533" align="alignright" width="380"] The approximate location of the infamous Jackson shootout.[/caption]

1. Maybe you’ve been to Jackson’s regular shootout, where duster jacket-clad cowboys reenact a classic Western trope every summer night (except Sundays, because even outlaws know they’re pushin’ their luck to kill a man on the Sabbath) from 6-7 in the Jackson Town Square.. But did you know it’s the world's longest-running western shoot-out? It actually began in 1957, and there’s whole backstory if you care to learn about it, involving “the meanest, ugliest, no-good, hoss-thief this side of Teton Pass” and the posse sent to bring him down … night after night. (You’d think, after 65 years, they would vary their tactics a little.)
2. Speaking of superlatives, the National Elk Refuge, located just outside the town of Jackson, is the largest elk preserve in North America. Though the elk get all the attention, the 24,700 acres of grassland, wetland, and forests actually support a wide variety of animals. Visitors can enjoy views on daily sleigh rides from mid-December through April. [caption id="attachment_2532" align="alignleft" width="480"] Ansel Adams' Snake River and the Grand Tetons[/caption]
3. This next fact is out of this world! (Sorry, had to.) NASA’s Voyager spacecraft contain an Ansel Adams photograph of the Snake River and the Grand Tetons. Voyager I and its twin Voyager II, both launched in 1977, were designed to find and explore the edge of our solar system. Both Voyager I and II contain identical copies of the Golden Record: 115 images, a variety of sounds, spoken greetings in 55 languages and other depictions and artifacts of Earth. After the Voyager spacecraft leave our solar system, it will be almost 40,000 years until they reach another planetary system. All that will remain of human civilization by that point will likely be the Twinkie from my middle school lunchbox.
4. Jackson has two sister city relationships: one with Lienz, Austria since 1965, and one with Tlaxcala, Mexico since December 2021. I could write an entire blog on this. Oh, wait. I already did. To summarize, a sister city is a long-term relationship between two cities, counties, or states. They can be mutually beneficial in many ways, including the promotion of business, trade,  educational, cultural, or other projects of interest to the cities. But check out the post for more information. Especially if you enjoy a good Parks and Recreation clip.

5. More than 15 feature films have been filmed on location in Jackson Hole, including the 1930 western “The Big Trail” where John Wayne had his first leading role and, reportedly, rode a horse for the first time. This recent post dives into five other movies filmed in or near Jackson, some of which you might not expect!

Come discover your own fun facts about Jackson this summer. Book a room with us today!   Breanne Kunz was raised in the Pacific Northwest but grew up spending summers in Idaho and frequently visiting Jackson Hole, Grand Teton National Park, and Yellowstone National Park. She is a wife and mom who likes to write. She occasionally travels (not as much as she’d like) and always eats. 

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