About Jackson Hole Wyoming by Daryl L. Hunter

About Jackson Hole Wyoming

by Daryl L. Hunter – The Hole Picture

In the mountains of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem of northwest Wyoming there is a special valley resplendent with alpine amenities, wide-open spaces, vast forest wilderness, surrounded by towering peaks, and populated with more creatures than you can imagine. Six thousand  elk on the National Elk Refuge outside town, big horn sheep on the mountain tops, moose up the side canyons, deer on the buttes, antelope on the flats, black bears hiding in the trees, buffalo wandering from here to there, and wolves and grizzly bears that want to eat them all. This amalgamation of alpine wonder is called Jackson Hole.

Jackson Hole is nestled between the magnificently jagged Grand Teton Range on the west and sublime Gros Ventre Mountains to the east, the Wyoming Range on the south eastern flank, the Snake River Range on the southwestern flank and the Absaroka Mountains touching base on the north eastern corner. All these mountain ranges are chucked full of beautiful wilderness, granite peaks, abundant wildlife and recreational opportunities.

The Grand Tetons on the west side of the valley isn’t the only breath taking geologic feature, upheavals and erosion in the Gros Ventre range on the east side of the valley have produced an interesting formation. These works of nature have created what appears to be 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. This Valley is also home of Grand Teton National Park and is the southern gateway to Yellowstone National Park. Jackson Hole is known worldwide as the best of the old west.

The Grand Tetons and Jackson Hole valley the Bridger Teton National Forest in the Gros Ventre Mountains

I as a photographer  was drawn here because of the compositionally perfect landscapes, the plethora of wildlife and the lifestyle, both to live and to photograph. Relic western architecture as well as picturesque working ranches often compliments the natural landscape here. Jackson Hole also is a great base for photographing the rest of the Greater Yellowstone…READ MORE