Jackson Lake Lodge

Jackson Lake Lodge is a full-service historic lodge on a bluff above Jackson Hole. Its 60-foot wall of floor-to-ceiling windows looks over Willow Flats and Jackson Lake to the Teton Range, with Mount Moran anchoring the view. You can stop in even if you aren’t staying here: the great room and back deck make the lodge a destination in their own right.

Willow Flats is a wet meadow below the lodge, with Jackson Lake and the northern Teton Range beyond it. Moose, elk and bears are among the wildlife found around the lodge and its developed areas, though a sighting is never guaranteed. For the classic photo, put the wetland in the foreground and Mount Moran across the lake. The great room and back deck give you that layered view without a hike.

The lodge opened in 1955 as Rockefeller Lodge and was the first modern lodge built in a national park. Its textured concrete and steel broke with the rustic log style common in park buildings. It became a National Historic Landmark in 2003; the building itself is part of the reason to stop, not just a frame for the view.

The 385 rooms include rooms in the main building, suites and cottages tucked among trees a few minutes’ walk away. Guest rooms are cooled by fans and have no electric air conditioning or televisions. Recent visitor reports are mixed on room upkeep and value, while the views and location draw much more consistent praise; room types and locations differ.

The Mural Room is the more formal choice, with Rocky Mountain cooking, a Teton view and murals by Carl Roters. Pioneer Grill has a 1950s diner feel and serves classic dishes including buffalo burgers and rainbow trout; Blue Heron Lounge is the casual spot for food and a drink. Shops in the lodge carry gifts, books, outdoor gear and travel basics.

Fur trappers used “hole” for a valley ringed by mountains. This one was called Davey Jackson’s Hole after David E. Jackson, a Rocky Mountain Fur Company trapper, and the name later shortened to Jackson Hole.

From Highway 89/191, drive north toward Yellowstone and follow the signs just north of Jackson Lake Junction. The lodge is listed as wheelchair accessible, though the exact routes to outdoor areas and individual services were not established. The lodge, restaurants and most services are seasonal, generally running from mid-May into early October; check the current schedule before planning a meal or overnight stay.