Triangle X Dude Ranch

Triangle X is a family-run dude ranch and lodge on US 89, about 26 miles north of Jackson. It is a place to plan around ranch lodging, meals and guided outdoor activities, not a quick park viewpoint. Arrange a stay ahead of time, and check directly with the ranch if you hope to book an outing without staying overnight.

Trail rides are grouped by ability, with a horse and saddle selected for each guest. Wilderness pack trips and guided Snake River floats offer different ways to get out into the valley; fishing, hiking, cookouts and evening activities are also part of the ranch experience. Wildlife may appear on a float, but sightings are never guaranteed.

The ranch has 20 log cabins, from one to four bedrooms, described as rustic with modern comforts. All-inclusive stays include meals: hearty breakfasts, cookout lunches and family-style western dinners. Food is part of the guest stay, rather than a reason to drop in from the highway.

John S. Turner bought the homestead from Bill Jump on July 6, 1926, and moved west with his sons John C. and Bert. The first fall's big-game hunters stayed in the unfinished basement while the house was being built. The family later welcomed guests looking for a working-ranch experience in Jackson Hole.

In the late 1920s, the Turners sold the property to Snake River Land Company, which was buying Jackson Hole land for preservation. Congress expanded Grand Teton in 1950 to include the ranch acreage. Triangle X continued as a park concession, and the ranch's history spans five generations of the Turner family.

Before roads were plowed, a winter trip to Jackson could take four days round trip by horse-drawn sleigh. The family grew vegetables, kept milk cows and cut ice from nearby beaver ponds, packing it in sawdust for storage. Some of these self-sufficient routines lasted into the 1940s.