Whether it's summer or winter, Jackson, Wyoming is the place to be for wannabe' cow folk and extreme sports enthusiasts.

Jackson, Wyoming is a half-tamed frontier valley surrounded by an enormous variety of adventures, extreme and less extreme, within the National Elk Refuge, Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park. With more than 97% of the county devoted to protected public lands, families tend to congregate near the remarkable skiing and snowboarding, children's programs and extreme snowsports at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (the area's largest concentration of housing for visitors) or out on one of the area farms or ranches.

Depending on when you visit, there's wilderness snowmobiling (Flagg Ranch), horse-drawn sleigh rides past coyote and elk herds (National Elk Refuge), dog sledding (Moon Mountain Ranch), stunning hiking (Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks), outrageous whitewater rafting (Snake River), horseback riding (Goosewing Ranch), exhibits on bears and wolves (Idaho's Yellowstone Bear World), fly fishing, and other pastimes within an hour's drive. 

Winter Magic at Jackson Hole

There's something for every active member in your family.  Infants and toddlers will love the Kids Ranch program just for them at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, winner of FTF's 1998 Top 10 Getaways for Tiny Travelers award. School-age children are welcomed into the scheduled snowsports programs and, ven if they don't ski or ride, will enjoy just strolling the main street of town. The Western style main street is a good family destination, winter or summer.

This innovative ski resort is a multi-winner of the NSAA’s Golden Eagle Award for Environmental Excellence. The 2011 award comes on the heels of JHMR’s 5 year anniversary of ISO 14001 registration (JHMR is one of two resorts in the US to reach this benchmark).

If your teens are stellar skiers who might get bored in a typical teen program, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort's Team Extreme program might be just the ticket. Running December to March, this four-day skills program is a unique, advanced skiing and riding school for young snowsports athletes ages 12 to 17. Your teens are taught mountain and personal safety, terrain assessment techniques, and the rudiments of backcountry equipment, travel, and route finding.  As part of the fun and positive mentoring, Team Extreme has had chances to show their stuff to major JHMR-sponsored athletes like Tommy Moe, Micah Black, Travis Rice, and Jamie Sundberg.

Year-round, after a long-day on the slopes of skiing or hiking, families of all ages can get into the action by saddling up for a Goosewing Ranch (888/733 5251) trail ride, take in the excitement of the Jackson Hole Rodeo's calf scramble, and join the cowboy camaraderie and cooking at the Bar J Chuckwagon (800/ 905 2275) before heading down to the the nightly Town Square "Shootout." 

Summer Adventures at Jackson Hole

If that long list of activities doesn't keep your kids entertained, shutterbugs and outdoor enthusiasts looking for adventure can team up with Teton Science Schools' Wildlife Expeditions (888/945 3567) photo safari to encounter bison and bears in their natural habitats in the wild.  

Families with younger children will appreciate the new visitors center open at Grand Teton's Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve, accessed by car or bike from the scenic Moose-Wilson Road. The visitor center is a good starting point for easy hikes to see deer and moose or explore Phelps Lake. The Grand Teton Lodge Company offers two-hour-long horseback rides along many trails in this area.

But there's more than just wildlife sightings in summer -- sports enthusiasts can mountain bike the National Elk Refuge with Hoback Sports (307/733 4812) or try a rafting excursion on Snake River's Lunch Counter Rapids with Jackson Hole Whitewater (800/700 RAFT).  Even little ones can get in on the action and take part in the Snow King chairlift ride and thrill in the fun of the 2,500-foot return trip via Alpine Slide.

Though Jackson Hole provides all the rustic fun and call of the wild families can endure, there's also plenty of cultural opportunities to compliment an active getaway.  Guests enjoy a family-friendly performance at The Off Square Theatre Company (307/733 3021), dance classes at the new state-of-the-art Jackson Hole Center for the Arts (307/734 8956) and hands-on Children's Discovery Gallery at the National Museum of Wildlife Art (800/313 9553).

Trip Planning Details for Jackson Hole Vacations

Despite the relatively recent arrival of several posh resorts, J-Ho the town is unselfconscious in its sophistication, serving he-man meals (at the Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse), funky bar food in a noisy setting (Mangy Moose) and tall drinks at the historic Wort Hotel.

Lodging ranges from grand (Amangani) to motels to somewhere in between. The 72-room Hotel Terra (800/631-6281) in Teton Village recently opened its doors to guests seeking luxury and sustainability.  It's the very first of a worldwide collection of eco-boutiques launched by the Terra Resort Group and is located by the resort mountain's base.  Teton Mountain Lodge (800/631-6271) nearby is a family favorite for its spacious, comfortable rooms (many with kitchen facilities) and its thoughtful amenities, such as loaner toys and baby gear. Both are priced from $$ in summer to more than $$$$ at the peak winter ski season.

The Cowboy Village Resort (800/962 4988, 307/733-3121) is a cute collection of 82 log cabins near the crossed antler portals of town square (about 12 miles from Teton Village). Formica and polyester create the 'down home' style in various size cabins. All have kitchenettes, all share a communal lounge with fireplace, Jacuzzis, a laundry room and bus access to the superb powder at Grand Targhee. Rates range from $ - $$, for a studio in spring up to a double suite sleeping six in summer; kids 13 and under stay free, breakfast included in winter rates. 

For a true year-round budget option, check out Hostel X (307/733-3415) in the Teton Village base development. It provides clean and simple private rooms in a big wood house near the slopes; rooms are doubles with a king bed or mini-dorms with four singles and common facilities include a pool table, two TV's with VCRs, payphones, free Internet access, ski storage and a kids' play room stocked with climbing structures and board games. There's a laundry facility too, and a barbecue outside for summer visitors.

For year-round tourist information, visit Jackson Hole Net or Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce.