Pinedale, Wyoming
TRAIL TOWNS By Liz Schmit (she/her) CDTC Community and Outreach Program Manager
Welcome to Pinedale, a CDT Gateway Community nestled in the heart of Wyoming’s picturesque Wind River Range. Located in Sublette County, Pinedale is known for its breathtaking natural beauty and warm hospitality. Surrounded by vast expanses of pristine wilderness, including the Bridger-Teton National Forest, outdoor enthusiasts flock to Pinedale for its abundant recreational opportunities and its embrace of CDT thru-hiking and section hiking culture. Tyler Hofer, an avid backpacker and the owner of the Jackalope Motor Lodge, talked to us about what it means when thru-hikers and community members converge.
THE JACKALOPE MOTOR LODGE | A LEGENDARY STAY
Pinedale is in Sublette County. The town sits high in the Bridger Wilderness Area, which encompasses the Wind River Mountains, about a 10-mile hike to the nearest Continental Divide Trail access point. Ancestral lands of the Cheyenne, Shoshone-Bannock, Eastern Shoshone, Crow, Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla
Population: 2,242 Elevation: 7,182 ft Economy: Ranching, outdoor recreation, tourism
Tyler Hofer and his family were living in San Diego when they traveled to Pinedale for the first time to visit friends. Immersing themselves in the small town, they felt connected to the community and the outdoor recreational opportunities it had to offer. Having lived in California, Hofer grew to love the world of backpacking, mountaineering, and being outside. When COVID-19 changed the scope of his work, Hofer and his wife decided to get creative. During Hofer’s visit to Pinedale, he saw the Wagon Wheel Motel for sale and his friends jokingly suggested he and his family purchase it.
When the Hofers returned to California, buying the Wagon Wheel Motel grew from a dream to reality after thorough research and finding inspiration from other businesses – including the Amigo Motor Lodge in CDT Gateway Community Salida, Colorado. Hofner and his family decided to go for it. In the spring of 2021, after a period of back-and-forth negotiations, Hofner acquired the business and moved to Pinedale for two months to get the property operational. He painted the walls, placed TVs in each room, and noted it was still in rough shape. Yet, he was surprised by the number of clientele being none other than the CDT trail users. “Hikers really loved what we had to offer because it was the lowest price in town. They just wanted a hot shower and place to rest,” he shared. The newly named Jackalope Motor Lodge has 15 rooms in total, and that first summer in 2021 was overrun with hikers. “We had 8 rooms open, there wasn’t even water hooked up yet. We let hikers crash in the rooms because they came into town and word spread we were a cheap place to stay.” Hofner listened to the hikers and took notes of what they wanted when they look for lodging in town. “Hikers are our passion,” he said. Simple bunk-style rooms help keep costs down for thru-hikers and families. Photo courtesy of the Jackalope Motor Lodge.
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At the end of that summer, they gutted the property with hikers in mind. They took two of the open rooms and made them hiker-style bunk spaces to keep prices low for those