The Ranch Report February 2026
Beyond the Ranch Onceoneoftheharshestwinter townsinthewest,Jacksonhas becomeabucketlistdestinationfor travelersacrosstheglobe.
GrandTetonNationalParkwelcomed over3½millionvisitorsin2024,drawn byasimpletruth:thereareno mountainsquiteliketheTetons.
This valleyiswhereweliveforabrief butbeautifulsummerseason.Where ourguestscometofindsomething theyjustcan'tfindanywhereelse.
Thisissue,we'resharingafew highlightspotsacrossJackson—places wepick-upourguestsandsuggestto family.Andmaybeacoupleyou’llfind ourstaffat!
Frommorningcoffeetoevening cocktails,thesearethelocals'picks. We'llalsocoverJacksonHole history,sometransportationtips forgettingaroundthevalley, spotlightanotherreturningstaff memberandasalways,weclose witharecipetobringalittleofthe ranchhomewithyou.
Wearecountingdown thedaystillJune!
FirstdiscoveredbyEnglishsettlerJohnColterin1807undertheLewis ished,hunted,andseasonallyinhabitedthe'Teewinot' orthousandsofyears,ShoshoneandBlackfoottribes &Clarkexpedition,thenamecame20yearslaterfromDaveyJackson, afurtrapperwhospentthewinterhere."Hole"ismountainspeakfor ahighvalleyringedbypeaks.Andsotoday,wehaveJacksonHole, Wyoming.
Arrivingseveraldecadeslater,homesteadershopedtoraisecattle,but thevalleyfoughtbackwithharshwintersandshortseasonsmaking traditionalranchinguntenable.Homesteadersbeganlookingfor creativesolutionstocontinuetheirwayoflife,andbeganinviting payinggueststotheranchforanewkindofvacation."Dudes,"orso theywerecalled,arrivedbythedozenstospendaportionoftheir summerworking,sleeping,andeatingwiththeruggedhighcountry cowboys.That'showduderanchingwasborn. Overacenturylater,JacksonHoleandthesurroundingvalleyhave surpassedanyinitialexpectation.Whatwasonceinaccessibleand inhospitableformostoftheyearhasbecomethepremierdestination forduderanching,conservation,andoutdoorsportenthusiasts—and LostCreekRanchhasbeenpartofthatstorysince1915.
Whatstartedasaremotevalleyoftrappersandfailedcattleoperations hasgrownintooneofthemostsought-afterdestinationsinthe AmericanWest.Thetownincorporatedin1914,justasthefirstdude rancheswereopeningtheirdoors.Bythe1930s,skiinghadarrived.By the1950s,sohadarobustnationalparkservice.
Today,Jacksonbalancesallofit—ayear-roundeconomybuilton tourism,conservation,andastubborncommitmenttokeepingtheold Westvisible.It'saplacewhereworkingranchesborderworld-class galleries,wherecowboysandconservationistssharethesamebarstools, andwheretheTetonsframeeverything.Thetownsquarestillcenters aroundthoseiconicelkantlerarches,builtfromshedscollectedoffthe NationalElkRefugeeachspring.
Forguestsarrivingearlyorstayinglate,thetownoffersachanceto experiencetheothersideofthisvalley:finedining,Westernart,local outfitters,andanightlifescenethat'searneditsreputation.Herearea fewofourfavorites.
“ WerethereanypartofmylifeIwouldliveagain, itwouldbethetimespentthere.”
-OwenWister,authorofTheVirginian(1902) hatregionisthecountryIhavelovedbestintheworld.
Ifyou'rearrivingadayearlyorextendingyourstayafterthe ranch,theWortisourtop-choiceonwherewe'dpointyou.It's beentheheartofdowntownJacksonforover80years—close enoughtowalkeverywhere,historicenoughtofeellikepartof thetrip.
Theroomsarewellfurnishedandcomfortable,filledwith Westerndetails,modernamenities,andthekindofquietyou don'texpectablockoffthetownsquare.Askforaroomfacing thebackifyou'realightsleeper—thesquarecanhumon summerweekends.
Downstairs,theSilverDollarBarandGrillservesbreakfast, lunch,anddinner,soyouwon'tneedtowanderfarafteralate flightorbeforeanearlyshuttle.Thecornchowderisalocal institution.Andifyou'rethereonaweekendnight,theSilver DollarShowroomhaslivemusicstartingat7:30. It'satwo-minutewalktotheelkantlerarches,fiveminutesto theCowboyBar,andabout30minutestoLostCreek'sarches.
Car Rentals Rentingacargivesyouthefreedomtoexplore thevalleyandtownofJacksonatyourpace. Whileweofferactivitiesthroughouttheweek, sometimesthebestwaytoexperiencethe Westisonyourownterms.
JacksonHoleAirporthostsallmajorrentalcar carriers—fromsedanstoSUVs—justathreeminutewalkfromtheterminal.Rentalcarsare welcomeonproperty,andourLivingRoom cabinsincludeacarportjustoutsideyourdoor.
TheMilli Cowboy Theneonbuckingbroncohas Jackson'stownsquaresince19 grantedthebaritsfirstliquor Whatstartedasthetown'sfir acafé,thenabar,andeventua istoday.
Inside,notmuchhaschanged pinewalls,Westernmurals,a dollars,andtheinfamoussadd stirrupsandall.It'spartmuseu livinghistory.
ThestagehashostedWaylon GlenCampbell,andTanyaTu runssixnightsaweekwithne eachsummer.
Sunday–Saturday
11AM–12:30AM
The Silver Dollar Bar & Grille The Silver Dollar Bar & Grille sbeenaJacksonphrasesince heSilverDollar.Thebar da65-footserpentine ncirculated1921Morgansilver elargestcollectionofMorgan fromtheCowboy—alittle uthentic.Thecrowdskews searlyintheevening, musicstarts.After8:45pm, Orderthecornchowder(on heSilverDollarShowroom catchActIIattheCowboy.
7AM–11PM JacksonTownSquare Sunday–Saturday
John Esterly Staff Highlight What brought you to Lost Creek Ranch? The Tetons, first and foremost. I'd seen pictures, but being here is something else entirely. I was also drawn to the chance to learn fly fishing on my days off something I'd always wanted to pick up. The mountains and the river sealed the deal.
Whats the biggest challenge in creating a new menu each season?
Making sure the flow of the kitchen works for our daily routines while still pushing the menu forward. We're feeding guests three meals a day, every day, so consistency matters. But so does quality I'm always looking for the best ingredients I can get my hands on, and that takes planning.
Which dish was your favorite in 2025?
Hard to pick just one, but if I had to the seared trout with lemon beurre blanc, haricot vert, frisée salad, and smoked trout roe. It felt like the ranch on a plate: local fish, fresh greens, a little refinement, and a nod to where we are.
Head Chef 3 Year rd What called you to the kitchen originally?
My grandma. I grew up watching her make incredible food out of almost nothing —just what she had in the garden. I wanted to understand how she did that. That curiosity never really went away.
Do you have a favorite ranch activity during time off?
Hiking or fly fishing, depending on the day. Both get me out of the kitchen and into the mountains, which is the whole reason I'm here.
Any dishes you are looking forward to bringing to the 2026 menu?
I'm excited to bring more fish and white meats into the rotation this year. Right now I'm testing a charred half chicken with brown butter herbs, served on flageolet beans with a burnt leek vinaigrette. It's got that balance of rustic and refined that fits the ranch well.
Paul Coleman Normallyonewouldwaituntilafterdeparturetowritea review,howeverqualityandconsistencycompelmeto weighinearly.
Ispentmycareerworkingforacompanyconsidered“Best intheBusiness”forcustomersatisfaction,soIarrivedat theranchwithhighexpectations.Fromtheinitialphone callsandemailsthroughourarrival,attentiontodetailand guestsatisfactionhavebeenaconsistenttheme.
Now,alittleoverhalfwaythroughourstay,thestaff’s ‘espritdecorps’andgenuinedrivetoensureeveryone— from7to71inourcase—ishavingfunandabletofulfill theirownexpectationshasbeenunmistakable.It’seasyto seewhysomanyfamiliesreturnyearafteryear.
IntheveinofthecompanywhereIspentmycareer— BravoZulu!
Directions:
1. Combine Flour, Sugar, Salt, Baking Powder & Soda in a bowl
2. Cut in the Butter, mix in Cranberries and Zest
3. Add Buttermilk, mix until a dough ball forms
4. Divide into 4 section and form into balls
5. Roll balls into ¾ “ circle, cut into 6 wedges
6. Place on a lined sheet tray, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar
7. Bake at 425* for 12-15 min
