John D. Rockefeller built Jackson Lake Lodge as a “gift to the American public.”
Lodge (See Pin 2 on p. 34) as a “gift to the American public” that opened in 1955. But its exterior design, neither traditionally elegant nor rustic, initially surprises many fi rst-time visitors. The International-style concrete and glass struc- ture, designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood, is all about showcasing grand views. Park under the porte-cochere (front portico),
enter the modern registration area, then walk up the stairway. Here is your Jackson Lake Lodge moment. Before you, at the end of the Grand Lounge, perfectly framed in 36-foot-high plate glass windows, is the Teton Range with 12,695- foot Mount Moran standing front and center. While this is the centerpiece of the lodge,
priceless murals fi ll the interior walls in the rus- tically elegant Mural Dining Room. Make reser- vations for dinner here, or try the Pioneer Grill for comfort food served at the longest counter in the West. The lodge has 37 guestrooms, but a stay in
original 1950s motor court-style units brings back memories of national park tours taken in the family station wagon.
U.S. 191, the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial
Parkway, links Grand Teton to Yellowstone National Park, the world’s fi rst national park. Yellowstone sits on a vast volcanic plateau
packed with geothermal wonders, cascading waterfalls, soaring mountains, and 50 species of mammals. The lodging here is just as varied as the terrain. There’s the rustic wonder of Old Faithful Inn (See Pin 3 on p. 34), built next to its namesake, Old Faithful Geyser, and the neo- classical serenity of Lake Yellowstone Hotel (See Pin 4 on p. 34) along Lake Yellowstone. Old Faithful Inn’s massive pitched roof, soar-
ing great hall and gnarled lodge pole pine accents epitomize the wilds of the West. I prefer staying in the original 1904 “Old House” some with shared bathrooms, but both the 1914 and 1927 annexes have been renovated with modern bathrooms. Historic lodges weren’t built for guests who
sequestered themselves in their rooms. I like to rise early, grab a cup of coffee, take a seat over- looking the great hall and watch the Inn wake up. A morning bonus is the lack of geyser gazers
The Grand Lounge at Jackson Lake Lodge offers spectacular views of the Tetons.
EnCompassMag.com
EnCompass May/June 2013 35
© David M. Morris
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