Remote Places in the United States

The Undiscovered Jackson Fork

As you head south out of the crowds of Jackson, you come to a fork in the road called Hoback Junction. The right fork continues along the popular Snake River to Idaho, the left takes you on a 22-mile journey to the middle of a magical nowhere-Bondurant, Wyoming.

Aptly named by French trappers, the name roughly translates to “good fellow,” Bondurant greets you with a sign boasting a population of 100-although locals say the sign hasn’t changed in over thirty years so there could be a few more, or a few less.

Stop in at The Elkhorn, the local bar/restaurant & grocery store. On a good day, a proud hunter might be there with his freshly bagged bear and buying rounds for the house as local tradition dictates-they drink to the good life of the bear, of course.

A little further down, you’ll find the road that takes you into the Upper Hoback Valley and on to The Lodge at Jackson Fork Ranch. In the summer, you’ll wind your way through wildflowers, wildlife and sagebrush-spotted pasture all criss-crossed with rivers, streams and rills. In the winter, you’ll see why the elk spend this season here while bison graze peacefully nearby.

It’s true there are a lot of things you won’t find anywhere near The Lodge at Jackson Fork Ranch. There are no t-shirt shops, souvenir stores, movie theaters or strip malls within 40 miles. No Cold Stones, Starbucks or Taco Bell. Just peace, quiet, and bountiful beauty. And that’s just the way we intend to keep it.