The Summer You Thought You Wanted in Jackson Hole (vs. the One You Actually Get)

Everyone’s got a vision of summer in Jackson Hole: wildflowers in bloom, lazy hikes under crystal-blue skies, rooftop drinks with a Tetons view, a moose wandering past your front porch like a neighbor out for a stroll. And sure—those things are real. But there’s another side to summer here, and if you’re considering buying property or making a permanent move, it’s worth seeing past the Instagram version.

Let’s start with the obvious: summer is stunning and magical. The Tetons are fully unwrapped from their snowy coats, wildlife sightings feel like something out of Nat Geo, and there’s a kind of laid-back vibrancy that fills the valley. Farmer’s markets, live music, river floats, backcountry trail days—it’s a kind of mountain magic that’s hard to describe without sounding like a brochure.

But if you’re looking to buy, live, or even just stay for a season, here’s what the glossy version doesn’t show:

You’ll sit in traffic. A lot of it. Not LA-style gridlock, but for a mountain town with barely a few main arteries, summer traffic gets real. Trying to get from Wilson to the Town Square at 5 p.m. on a Thursday? Hope you packed a snack.

Your “easy” Saturday hike might turn into a parking lot scavenger hunt at the trailhead. And your “quiet cabin in the woods” may suddenly have strangers walking past all day because you didn’t realize it was next to a Strava-famous route. And if you’re hoping to cap the day with a dinner at a fine dining establishment? Hope you made that reservation two weeks ago—or be prepared to eat at 4:30 p.m. or 9:45.

Real estate-wise, summer is when everything looks like a dream—and that’s the catch. Let’s be real. The long winding driveway that provides lots of privacy? How’s it to plow and drive on in the winter? The sunny deck with perfect mountain views? In winter, you might be in the perpetual shadow of Snow King, or have to keep that deck shoveled so it doesn’t collapse.

And yet… summer is also when people fall in love with Jackson Hole. It’s when buyers who’ve been eyeing the market for years finally decide it’s time. It’s when longtime renters decide to put down roots. It’s when families come “just for a few weeks” and start quietly calling realtors.

So if you’re looking at real estate here, my advice? Soak up the beauty, but also do your homework. Ask what the driveway looks like in January. Find out if that “quiet neighborhood” is still quiet in August. If a listing feels too good to be true, it probably comes with caveats. And if you want comps or a real conversation—not just the sales pitch—I’m always happy to talk you through the nuances.

Because Jackson Hole isn’t just a postcard—it’s a real place, with quirks and tradeoffs, a real community facing real issues, and magic you have to earn. And if you’re still in love with it after all that? Maybe you’ve found your place.

Let’s talk, but only if you want the real real.