Wildlife, lush life cohabit in Wyoming's Tetons

October 12, 2008|Victoria Abbott Riccardi, Globe Correspondent
(Page 3 of 3)

One of the nicest resorts in the area is the newly open Hotel Terra, a hip, eco-friendly spot in Teton Village, where we spent several nights. One of the property's highlights was Chill Spa, where luxurious body treatments feature sea salts, berries, algae, and other natural ingredients. Another highlight was the downstairs restaurant-wine bar, Il Villagio Osteria, where we had our first taste of Teton cuisine: duck ravioli and wild boar and caramelized onion pizza.

Great dining is at a premium in this part of the world, where outdoor activity tends to dominate the day's agenda. Many restaurants feature mountain cooking, which includes hearty dishes such as the juicy ribeye of bison and rare venison with huckleberries, which we enjoyed, respectively, at The Peak and elegant Westbank Grill in the Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole. One can enjoy exceptional local river trout, and locally-grown vegetables, like the Wyomato, a Wyoming tomato.

Given the Tetons' many charms, it's hard not to develop a soft spot for this special part of Wyoming. Over and over - from waitresses, bartenders, shopkeepers, and artists - we kept hearing about people who came for a vacation and decided to stay.

"There's just something about this place that's very laid back and accepting," says Foster, who came for the summer in 1997 and has lived in the area ever since. "There is such an eclectic hodgepodge of talented people living here and there is just so much to do. This place has a way of getting to everyone who comes here."

Victoria Abbott Riccardi can be reached at variccardi@rcn.com.

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