Distinctly Montana Magazine

Jackson Hot Springs: Rustic, Off beat, Sublime Jackson, Montana, Pop. 70 Dear Reader: on t he creaky fr ont ternoon micro-brewching Hwy 43 for la y af Enjoying a late, ot z pr ings Lodge and wat n H S very 20 minutes or so a car dr ifts on porch of Jackso ver comes. E scape of t he traf fic t hat ne weird intrusion on t he massive landhe direction of t by, seemingly ay. A steady ro ll of cycl ists fr om ubt , looking forward B ig Hole Valleon ly sign of life; al l of t hem, no dorings in t he eart hy Dil lon is t he hed shoulders and aching hamstmy rocker. t o soaking hunc dr ous springs just steps fr om heat of t he won usin, g d its cl ose co son Hot Spr inons, an , are undergoing terr if ic Let me tell you, Jack Paradise, M tana values qual it y, s in Q uinn's Hot Spr ing he same new ownershi p w hich ic" Montana as under t "makeovers" and a sense of preser ving "aut hent her al ong in t he rt presentation, heir success. W hile Q uinn's is faattent ion on food t d essent ial t o n is not far behind, as focuse change. Menu pr ocess, Jacksoat ions is br inging about gradual om impr ovements and accommod"big cit y best", w hile plans for ro y planning stages. of ferings are e re-do of t he poo l are in t he earl and a complet What I like is that the most important things are in place, and have been for decades. Authenticity—anchored by a large, old-time dance-hall bar, the walls hung with trophies from Montana and Africa; Tranquility (see first paragraph!); and Montana's Great Outdoors, with allseason access to everything from fishing on the Big Hole River to skiing at Lost Trail or Maverick. All up-and-down the valley you can find great skiing and snowmobiling, world class f ly fishing, a ghost town or two, crystal digs, unending mountain hiking, biking, and horseback riding, and even a bit of history at the Big Hole Battlefield, where the Nez Perce and the U.S. Calvary fought to a memorable draw. All this and more in the shadow of a magnificent forest and mountain scape. The overall effect is rustic, off beat and, I realize now, perfectly sublime. Oh, and did I mention that cell phone signals are sporadic--at best. What's not to like? Rooms are si I found out t habay c, but in t he af fordable range, night on t he grotun ou can even pop open a tent ov and t o t he springs. Jads for $30, w hich includes acerare scrumpt ious an ckson's menu and entertainmencess C heck t hem bot h d livel y--not al ways in t hat t out on line w hen you orde get a chance. r. Jackson Hot Springs Lodge: jacksonhotsprings.c om 60 D I ST I N CT LY M ONTANA • FALL 2013

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