Feed the Soul in Jackson Hole

There’s the beaten path. Then, there’s what you find just a few steps off of it.

“Years ago a client said to me, ‘Anyone can walk in the woods, but understanding the diversity of life and what you’re seeing out here makes it special,’” says Kathy Shill, owner of Hole Hiking Experience in Jackson. “That stayed with me.”

For 35 years Kathy has taken visitors on custom guided hikes to Jackson’s most iconic locales: Shadow Mountain, Taggert Lake, Cottonwood Creek. She’s a biologist by training and a Buddhist by choice, and she loves to show clients the little secrets hiding in plain sight. On summer hikes you might even walk barefoot.

“Every trip I do I want quiet moments on the trail,” Kathy says. “We talk about being quiet or feeling the air on our skin. That is a reset. Even feeling the foot on the trail is a reset. Be present. What we see is what we see.”

She admits these classic attractions can be busy all year long. But she also believes when you stop, pause and soak it in, even a popular hike can feed the soul – what she calls the “aha moment.”

“The ‘aha moment’ – the clarity that you can receive – it happens out here, and we can tap more deeply into that by slowing down, turning phones off, enjoying the natural world here in Jackson Hole,” Kathy says. “A lot of people want to know, what is your favorite hike? But I don’t have one. What I pay attention to instead is, what am I seeing today?”

More than Vacation

Jackson and the Tetons have always been a playground for thrill seekers and nature lovers.

But holistic wellness – physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing – is having a moment. It’s no surprise to longtime locals like Shill and her friend, sidereal astrologer Lyn Dalebout. 

“I am still seeking spiritual wellness here,” Lyn says. “People wonder, ‘How do you deal with Yellowstone or the Tetons and the busyness?’ You just go off trail a little bit. You just get a little deeper.”

Lyn has been in Jackson since 1976, working first with the Teton Science School before co-founding Teton Wholistic Studies Center in the ‘80s. Today she gives astrological readings for couples, families and business groups through her business, Earth Word Sky Word.

“What I’m really doing as an astrologer is trying to make the link between the vast beauty of the cosmos and the beauty we have right here on earth,” Lyn says. “I never set out to be an astrologer, but it’s the linking of the two – the linking of our heavenly energies with the great sacred earth – that I’ve found so amazing here.”

Lyn believes the Jackson area offers more than relaxation and playtime. You just might learn about yourself, whether on a hike, or in a Zodiac reading, or in a yoga class with local teacher Deidre Norman. 

“There is something healing about the Tetons,” says Diedre, who teaches at Inversion Yoga and Home Yoga, both in downtown Jackson. “When people come here, yes, you’re in the mountains and you feel more spiritual, but these mountains in particular are different. Healing is something people are drawn to here – a natural inclination.”

Dance for All

When the sun goes down and the temperature plummets, the thriving local dance scene takes wellness in exciting new directions.

“I believe dancers are some of the most extreme athletes in the world,” says Babs Case, the artistic director at Dancers’ Workshop in downtown Jackson. “It’s integrating breath, movement, flexibility and strength. Dance does all of that at the same time.”

Adult fitness and dance classes at Dancers’ Workshop are open to anyone. This includes almost-daily Pilates – “I couldn’t live without it,” Babs says – and more eclectic offerings, like bachata, Salsa Cubana, and a class known as “Melt Neurostrength.”

“I would call it ‘guided self-massage,’” Babs says. “If you go and snowboard all day and your legs are sore, the melt roller will help you go after those areas for relief. You’re working with a rolling surface to break up the fascia in your body, break up the areas that are sore, and the instructor takes you through it. It’s just incredible.”

Many of the one-time-only seminars at Dancers’ Workshop are taught by professional dancers with visiting companies. But over time, Babs has convinced some of the world’s best to do what she did in 1998, when she left the Lincoln Center in New York — she has convinced them to fall in love with a Western “cow town.”

“They have said, ‘I want to live there, I want to teach there, I want to leave the city and be somewhere real,’” Babs says. “That’s what we’ve done here.”

Food for good

Healing, and especially a night of dancing, doesn’t happen on an empty stomach.

“This place is my inspiration,” says Jessica Vandenbroeke, owner of Healthy Being Juicery and Cafe on East Broadway Avenue. “It’s aligning with people who want to be active and enjoy nature. We spend so much time eating food, but we don’t have to rush through it.”

That doesn’t mean a five-course meal. Since 2012 Healthy Being has built a reputation for smoothies, juices, nut milks and wellness shots. Jessica has since opened a marketplace with tinctures and local artists, and her menu now includes quick, delicious, homemade eats, like the wild sockeye salmon lox bagel and the “earth bowl” made with sauteed, roasted veggies and quinoa.

“People think we’re vegan because we have a lot of plant-based food, but we’re not at all,” Jessica says. “I’m not vegan myself, but we only source meat from local farms, or even friends who are getting wild meat like elk.”

Another culinary pro, Tori Parker, owner of Teton Lunch Counter on South Glenwood Street, puts local ranchers, farmers and flavors front and center. She calls it the “Teton way.”

“We’re not cutting any corners,” Parker says. “We are walking the walk and happy to showcase all the beautiful food found right here. It’s not hard to make it work when you try.”

Jackson’s wellness professionals hope visitors take the “Teton way” back home. Kathy, of Hole Hiking, often gets feedback from clients weeks or even months after they leave town.

“People will say, ‘I now walk barefoot in my yard in New Jersey and I get that reset,” Kathy says. “It might be easier in Jackson, but you can sit on your porch in the city and be present. It’s like a muscle. You find clarity and peace, and the more you do it the more doors you open.”

Wellness all around

Jackson makes it easy to find wellness on any scale for any budget. Start with one of these local favorites.

Astoria Hot Springs

Found on the banks of the Snake River 20 minutes south of Jackson, Astoria Hot Springs is a local favorite. Find six man-made soaking pools heated by natural thermal hot springs, where 100-percent of your entry fee go to the Astoria Park Conservancy. Open six days a week (closed Wednesdays for cleaning). Reservations are required and good for one session (just under three hours).  

AstoriaHotSpringsPark.org

307-201-5925

Nordic Skiing

Jackson boasts more than 200 miles of groomed Nordic ski trails in the winter. They’re spread between local Nordic centers, the Bridger-Teton National Forest and Grand Teton National Park, where 14 miles of the Inner Park Loop Road is maintained for skiers. Find the latest grooming reports and trail conditions through JH Nordic.

JHNordic.com  

Kirtan Yoga

Hosted at Home Yoga in downtown Jackson, Kirtan yoga is described as “yoga singing” by instructor Deidre Norman. “People visiting want to do something spiritual, something special, and in the past few years I’ve noticed a larger amount of people drawn to it,” Deidre says.

See the Home Yoga schedule for Kirtan yoga, daily classes and regular workshops.

HomeYogaJH.com

612-226-7145

Medicine Wheel Wellness

This downtown wellness studio is a local favorite for fitness and rehab with a holistic approach. You’ll find classes for strength and mobility, Pilates, mobility and yoga, plus special events with guest teachers. Stock up on natural remedies at the wellness boutique, open most weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

MWWJH.com

307-699-7480

Becoming Jackson Whole

Founded by former Jackson Hole mayor Sarah Flitner, Becoming Jackson Whole hosts free mindfulness events with one goal – helping this community respond to challenges with focus, compassion and resilience. Check the website for a rotating schedule of upcoming events. Some are as quick as 10 minutes over Zoom.

BecomingJacksonWhole.org