It’s been a surreal year to say the least, but here in the least populated state in the U.S. we’re built for — and in some cases, intentionally chose — a life with more space and fewer neighbors. We recognize that isolation isn’t always a bad thing, and we know how to find comfort and endless entertainment in the jagged peaks, flowing rivers, and wild animals that surround us.

Step outside and let your senses take over. As your eyes rest on the Tetons shooting dramatically out of the valley floor, the old-timey facades of downtown Jackson Hole, or the Snake River slithering past, it’s easy to forget the worries of the world. Ours is a panorama that makes you stop dead in your tracks and look — eyes scanning, itching to absorb every detail.

The area’s visual beauty can be all-consuming, but you’d be remiss to let the sounds of Jackson Hole and the Tetons go unnoticed.

The Snake River flows west of town, bringing with it the sounds of gulping cutthroat trout and nesting loons. Overhead, the whistling of a Barrow’s goldeneye passes by and as the weather turns cold, elk bugles ring out from the National Elk Refuge.

Spend any amount of time on the trails around town and you’ll hear the whizz of a mountain bike speeding down the trail above you or the powerful rumble of thunder as a storm rolls in. Down in the heart of Jackson, the soft hum of familiar chatter is constant while a whoop from the rodeo cuts the air. In the evenings, live music spills out onto the streets, enticing those passing by to sway or nod along.

These are the sounds of Jackson Hole and the Tetons — a soundscape that’s just as varied as the community itself, a place ranchers, musicians, hippies, hunters, and athletes call home.

As you flip through our summer edition of JHStyle Magazine — Sounds of the Tetons and pass your days exploring this beautiful place we call home, take a moment to absorb the sounds around you and immersive yourself in our brand of isolation.