Fall Creek Road Trip
If you ever visit Jackson Hole there will more than likely be times when you will have an extra hour or two to kill before you are on to your next event. So what can you do with the couple of extra hours you have that can help add additional memories to your visit. Well, how about a nice 40 mile round trip drive through some really beautiful country.
Start your trip from Jackson Hole and head west on HWY 22 towards Wilson, Wyoming. Wilson is a quaint little town that is the home to many who live in this valley. Wilson is about 7 miles or so to the west of Jackson and on this first leg of this little journey you will cross the mighty Snake River and as you come into the town of Wilson you will cross over the Fish Creek bridge. Fish Creek is a very picturesque little creek that runs right through the town of Wilson. Now pay attention here as Wilson is not a very big place and if you blink you might miss your turn.
After your cross the Fish Creek bridge you will want to look on your left for the Exxon Gas Station that is on the corner of “Fall Creek Road” and “HWY 22”- which is where you will want to turn left. This is where the drive gets fun. From the town of Wilson you will travel south towards HWY 89 and you will end up in the Snake River Canyon. Fall Creek Road is about 19 miles from the turn in Wilson until you reach HWY 89. Fall Creek Road will meander through the mountains and valley passing by many ranches and private developments until you enter into the National
Forest. This drive is one that will let you get a pretty good feel for the terrain around Jackson Hole and have you back in town for your next event in plenty of time.
It is important to note that about half of the 19 miles of Fall Creek Road is paved and the other half is a dirt road. The dirt road is fairly well-traveled and it is usually maintained in very good shape. So you should really have no trouble making the whole length of Fall Creek Road. However your car or SUV may get dirty along the way. Also you will not have cell phone service for the majority of this trip. It is during this long stretch of the journey that you will have ample opportunities to see wildlife if they are out and about.
As you travel south don’t be in a hurry, first because this road is narrow and there is two-way traffic. If you need or want to look at some of the views – pull over and stop. It is very easy on this narrow winding road to make a mistake. So pay attention. Fall Creek Road runs south just to the west of the Snake River and then heads up into the hills. There are some beautiful areas where you can take some scenic pictures but be aware that much of this first leg runs through private property so please respect the signage.
Soon you will reach the entrance that leads you back into the National Forest and the road eventually will turn to dirt. This is bear country so if you stop and get out to take a hike be sure to have a fresh can of bear spray with you at all times. Personally I have not seen a bear on the many trips I have made on this road but they are there as are all the other animals that live in these mountains. But if you stay to the road you should not have any issues. At some point during this 19 mile stretch be sure to take a few minutes to find a place to pull over and just take in the beautiful scenery. Having a digital camera with you is a must.
One thing that may surprise you is how many homes and ranches are back on this road. But at some point you will leave them behind you for a nice stretch of just you, the dirt road, and mother nature. This picture of the actual Fall Creek was taken just this past week. The creek is really running with snow melt and it is quite muddy right now. Normally this is a beautiful little creek with crystal clear water. The creek makes its way through the valley you will pass and eventually end up emptying into the Snake River. Not to far from this picture you will head back up into the hills and then again travel back down the other side ending up on HWY 89.
When you get to the HWY 89 you will want to turn LEFT (EAST) and head back to Jackson Hole. From this point you are about 23 mile from town and the roads are all paved and you can drive most of it at 55MPH. You will cross the Snake River as you come into Hoback Junction and at Hoback you will turn LEFT again heading North. Then you are 10 miles from town and in no time you will have completed your 40 mile journey. This whole trip should not take more than and hour or so to complete depending on how much time you spend taking pictures and such. So if you have a couple of extra hours this is a good way to spend them as many people who visit the valley never see this little jewel of a drive.