Located in the Jackson Hole Valley in Teton County, Wyoming, Jackson is a little town that is a popular destination for visitors as a gateway to the Grand Teton National Park and nearby Yellowstone National Park. Jackson is situated in the western section of Wyoming and is the county seat of Teton County, as well as being the biggest town in the county too. Jackson covers an area of 2.95 square miles and has an estimated population of over 10,000 people, with more than 30,000 in the surrounding Jackson Micropolitan Statistical Area.

The town is named after the Jackson Hole valley, which was named after David Edward "Davey" Jackson, a trapper who lived in the area in the early 19th century and was one of the first white settlers to spend a full winter in the valley. The town was named by a resident named Margaret Simpson who decided that the town needed a name in order to improve its postal service. Jackson was incorporated in 1914 and actually elected an all-female city government in 1920.

Over time, Jackson became known as a key touristic spot as well due to its prime location near two of the most popular national parks in the nation: Yellowstone and Grand Teton. The town's economy has been boosted by tourism over the years to a point where it has been able to expand and develop quite significantly, with a thriving shopping and food district in the center of town. Various ski resorts can also be found nearby, which have helped make the town of Jackson even more popular, and other local attractions and points of interest include the National Elk Refuge and National Museum of Wildlife Art.

Elevation of Jackson, WY

The elevation of a town or city is a geographical statistic that tells us how high or low that location is in relation to the mean sea level of Earth. Elevation is most commonly measured in feet or meters and has a variety of practical uses for town planning, weather forecasts, and more. The elevation of a location can have a big effect on its climate, with high elevation areas often having lower average temperatures. The elevation of Jackson is 6,237 feet (1,901 m). The town’s high elevation is due to its location in the state of Wyoming, which has generally high elevations all around, and its proximity to mountainous areas.

The average elevation all around the United States is 2,500 feet (760 m), so the elevation of Jackson is much higher than the national average. However, Jackson’s elevation is actually lower than the state average for Wyoming. Wyoming is the second highest state of all, with a mean elevation of 6,700 feet (2,040 m), with its highest point being at Gannett Peak, a mountain of the Wind River Range, which has an elevation of 13,809 feet, while the lowest point in the state is the Belle Fourche River on the South Dakota border, which has an elevation of 3,101 feet (945 m).

Major cities around Wyoming include the state capital of Cheyenne, which has an elevation of 6,062 feet (1,848 m), Casper, which is situated at an elevation of 5,150 feet (1,560 m), Laramie, which has a population of 7,165 feet (2,184 m), and Gillette, which is situated at an elevation of 4,554 feet (1,388 m). The highest incorporated city or town in all of Wyoming is Encampment, which is located in Carbon County at an elevation of 7,277 feet (2,218 m).

Climate and Things to Do in Jackson, WY

The city of Jackson has a humid continental climate which is significantly different to much of the rest of the state of Wyoming due its location in a valley. The high elevation at Jackson also results in very cold temperatures in the evenings compared to the days. The coldest month of the year is January, with average highs of 28°F (-2°C) and lows of 5°F (-15°C), while the warmest month is July with average highs of 82°F (28°C) and lows of 41°F (5°C).

There are many points of interest in and around the town of Jackson, so it's unsurprising that the town attracts huge numbers of visitors each year. Nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts will find a lot to love in Jackson, with Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park right nearby. The National Elk Refuge is very popular too and various ski resorts, including Grand Targhee, Jackson Hole, and Snow King Mountain can be found nearby. Jackson also has an annual Elkfest event for the Boy Scouts of America.

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