Shopping

In recent years, big national chains have opened factory-outlet stores in Jackson, and among the ever-changing array of shops (rents are high; so is turnover) you can find everything from American-Indian crafts to cowboy boots to Oriental rugs. But these are what you'll find in most resort towns. The areas where Jackson excels are its art galleries and outdoor-wear shops.

Standouts in the outdoor-clothing category include Teton Mountaineering, 170 N. Cache St. (tel. 307/733-3595), also a great spot for climbing, camping, and winter gear; and Moosely Seconds in Moose (tel. 307/739-1801), where you'll find surprisingly deep discounts on quality outdoor wear.

Collectors, tired of bighorn sheep on the crags and weather-beaten cowboys on their horses, often dismiss Western art. But while Jackson has plenty of that genre in stock, some of its two dozen galleries are more adventurous and sophisticated. Cayuse Western Americana, 255 N. Glenwood St. (tel. 800/405-4096 or 307/739-1940; www.cayusewa.com), focuses on antiques of all kinds, from beadwork to spurs to belt buckles to paintings. The Center Street Gallery, 30 N. Center St. (tel. 307/733-1115; www.centerstreetgallery.com), focuses on contemporary Western art. Lyndsay McCandless Contemporary, 130 S. Jackson (tel. 307/734-0649; www.lmcontemporary.com), showcases abstract wildlife and other edgy work. A mile north of town, at 1975 U.S. Hwy. 89 (toward the park), is the Wilcox Gallery (tel. 307/733-6450; www.wilcoxgallery.com), which showcases more than 20 painters and sculptors from across the nation. The Wilcox Gallery II is in town at 165 N. Center St. (tel. 307/733-3950).