Jackson

Unfortunately, Jackson's charm and popularity have put it at risk. On busy summer days traffic often slows to a crawl on the highway that doglegs through downtown. Proposals for new motels and condominiums sprout like the purple asters in the spring as developers vie for a share of the upscale vacation market. Old-timers suggest that the town—in fact, the entire Jackson Hole—has already lost some of its dusty charm from when horses stood at hitching rails around Town Square. However, with national parks and forests and state lands occupying some of the most beautiful real estate in the country, there's only 3%-4% in unprotected ground on which to build. These limitations, along with the cautious approach of locals, may yet keep Jackson on a human scale.