Alternative Hotels in Jackson Hole
Though the Spring Creek Ranch is our top choice, here are a few other options in the area.

If you insist on impeccable service, the Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole won't disappoint. The ski lift machinery outside doesn't add much to the view when not covered by drifts of snow, but the rooms are large, and most have terraces (307-732-5011; fourseasons.com/jacksonhole; doubles, $575-$975).

If you'd rather be in town, close enough to walk to bars and restaurants each evening, book a room at the Rusty Parrot Lodge & Spa. You'll find far more elegance than the name might imply—but unfortunately no view of the mountains. (888-739-1749; rustyparrot.com; doubles, $425-$485).

Reading List
If you can't remember much from your American history classes, these titles will bring you up to speed on the fascinating natural, cultural, and political history of the American West.

The Great Divide: The Rocky Mountains in the American Mind, by Gary Ferguson, profiles the many denizens of this massive mountain chain, from the Native Americans and fur trappers to the gold diggers, first tourists, and hippies (out of print).

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West, is historian Stephen E. Ambrose's carefully researched account of Meriwether Lewis's less than cheerful life, from his days as Jefferson's secretary through the Corps of Discovery's expedition, to his disappointing later years and untimely death (Simon & Schuster, $17).

The Solace of Open Spaces, by Gretel Ehrlich, is a series of lyrical essays by a Californian who found herself herding sheep on Wyoming ranches. This is the Wyoming you won't see in Jackson (Penguin, $14).

In Lost in My Own Backyard: A Walk in Yellowstone National Park, adventure travel writer Tim Cahill tackles an exotic landscape just a few miles from his home with typical humor and self-deprecation (Crown, $17).

Searching for Yellowstone: Ecology and Wonder in the Last Wilderness, by Paul Schullery, is a quite readable history of the park's creation, evolution, and controversies over the last 100-plus years (Montana Historical Society Press, $20).

Death in Yellowstone: Accidents in Foolhardiness in the First National Park, by Lee H. Whittlesey—the park's archivist—is a macabre but fascinating account of nearly every death in the park, from hot springs burns to poisonous mushrooms (Roberts Rinehart Publishers, $17).

Alternative Summer Itinerary
Need to travel in the summer, but can't fit the Mountain Sky Guest Ranch's 7-night minimum into your trip? Here's another way to get a taste of the cowboy life between Glacier National Park and Yellowstone:

On Day 3, drive from Whitefish to Helena as you would in the fall, but instead of moving on to Bozeman after lunch, check into the Best Western Helena Great Northern Hotel, which is centrally located near the capital's historic district, and adjacent to one of the area's best restaurants, the Silver Star Steak Co. (406-457-5500; bestwestern.com; doubles, $149-$159). The next day, follow Highway 287 to the Lodge at Sun Ranch, which landed on Condé Nast Traveler's Green List back in 2005 when it was known as the Papoose Creek Lodge (888-674-3030; papoosecreek.com; doubles, $1,800, including all meals; three-night minimum). Activities here range from horseback riding and fly-fishing to hiking and canoeing. From Sun Ranch, the most convenient route into Yellowstone is via the west entrance. Head north on the Grand Loop and continue with the itinerary as written from Mammoth Hot Springs.