How is it taken me 15 years of living in Jackson Hole to finally make it to Brooks Lake Lodge?! Don’t make the same mistake as me – this place is an absolute must! The Lodge just celebrated their 100th birthday and we were lucky enough to be invited for the big bash. People, this historic dude ranch is absolute magic!
The drive alone is so majestic (can you tell I’m totally smitten with this place per my vocab usage?!) as you drive up to the top of Togowotee Pass and turn down a long dirt road to Brooks Lake. In the winter, this road is closed to only snowmobilers and a snow coach which takes guests to the Lodge. Um, please sign me up for Winter 2023! As a guest, you are fully catered to with everything all-inclusive, including horseback rides, guided hikes, fishing, boating, and kayaking.
Brooks Lake Lodge first started as a dude ranch for guests heading to Yellowstone. A nice little stop on your long drive across the country in the 1920’s. It has a total of 25 beds throughout both the lodge and the surrounding cabins, with a separate spa. The hot tub is ridiculously large and may or may not have the coolest hot tub views in the world. I’m super tempted to rent out the entire thing for a birthday party. If my family wasn’t so massive, I would have rented this place for my wedding. Yes, they do weddings and other large gatherings!
And good news if the dates you want are booked…..there is a campground near the Lodge! You can car or tent camp up there without a reservation (first come, first serve) and there seem to be a lot of spots available. The campground is beautiful overlooking the Lake and you can eat and drink at the Lodge, which doesn’t sound too shabby for a camping weekend. You can also put a boat in at the ramp to putter around the lake.
It’s good to note that in the summer, the lodge is only open to overnight guests but in the winter, daytime visitors are welcome to snowmobile in for lunch and drinks. And while its not required, it is recommended to call in advance to make a lunch reservation in the winter. It’s also worth heading back toward Dubois for a true cowboy town visit.
