I Was the Original Horse Girl. This Luxury Lodge in Wyoming Delivered My Grown-Up Western Fantasy.

Decades later, I found myself chasing that same freedom — this time in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where The Sylvan Lodge, tucked inside the Snake River Sporting Club, offers a new kind of Western escape: one that smells like pine and saddle leather in the morning, but also like fresh espresso and orange blossoms from a post-spa facial.

It’s the kind of place that reminds you that the Wild West doesn’t have to be wild all the time. Sometimes, it can be a little bit soft — like the whistling wind through the aspens. Sometimes, it can be downright indulgent — like the welcoming bottle of Wyoming whiskey in my suite.

The West, reimagined

The moment I arrived at The Sylvan Lodge, I felt something familiar stir — like the West I’d always dreamed of as a kid, only real, grounded, and wrapped in the soft edges of grown-up comfort.

The lodge hums with luxury. Every space tells a story. The River Room, where I lingered over omelet breakfasts and whatever the immaculate baker whipped up that morning, is bathed in a shimmer designed to mimic the way sunlight dances on the Snake River. Rooms are trimmed in European white oak, and beds are dressed with Frette sheets and Italian duvets so soft they practically exhale. It was the fluffy robe and slippers that did it for me. After a long day of travel, they were exactly what I needed.

That first afternoon, our group was guided through the property by Director of Lodging Michael Gray, whose tour felt more like a gentle reveal: the spa that smells like eucalyptus and quiet mornings, the tucked-away infinity pool overlooking Snake River Canyon, and small but thoughtful touches like extra wooden locker rooms specifically for ski boots and muddy manure boots. The details mattered all around, down to the tissue box covers and the bath bombs in the spa-bath suites. The Sylvan Lodge doesn’t try to be all things; it is all things. Every need is anticipated before it’s even noticed.

Even before I slipped into a robe for my Citrus Essence facial, I knew this wasn’t just a lodge — it was a retreat in the truest sense.

Lodge life, rugged and refined

What surprised me most was how seamlessly the experiences flowed. One moment, I was casting a rod into the Snake River, watching bald eagles trace lazy circles above the canyon. The next, I was sipping Caymus wine and roasting s’mores at the Dark Sky Bar under a twinkling sky, fresh off a private chef’s dinner in the penthouse suite — where, yes, there’s a rooftop hot tub all to yourself, overlooking the river and the surrounding mountains.

Then, there was the golf. Even as someone who rarely swings a club and has yet to hit a par (one chip away every time), I was floored by the course’s setting. Designed by Tom Weiskopf, the 7,500-yard marvel, ranked the number-two golf course in Wyoming, winds along the Snake River and through cottonwood groves with the mountains as its backdrop. Playing there felt less like a round of golf and more like a reverent walk through the wilderness. Whether you’re chasing your handicap or just admiring the scenery, it’s the kind of place where the land feels as intentional as the swing.

Later that evening, we traded golf carts for binoculars and set off on a sunset wildlife drive through Grand Teton National Park — a slow, golden-hour immersion into one of the most awe-inspiring landscapes in the country. Guided by local naturalist Jason, we wound alongside marshes in search of moose hiding in the brush, pausing to check if the rustle in the tall grass was a grizzly peeking out for a look. The highlight? Amid an open plain of grazing bison, there — on the distant horizon — was a wolf devouring a calf. It was Planet Earth in real life. Awestruck, we crept closer for a better look at this marvel of nature. We didn’t spot a grizzly, but I’d say my wildlife search was more than successful.

With every turn, the Tetons loomed larger — jagged and glowing, like the closing scene of a John Wayne classic, the kind where the hero rides off toward a horizon that never quite ends. It wasn’t just a tour; it was a glimpse into the wildness that pulses at the edge of luxury.

Wellness, wild style

I’ve been on a few “outdoorsy” press trips, but rarely one where I ended the day as relaxed as I started it. The spa at The Sylvan Lodge felt entirely in tune with the environment. My facial wasn’t just rejuvenating — it was restorative, using Natura Bissé products and local botanicals to bring me back to center after a day outdoors.

For those who like to balance the rugged with the restorative, the lodge’s wellness amenities are next-level: a fitness center with private yoga and Pilates; a steam room, cold plunge, sauna, red light therapy room; and a dedicated exercise pool and hot tub relaxation lounge — each space mirroring the quiet elegance found throughout the property.

Everything here — meals, moments, and massages — felt like it belonged exactly where it was.

Trail dreams, rewritten

Of course, I was here for the horses, too. The wine and cheese trail ride was everything my childhood self could’ve dreamed up — only better dressed. We saddled up at the ranch in the late afternoon, sunlight slicing through the cottonwoods. My horse, Bud, moved with the kind of rhythmic confidence that only seasoned trail companions have, and as we followed the Snake River’s edge, it felt like riding through the pages of a story I already knew by heart.

Halfway through, we dismounted for a charcuterie spread of local meats, cheeses, and wine, all elegantly laid out beneath the trees. Sebastian, the lodge’s sommelier, poured a crisp glass of pinot grigio that shimmered like melted butter in the glass — and tasted just as luxurious. We sat beneath a canvas tent set just for us, shaded and secluded, while the horses grazed peacefully just feet away. It was the kind of moment that felt suspended in time — equal parts nostalgia and total novelty.

The Sylvan Lodge, maximized

You don’t need to be a horse girl to love The Sylvan Lodge. You just need to crave space: to breathe, to move slowly, and to watch clouds gather over the mountains. You might hike, ride, golf, go skeet shooting or fly-fishing, try archery, or simply read by the infinity pool overlooking the Snake River Canyon, drink in hand, and sagebrush rustling in the breeze.

This is a place for people who want the feel of a remote escape without giving up a well-made cappuccino or a feather-soft bed. It’s for adventurers who like a little elegance, and dreamers who believe the West can still surprise them.

While this positions the lodge as a sort of choose-your-own-adventure experience, there are, in my opinion, a few must-dos while you’re on the property: the wine and cheese trail ride, any of the spa treatments, a scenic float, a wildlife drive, a round of golf, and fly-fishing on the Snake River. Be sure to pack layers when you visit, as well as a wide-brimmed hat (with a tie), closed-toe shoes for horseback riding, and a swimsuit for the pool and cold plunge. Plan to come during summer or early fall — unless you’re a winter-sport traveler, in which case The Sylvan Lodge is your year-round playground.

What it was for me is a place that gave me everything I never knew I needed: the nostalgia of my horse girl days, the serenity of the mountains, and the kind of thoughtful, place-rooted luxury that makes you want to slow down and stay forever.

Rocket would’ve loved it here.

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