Jackson Hole in China
I had never heard about Jackson Hole in Wyoming, United States, at least it’s not a familiar name for me, until a few days ago when I visited Jackson Hole in China.
A friend of my husband, both he and his wife are doctors in Beijing, invited my family to spend two days with them in their vacation house in Jackson Hole Beijing Villas. It is a resort community near the Great Wall, outside of Beijing. It takes about two hours to drive from their apartment in Beijing to their vacation home.
Jackson Hole Beijing Villas are modeled after the Jackson Hole in the United States. There are about 800 houses, very unique inside and outside. They have nice views and surrounding environment.
During the two days, we climbed a mountain in their backyard. On the top of the mountain there are carved ruins where people used to live.
Jackson Hole provides the impression of the American west. The guards are all dressed like cowboys. There are horses for riding for the residents. My kids and I did horseback riding, my first experience.
Our friend and his wife are really proud of their vacation home. “You can’t get this kind of fresh air and mountain view in Beijing. It’s so nice to be able to get away from the noisy city life and come here to enjoy the quiet country life.”
The prices for the houses have more than tripled since 2005. As word gets around and residents introduce their friends to the resort community, demand has skyrocketed. Now there are higher demand than supply, so interested buyers have to be on the waiting list.
I posted some photos on my Facebook.
Dear Ms. Qin,
thank you for your insightful writing! in 2010, i enjoyed visiting Badaling but if i had known of Jackson Hole i would have wished to pay a visit! I realize it is a facility for the home owners rather than a tourist destination, still, i have an offer to them and wish to contact the property managers! perhaps your Beijinger friends who own there can supply a means of contact?
i am a volunteer ambassador for the Jackson Hole,Wyoming, Chamber of Commerce. i serve in local government on the county board of historic preservation as well as a lecturer and walking tour leader for the Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum. the Historical Society has powerpoint presentations on the history and unique character of this part of the world as well as one on homesteading and the settling of this valley full of images of the authentic wild west character found here which runs so much more deeply than the reputation we enjoy as a tourist destination and even as a place of privilege to live in. in addition, i presented at Peking University in 2010 a program of the history of Yellowstone National Park and how the park movement begun here and in Yosemite influenced the entire world!
a travel consultant agency in Beijing is investigating funding my return to Zhongguo this or the next year. at the very least, i will be happy to bring some hat pins to the owners of Jackson Hole, China. but, if there is interest, i will be happy to present to them a slideshow or two with a question and answer period about the authentic, wild, American west and the namesake of the vacation home community you visited. my understanding is that the developers never actually visited Jackson Hole,Wyoming but did the best they could to evoke a setting of rustic charm with rural character yet with gracious living. i would enjoy conducting a photo study of exterior and some interior comparisons of the actual Jackson Hole architectural and living experience as well as presenting landscape and biodiversity as the actual hallmark of this hole between the mountains.
i have been an actual cowboy but these days i drive visitors to our national parks, wearing a big cowboy hat,and telling them stories of the nature and heritage here.
i hope you can find for me a name and address.
yours, sincerely,
Jesse O’Connor
Gray Line of Jackson Hole
Teton County Historic Preservation Board
Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum
I recently hosted the developer of John in Beijing to the real John Wyoming. H loved it. Brucesimon,brucesimon33@gmail.com