Looking Ahead: Summer 2022

Happy Fall!

The grass and bushes are changing colors and the trees won’t be far behind. We have had smokey days and clear crisp days with temperatures ranging between 28 and 81 in one day. Life in the mountains doesn’t disappoint!

Summer 2022:

Availability for next summer is very slim, and I have had to juggle some dates to accommodate COVID cancelations/rebookings and weddings. Before we finalize reservations for Summer 2022 guests I wanted to let you know about our rate changes. If you have sent me a deposit and decide to not book next year with the increased rates, I will send the whole non-refundable deposit back to you now and cancel your reservation.

We have done an audit of similar properties in our area: Dornan’s, Lutons, Budges, Craigheads, not to mention a couple hotels in town. The range of nightly rents was between $375 (Dornans) and $540 (Lexington hotel room); other places in town and Teton Village are way higher. This has caused us to reevaluate our prices as we move forward. We don’t want to increase our prices to the level Teton Village is at, we are not looking for that clientele and have struggled for years to imagine pushing out current clientele who we value so much. We feel that we have more to offer than any of these properties and we have been underpriced for years.  Property taxes here on the 5 acres have increased 32% in the last 4 years, forcing our hand. It would be financially irresponsible to not make some rate adjustment, but it isn’t easy. Our new nightly rates are below.

For updated availability please visit our availability page.

2022 Prices

West Cabin:

• May 28-June 30 $400 per night plus 11% tax

• July 1-August 31 $600 per night plus 11% tax

• September 1-September 30 $400 per night plus 11% tax

Log Cabin:

• June 15-June 30 $400 per night plus 11% tax.

• July 1-August 31 $600 per night plus 11% tax

• September 1-11 $400 per night plus 11% tax

Occupancy in both cabins is for up to 4 guests. An additional 2 guests increase the rent by $50 per night.

We have a five day minimum.

Jackson Summer 2021 Update

Summer is in full swing in Jackson Hole. The valley is green, lush, and beautiful. It has been a dry spring; fire danger is already high. That and high daily temperatures are expected to continue throughout the summer.

The valley is full of visitors and I think we are all a little more prepared for the increase in tourism this year. Having said that, it is busy, and planning ahead is more important than ever before. Here are some tips that we hope will make your vacation and trip planning a little easier:

Reservations:

If you want to go out to dinner, make reservations now. It took us 2 and a half weeks to get a reservation for 8. If you have a more mellow schedule, or fewer people there are potential opportunities for walk-ins or eating at the bar. Be prepared for a wait if you don’t have a reservation. Brie and I had a nice time wandering the square the other night and stopping in a couple restaurants for a drink and an app. If you are willing and able to sit at the bar, you might luck out like we did. Restaurants away from the Square are quieter, but only slightly. We find eating on the deck on the property is so relaxing, and a little cooler than town. The kitchens are fully equipped so eating at home is a breeze! 

Rental Cars:

A number of guests have reported a limited amount of rental cars available in the area, and very high prices. I was quoted $315 per day. A number of valley residents, including my daughter, have listed their cars on Turo. If you are in need of a rental car you can contact Brie directly by emailing mcreynolds.brianna@gmail.com.

Activities:

Everything from horseback riding, to fishing and rafting, are booking up fast. If you are wanting to do those activities, book early and check their cancellation policies. Many places are booked out weeks in advance, call now! Check out our recommendations page for suggestions.

We have about 8 bikes on property you are welcome to borrow. Check out if one could fit you! The bike path in the park is fabulous!

Hiking and sightseeing:

Trailhead parking is at a premium, so go before 9 if you want to get a spot, or after 3.

There is traffic in the parks, we encourage you to depart early and pack your own food and drink and expect to make it a whole day experience. We have coolers and camp chairs on property that we are happy to lend you! 

Traffic:

Traffic in Jackson and Grand Teton is no longer only when wildlife is in the road. We have found there is a surge of people who are driving into Jackson around 3 p.m., it is worth avoiding that time to drive to town. Around 9 a.m. the surge heads towards the parks. We suggest using Spring Gulch road, only a mile of dirt, the rest is paved, to get to and from town. It is a beautiful road with a little less traffic. 

COVID-19: 

Most of the COVID restrictions have been lifted in the valley, though there are some places that will still ask you to wear a mask. If you are interested in testing for COVID-19 after you arrive there are tests you can have sent ahead from Vault Health that you can administer yourself (over Zoom) and return for results in 3 days. I believe it is free if you make an account and send it to a Teton County address. A company called Curative also offers PCR tests at two different kiosks around town; they provide results within 24 hours. 

Groceries and supplies:

We have 3 main grocery stores: Smiths, Albertsons and Whole Foods (previously Whole Grocer). Each has a liquor store attached to them. Smiths is a Kroger owned company and Albertson’s is a Safeway company, if you have discount numbers with either of those larger companies you can use them at our stores as well. In addition we have a farmers market on Saturday morning on the square, and another one on Wednesday’s 4-6 p.m. by the Center for the Arts. They sell produce, local meat, cheese, and assorted other items. Local to Moose is Dornan’s which has two restaurants and a small grocery for basics or to replenish. It is a lovely place to take a bike ride to for a bottle of wine and an onion (or whatever it may be that you need!). 

We are looking forward to seeing you all this summer. Happy to say that the whole family (boyfriends included) are on property! Please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions, we are happy to help. 

Amy, Lyle, Brianna, Lexi, Kyle and Wren (the boyfriends)

Hi! From Whiskey and Kona

Happy 2021!

Happy New Year from our family to yours! 

Brianna, Lexi, Amy and Lyle

Everyone has said it, but it rings so true, 2020 was a crazy year. After the expected cancellations in the spring we had a wonderful summer with increased cleaning protocols and a few less guests. We are thankful for everyone who trusted us to keep them safe in our cabins and who could still make their trips. 

We so appreciate those who wore masks and stayed safely distanced. It helped keep our community safe and allowed our small businesses to stay open. Thank you for your help.

Summer 2021…

We only have two openings for Summer 2021, four nights in June and four nights in September. I do expect some cancellations, so if you are hoping to come and don’t have a space, keep an eye on the website. 

Whole Grocer is still offering curbside pick up for groceries, and all restaurants offer take out-though most of them are open for dine in as well. I believe Dornan’s liquor store and The Liquor Store (next to Albertsons) will take orders for curbside pick up as well. As we get closer to the summer season we can give you a better idea of what the situation is.

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A couple new things to note:

(Applies to all payments and bookings made after January 1, 2021)

• The state of Wyoming has imposed additional taxes on lodging. Our lodging tax is now 11%. 

• Our rates for reservations made in 2021 have increased to $375 per night for each cabin. 

• The Log Cabin is an extra $25 per night for more than 4 guests (to access the third bedroom and second bath in the basement). 

• When you pay your balance 31 days before your stay you will now be required to pay a $300 security deposit. This will be returned to you within two weeks of your stay as long as there are no damages.

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We hope you are all staying safe and healthy. If you need your Teton fix, head over to our Instagram (@mcreynoldsblacktailcabins) for some great photos of the property!

Our final announcement is dog related! Some of you may have met Brianna’s black lab puppy this summer, Kona, she will be around this summer as well and can’t wait to meet everyone! Whiskey is doing well, taking her “Aunt” duties in stride.

Please contact us if you have any questions or we can help you with anything!

The National Parks are Opening!

Daffodils bloom outside the Log Cabin, May 2020.

Happy Spring!

An exciting announcement was made yesterday, May 13th, that Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks are beginning their tiered opening process on Monday, May 18th! I will link the official announcements below.

As we mentioned in our last blog post, this summer in the Tetons and in Yellowstone is going to be a wonderful time to see the Parks with fewer people around. Yellowstone has a three tiered plan for complete reopening and a tentative timeline. We will continue to post on the blog as new information becomes available. As always, continue to contact us with questions or concerns!

Grand Teton link: https://www.nps.gov/grte/learn/news/grand-teton-national-park-increases-recreational-access.htm

Yellowstone link: https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/20015.htm

Spring 2020

Hello!

We are living in interesting times to say the least! I hope this note finds you all hanging in there. We returned from Bali in the nick of time as countries were closing their borders and COVID-19 cases were appearing everywhere. As always, it is such a joy to be home no matter what wonderful place you visited.

This time of year is typically very quiet, and this year even more so. We are so grateful to have such a safe and beautiful space to “quarantine” in. Spring is still quite snowy here. The rains are welcome because they melt the snow and we rejoice at the green shoots popping up on clear ground. Places on the property not covered in snow are beginning to see the first wildflowers of spring, Sage Buttercups and Indian Potatoes. 

Moving forward…

It is hard to know when the economy will reopen and to what extent, especially in Jackson. We are planning on summer guests and taking it day by day. I suspect summer will be significantly quieter in the Tetons this year, perhaps a golden lining as the summers have steadily gotten more crazy. So while some restaurants may not be open, this could be a fabulous time to visit the National Parks. 

Like many places around the country, our local businesses and restaurants are working hard to offer no contact or curbside pick up for many things. We expect this will continue into the summer and would be a great option for a “meal out”! 

Many of you, especially who have booked already, likely have many questions about summer in the Cabins. We welcome any questions emailed to us that aren’t answered here. We will be following CDC cleaning guidelines during all cleans as well as exploring options for extra sanitization in between each guest. We are also willing to deliver groceries for those who just want to stay distanced. Deciding to come on your vacation during these times is likely a hard choice, but luckily in Moose distance is built in and we will do our best to ensure you have a wonderful and safe trip. 

We are adjusting our policies a bit in light of these times. If you would like to cancel your reservation any time between now and 30 days before your arrival, $250 of your deposit can be rolled over towards the balance of a stay in the next two years.

I will plan to contact current guests 6 weeks before their visit with a request for your balance payment or decision to cancel for this year. If you make a decision before I contact you, please reach out so we can make a plan. The more open communication we have the easier it will be to navigate this. 

I am still getting some inquiries for openings for this summer and potentially could fill some spaces with a little lead time. But I want everyone to have the time to see where this is going before making a decision. As you and your families are making decisions regarding your summer travel plans, let us know! 

If you do not have a stay booked with us, but are interested in coming this summer, check our website for availability and email us for more information. We have a waitlist and would be happy to add you to it!

Happiness and Health from our family to yours!

The McReynolds Family

Happy Thanksgiving!

Whiskey’s paw prints next to the bear’s!

Happy Thanksgiving & Happy Fall!

Some exciting changes have been happening at McReynolds Blacktail Cabins this fall! Brie has built us a new website with a few new pages and our neighbor Kyle wowed us with this beautiful promotional video! 

You will find photos of a gorgeous wedding we hosted last Fall on our Events page. This Fall brought the same couple back for their first year anniversary party! The groom surprised his new wife with a small anniversary dinner party in the Log Cabin. How amazing to be able to celebrate your marriage where it happened! Revisiting could become a wonderful tradition for years to come. 

Lyle’s hand next to the bear’s print!

Our first Fall without the kids at home has been far from uneventful. We had a bear walk through the property, we think it had to be a grizzly bear, as you can see in the photo it had paws larger than Lyle’s hand! Whiskey’s paw print looks quite small next to the bears print.

Deer have also been wandering through frequently, along with many animals and birds as they migrate for the winter. 

October arrived cold and nasty. It gave a really good impression of late November. It broke records with low temps, and was snowy and wet. Lyle and I had the good sense to travel to see both girls at college in October and we missed the worst of it. I guess there is one positive for being empty nesters!

November has been beautiful, cool nights and days in the 40s-50s and so much sun! It helps to be able to take that last bike ride through Grand Teton National Park while the roads are closed. Moose-Wilson Road and the Inner Park Loop Road, starting at Bradley-Taggart trailhead, closed to cars for the season on November 1st. Those of us still in town for the offseason often take advantage of a sunny day for walking, bike riding or roller blading. It is a special way to see the Park. 

As we begin to bundle up in coats we are looking forward to the warmer months. There is still availability for Summer 2020! Take a look at our Rates & Availability page for dates (Updated as of November 24th). They are subject to change; however, we are always available by email for updated availabilities. We look forward to hearing from you!

It will be a quiet Thanksgiving this year with just Lyle and me, Chuck and Barbara (my parents), and Shirley (our dear neighbor). But, it will be Christmas before we know it and our house will be full again!

We wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Amy & Lyle McReynolds

Beautiful sunrise on the Tetons from the bridge by the Log Cabin

Cloudy Teton View from Antelope Flats Road

Cloudy, but lovely view from the Guest House

Lovely fall walk in the leaves