Five bedrooms
Wilson

$65,000 per month in Summer
Other rates available upon request

RIVER'S EDGE LODGE

The wintertime approach to River’s Edge Lodge is like a journey into a postcard. A one-lane bridge crosses a frozen stream, the forest thickens, the long snowy branches of lodge pole pines bow over the little drive. And there, tucked into a quiet clearing, is River’s Edge Lodge, a big, traditional log house on the verge of the Snake River. The woods are so silent and still around the lodge that if you listen, you might just hear sleigh bells. Inside, all is warmth and light and great festive welcome. Fires blaze in every hearth; and each window frames the winter wonderland outside, the pines quilted with snow.

River’s Edge Lodge sits on a wide grassy meadow, which becomes a tempting white canvas for the calligraphy of snowshoe and ski tracks come winter. A stone path leads to the river and a broad gravel levy that follows the water in either direction; from here you can hike or ski for miles upon miles in perfect peace. The thick border of willows flanking the Snake is haute cuisine for moose, and they are frequent visitors at River’s Edge Lodge.

The lodge’s heavy front doors open to a great, log-walled foyer and a monumental staircase. A private office stands off of the foyer, with its own wood-burning fireplace and step-out terrace facing the mountains. A big leather chair waits behind a long, masterful wood desk. The foyer then opens into the living room, a huge, high-ceilinged space where enormous windows are the breath-taking art. A beautiful river stone fireplace throws flickering light and dancing shadows around the room; a big antler chandelier hangs over the couch and echoes the shape of the rising pine branches beyond the glass. Massive peeled logs form the rafters in the vaulted ceiling overhead.

A “floating” loft hangs over the living room, the family room and the kitchen. The loft functions as an upstairs living area, comfortable and firelit, with a little writing desk, big armchairs, and a throw rug in front of the fireplace — a snug, inviting spot for board games, train tracks or art projects, removed from the hubbub of the house and yet still a part of things. Downstairs, the family room is equally appealing. Handsome leather armchairs and a sofa are grouped around the fireplace, bookshelves and a TV; just behind the sofa is the kitchen and breakfast bar. A door opens to the terrace, suggesting a ramble down the stony path to the river, the woods, and beyond.

Mealtime at River’s Edge Lodge can be dictated by the disposition of the day — the house has two dining rooms and an outdoor eating area. The upholstered armchairs around the long table of the formal dining room suggest a banquet or an elegant dinner party; the easy-going breakfast room, sunny and lovely, is set right off the kitchen and speaks of skis left leaning against the porch rail while sandwiches and hot chocolate wait upon the table. Perhaps best of all, when weather permits, is the picnic terrace. Out here, on the wide wood porch, with the cheery green Adirondack chairs standing beneath robust log walls of the lodge, with the sweet mountain air and magical dusky woods, with steaks on the grill and the sound of the river rushing along on its eternal journey: this is the best of life.

The master bedroom and bath sit on the first floor of River’s Edge Lodge; it is a sunny, spacious room. A four-poster, king size bed faces an ample seating area, and, above it, a vista of sky, meadow and dark green pines through the big windows. A big, wood-burning stone fireplace stands to one side; to the other, a cabinet with a TV. A door leads to the deck. In the bathroom, a deep oval tub sits in a tiled alcove beneath two windows. There are double sinks and a separate shower.

There are four guest rooms on the second floor; two with king beds, one with a queen, and the last with two full-size beds standing side by side under their plaid coverlets. One bedroom has a covered porch that looks out over the picnic terrace; another has a view of the swaying grasses and the Snake River levee. The largest of the guest rooms has two step-out porches, a game table, and a sitting area with a sofa bed — perfect for grandparents, teens or even a small family. Each guest room is quiet, private and cozy, with a vaulted wood ceiling, a private bathroom and the ambiance of a luxurious log cabin hidden deep in the woods.

River’s Edge Lodge, ringed by a retaining wall of towering pines, is a true all-season house. In testament to the glories of the river, the three-car garage is well-stocked with inner tubes, inviting guests to take to the river and float for miles downstream in perfect freedom and gigantic joy. From here, you can watch eagles soar overhead and osprey fish for their dinner, watch the moose graze among the willows and the kids roam free. This is what it’s all about, this freedom and contentment; this is Jackson Hole in a nutshell.



Keywords: Cabin, Lodge