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Sublette County, Wyoming

Sublette County, Wyo, has three main towns but its smaller communities help define the area southeast of Jackson Hole. Pinedale, the county seat, and its 2,000-plus residents anchor the region. Communities with 100 to 150 residents help give the county its character. Bondurant, Boulder, Cora and Daniel - each based around a single store or post office - are spread through the far reaches of the county and are bordered by ranches that have been owned by families for generations.

Bondurant

Midway between Jackson and Pinedale and wedged between two mountain ranges, Bondurant appears to be a sleepy ranching town. But those hills empty for any occasion of revelry, revealing a close-knit community of families who share in each other's joys. Bondurant has two main community centers: its church, St. Hubert the Hunter, and library. A one-room schoolhouse serves children in kindergarten through fifth grade. Bondurant has been called a throwback community, and in some ways it may be, but it's a throwback to community barbecues and town Christmas parties.

Boulder

While Bondurant may seem like a sleepy ranching town, Boulder is one. Southeast of Pinedale, the small community stretches from Highway 191 to the base of the Wind River Range. People come to town to got to The Boulder Store - a restaurant, bar and store - and the community center, a former one-room schoolhouse. Area ranchers, though, tend to stay close to home most of the time. The area features thousands of acres of government-owned sagebrush steppe. If you head down the wrong (or right) two-track, you may find yourself on the banks of a secret lake, at the base of a waterfall or headed straight up some of the most spectacular mountains in the area.

Cora

Cora is really two communities: Cora and Kendall Valley. The former has the post office and the latter the firehouse. Together they sit at the mouth of the Upper Green River Valley and are known for incredible wildlife sightings. There are plenty of places throughout the county to live in the middle of nowhere, miles from the nearest neighbor. Cora and Kendall Valley, though, feature elbow room and the opportunity to visit the neighbor down the road if you need a cup of sugar.

Daniel

Daniel's a quirky town: half hippie, half rancher - with the Green River running through it. The site of some of the original Rendezvous Days, the town still boasts the water and good pasture that made it attractive to early settlers. It is an old-timer's place with original buildings - some restored some dilapidated - each with some inherent value keeping them from being torn down. Daniel also is home to a tipi and straw-bale yurt. The residents of all the dwellings meet at the Green River Bar.

Big Piney / Marbleton

Big Piney and Marbleton comprise the southernmost populated area of the county, and some of the county's oldest families live there. The two towns sit next to each other and share an economy and a border. As money from the adjacent oil and gas field continues to flow in, new amenities, including a movie theater and bowling alley, are going up. Big Piney and Marbleton are warm and welcoming towns with residents who fill the high school stadium with an unrivaled sense of pride for every sporting event.

Pinedale

With slightly more than 2,000 people, Pinedale is the largest town in Sublette County. It boasts a golf course, a water slide, a microbrewery and a hockey rink, all fueled by energy-industry workers and dollars. It's a walking and biking town, with most services located along the mile-long stretch of main street. As in many small towns, community involvement is high and often revolves around schools. The town and its environs nearly double in size during the summer, when the snowbirds return from southern climes. In August, every nearby campsite is full. Nothing beats a summer in Pinedale, with its access to rivers, lakes and mountains.

Attractions and recreation

People come from all over the U.S. and world to enjoy what can be found in Sublette County. From fly-fishing and floating the Green River to boating on Fremont Lake and packing and hiking in the Wind River or Wyoming Range mountains, the county offers summer destinations and activities for everyone. Pinedale and Big Piney have local groups that organize outings for mountain bikers, rock climbers, novice anglers and, skiers, snowmobilers and snowshoers. Much of the county is covered by public land, including the expansive Bridger-Teton National Forest with lands in both the Wyoming Range and Wind River Range. The high country is crisscrossed with trails and dotted with lakes.

Transportation

Between towns, the only feasible form of transportation is car. Pinedale is about 35 minutes from Big Piney/Marbleton and 90 minutes from Jackson Hole to the north and Rock Springs to the south. Within towns, however, everything is reachable by bicycle or on foot. The bike culture is small, but growing.

Education

There are two school districts in Sublette County: one based in Big Piney and one in Pinedale. Big Piney schools serve about 600 students from Big Piney, Marbleton and LaBarge, which is actually in neighboring Lincoln County. Pinedale schools serve about 1,000 students from Bondurant, Boulder, Cora and Daniel, as well as Pinedale. Both districts have a Board of Cooperative Education Services program offering students enhanced academic options. There is a friendly rivalry between the district's sports teams; the Big Piney team has been the reigning champion in most sports for years.

Health Care

There are two clinics in the county run by the Rural Health Care District Board. Both offer urgent care services and general practitioners, although specialists from Jackson often offer semi-monthly office hours. When patients require care that clinics can't provide, they are transported by ambulance to St. John's Medical Center in Jackson or flown by helicopter to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls, Idaho. There also are counseling services and rehabilitation services available in Pinedale and Big Piney/Marbleton.

Entertainment

Sometimes outdoor recreation requires considerable advance planning and multiple hours of execution. For those more spontaneous or with less time, there are museums in Pinedale and Big Piney/Marbleton. The libraries host art shows, and the Pinedale Fine Arts Council brings in musical, theatrical and dance performances. There are also regular band performances at local coffee shops and bars. Both Pinedale and Big Piney/Marbleton have movie theaters, although only the latter has a new bowling alley.

In the summertime, there are Friday night rodeos, the county fair, outdoor concerts, boat races and Rendezvous Days, which is like a huge street fair lasting four days. In the winter there are snowmobile races, ice-fishing derbies and casual and costumed ski races. The county is a collection of small communities, and groups work hard to organize fun events to keep people entertained.

Shopping and dining

Sublette County has a wealth of outdoor recreation activities. It does not, however, have many attractions for those looking for shopping and fine dining. Pinedale and Big Piney/Marbleton both have a single strip of shops through town offering goods ranging from recreation equipment and clothing to handmade jewelry. There are places to find Wranglers and cowboy hats, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a bathing suit or formal wear. The retail industry in the county is service-based, and residents often travel out of the county for commodities. However, there is healthy community of small, artisanal businesses run by local entrepreneurs.

The dining situation is similar. There are a few high-quality restaurants at both ends of the county, but most of the establishments serve the locals with quick ethnic or bar-and-grill food. The local brewery offers a slew of award-winning microbrews, and its patio is a summertime destination. And, as this is cattle country, you don't seem to be able to walk a block without running into a prime rib special.

Taxes

Sublette County assesses property taxes at 0.608 percent. This accounts for the 64 mills levied on property, and the funds are split between the county, the town, the school districts and other special districts. Some areas may have slightly more or fewer mills levied on them because of localized special districts with the authority to tax.
Statewide, there is no personal or corporate income tax, but the county has a sales tax of 4 percent on non-food items.

Webcams

Pinedale

Wyoming DOT

Bondurant

White Pine Ski Area

Maps

Maps at www.mountainmancountry.com show mountain ranges and forest land as well as towns and roads.

COMMUNITY INFORMATION

Big Piney / Marbleton

Population: 1,646

Average household size: 2.56

Total families: 404

Average family size: 3.1

Median age: 34

Median household income: $75,601 in 2009

Families median income: $73,795 in 2009

Number of businesses: N/A

Median house value: $155,000 in 2009

Zip code:83113

Elevation: 6,824 feet

Sources:
US Census Data, Teton County School District No. 1, Teton County, WY

COMMUNITY INFORMATION

Sublette County

Population: 10,247

Average household size: 2.48

Total families: 2,594

Average family size: 2.99

Median age: 38

Median household income: $74,224 in 2009

Families median income: $83,587 in 2009

Number of businesses: N/A

Median house value: $243,100 in 2009

Zip code:82922, 82923, 82925, 82941, 83113, 83115

Elevation: 7,175 feet (Pinedale)

Sources:
US Census Data, Teton County School District No. 1, Teton County, WY

COMMUNITY INFORMATION

Pinedale

Population: 2,030

Average household size: 2.37

Total families: 484

Average family size: 2.96

Median age: 33

Median household income: $65,781 in 2009

Families median income: $74,410 in 2009

Number of businesses: N/A

Median house value: $257,300 in 2009

Zip code:82941

Elevation: 7,175 feet

Sources:
US Census Data, Teton County School District No. 1, Teton County, WY