I grew up in Jackson, Wyoming. Here are the 10 biggest mistakes I see tourists make when they visit the popular town.

• I grew up in Jackson, Wyoming, a popular destination for people visiting the Tetons or Yellowstone.

• Visitors shouldn't forget to keep a safe distance from Jackson's wildlife and respect the land.

• The towns and cities surrounding Jackson are incredible, underlooked, and often less crowded.

Some tourists get so excited to see Jackson's moose, elk, and bears that they forget they're wild animals.

One of the most magical experiences that comes with exploring Jackson Hole and the surrounding national parks is the opportunity to see wildlife up close. That said, there are close encounters, and then there are too-close-for-comfort encounters.

I've lost track of the number of times I've been in utter disbelief as I watched families, with children in hand, walk straight up to bison, moose, elk, and even bears. These are wild animals, and Jackson Hole is not a zoo where you're protected by barriers.

Every year, people are maimed, gored, and trampled because they either don't think about danger or assume that nothing bad will happen to them.

It's also worth pointing out that you should never feed wild animals. It can lead them to become habituated, dependent, aggressive, and dangerous — all things that can result in getting them killed.

Enjoy the best parts of Wyoming's nature, but always prioritize your safety and the wildlife's safety.

Contrary to popular belief, Jackson isn't the only town near Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park.

The town of Jackson has become one of the most famous and crowded landing bases for people exploring Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park, but there are several other wonderful satellite communities that deserve attention, too.

Dubois, a Wyoming town located about an hour-and-a-half east of Grand Teton, is situated perfectly between the Absaroka Range and Wind River Mountain Range and offers a taste of the Old West.

Pinedale, an hour-and-a-half south of Jackson, used to be a hub for fur traders and is an exceptional place to explore central Wyoming's mountains and desert.

Victor and Driggs are two Idaho towns located just east of the Tetons that are slower-paced, cheaper, and less-crowded alternatives to Jackson.

People mistakenly think that Jackson is all about adventure sports, but there are other reasons to visit the town.

Many people associate Jackson Hole with adventure sports — like skiing, rafting, hiking, and mountain biking. The area is an exceptional place to partake in these activities, but they're actually relatively new to the area.

I'm disappointed that so few people know about Jackson's original attractions: ranches and cowboys.

Long before Jackson became known for its nature-based adventures, people visited to stay at ranches, ride horses, and experience a taste of the Wild West.

Today, Jackson is undoubtedly focused on tourism, but there are still plenty of cowboys and ranchers who make a living off of horses and cattle.

I always recommend visitors pay homage to Jackson's cowboy-filled history when they're in town by going to the rodeo, taking a scenic horseback ride, or staying at a traditional dude ranch.

Jackson's weather can be unpredictable and extreme, and many visitors don't pack enough warm layers.

Located along the Continental Divide, Jackson has extremely variable weather.

Summertime temperatures swing by 70 degrees Fahrenheit between the morning and the afternoon, and in the winter, the temperature can drop below zero degrees Fahrenheit.

Carefully research Jackson's weather right before you travel and plan for the unexpected. It may be freezing when it's supposed to be hot, rain on a day that's supposed to have blue skies, and, believe it or not, snow during any month of the year.

Regardless of which activities you're doing in Jackson, pack multiple layers to ensure you're comfortable, no matter what the weather does.

People often ditch a hike after reaching a popular site or vista, but the real mountain magic is beyond the tourist crowds.

I always joke that you only have to hike one extra mile to get past Jackson's tourist crowds.

On many trails in Grand Teton and Yellowstone, I see people walk to the first main attraction or vista and then turn around, oftentimes because maps don't show anything beyond that point.

One of the great privileges of being in the mountains is having the ability to take a few steps beyond your comfort zone and experience unexpected wonder.

Take advantage of every opportunity — whether it's whitewater rafting for the first time, climbing to the top of the Grand Teton, or even just hiking to a point on the map that's slightly further off the popular trail.

Walk the extra mile past the crowds, take the road less traveled, and let the wilderness transform you. Just be careful while you do it.

Those who don't spend a night in Jackson's backcountry are missing out.

True darkness and utter silence are rare phenomena that many people have never experienced in the modern world.

Some of the country's most isolated wilderness surrounds Jackson and can provide a therapeutic escape to those who venture into the rolling pine forests. Many people visit Jackson and never have this special experience.

Fortunately, it's very easy to spend a night in nature. Experienced, intrepid travelers should backpack away from the crowds for a few nights in the remote, beautiful backcountry.

If you want a more catered experience, pack-trip providers will whisk you away on horseback to enjoy one or more nights at a backcountry camp. Usually, the companies provide comfortable tents, gear, and chef-prepared food.

First-timers expect Jackson to be full of wide-open spaces and walk-in restaurants, but the popular town is a tourist hotspot.

Wyoming has a reputation for having wide-open spaces and a sparse population, but over the past decade, Jackson has become more crowded than I've ever seen it.

When many families arrive in town, they're disappointed to find that hotel rooms are expensive and hard to get, restaurants are fully booked, certain campgrounds require reservations, and hiking trails are crowded.

These challenges come with being a popular tourist destination, and they're not likely to change. However, a bit of planning can help avoid travel headaches.

Be sure to book rooms and rental cars far in advance and make dinner reservations before you travel.

If you have a few nights open, there's a wonderful collection of small, authentic Mexican restaurants in town that often go unnoticed by visitors. They have brilliant menus and are well worth a visit.

Outsiders often get confused by the area's geography and call places the wrong names.

Even after growing up as a Jackson local, I'll be the first to admit that Wyoming geography is confusing. If you want to impress locals, calling places by their proper names is a great start.

The town of Jackson is located in a larger valley called Jackson Hole. So even though the entire region is loosely referred to as "Jackson Hole" (or "JH" for short), you should just call it "Jackson" when you're referring specifically to the town.

As for the mountains, their name is the "Teton Range," or the "Tetons," with the "Grand Teton" (note that there's no "s") as the highest peak.

I often hear people incorrectly call them the "Grand Tetons," which is an accurate description of the striking granite peaks, but not the correct name for the mountain range.

People expect Jackson to have a similar feel year-round, but it offers drastically different experiences based on the season.

Unbeknownst to many, most ski towns in the Western US have off-seasons in the spring and fall, when everything comes to a grinding halt.

In an area driven by seasonal tourist activities — like skiing in the winter and rafting, fishing, and hiking in the summer — the calmer months give the hardworking staff an opportunity to relax and take time off before the next rush of visitors arrives.

In Jackson, the off-seasons usually run from October to December and from April to June. You might find fewer crowds and cheaper room rates during these times, but many businesses and restaurants have limited schedules or close.

If you're planning a fall or spring-break trip, there will still be plenty to do, but keep in mind that reservations will be tighter and fewer choices may be available.

Most travelers automatically book flights to and from the Jackson Hole Airport without checking prices at nearby airports.

Flying in and out of the Jackson Hole Airport is known to be expensive.

Consider booking flights to and from a neighboring airport and couple your trip with a beautiful drive through some less-visited areas.

Idaho Falls, located only two hours from Jackson, offers striking views over mountain passes. Bozeman, about four hours away, allows you to drive through Yellowstone on the way. Salt Lake City, a five-hour drive, offers a beautiful route with multiple hot springs that break up the journey.

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