I am looking for a Rocky Mountain town to vacation in, and want it to have some character. Not the Vail or Aspen built-up type character, but something more genuine. I have heard Jackson, WY, still retains some of it's original feel. Any other suggestions?

I fear that Jackson is wall to wall motels, restaurants, and the normal shops like most vacation meccas.
There are some normal grocery stores there because it is a population center as well. Not as bad as Gatlinburg!!
Ouray might be a good bet, but it is expensive. Ridgeway Co, Lake City, Creede, and Crested Butte are small, remote, and mountainous. You might want to check them out before saying "NO". Also Saratoga Wyoming and Walden Co are up there and out there as well. I think it depends on how much isolation and remoteness you want and can tolerate.

I don't think Leadville, Co. is one I would suggest. But Buena Vista might be ok. Keystone is a ski place, but not too populated in the summer. I don't think it is as bad as Vail or Aspen, but perhaps too "ski oriented."

I like Park City Utah--it's a bit built up but still lots of old buildings. Would you want as genuine as Georgetown, Colorado?

Sun Valley Idaho has an interesting mix. It's certainly very upscale, but the town has a very very laid back atmosphere and the locals seem to blend very well with the vacationers. The town certainly has real character and it's very beautiful.

The people who own the vacation homes try very hard to blend into the Sun Valley style of living - no fancy nightclubs, pepople wear bluejeans.

Telluride, CO. Beautiful, remote, still much like it was in Butch and Sundance days. (well, except for the telephones. and the cars. and the hot and cold running water. well, you get the idea.)
Crested Butte, CO prides itself on retaining its original charm (unlike Aspen and Vail), and I'd say it has indeed managed to do that.
Jackson, WY - it's not quite as bad as Bob would have you believe. In the summer, it is heavily "touristed" and you tend to see the towns bad side, ie, commercialism. But there is something about where the town sits - right smack dab underneath the Tetons - just makes it awe-inspiring.
Have fun.

Telluride. There is an old, "real" town, and a new, "Oprah" town. Go to the old town.

Ouray, Co is my favorite. I never thought of it as expensive. There are some upscale restaurants but more reasonable ones also.

Silverton is just down the road and I like it almost as well. You can't beat the scenery of this area. Actually, you can use one of these towns as a starting point and do a circle of Ouray, Silverton, Durango, Telluride, Black Canyon and back to Ouray.

A fun thing to do in Ouray is rent jeeps and do the old mining trails. They also have a fabulous fourth of july fireworks. Peole from all over plan their vacations around it.

The Durango/Silverton train is a must. There are times it is hanging on the edge of the cliff and you can't imagine how it is staying up. AWESOME!
I could do this trip every year and do.

Bigfork, MT

Taos, New Mexico

Butte, Montana. There is no place in the Rocky Mountains with more character. None of the other places mentioned even comes close. Also would suggest one of the Arizona mining towns in the summer when the snowbirds have gone north - Bisbee or Globe.

Telluride
Crested Butte
Durngo
Steamboat Springs

Captain Kirk, if you don't mind, I think I know what to believe about Jackson and what not to believe. I was through there again last summer, and I think I know the impression it made on me.
You state your own opinion, but don't tell me or others that what I see, perceive, and experience is false.
I can retort by saying it is not as good as you would have people think!

Someone said Taos NM.... no way! Taos is a stucko covered getto! If you are a lowriding gangster that like to cruise up and down the strip and blast gangster rap music, then you will love it! Our first walk down the strip was filled with lots of punks driving by yelling at our women, and two groups of gang bangers breaking out into a big fight right in front of us on the sidewalk. What fun!

Steamboat Springs, Colorado