Grand Teton National Park road crews have begun spring plowing of the Teton Park Road between Taggart Lake Trailhead and Signal Mountain Lodge. The plowing operations mark the end of over-snow access on the 14-mile stretch of road for the season. Visitors may continue to use other areas of the park for winter recreation such as cross-country skiing, skate skiing, and snowshoeing until snow conditions are no longer favorable.
For safety reasons, visitors may not access the Teton Park Road while plowing operations are underway. Rotary snow removal equipment and plows may be working at any time, and the roadway is therefore closed to all users at all times until further notice. Skiers and snowshoers using areas adjacent to the roadway are cautioned to avoid the arc of snow blown from the rotary equipment because pieces of ice and gravel can be thrown great distances.
The roadway is anticipated to be accessible to activities such as cycling, roller skating, skateboarding, roller skiing, walking, jogging, and leashed pet-walking within the next few weeks. The road will open to motor vehicles on Tuesday, May 1, 2018.
Other park roads such as Moose-Wilson Road, Signal Mountain Summit Road, Antelope Flats Road, East Boundary Road, Mormon Row Road, Two Ocean Road, and Grassy Lake Road remain closed to vehicle traffic when posted or gated in the spring. These roads may also close for short periods of time to recreationists to accommodate snow removal similar to the clearing on Teton Park Road. The opening dates of these roads vary from year to year and are dependent on weather, snow conditions, plowing progress, wildlife activity, and road conditions. For the most up-to-date information on park roads, visit https://www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/roads.htm.
In addition to the road plowing operations, the segment of Moose-Wilson Road between Murie Ranch Road and the Death Canyon Road will be closed to all users, including cyclists, for two weeks to accommodate road drainage improvements. From April 30 through May 13, a contractor will replace drainage culverts to prevent future flooding on the road in the area south of Sawmill Ponds. This section of road experienced significant groundwater flooding for much of last summer, and was limited to one-lane of alternating traffic for a few weeks.
During the closure, crews will also install roadside barriers to minimize future damage to roadside vegetation and formalize an existing roadside turnout for wildlife viewing opportunities and safety. Access to Granite Canyon Trailhead will be possible from the south during the closure. As the gravel portion of the Moose-Wilson Road typically opens in early to mid-May depending on road conditions, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve and Death Canyon Road junction parking areas may be accessible from the south as well. The schedule is subject to change due to weather conditions and other factors.
The paved multi-use pathways in the park are open whenever they are predominately free of snow and ice. As an exception, the pathway segment between the Gros Ventre River Bridge and a point one-quarter mile north of Gros Ventre Junction will be closed through May 15 due to construction of the Gros Ventre Junction roundabout. Cyclists may travel on the road shoulder through the area during the closure.
Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com
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