Pronghorn Running the Ancient Path
🍁 Every fall, pronghorn that summer in Grand Teton National Park undertake epic 100+ mile migration, one of the longest land migrations in the lower 48 states. Known as the Path of the Pronghorn, this route winds through the Gros Ventre drainage, down past Pinedale, WY, and into the Red Desert winter range with the rest of the Sublette herd. Archaeological finds show pronghorn have been using this corridor for at least 6,000 years.
⚡North America’s fastest land animal, pronghorn (often called “antelope”) are built for speed across the sagebrush sea. They can sprint up to 60 mph and sustain over 40 mph for a mile. But speed isn’t enough to escape modern obstacles. 🚧 Pronghorn rarely leap fences; instead, they crawl under them. Fences with mesh or barbed wire bottom strands can block their path, just like highways, subdivisions, and expanding energy development.
📊Biologists estimate that 75% of the Sublette herd migrates and a recent evaluation found their migration path is at “high risk” of being lost without protection. The good news? Wyoming is taking steps to designate the Path of the Pronghorn as a migration corridor, a crucial move toward safeguarding the route that Grand Teton's pronghorn travel.
👉 Protecting migration routes ensures that pronghorns can keep running one of the West’s greatest wildlife marathons for generations to come. Learn more at Wyoming Migration Initiative: https://migrationinitiative.org/resources/unwired-making-space-for-pronghorn-in-wyomings-red-desert/
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Check out our online trail guides:
- Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com
- Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com
- Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
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