Grand Teton National Park announces major infrastructure enhancements beginning in 2026

Grand Teton National Park will open its 2026 summer season with a series of significant infrastructure improvement projects that may impact road and trail access in some areas through mid-November. Please check current conditions and plan alternate routes before visiting the park.

“This work represents an important investment in the future of Grand Teton National Park as we approach the park’s 2029 centennial,” said Superintendent Chip Jenkins. “The improvements underway over the next several years will help ensure visitors can safely access and enjoy this landscape while we continue to protect the resources that make it so special.”

CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

Moose-Wilson Road, Death Canyon Road and Death Canyon Trailhead
Phase 2 of the multi-year Moose-Wilson Road rehabilitation will improve Death Canyon Road and Trailhead and construct a road realignment near Moose.

Key dates and access information:

* Moose-Wilson Road between the Granite Canyon Entrance Station and the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve is open. The northern segment between the preserve and Moose will open June 20. From June 20 to September 7 (Labor Day), visitors should expect intermittent delays of up to 45 minutes or longer as materials and equipment move through the corridor.

* Death Canyon Road and Death Canyon Trailhead (accessed via Moose-Wilson Road) will be fully closed through mid-November, with a delayed reopening anticipated in 2027.

* Initial construction for a roundabout near the Moose Entrance Station will begin this summer, affecting Teton Park Road near Moose. Visitors should expect delays while crews construct a temporary bypass ahead of construction in 2027. The multi-use pathway will remain open, and bicycling north from Moose is a good alternative for reaching destinations like Jenny Lake.

Taggart Lake Trail
The northern segment of Taggart Lake Trail, between the first junction and Bradley Lake Trail, will be closed through November 15, 2026 for trail rehabilitation. Work includes repairs, regrading, and accessibility improvements to enhance the visitor experience, particularly for families and visitors with mobility needs. The Taggart Lake Trailhead and parking area will remain open. Cottonwood Creek Picnic Area will remain open through late summer. Taggart and Bradley lakes will still be accessible via alternate marked trails.

This renewal effort is supported by Grand Teton National Park Foundation in partnership with Grand Teton National Park.

Mormon Row Historic District
Mormon Row will remain open throughout the season. Construction is scheduled from mid-June through mid-November. Visitors should expect construction equipment, noise, and localized disruptions. The project expands pedestrian and cyclist access and includes accessibility improvements. This is the final phase of a multiyear project funded by Grand Teton National Park Foundation in partnership with Grand Teton National Park.

North Park Road (Highway 89/191/287)
Construction between Leeks Marina and Lizard Creek Campground will result in nighttime delays of up to one hour between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Daytime travelers should expect delays of up to 15 minutes due to one-lane alternating traffic.

TRIP PLANNING AND INFORMATION
2025 was the park’s second-busiest year on record, and visitation is expected to remain high in 2026.



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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

• My new edition on hiking history is available on Amazon

The world’s first written call for a national park

The joint publication of Lyrical Ballads by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge in 1798 is widely recognized as the birth of Romanticism in English literature. Both writers are among the first documented ramblers. In 1839, Thomas De Quincey, a contemporary writer and biographer of Wordsworth, famously calculated that William must have walked at least 175,000 miles up to that point in his life. Meanwhile, the Oxford English Dictionary recognizes Samuel Taylor Coleridge as being the first person to use the word “mountaineering" while describing an outing in a letter in 1802.

Wordsworth is also recognized as being an early pioneer in the conservation movement. In 1810, he published A Guide through the District of the Lakes, which likely contains the world’s first written support for the concept of a national park. In the conclusion of the book, Wordsworth argued that the Lake District should be considered “a sort of national property, in which every man has a right and interest who has an eye to perceive and a heart to enjoy.” Although his wish was never realized during his lifetime, the Lake District would eventually be established as a national park in 1951, less than a month after the Peak District became Britain’s first national park.

Learn more about the pioneers of hiking in Ramble On: A History of Hiking.


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Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.

Update: Yellowstone lifts several trail, backcountry campsite and fishing closures near Old Faithful following May 4 bear incident

Temporary trail, backcountry campsite, and fishing closures remain in effect northwest of the Old Faithful area following a bear incident earlier this month.

Emergency responders, including law enforcement, EMS personnel and interagency partners, responded to the scene and provided aid before transporting two male hikers, ages 15 and 28, from the area by helicopter.

Based on evidence collected so far, park staff believe a female grizzly bear with two or three cubs-of-the-year (cubs in their first year of life) were involved in the encounter. This incident remains under investigation, and there are no further details to share at this time.

Geyser basin boardwalk areas remain open.

Visitors are required to follow all posted closures. Entering closed areas can put both visitors and responders at risk.



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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

• My new edition on hiking history is available on Amazon

Opening of Wyoming section of the Beartooth Highway (US-212) delayed due to winter storm

The opening of the Wyoming section of the Beartooth Highway (US-212) from the junction of WY-296 (Chief Joseph Scenic Byway) to the Montana state line, originally scheduled for May 22, is delayed due to a winter storm. It is now scheduled to open Saturday, May 23, conditions permitting.

Yellowstone road crews are clearing heavy drifts of snow across the road. Crews, in coordination with Montana teams, will continue to monitor weather, re-evaluate conditions on Friday, and open the road as soon as it is practical and safe for travel.

Once open, temporary travel restrictions or closures can occur at any time without notice. Prepare for winter driving conditions, have flexible travel plans, and watch for quickly changing weather conditions.

Check for road status and updates on the Montana and Wyoming departments of transportation websites. 



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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

• My new edition on hiking history is available on Amazon

The first external frame rucksack

In 1887, Henry C. Merriam patented the first external frame rucksack. During the Civil War, Merriam was assigned command of the U.S. Colored Troops in Louisiana, and led them during the Siege of Port Hudson, as well as a strategically important attack on Confederate positions during the Battle of Fort Blakely in Alabama. He was later awarded the Medal of Honor for making his “most gallant assault” during the battle, which was the last major conflict of the war. Though he was a colonel in the U.S. Army when he received the patent, Merriam retired as a major general in 1901. His innovative pack was made with drab duck canvas, which was attached to a light steel frame. In addition to two shoulder straps, the pack featured several leather straps that allowed an infantryman to attach his bedroll and canteen to the frame, instead of having them rest on his chest and hips. The most important feature, however, were the two hardwood rods that extended from the sides of the pack to leather pockets on a half-belt, which rested across the lower back and hips. This system allowed the pack to elevate off the back and shoulders, and thus transfer the weight of the load onto the hips. Though he tried in vain to sell his invention to the U.S. Army, he was only able to sell a few thousand packs to the New York National Guard, and the French and Austrian armies. To his lifelong dismay, the pack never caught on as expected. Here’s a U.S. Infantry soldier demonstrating the Meriam Pack:

You can read about the evolution of backpacks – from “Otzi the Iceman’s” wooden frame rucksack to Greg Lowe’s internal frame pack - in Ramble On: A History of Hiking.


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Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.