Trail Above Hidden Falls in Grand Tetons Will Be Closed in 2015

The most popular and highly used trail in Grand Teton National Park will require a major reroute this summer. For the 2015 season, all hikers headed beyond Hidden Falls to Inspiration Point - and destinations within Cascade Canyon and beyond - will need to use the horse trail that lies just north of the Jenny Lake westshore boat dock. The trail segment between Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point will be closed for most of the hiking season as park trail crews replace two wooden bridges over Cascade Creek and improve the steep and rocky ledge trail to Inspiration Point.

Day hikers who wish to reach only Hidden Falls will simply follow the customary trail leading upslope from the westshore boat dock for one-half mile. This foot trail will dead-end at Hidden Falls, however, and hikers will not be able to proceed beyond that point to Inspiration Point, one-half mile further.

Signs will be posted on Jenny Lake's westshore to direct hikers to their desired destinations: Hidden Falls or Inspiration Point, Cascade Canyon and beyond. Most of the backcountry trail work is expected to be completed by late fall.

In addition to the bridge replacement and trail improvements between Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point, trail crews will also be working on the southwest lakeshore trail around Jenny Lake. This trail segment will be closed until early July. Hikers will need to take a parallel trail that rises above the lakeshore, providing a scenic overlook of the lake. This parallel detour trail is expected to have considerable snow pack for the next couple of weeks; therefore, hikers wishing to avoid the snow on this section of trail should depart from the String Lake trailhead.

The Jenny Lake area trail improvement work is part of the Jenny Lake Renewal Project being funded through a public-private partnership initiative with the Grand Teton National Park Foundation, the park's primary fundraising partner.

Next summer, major work will be underway to improve the visitor services located throughout the south Jenny Lake area, including trail segments along the eastshore of Jenny Lake and all foot paths that lead from the parking areas to the lake.

To finance the Jenny Lake Renewal Project, the Grand Teton National Park Foundation is raising $14 million through its Inspiring Journeys campaign. Grand Teton National Park is contributing $3 million generated from entrance fee revenues.This public-private partnership effort serves as a signature project to highlight the National Park Service's 2016 centennial milestone. For information about the Foundation or its Inspiring Journeys campaign, please go to www.gtnpf.org or phone Leslie Mattson at 307.732.0629.



Jeff
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