“It was great to welcome Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence to Yellowstone National Park and First Lady Melania Trump to Grand Teton National Park last year. These are incredible places that are special to the American public. I appreciate Superintendent Sholly and Acting Superintendent Noojibail for working with Governor Gordon and health officials to make the parks accessible to the public," said Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt.
Beginning Monday, May 18, Grand Teton National Park will have recreational access with limited services available to the public, including;
* Primary road access (Teton Park Road, Moose-Wilson Road and North Park Road)
* Public restrooms in some areas
* Day-use hiking on seasonally-accessible trails
* Riverbank and lakeshore fishing
* Multi-use pathway system (where free from snow)
* Limited commercial-use authorization tours (biking, wildlife, etc.)
* Several viewpoints continue to be accessible along US Highway 89/26/191
With public health in mind, the following facilities remain closed or services are unavailable at this time;
* Park visitor centers
* Overnight lodging
* Food service
* Boating/floating on river and lakes
* Marinas
* Backcountry permits
* Special-use permits
* Campgrounds
It is anticipated that expanded recreational access and visitor services will be available as the park continues with a phased opening approach, conditions permitting.
“I appreciate the willingness of Acting Superintendent Noojibail to engage with state and Teton County officials to develop a reopening plan that provides access to one of the most iconic parks anywhere,” Governor Gordon said. “This plan is designed to protect employees, visitors and community members. Spring in Teton County would just not be the same without the opportunity to appreciate Grand Teton National Park up close.”
The park is implementing a number of preventive measures to reduce the spread of infectious disease, including prioritizing the hiring of seasonal custodial workers and increased contracted services for cleaning and disinfecting high use areas, and the use of plexiglass panels in locations of high visitor/public interaction such as entrance stations, visitor centers, and permit desks, and providing visitor guidance.
Grand Teton National Park will examine each facility function and service provided to ensure those operations comply with current public health guidance and will be regularly monitored. The park continues to work closely with the National Park Service Office of Public Health using CDC guidance to ensure public and workspaces are safe and clean for visitors, employees, partners, and volunteers. When recreating, the public should follow local area health guidance, practice Leave No Trace principles, avoid crowding and avoid high-risk outdoor activities.
The CDC has offered guidance to help people recreating in parks and open spaces prevent the spread of infectious diseases. All park functions will continue to be monitored to ensure that visitors adhere to CDC guidance for mitigating risks associated with the transmission of COVID-19, and take any additional steps necessary to protect public health.
Details and updates on park operations will continue to be posted on the park’s website at www.nps.gov/grte/index.htm and the park’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
With more than 240 miles of trails meandering throughout the park, hiking is the absolute best way to see Grand Teton National Park. In addition to the hikes listed above, the park offers a wide variety of outstanding hikes that take-in the best scenery the Tetons have to offer. If you do plan to visit Grand Teton this year, please note that our hiking website also offers a wide variety of accommodation listings and other things to do to help with all your trip planning.
Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
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