Help protect wintering wildlife in Grand Teton National Park

Winter has arrived in Grand Teton National Park – an excellent time for recreation in the snow but also a challenging time for wildlife in and around the Tetons. Wildlife biologists are asking visitors to avoid disturbing animals by following all winter closures and voluntarily avoiding bighorn sheep winter zones. In all other areas of the park, visitors should give wildlife plenty of space by maintaining 100 yards from bears and wolves, and 25 yards from other animals. Visitors can safely enjoy watching wildlife by being respectful of their need for space, staying clear of their sensitive habitats, allowing them to maintain their vital energy reserves. 

Conserving energy is especially important for wildlife as temperatures plummet, snow buries food and travel is difficult. Animals like bighorn sheep, bison, deer, elk and moose survive the winter by using the least amount of energy so they can maintain fat reserves, which is especially crucial for females to successfully produce young in the spring.

Stress from winter recreation poses a significant threat to bighorn sheep and can push these iconic animals toward starvation as they endure brutal winters high in the Teton Range. “The park is asking skiers and snowboarders to voluntarily avoid sensitive bighorn sheep winter habitat, give sheep space and help us conserve these animals by spreading the word," said Chip Jenkins, superintendent of Grand Teton National Park.

A georeferenced map of bighorn sheep winter zones is available for download at tetonsheep.org. Areas closed to the public to protect important ungulate winter range include:

* Summits of Mount Hunt, Prospectors Mountain and Static Peak: Dec. 1 through Apr. 30

* Areas around the Snake River, Buffalo Fork River and Kelly Hill: Dec. 15 through Mar. 31

* Northern portion of Blacktail Butte (the open slopes on the southwest side of Blacktail Butte and the Practice Rocks climbing area at the northern tip of the butte remain open): Dec. 15 through Apr. 30

* Wolff Ridge and a portion of the Spread Creek drainage: Dec. 15 through Apr. 30

Visit go.nps.gov/tetonclosures for more information about park closures.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Glacier National Park Adds Early Access Lotteries for 2024 Wilderness Permits

Beginning in the spring of 2024, Glacier National Park will offer early access lotteries for wilderness camping advance reservations in collaboration with Recreation.gov.

This action is consistent with public comments received in February 2023 on the transition of the park’s advance wilderness camping reservation system to the Recreation.gov general on-sale system. Lessons learned after implementing the 2023 system also support this action.

Two early access lotteries will be available; one lottery for standard groups of one to eight people and the second lottery will be for large groups of nine to twelve people. The new standard group size of one to eight campers will be an increase from what was allowed in 2023.

After the lotteries, visitors will also be able to use the general on-sale system to book advance reservation campsites not booked during the early access lotteries. The general on-sale system will be the same system used in 2023 and will be available for the remainder of the booking window, from May 1 to September 30.

The walk-in permit process and availability will remain the same as in 2023.

Early Access Lotteries

* The lotteries will be based on a fair and randomized process to provide equal opportunity for each applicant. Participants will be limited to a single reservation during the early access period but may create additional reservations during the general on-sale period beginning May 1 or by walk-in.

* On March 1, 2024, from 12:00 am to 11:59 pm mountain time (MT), lottery applications will be accepted for a chance to secure a large group (9-12 campers) advance reservation. A total of five (5) large group advance reservations will be selected from all submissions.

* On March 15, 2024, from 12:00 am to 11:59 pm MT, lottery applications will be accepted for a chance to secure a standard group (1-8 campers) advance reservation. A total of 3,000 standard group advance reservations will be selected from all submissions.

* There will be a $10 non-refundable fee to enter each lottery regardless of success. Successful lottery applicants will not have to pay an additional permit fee to book their reservations because the $10 lottery application fee will rollover to become the permit fee for bookings.

* There will not be an option to apply for the early access lotteries via walk-in.

General On-Sale Period

* The general on-sale period (first come, first served online reservation system, as used in 2023) will begin on May 1 at 8:00 am MT and run through September 30 11:59 pm MT.

* Fees for the general on-sale system will remain the same as in 2023 ($10 permit fee; $7/person per night camping fee).

* All advance reservation campsites not taken in the large and standard group lotteries will be available for online advance reservations on Recreation.gov on May 1 at 8:00 am MT.

Walk-in Permits

* Approximately 30 percent of wilderness campsites parkwide will be available on a walk-in basis (day before or day of a trip start date) from May 1 through September 30 at Wilderness Permit Office locations throughout the park; this is the same as the current system used for walk-in permits.

* Any advance reservation sites not booked during the early access lotteries or general on-sale period (more than 48 hours in advance of trip start date) will be added to the available pool of walk-in reservations.

* Lottery, permit, and camping fees will be applied to operation of the lotteries at Recreation.gov as well as funding the wilderness management and wilderness permit programs at the park.

For full details, please visit the Glacier’s Wilderness Camping Advance Reservations page. https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/backcountry-reservations.htm



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

National Park Service Announces Entrance Fee-Free Days for 2024

During this festive season of joy and giving, the National Park Service presents the entrance fee-free dates for 2024. On these days, and throughout the year, all are invited to experience the magic and wonder of national parks.

“National parks are places that awaken senses, inspire curiosity, encourage reflection, and foster joy,” National Park Service Director Chuck Sams said. “The entrance fee-free days expand opportunities for people to visit their national parks and experience the beauty and history of our country.”

The entrance fee-free days for 2024 are:

January 15 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
April 20 – First Day of National Park Week 
June 19 – Juneteenth
August 4 – Great American Outdoors Day
September 28 – National Public Lands Day
November 11 – Veterans Day

National parks are wallet-friendly options year-round. More than 300 of the country’s more than 400 national parks are free to enter every day. Also, with at least one national park in every state and most major metropolitan areas, they provide close-to-home choices for recreation and inspiration. Detailed information about things to do and see in each park is available on NPS.gov and the NPS app.

The cost to enter parks with entrance fees ranges from $10 to $35. The funds remain in the National Park Service and 80-100% stays in the park where collected. The revenue supports visitor services, including enhancing accessibility, restoring wildlife habitat, and providing ranger programs, and adding or upgrading restrooms, campgrounds, trails, and other facilities.

The fee waiver for the fee-free days applies only to National Park Service entrance fees and does not cover amenity or user fees for camping, boat launches, transportation, special tours, or other activities.

The annual $80 America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass covers entry at more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including all national parks. There are also free or discounted passes available for current members of the U.S. military and their dependents, military veterans, Gold Star Families, fourth grade students, individuals with permanent disabilities, and senior citizens.

Other federal land management agencies offering their own fee-free days in 2024 are the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Redrock Falls and Lake

Though Redrock Falls is a fairly popular destination in Glacier National Park...

The real star of this hike is actually Redrock Lake, especially during the early morning hours:

Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton National Park announces change to backcountry camping permits

Effective January 10, 2024, Grand Teton National Park will change the backcountry camping permit fee to $20, plus a $7 per person, per night fee to camp overnight in the backcountry. Grand Teton began charging for backcountry permits in 2014 and last modified the fees in 2018.

Approximately 30% of backcountry camping permits will be available on Recreation.gov for advanced reservations beginning January 10, 2024, at 8 a.m. MST for the 2024 camping season which runs May 1 through October 31. Starting May 1, 2024, the remaining 70% of backcountry camping permits will be available one day before the start of the trip as “walk-up” permits and must be obtained in-person at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, Colter Bay Visitor Center or Jenny Lake Ranger Station permit offices. Advanced reservation permits must be picked up in-person by 10 a.m. the day of the trip or the permit will be cancelled and made available to others.

Grand Teton National Park is pleased to offer additional benefits through the Recreation.gov system including allowing reservation holders to modify their permit reservations to add or subtract the number of people in the party or the nights stayed. When advanced reservations are cancelled or modified on the website, those dates will become available for others to reserve online throughout the summer. The backcountry camping permit fee is non-refundable. The nightly per person fee is refundable when the permit is cancelled, or the number of people is modified and reduced at least five days prior to the permit start date.

The backcountry permit system is vital to providing an outstanding visitor experience. The revenue from backcountry permit fees allows the park to offset a portion of the costs associated with visitor use management while continuing to provide high-quality, high-demand backcountry visitor experiences. Backcountry camping permit fees allow staff to provide safety and route information, patrol campsites and provide visitor services, aid in search and rescue efforts, maintain and improve trails, campsites, facilities and other amenities that directly enhance the visitor experience. Another benefit of the backcountry permit system is the park has the ability to designate specific camping areas, limiting impacts on the backcountry environment.

Begin planning your next backcountry adventure in Grand Teton at go.nps.gov/tetonbackcountry.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park