Archive for August, 2014

Managing the Moose-Wilson Road in Grand Teton National Park

Monday, August 25th, 2014
The History of Grand Teton National Park

The history of Grand Teton National Park comes alive through vintage photographs.
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As an avid visitor and author of a book on the history of Grand Teton National Park, the question of how to best manage the Moose-Wilson Road in Grand Teton National Park has been at the forefront of my thoughts lately. I have read through the “Moose-Wilson Corridor Preliminary Alternatives Newsletter” several times. The National Park Service is presenting these alternative proposals for public input through September 15, 2014.

As stated above, I am a visitor to Grand Teton National Park. As a tourist, my first instinct is that it would be really nice to have more access in this area. Wider, paved roads with more pullouts and a separate bicycle path sound like wonderful ideas to my tourist self. However, I have to step outside of myself and ask “What is best for the preservation of wildlife and their habitat in this tranquil forest?” The answer is not necessarily what is best for people.

One of the things that makes Grand Teton National Park so special is how under developed it really is in respect to many other national parks. One can not drive their car to Hidden Falls or Taggart Lake. No road has been constructed up into the mountains cutting back and forth on the Grand Teton or any of the other peaks in the range. If you want to experience the back country in the park, you must get out of your car and use your feet to immerse yourself in the wilderness. The vehicle is best used for magnificent views from a distance. And yes, it is also used by locals to get from Point A to Point B.  (more…)