JACKSON HOLE, WYO – The North Highway 89 Pathway will reopen Thursday, June 22 after high water from the nearby Gros Ventre spilled its banks and flooded a portion of the path. The reopening is tentative and dependent on improving conditions.
According to data from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the snowpack in the Gros Ventre Range and other areas that melt into the Gros Ventre River System received the highest amount of precipitation this year compared to the last 36 years. The water runoff created flooding conditions along the river corridor, including the northwest corner of the Refuge near Highway 89/191 and a 500-yard stretch of the multi-use pathway.
So how did the pathway hold up during its time submerged? Not too bad. Despite nearly two weeks of being submerged in muddy water, damage to the pathway appears to be minimal. The erosion potential is limited to a short section and should require minimal efforts to mitigate for any further damage. Jackson Hole Community Pathways will mow the area adjacent to the pathway later this week, and sweep the silt and debris from the path’s surface.
Subsequent flooding may still occur with more warm temperatures in the current forecast, so the Thursday reopening is fleixible. The fast-flowing water in the Gros Ventre River overtopped and eroded a dike on the Refuge, resulting in the potential for more water to spill onto the pathway if water levels again rise.
“We appreciate the public’s patience and respect of the closures when they become necessary,” Refuge manager Brian Glaspell said. “To ensure public safety, further temporary closures or barricaded sections may be necessary if conditions change.”
Moose using pathway as a swimming hole.
