JACKSON, Wyo. — Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) is trying out a new route for bicyclists as a safer alternative to a stretch of the Moose-Wilson Road.
The park has opened up 1.1 miles of an existing service road to bikers, starting at the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve (LSR) on the north end, in order to bypass a hard-to-navigate stretch of the Moose-Wilson Road.
“This is a temporary pilot to provide a potential safety alternative for cyclists to avoid a steep and windy section of the Moose-Wilson road where there aren’t good sight lines,” said Jeremy Barnum, Chief of Staff for GTNP.
The opening of the route comes in response to cyclists and organizations who have requested a safer pathway through that part of the park, according to Barnum.
The pilot bike path will be open to riders from July 1 through August 15 this year, and again during a similar window next summer. Use has been limited to midsummer to avoid disturbing elk during their calving season in early summer and to allow wild berries to attract bears in later summer. The route is open between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. to avoid the dawn and dusk hours when wildlife is more active.
After the two-year pilot, GTNP will consider whether to make the route a permanent seasonal option.
“We’re going to monitor use and any potential impacts to resources to determine whether this is something we should consider for the future,” said Barnum.
Barnum said chief concerns include the impact of the opened path on wildlife and its impact on the visitor experience in the LSR, which is designed to be a “quiet, contemplative area.”
If the park decides to make the pathway permanent, it would determine what was needed for environmental compliance and would seek public engagement moving forward, said Barnum.
