JACKSON, Wyo. — The unseasonably warm temperatures in Jackson Hole has prompted many to hit the multi-use pathways across the valley but the seasonal closure of highway 89 pathway is still in effect.
Begining Nov. 1, the multi-pathway between the Town of Jackson and Grand Teton National Park is closed.
The five-mile segment of the pathway stretching between Flat Creek and the Gros Ventre River is subject to an annual closure from Nov. 1 to April 30 in order to reduce impacts to migrating elk and other wildlife that winter on the National Elk Refuge.
The seasonal closure is a condition of the agreement between Teton County and the National Elk Refuge to maintain the pathway and offer recreational activities on US Fish and Wildlife Service property. The seasonal closure reduces the likelihood of conflicts between elk and pathway users and ensures the pathway is compatible with the agency’s “wildlife first” mission.
County maintenance crews have closed the gates installed along the length of the pathway to notify cyclists and pedestrians the pathway is closed during elk migration and winter seasons.
Refuge officials remind the public that crossing over the pathway to approach the Refuge fence for photographs or wildlife viewing is still a breach of the pathway closure. The presence of humans at or near the fence often causes nearby elk to bolt and leave the area. The constant disturbance throughout the winter has a cumulative effect, adding to an animal’s weakened condition brought about by the rigors of the harsh season.
Since the pathway opened, biologists have collected GPS elk collar data and conducted weekly elk counts on the area south of the Gros Ventre Hills during both the spring and fall migration periods. Using both GPS information and other tools such as motion-detecting trail cameras, wildlife managers have determined that peak spring elk movements occur during the second and third weeks of April. In the fall, the main segment of the Jackson Elk Herd that crosses the pathway comes from Spring Gulch and the southern area of Grand Teton National Park.
The seasonal closure coincides with other closures, including Teton Park Road and Moose-Wilson Road.
