JACKSON, Wyo. — The peak of the summer has brought an influx of visitors into Grand Teton National Park (GTNP).
Buckrail photographer Nick Sulzer was on hand to witness the crowds entering the park on Tuesday, Aug. 5.
At the Moose Junction entrance, vehicles lined up waiting their turn to pass through the park’s gates. Visitors come to the park in hopes of seeing the abundant wildlife and high alpine lakes. This past week, the Tetons have been on full display, drawing people to its lush meadows and rugged trails.
During the busy season, visitors will often park along the road and trek to their next destination due to full parking lots. A visitor, who walked past the throng of cars lining both sides of Dornans Road, could have been headed to Dornans or to the Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center.
According to GTNP, there has been a rising trend in visitation. The park reported 3,628,222 recreation visits in 2024, jumping up from 3,417,106 recreation visits in 2023. 2024 was the second busiest year on record for GTNP, just shy of 2021’s 3,885,230 recreation visits.
GTNP wrote on its website that staff have made a concerted effort to better understand how visitors experience the park. Staff continue to collect data on visitor perceptions, timing, numbers, distribution and movement patterns. GTNP wrote that visitor-use management helps to ensure that the park’s fundamental resources — scenery, wildlife, historic and prehistoric features, mountains, plants, lakes and streams — are protected for future generations.
