Delayed Opening of Facilities in Grand Teton National Park

May 6, 2008
08-17

All facilities at south Jenny Lake— including the Jenny Lake visitor center, ranger station, public comfort station, store, campground, and Jenny Lake boating facilities—will not open until Thursday, May 22, 2008. This change from the previously announced schedule is due to a lingering, substantial snowpack (three to four feet deep) as well as freezing overnight temperatures that may affect water pipes. All trails in the south Jenny Lake area are snow-covered and icy, including pathways to and from the lakeshore and around the buildings. Trails on the west shore of Jenny Lake are buried under eight to ten feet of snow. Foot travel will be difficult, so hiking is not recommended at this time.

Public campsites will be available at Gros Ventre and Signal Mountain campgrounds starting Friday, May 9; however, due to considerable snow cover, Signal Mountain campground is limited to self-contained RV sites only—tent sites, grills and picnic tables are still buried under several feet of snow. The Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center is open year-round; the Colter Bay Visitor Center will open on Saturday, May 10 as planned.

The gravel parking lot for the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve is partially snow-covered and saturated with moisture; therefore, use of the parking lot will not be possible until the surface is clear of snow, dries, and hardens enough to support vehicles without being damaged. Weather conditions will determine the length of time required for this temporary restriction.

Although Moose-Wilson Road within Grand Teton National Park opened to vehicular traffic for the 2008 summer season on Thursday, May 1, motorists are advised to plan for a temporary travel closure on this road from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, May 23. The closure is necessary to prepare for and apply a dust abatement product to the gravel portion of the road from the Granite Canyon trailhead parking area for a distance of 1.5 miles north. This temporary closure precludes the ability to make a “through trip” on the Moose-Wilson Road. The roadwork schedule and closure may change or be delayed due to weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances.

The product used for dust abatement is a slurry of magnesium chloride. It is the same product used by Teton County to treat dirt roads in and around Jackson Hole. This product coats the road surface, but it can also adhere to the undercarriage of vehicles. Motorists who drive the Moose-Wilson Road after it reopens on Friday evening may want to rinse off their vehicles to eliminate any residue.

Local residents and park visitors are advised to make travel plans accordingly and detour away from the Moose-Wilson Road during the closure on Friday, May 23rd.