Entrance fees to be waived on June 5 & 6 at Grand Teton NP
May 28, 201010-30
Grand Teton National Park will waive entrance fees for the weekends of June 5-6 and August 14-15 as part of a nationwide initiative directed by Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.
Secretary Salazar announced that the fee waivers are being offered as a way to encourage Americans seeking affordable vacations to visit their national parks and national refuges. The initiative was also designed to encourage people to connect with the great outdoors and engage in healthy activities. In addition to the June and August dates, entrance fees will be waived for National Public Lands Day on September 25, 2010.
Besides the fee-free weekend, Grand Teton park ranger naturalists will begin their summer schedule of programs on Monday, June 7. Ranger-led programs offer visitors the chance: to ponder the challenges of protecting public lands and natural resources during a “Conversation on Conservation” walk from the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center to the Murie Ranch; to explore the beauty and geology of Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point during a ranger-led hike from Jenny Lake; to discover the role of geology and fire ecology by taking a “Fire and Ice” cruise from the Colter Bay marina; to learn about American Indian culture during a tour of the David T. Vernon Indian Art Collection at the Colter Bay Visitor Center and Indian Arts Museum; to understand the power of place by taking an “Explore the Preserve” hike at the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve. A full listing of programs can be found in the park’s newspaper, the Teewinot, posted online at http://www.nps.gov/. A hard copy of the Teewinot can be picked up at any park visitor center or entrance station.
In addition to the regular summer schedule, the following featured programs will also be offered during June:
Monday, June 28: “Music in Nature Opening Concert.” Come enjoy a fusion of music and nature performed by a Grand Teton Music Festival string quartet at 12:30 p.m. on the terrace of the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center. Outstanding natural beauty inspired both the creation of our national parks, and the creation of great music; in this spirit, the Festival quartet will perform classical music inspired by nature at various park locations throughout the summer, starting with the June 28th performance. All “Music in Nature” concerts are free and open to the public, and musicians play for 30 minutes. For a full list of performance dates, times and locations, call the Discovery Center at 307.739.3399.
Wednesday, June 30: "Climate Change: Observed Trends and Future Impacts on North America.” Grand Teton will host an informative program at 9 p.m. in the Colter Bay Amphitheater with National Weather Service Meteorologist Arthur Meunier. Meteorologist Meunier will talk about global warming and its impacts. He will address frequently asked questions and arguments about climate change and discuss the potential impacts to the Intermountain West and Wyoming. Meunier will also discuss mitigation strategies that might be available to reduce climate change impacts, and share interesting weather-related stories during his PowerPoint presentation. For more information, contact the Colter Bay Visitor Center at 307.739.3594.
“Many Americans still face challenging economic times, and our hope is that a free-entry weekend at Grand Teton National Park will provide some measure of financial relief,” said Deputy Superintendent Bob Vogel. “We encourage families to introduce their children to a national park and make a memorable vacation by attending one of the ranger-led programs. Come and discover just how special a national park visit can be.”
