• The Cathedral Group from the Teton Park Road

    Grand Teton

    National Park Wyoming

There are park alerts in effect.
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  • Bears are active in Grand Teton

    Black and grizzly bears are roaming throughout the park--near roads, trails and in backcountry areas. Hikers and backcountry users are advised to travel in groups of three or more, make noise and carry bear spray. Visitors must stay 100 yards from bears. More »

  • Area closure in the area around Baxter's Pinnacle

    An area closure is in effect around Baxter's Pinnacle to protect nesting peregrine falcons. This closure precludes any climbs of Baxter's Pinnacle and usage of the walk-off gully. This closure will be in effect through 8-15-2013. More »

  • Area Closure in effect in the Elk Ranch area

    A temporary area closure is in effect in the Elk Ranch Area to protect wildlife during the denning and young-rearing period. Follow the link for a map of the closed area. More »

Prescribed Fire

Fire is linked to the health and diversity of Grand Teton National Park's landscape. The fire-adapted ecosystem depends on this periodic natural disturbance to return areas to earlier successional stages and provide a variety of food sources and habitat for wildlife. Fire can increase forest and vegetation productivity and reduce disease and insect infestation.

The National Park Service uses prescribed fire as an important management tool to help restore natural fire regimes to parklands. Prescribed fire is the carefully planned periodic burning of selected sites to meet a variety of park management objectives. Goals are varied and often overlap. A fire that improves wildlife habitat may, at the same time, decrease accumulated fuels and provide defensible space near developed and high-use park areas.

Before a prescribed fire is ignited, a burn plan is written, reviewed, and approved. Here, the objectives of the burn are listed, along with a description of the project size, the types of fuels to be treated, and the environmental conditions under which it will burn. Through this planning process and the use of fire effects data, fire managers can, in a cost effective manner, reduce hazards and maintain a healthy, balanced ecosystem for future generations.

Fire Management Home

Did You Know?

Uinta Ground Squirrel

Did you know that Uinta ground squirrels, sometimes mistaken for prairie dogs, hibernate up to eight months a year? These animals leave their burrows in March or April to inhabit the sagebrush flats, but may return by the end of July.