The National Park Service will begin construction activities addressing infrastructure needs in the southern portion of the Moose-Wilson Road in the park beginning this spring. Construction will address infrastructure needs by paving the unpaved section of the road, improving trailheads and pullouts, and upgrading the Granite Canyon Entrance, while preserving the rustic character of the corridor to provide high-quality visitor opportunities, including wildlife and scenery viewing. Public access will be limited to weekends during summer construction activities.
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2022 Construction Impacts
Moose-Wilson Road Closure
Southern portion of the road from the Granite Canyon Entrance to the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve
July 11 – Labor Day Weekend: Closed to traffic on weekdays, open to traffic on weekends and federal holidays only (7 pm Friday – 7 am Monday)
Labor Day Weekend – December: Closed to traffic, reopens for winter use in December
*RVs and trailers 23.3 feet in length or greater are not permitted on the Moose-Wilson Road at any time.
Granite Canyon Trailhead Closure
Closed to all access from spring to fall 2022
First 1/2 mile of trail from the Granite Canyon Trailhead is closed
No weekend parking
Reopen for winter use December 2022 – March 2023
Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve Closure
Up to 1 week closure of the LSR Preserve Road for overlay in the fall of 2022 or spring of 2023
The road is tentatively scheduled to be open the following dates in 2022*:
7am Thursday, June 16 through 7am Monday, July 11
7pm Friday, July 15 through 7am Monday, July 18
7pm Friday, July 22 through 7am Monday, July 25
7pm Friday, July 29 through 7am Monday, August 1
7pm Friday, August 5 through 7am Monday, August 8
7pm Friday, August 12 through 7am Monday, August 15
7pm Friday, August 19 through 7am Monday, August 22
7pm Friday, August 26 through 7am Monday, August 29
7pm Friday, September 2 through 7am Tuesday, September 6
*Subject to change
In autumn, the Moose-Wilson Road provides visitors with scenic views of fall foliage.
NPS Photo
Visitor Access
Granite Canyon Trails
Trails originating from the Granite Canyon Trailhead, including Granite Canyon, Marion Lake, and the Teton Crest Trail, will be accessible from Teton Village and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. To access park trails from Teton Village, park in the Ranch Lot and walk or take the shuttle bus to the base area. Begin hiking from here or ride up the Aerial Tram or Bridger Gondola (fees apply) to avoid hiking up the initial elevation.
Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve
The LSR Preserve Center and LSR Preserve trails will be open in 2022. Official trail road crossings will remain open with minimal reroutes during construction. The LSR Preserve will be accessible from the north via Moose based on road conditions and wildlife activity mid-May through October 31, 2022. Access from the south via the Granite Canyon Entrance will only be available on weekends (7 pm Friday to 7 am Monday) from July 11 to Labor Day in 2022.
Death Canyon Trailhead
The Death Canyon Trailhead will be accessible from the north via Moose based on road conditions and wildlife activity. Access from the south via the Granite Canyon Entrance will only be available on weekends (7 pm Friday to 7 am Monday) from July 11 to Labor Day in 2022.
Biking
Bicycles will have the same access to the road as vehicles during Phase I of construction. Use extreme caution when riding along the road, as bicycling will occur through a construction zone. Hazards and uneven road surfaces will be present in addition to the road's poor visibility around narrow, winding curves. The southern portion of the road from the Granite Canyon Entrance to the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve will only be open on weekends (7 pm Friday to 7 am Monday) from July 11 to Labor Day in 2022. When the southern portion of the road is closed to vehicles, it is closed to all use, including cycling. The northern portion of the road will be accessible to bicycles based on road conditions and wildlife activity.
Construction Improvements
Left image
Conceptional design rendering of upgraded Granite Canyon Trailhead.
Right image
The unpaved Granite Canyon Trailhead overflowing with vehicles on a summer day.
Phase I construction will take place between the Granite Canyon Entrance and the LSR Preserve.
Phase I
Location: Southern Portion of Moose-Wilson Road
Timeline: 2022-2023
Pave the gravel roadway section
Repair and improve pullouts and roadway between the Granite Canyon Entrance and the LSR Preserve
Repair and improve the Granite Canyon Trailhead and Poker Flats horse trailer parking
Apply an overlay on the road to the LSR Preserve
Rehab and expand the Granite Canyon Entrance Station
Construction to the Kaufmann Creek Bridge
Construct a bicycle connection to the Teton County pathway
Improve visitor information signs and systems
Phase II construction will take place between the LSR Preserve and the Death Canyon Trailhead and at the Moose-Wilson Road and Teton Park Road Intersection.
Phase II
Location: Northern Portion of Moose-Wilson Road
Timeline: 2024-2025
Repair the Death Canyon access road and junction
Repair and improve the Death Canyon Trailhead
Repair and improve pullouts on the road north of the LSR Preserve
Realign the north section of the roadway at the Teton Park Road Instersection
Improve the new Teton Park Road Instersection and bicycle transition
Final landscape and reclamation efforts of the former roadway
The unpaved section of the Moose-Wilson Road requires routine maintenance and repair.
NPS Photo/J. Bonney
Background
The Moose-Wilson Road is a 7.1 mile-long corridor located in the southwest area of Grand Teton National Park that seasonally connects key areas of the local community, such as the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Teton Village, and residential areas, with the interior of the park. The narrow, winding road includes approximately 1.4 miles of unpaved surface and is highly valued for its rustic character, opportunities for viewing wildlife and scenery, and access to the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve and hiking trails.
Segments of roadway along the Moose-Wilson Road were never constructed to any design standard and have suffered from significant frost heaving and drainage issues, which contributes to the poor condition of the roadway. These issues continually degrade the roadway and require constant maintenance which is becoming inefficient.
Additionally, the road has inherent risks for motor vehicles and pedestrians that utilize it due to its narrow and winding character coupled with its alignment between a steep hillside, wetlands, and thick vegetation cover.
Project Overview
A Record of Decision for the Moose-Wilson Corridor Comprehensive Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement was approved in 2016. Documents may be found on the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) web page. As part of a multi-year planning process, the park thoughtfully evaluated options to provide the greatest amount of visitor access with the lowest additional cost and construction duration, while providing for the safety of visitors and crews during construction activities. The selected action best protects the corridor’s natural and cultural resources and retains the character of the rustic road corridor. The Western Federal Lands Highway Division is overseeing the project in partnership with the National Park Service.
Work will be completed in phases, with the first phase implemented in 2022-2023, the second phase in 2024-2025, and additional phases designed and implemented in the future. The majority of the funding for Phase I work is provided by the Great American Outdoors Act, the single largest investment in public lands in U.S. history. The landmark legislation established a new National Parks and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) to address the maintenance backlog on public lands.
Time for outside construction is limited and summer months are the best times to accomplish work. The park thoughtfully evaluated options to provide the greatest amount of visitor access with the lowest additional cost and construction duration.
Cyclists will access the road the same as vehicles. The southern portion of the road from the Granite Canyon Entrance to the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve will be closed in 2022 except on weekends (7 pm Friday to 7 am Monday) from July 11 to Labor Day.
When the road is closed to vehicles, it is closed to all use, including hiking, cycling, and running. However, there are several trail crossing areas along the roadway that will remain open to hikers who are utilizing a designated park trail. This also applies to horse users. Keep in mind there is a closure on the first ½ mile of the Granite Canyon Trail from the parking area.
Yes, backcountry permits will be available at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, Colter Bay Visitor Center, and the Jenny Lake Ranger Station during summer operations. Advanced backcountry permits are available via recreation.gov.
Fees will be collected when the entrance station is staffed and through traffic is permitted. The southern portion of the road from the Granite Canyon Entrance to the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve will only be open on weekends (7 pm Friday to 7 am Monday) from July 11 to Labor Day in 2022.
There are no visitor-use management tools, including queuing, identified during Phase 1 and 2. Queuing was identified as a tool in the environmental impact statement/plan for Phase 4 of the Moose-Wilson project, however we have neither funding nor a timeline for Phases 3 and 4 at this time. We would consult with the public and stakeholders before implementing any visitor use management tools in the future.
Plan ahead and prepare for delays on your trip to Yellowstone.
Last updated: July 11, 2022
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Contact Info
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 170
Moose
,
WY
83012
Phone:
307-739-3399
Talk to a Ranger? To speak to a Grand Teton National Park ranger call 307–739–3399 for visitor information Monday-Friday during business hours.
