We are currently in the process of developing several conceptual trail alignments and looking at their feasibility. We are planning on presenting these options at the next public meeting, which will likely occur in mid to late March, 2010. We will have more specific information in the next few weeks about that meeting. Please stay tuned!
(There is a link to the right where you can provide comments)
Friday, January 22, 2010
Related: A new multi-use trail in Grand Teton National Park
You may be interested in this National Park Service e-newsletter about the opening of a new 8 mile, multi-use trail that runs parallel to the Teton Park Road in Grand Teton National Park.
"Connecting Communities and Parks
Partnerships are the organizational connections that let physical connections grow. NPS Director Jon Jarvis says, "Gateway communities and parks have an important relationship that needs to be grown through mutual respect and cooperation, particularly when tourism is an essential part of the economy. We need to help these communities, and all Americans, discover a unique and personal connection to their national parks."
One way to do that is a physical connection, such as trails and pathways through neighboring communities. Like the new trail completed last summer, connecting Moose to the Jenny Lake visitor's center in Grand Teton National Park.
Check out fun video of life around and on the new trail.(Pathway appears one minute in, after a look at the dog and the chicken coop.)
Courtesy of Wade McKoy, Focus Productions
"It was an instant success," says Friends of Pathways Executive Director Tim Young. "Over 200 people use it every day. It's more than just active cyclists. We're seeing people who were probably afraid of getting out there before -- recreational cyclists in jeans, people with disabilities, multiple generations."
It took many close partnerships: the towns of Jackson and Teton Village, Senators Craig Thomas and John Barasso, NPS, and Friends of Pathways. Two tragic cyclist deaths focused attention on the goal of a safe, inviting route for bicyclists and pedestrians off the main road. Now a quiet, non-motorized path is leading to a closer experience for park visitors and also enhancing the community's connection to the park.
Ultimately, the valley may have a 100-mile system of connected trails and pathways, helping people get safety to and from where they want to be. Another seven miles of trail are in development now. And within a few years, there should be a continuous path from the town of Jackson to Jenny Lake, interconnecting with other paths and becoming a full-fledged system throughout the valley. As park superintendent Mary Gibson Scott points out, the new trails "set the stage for people to make a personal connection to the natural world." Read more about it here."
"Connecting Communities and Parks
Partnerships are the organizational connections that let physical connections grow. NPS Director Jon Jarvis says, "Gateway communities and parks have an important relationship that needs to be grown through mutual respect and cooperation, particularly when tourism is an essential part of the economy. We need to help these communities, and all Americans, discover a unique and personal connection to their national parks."
One way to do that is a physical connection, such as trails and pathways through neighboring communities. Like the new trail completed last summer, connecting Moose to the Jenny Lake visitor's center in Grand Teton National Park.
Check out fun video of life around and on the new trail.(Pathway appears one minute in, after a look at the dog and the chicken coop.)
Courtesy of Wade McKoy, Focus Productions
"It was an instant success," says Friends of Pathways Executive Director Tim Young. "Over 200 people use it every day. It's more than just active cyclists. We're seeing people who were probably afraid of getting out there before -- recreational cyclists in jeans, people with disabilities, multiple generations."
It took many close partnerships: the towns of Jackson and Teton Village, Senators Craig Thomas and John Barasso, NPS, and Friends of Pathways. Two tragic cyclist deaths focused attention on the goal of a safe, inviting route for bicyclists and pedestrians off the main road. Now a quiet, non-motorized path is leading to a closer experience for park visitors and also enhancing the community's connection to the park.
Ultimately, the valley may have a 100-mile system of connected trails and pathways, helping people get safety to and from where they want to be. Another seven miles of trail are in development now. And within a few years, there should be a continuous path from the town of Jackson to Jenny Lake, interconnecting with other paths and becoming a full-fledged system throughout the valley. As park superintendent Mary Gibson Scott points out, the new trails "set the stage for people to make a personal connection to the natural world." Read more about it here."
Summary from November Public Meeting
Thank you all for attending the meeting in November and for sending your comments to us!
A general summary of the comments from the November public meeting meeting:
What do you know about the road corridor?
• Gets a lot of use, lots of camping along corridor. Need enforcement from troopers, bear baiting in the area.
• Consider flooding, 4th of July camping/parking. Windy. Pavement is not good for horseback riding
How do you currently use the road corridor?
• Winter use mostly, some bike use early spring, skijoring, snowmachining, cross-country skiing, mushing, dog walking
• We like when the “gate is closed.” It’s safer, and more fun. Families don’t use the road because it has no shoulder. Bird watching, berries, wildlife hunting/viewing, horseback riding, mushing, snow machining
What about the corridor currently functions well for trail-based recreation?
• Trail is wide open (no blind corners) for mushers / snow machine users
• Summer – Higher vehicle use. Winter – varied use. Winter it is wider, flatter, can be groomed, good visibility, bridges
What about the corridor makes for challenging trail based recreation?
• Who is responsible to manage each area when road closures happen? The terrain and amount of water may be problem.
• Summer traffic is dangerous – no shoulder on road. Winter use has conflicting uses. Snow machines vs skiing vs mushing
How would you like to use the corridor in the future?
• Corridor could provide a more backcountry feeling for Nordic skiers. There was interest in single track or pathed bike path for safety reasons. (Seward woman was hit by a car on the road last year)
• We would like to be able to get to the glacier without competing with traffic. Multiple access for grooming trail
How can the community be involved with the success of this trail?
• Nordic Ski Club has interest in managing a portion of the trail and responsible for grooming (200 members). Seward Cycling Club has interest in summer trail work. Iditarod Trailblazers probably have interest and support of the trail corridor.
• Trailblazers brushing out trail
For your interests, activities, or sports, what makes the best trail?
• Winter Parking. No Parking at 1st gate. Present parking forces snow machiners to drive down road which is illegal. Mushers with dog also have problem with current parking. Machiners/mushers need large area. 4th of July use!
• Wide trail for two-way traffic. Unpaved for horses, paved for biking/roller blading
If any, what do you see as a fatal flaw in the success of this project
• 6’-8’ trail width Dog mushing. 16’ trail width wide skate skiing. Uninterrupted flow
• Mother nature (flooding), All agencies coordinating new trail non-motorized
Current Uses
• Dog sledding
• Snow Machining
• Camping
• Nordic Skiing
• Hiking
• Roller Skiing
• Skating
• Ski Joring
• Automobiles
• Biking
• Dog walking
• Hunting Access
• Rafting / Kayaking
• Jogging / Running
• Races
Roadway Issues and Notes
• Entire length is used
• Is grooming possible or necessary?
• No conflicts now
• Over use – very high demand
• Why past effort for trail stopped: some felt citizens dropped the ball, everyone was complacent
• Winter - the community's roadway
• Summer use – tourists take road but locals use trail
• Illegal camping – state lands
• Maintain – adopt a trail need community effort
• First 1.5 miles – private property issues with trail development
Vision for a trail in the Exit Glacier Road Corridor
• Good gravel trail
• Want non-motorized trail
• Dog mushers AND cross country skiers
• Classical cross country ski track
• Skate skiing
• Loop trail on South side
• 4 Wheelers Club
• Summer not safe for biking – but prefer hard compacted gravel surface
• Biking with kids
• Tourist Issue
• Horses
A general summary of the comments from the November public meeting meeting:
What do you know about the road corridor?
• Gets a lot of use, lots of camping along corridor. Need enforcement from troopers, bear baiting in the area.
• Consider flooding, 4th of July camping/parking. Windy. Pavement is not good for horseback riding
How do you currently use the road corridor?
• Winter use mostly, some bike use early spring, skijoring, snowmachining, cross-country skiing, mushing, dog walking
• We like when the “gate is closed.” It’s safer, and more fun. Families don’t use the road because it has no shoulder. Bird watching, berries, wildlife hunting/viewing, horseback riding, mushing, snow machining
What about the corridor currently functions well for trail-based recreation?
• Trail is wide open (no blind corners) for mushers / snow machine users
• Summer – Higher vehicle use. Winter – varied use. Winter it is wider, flatter, can be groomed, good visibility, bridges
What about the corridor makes for challenging trail based recreation?
• Who is responsible to manage each area when road closures happen? The terrain and amount of water may be problem.
• Summer traffic is dangerous – no shoulder on road. Winter use has conflicting uses. Snow machines vs skiing vs mushing
How would you like to use the corridor in the future?
• Corridor could provide a more backcountry feeling for Nordic skiers. There was interest in single track or pathed bike path for safety reasons. (Seward woman was hit by a car on the road last year)
• We would like to be able to get to the glacier without competing with traffic. Multiple access for grooming trail
How can the community be involved with the success of this trail?
• Nordic Ski Club has interest in managing a portion of the trail and responsible for grooming (200 members). Seward Cycling Club has interest in summer trail work. Iditarod Trailblazers probably have interest and support of the trail corridor.
• Trailblazers brushing out trail
For your interests, activities, or sports, what makes the best trail?
• Winter Parking. No Parking at 1st gate. Present parking forces snow machiners to drive down road which is illegal. Mushers with dog also have problem with current parking. Machiners/mushers need large area. 4th of July use!
• Wide trail for two-way traffic. Unpaved for horses, paved for biking/roller blading
If any, what do you see as a fatal flaw in the success of this project
• 6’-8’ trail width Dog mushing. 16’ trail width wide skate skiing. Uninterrupted flow
• Mother nature (flooding), All agencies coordinating new trail non-motorized
Current Uses
• Dog sledding
• Snow Machining
• Camping
• Nordic Skiing
• Hiking
• Roller Skiing
• Skating
• Ski Joring
• Automobiles
• Biking
• Dog walking
• Hunting Access
• Rafting / Kayaking
• Jogging / Running
• Races
Roadway Issues and Notes
• Entire length is used
• Is grooming possible or necessary?
• No conflicts now
• Over use – very high demand
• Why past effort for trail stopped: some felt citizens dropped the ball, everyone was complacent
• Winter - the community's roadway
• Summer use – tourists take road but locals use trail
• Illegal camping – state lands
• Maintain – adopt a trail need community effort
• First 1.5 miles – private property issues with trail development
Vision for a trail in the Exit Glacier Road Corridor
• Good gravel trail
• Want non-motorized trail
• Dog mushers AND cross country skiers
• Classical cross country ski track
• Skate skiing
• Loop trail on South side
• 4 Wheelers Club
• Summer not safe for biking – but prefer hard compacted gravel surface
• Biking with kids
• Tourist Issue
• Horses
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