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."