Speaking Up for Public Lands Near Grand Teton

Over the past few weeks, hundreds of you raised your voice to defend a cherished corner of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem from private development. The U.S. Forest Service is currently weighing a proposal from Grand Targhee Resort that would allow a significant expansion into the wild, undeveloped Mono Trees and South Bowl areas of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.

Thanks to your action, the call to protect these public lands is loud and clear.

A summer view of South Bowl, part of the undisturbed public land included in Grand Targhee Resort’s expansion proposal. Photo Howie Garber

The proposed expansion would come at great cost. It would fragment habitat for wolverines and the already-struggling Teton bighorn sheep herd. Grizzly bears, moose, deer, and raptors that rely on intact habitat would be displaced or disturbed. And the beloved backcountry terrain that skiers and riders have explored for decades would be privatized for resort profit.

The proposed expansion would impact wild, undeveloped areas of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest that border Grand Teton National Park. Photo Howie Garber

Inside the resort’s existing boundaries, a proposed summit lift and restaurant would alter the viewshed and diminish the wilderness experience for anyone enjoying nearby backcountry or Grand Teton National Park.

This isn’t just about ski runs and lift lines. It’s about what kind of future we want for our public lands: one where wildlife thrives, where wild places are intact, and where people can find solitude, inspiration, and adventure that doesn’t come at nature’s expense. Therefore, we are opposed to expansion of Grand Targhee’s boundary into undeveloped areas and to any improvements within its current boundary that violate the Endangered Species Act or degrade the wilderness experience from the adjacent Jedidiah Smith Wilderness and Grand Teton National Park.

The Forest Service is now reviewing public input, and your participation will help shape what happens next.

We’ll be watching closely over the coming months as the U.S. Forest Service reviews and responds to the comments in their decision-making process.

Stay tuned for updates on how you can keep the pressure on decision makers to protect these public lands from development. In the meantime, thank you. Your advocacy is a powerful reminder that these lands belong to all of us.

Want to do more to protect your public lands? The U.S. Senate is currently working on a plan to sell off up to millions of acres our national public lands—the very lands that unite us as Americans, pump billions of dollars into Western states’ economies, and have been part of our heritage for generations. Tell your Senators our public lands are not for sale.  

— Matt Lucia, Idaho Conservation Manager (Driggs, ID)