The national parks have both natural and man-made icons that are treasures beloved by the public. Trying to make them accessible while preserving their history and beauty can be a difficult balancing act. A renewal project at Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) is upsetting people, as they worry about the future of the Mormon Row Historic District.
The project is expanding access for pedestrians and cyclists. It’s also adding parking and new signage. The work is expected to last through the end of November, but the area is remaining open to visitors.
“The Mormon Row Historic District is one of Grand Teton’s most treasured places, and reaching this final phase is a significant milestone for our partnership with the park,” said Grand Teton National Park Foundation President Leslie Mattson in a statement. “We can’t wait for visitors to experience the end result.”
The work is intended to make the site more accessible to folks with disabilities. The new, paved paths will also prevent erosion and vegetation loss, as people currently are trampling plants and walking in areas they shouldn’t. Additionally, they will be adding trash cans, benches and bathrooms.
Right now, there are two unpaved parking lots, and people have been parking in undesignated areas, making informal lots. That has led to damage to the grounds. Some people believe the project will make things worse. People believe the new parking lot is too close to the buildings, and it ruins the view.
A commenter on a post about the project complained, “I feel like there’s a fine line between making certain places accessible and preserving their beauty. Part of what made Mormon Row so special was the uninterrupted views of these gorgeous old buildings. Sad to see it slipping away so quickly.”
But the work is necessary as visitation to the park has exploded in recent years. Last year, more than 3.8 million people went to GTNP. That’s 650,000 more than it received a decade ago.
Taylor Phillips, founder of EcoTour Adventures, has a long history of leading tours in the area. “Historically, parking around Mormon Row has been pretty unstructured. We’ve seen people parking on sagebrush, lining the shoulders of the road, creating social trails, and even using areas behind buildings and vegetation as bathrooms.”
While people may complain that the parks are endangering the future of the site with their preservation measures, some visitors are doing more harm. Recently, a tourist climbed onto one of the buildings at the site. The homesteads were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. A video caught the man climbing onto the roof of one of the historic buildings to take photos.
