Have you ever been to Grand Teton National Park? I was last there in the 1990s, but I’m there today. Since 48,000 people visited the park in April 2021, I assume I’m not alone.
Grand Teton is close to Yellowstone, but they are very different in both how they look and their history. Yellowstone was one of the first natural wonders we protected in America. The Grand Teton area was ranched and farmed and became a vacation spot for the wealthy, long before anyone thought of protecting it. In fact, John D. Rockefeller was one of the first people who thought the Grand Tetons and the surrounding area should be made a park. It took a lot of years and a lot of discussions. In the end, it took money to buy some of the land.
The path to creating the park as we know it today was long and involved. The park was first established in 1929 by President Coolidge. This was not a popular decision. In 1943, President Roosevelt created the Jackson Hole National Monument to protect the valley floor. Finally, President Truman and Congress (a president can create a National Monument, but only Congress can make a National Park) combined the two parks, added land donated by John D. Rockefeller, and formed the 310,000-acre park I’m visiting today.
National Parks are one of America’s best ideas, and I am glad the Grand Tetons and its surrounding valleys were protected. As some of the youngest mountains in the Rocky Mountains, it is unique among mountains. Formed by earthquakes and carved by glaciers, it has a story to tell. By adding the surrounding valley to the park, many animals and birds are protected also. Parks should protect entire ecosystems, not just the cool features found on postcards.
Since I’m moving to the Rocky Mountain area, I hope to visit the Grand Tetons often. It’s a wonderful place to explore.