Visitors gather in June 2006 for the dedication of the Murie Ranch as a National Historic Landmark. (Charlie Craighead photo - click to enlarge)
From Staff Reports
Grand Teton National Park is offering free admission and a wide range of special activities during National Park Week from April 21-29, including a special line-up of children’s’ activities on April 28, National Junior Ranger Day.
The Teton Park Road is free of snow, but the road will not open to automobile travel until May 1. So it’s a good time of year for bicyclists, hikers, inline skaters and others to use the road.
In recognition of National Park Week, The Murie Center staff will offer guided tours of the historic Murie Ranch at 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 21 and Saturday, April 28. This is a great chance to explore the Teton home of the Murie family that served as a base camp and center for the American conservation movement in the 1950s and 60s.
Ranger naturalists will lead early-morning tours to observe strutting sage grouse as they perform their annual courtship dance at a mating area located just off the Antelope Flats Road near Mormon Row. Tours will start at 5:30 a.m. April 21–22 and April 28–29, departing from the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose, Wyo. Call (307) 739-3399 to make a required reservation and for more details.
Several activities are scheduled for National Junior Ranger Day on Saturday, April 28 at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center. Festivities include:
- 10 a.m. — A living history demonstration on mountain men.
- 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. — A live bird demonstration by Teton Raptor Center bird biologists.
- 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. — An inspection of vehicles and equipment regularly used in park operations, including an ambulance, fire engine, patrol car and snowplow.
- 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. — A ranger boot camp and obstacle course where children compete in physical activities that mimic park ranger jobs; an animal Olympics game where youngsters can test their skills against the abilities of various wildlife species; a story corner for listening to tales about Grand Teton; a touch table with animal furs, feathers and bones to feel; a cultural history station that showcases objects from the David T. Vernon Collection of Indian Arts; and a station where children can dress up in an genuine ranger uniform.
- 2 p.m. — A second mountain man demonstration.
Children who participate in at least three of the activities will earn either a Junior Ranger patch or badge. Grand Teton Association will offer a 15 percent discount in the Discovery Center bookstore on Junior Ranger Day.
During National Park Week, all 397 national park areas offer free admission all week long. A seven-day pass to Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks is normally $25 for a private vehicle
Contact Yellowstone Gate at 307-213-9818 or info@yellowstonegate.com.