Grand Teton Park is a United States National Park in
northwestern Wyoming. At approximately (130,000 hectares), the park includes
the major peaks of 64 km long Teton Range as well as most of the northern
sections of valley known as Jackson
Hole. It is only 16 km south of Yellowstone National Park, to which it is connected
by the National by the National Park Service – managed John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
Memorial Parkway. Along with surrounding
National Forests, these three protected areas constitute the almost 7,300,000 hectares. Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one
of the largest intact mid – latitude temperate ecosystems in the world.
Human history of the Grand Teton region dates back
at least 11,000 years, when the first nomadic hunter – gatherer Paleo – Indians
began migrating into the region during warmer months pursuing food and
supplies. In the early 19th century
the first White explorers encountered the eastern Shoshone natives. Between 1810
and 1840, the region attracted fur trading companies that vied for control of the lucrative beaver
pelt trade.
U.S. Government expeditions to the region commenced
in the mid – 19th century as an offshoot of exploration in
Yellowstone, with the first permanent white settlers in Jackson Hole arriving
in the 1880's. efforts to preserve the region as a national park commenced in
the late 19th century and in 1929 Grand Teton Park was established,
protecting the major peaks of the Teton range. The valley of Jackson Hole
remained in private ownership until the 1930's, when conversations led by John
D. Rockefeller, Jr. began purchasing land in Jackson Hole to be added to the
existing national park. Against public opinion and with repeated Congressional
efforts to repeal the measures, much of Jackson Hole was set aside for
protection as Jackson Hole National Monument in 1943. The monument was
abolished in 1950 and most of the monument land was added to Grand Teton National Park.
At 4,199 meter Grand Teton abruptly rises more than
21,100 meter above Jackson Hole, almost 260 meter higher than Mount Owen, the
second – highest summit in the range. The park has numerous lakes,
including 24 kilometer long Jackson Lake as well as streams of varying
length and the upper main stem of the
Snake River. Though in a state of recession a dozen small glaciers persist at
higher elevations near the highest peaks in the range. some of the rocks in the
park are the oldest found in any U.S. National Park an d have been dated at
nearly 2.7 billion years.
Grand Teton National park is an almost pristine
ecosystem and the same species of flora and fauna that have existed since prehistoric times can
still be found there. More than 1,000 species of vascular plants, dozens of species
of mammals, 300 species of birds, more than a dozen fish species and a few of
reptiles and amphibians exist. Due to various changes in the ecosystem, some of
them human – induced, efforts have been made to provide enhanced protection to
some species of native fish and the increasingly threatened white bark pine.
Grand Teton National Park is a popular destination
for mountaineering, hiking, fishing and other forms of recreation. There are
more than 1,000 drive – in campsites and
over 320 kilometer of hiking trails that provide access to back country camping
areas.