MOOSE, Wyo. — Grand Teton National Park and Grand Teton National Park Foundation hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on July 3 to celebrate a multi-year, multi-million-dollar public-private partnership to renew the park's most popular destination — Jenny Lake.
Over the years, the area became greatly deteriorated as millions of visitors sought the famous views that define Jenny Lake. The cumulative damage threatened fragile habitat and prevented people with limited abilities from exploring all the area has to offer.
Jenny Lake's trails, bridges, key destinations, and visitor complex have transformed into a portal for discovery and now allow people with a wider range of abilities to connect with the park. National Park Service crews dramatically improved access to iconic destinations such as Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls by building new stone steps, smoothing and leveling trails, and ensuring better drainage for rainwater and snowmelt. Work completed also reduces congestion and ambiguity by creating suggested directional trails, larger boat docks, increased restroom facilities, and designated areas to rest and take in the stunning views.
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Most of all, hands-on interpretive elements like bronze 3-D relief maps, new signage, mountain viewing scopes, and a mobile application in its final stages of development blend traditional and modern platforms to enrich the Jenny Lake experience for visitors.
Grand Teton National Park Foundation launched the Inspiring Journeys Campaign for Jenny Lake in 2012 and completed the fundraising effort on Aug. 25, 2016 — the National Park Service's 100th birthday. The foundation raised $14.5 million and the National Park Service contributed more than $6 million to make the ambitious vision a reality.