Moose-Wilson Road weekday opening delayed

MOOSE, Wyo. (KIFI) — Due to rainy, wet conditions this spring, construction progress was slowed on the Moose-Wilson Road and the road opening schedule has been delayed. The construction of the southern portion of Moose-Wilson Road will continue between the Granite Canyon Entrance and the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve (LSRP), opening to weekend traffic only through late July. The road closure is necessary to assure public safety during construction.

The National Park Service is working in partnership with the Western Federal Lands Highway Division (WFLHD) to provide as much public access as possible along the Moose-Wilson corridor this summer.

Updated Moose-Wilson Road schedule

• Through late July: Closed to traffic on weekdays. Open on weekends 5 p.m. Friday through 7 a.m. Monday.
• Fourth of July weekend: Open 3 p.m. Friday, June 30 through 7 a.m. Thursday, July 6.
• Late July: The road will open to through traffic, seven days a week, with possible 20-minute delays.
• Granite Canyon Trailhead is closed summer and fall 2023. The trail network is accessible from Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

The speed limit through the construction zone is 20 mph, or as posted. Bicycle use is permitted only when the road is open to vehicular traffic. It is unlawful and extremely dangerous for cyclists to ride in a closed construction zone. Access to the LSRP and Death Canyon Trailhead will remain available from the north, via Moose, WY.

Moose-Wilson Road improvements

• The contractor is working to complete the road base and install asphalt south of the LSRP.
• Granite Canyon Trailhead construction will be completed in the fall with parking lot paving, the addition of vault toilets, concrete walks, pavement markings, signs, and site restoration.
• Granite Entrance Station site construction will be completed in the fall, with improved entrance and exit lanes, and construction of a bicycle connection to the Teton County pathway to follow in 2024. Site restoration and the architectural addition at the entrance station will occur after the road construction is complete.
• Poker Flats will open for equestrian activity in the fall, with an accessible horse mounting area and redesigned trails to better connect with the new parking lot.

Phase I of the Moose-Wilson Road project is funded by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund. The GAOA was created to significantly reduce maintenance backlogs in national parks, public lands, and Tribal schools. As consideration for additional weekday road closures, WFLHD will issue a contract modification, returning some project funds to the National Park Service. 

Grand Teton National Park reminds visitors to plan ahead, especially during summer months. To check the status of the Moose-Wilson Road, visit Grand Teton’s Live Road Status Map at go.nps.gov/tetonroads or call 307-739-3682.