John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway

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John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway is situated between Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, United States. Named in remembrance of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., a conservationist and philanthropist who was instrumental in the creation and enlargement of numerous National Parks such as Grand Teton, Virgin Islands, Acadia and the Great Smoky Mountains. Created in 1972 and consisting of 24,000 acres (97 km²), it also borders National Forest lands and is an intergral part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Caribou-Targhee National Forest borders the parkway on the west and Bridger-Teton National Forest and the Teton Wilderness forms the eastern border.

Related Topics:
Grand Teton National Park - Yellowstone National Park - Wyoming - United States - John D. Rockefeller, Jr. - National Parks - Virgin Islands - Acadia - Great Smoky Mountains - National Forest - Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem - Caribou-Targhee National Forest - Bridger-Teton National Forest - Teton Wilderness

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The land was originally National Forest and was transfered to the National Park Service from the United States Forest Service to assure an unbroken National Park connection between Grand Teton and Yellowstone. The parkway road itself extends from the northern end of Grand Teton National Park through the parkway lands and to West Thumb Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, a distance of 27 miles (43 km). The 24,000 acre (97 km²) park is managed by Grand Teton National Park.

Related Topics:
National Park Service - West Thumb Geyser Basin

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The parkway is a transitional zone in terms of geology with ancient lava beds being found in the north and the granitic rocks of the Teton Range in the south. The Snake River flows through the parkway as it heads south to Jackson Lake and is considered a prime trout fly fishing area. As in Grand Teton and Yellowstone, grizzly bears, black bears, moose, elk, bighorn sheep and mule deer can be found here. The Yellowstone fires of 1988 affected the northern sections of the parkway consuming 4,000 acres (16 km²). As of 2005, the forest had begun to be rejuvenated and wildlife habitat had actually increased due to better mix of meadow and forest lands. A major relocation project for the concession operation (consisting of a lodge, gas station, camp store, cabins and a campground) from along the Snake River to a point higher up and less visible from the road, was completed in 2002. Rafting is a popular activity during the summer and guided snowmobile tours use the parkway as a starting point for trips into Yellowstone during the winter.

Related Topics:
Geology - Lava - Snake River - Jackson Lake - Trout - Fly fishing - Grizzly bears - Black bears - Moose - Elk - Bighorn sheep - Mule deer - Yellowstone fires of 1988

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