the late 1990s as a way to celebrate the
millennium. The White House Millennium
Council, in partnership with government
agencies and national organizations, includ-
ing Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, selected
standout trail projects across the country to
honor as visionary trails that reflected defin-
ing aspects of America’s history and culture.
When Young, who was then working for
Teton County, was asked if he had an exem-
plary project, he knew immediately that the
old highway that traversed Teton Pass—a
stretch of road that hadn’t seen motor-
ized traffic in decades—would be a perfect
contender.
Despite the fact that the segment was
in enough disrepair to make bike travel less
than ideal, it was selected for a Millennium
Trails grant in 1999. With additional sup-
port from two Public Lands Highways
grants received in the two years that fol-
lowed, the project went from vision to real-
ity, and the old road was restored to a con-
dition suitable for non-motorized use.
“That success made us think that con-
necting the region by trail was possible,”
Young says. “We were making great prog-
ress in this part of the valley, but the con-
nections further north hadn’t been looked at
seriously, and it got us interested in looking
at it [all] comprehensively.”
Something to Be Cherished
The eastern side of Teton Pass descends 6
miles in Wyoming and then crosses into
Idaho as the gradient begins to even out.
Biomes change almost immediately from
high pine forest to sweeping agriculture
lands and streams lined with willow and
cottonwood.
On the eastern flank of the Teton Range
is Teton Valley, Idaho. The valley’s two most
populous towns, Victor and Driggs (popu-
lations 1,900 and 1,600 respectively) are
connected by the 7-mile Victor to Driggs
Rail-Trail, which is used year-round by folks
on foot, bike and skis. This is one of the
completed, well-loved and heavily used seg-
ments of the Greater Yellowstone Trail.
This valley has a deep history, and
around every corner is another reminder
of days past. The role of early Native
Americans is an undercurrent of the region,
and reminders of their importance to the
area are common. An example is Nez Perce,
one of the peaks in the Teton Range, named
after a tribe that historically summered in
the region, long before trappers, traders and
explorers discovered the incredible natural
wealth of the ecosystem.
Railroad development made an indelible
mark in the early 1900s, with trains carry-
ing freight, particularly agricultural equip-
ment and products, as well as passengers.
Hints of that history still pepper the valley.
In fact, the steaming engine memorialized
on Victor’s town welcome sign reminds visi-
tors of that heritage.
Arguably the most pervasive historical
narrative centers on agriculture. From cattle
to wheat to the famous Idaho potatoes, the
region’s agricultural tradition lives on, both
through current production and relics of
days gone by. Out-of-service grain elevators
and farm outbuildings are scattered along
the trail route.
The ethics at the foundation of living
in the region and working the land—
hard work, hardiness and loyalty to the
landscape—remain. But today, another
narrative has reappeared, one of preserva-
tion and conservation. Joselin Matkins,
executive director of the Teton Regional
Land Trust (
tetonlandtrust.org
), explains
that, of the 41 watersheds that help make
up the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem,
Teton Valley has been of primary con-
cern because of its rich and diverse natural
resources and because of intense pressure for
development.
“Teton Valley has [some of] the most
incredible and important habitat for
Yellowstone-based species, but [this] is
also some of the most threatened habitat,”
Matkins says. “It’s definitely something to
be cherished.”
Matkins adds that, from the perspective
of the land trust, agriculture and conserva-
tion in Idaho go hand in hand. “Keeping
open space open is what allows wildlife
to move through,” she says. “There is an
incredible amount of wildlife habitat on
these agricultural lands, and our goal is to
protect it the best we can.”
The Victor to Driggs Rail-Trail is an
important connector, not just for the
towns but also for the national forest lands
that surround the valley. Adams says the
trail and national forest are inextricably
tied. “Every time we talk about the rail-
trail, we’re looking for spurs or access
points into federal land,” he says. “The
spurs to forest access are numerous on both
sides of the valley.”
North of the Victor to Driggs Rail-Trail
is a small gap to Tetonia, which is the south-
ern terminus for the Ashton-Tetonia Trail,
a heralded example of rural rail-trails in the
West. This rustic path is not simply a part
of the Greater Yellowstone Trail. It’s an inte-
gral link that spans the north end of Teton
Valley and provides the foundation for con-
nections beyond its current length. This
unpaved trail was funded in part by the
Wheat fields and open sky of Eastern Idaho
rails
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