Grand Teton National Park Foundation commits to funding Phase One rehabilitation
The Teton Climbers’ Coalition (TCC) announced today that the Grand Teton National Park Foundation (GTNPF) has committed to raising $61,200 to fund Phase One of the Delta Lake Trail Project.
The commitment marks a major milestone in efforts to rehabilitate one of Grand Teton National Park’s most heavily impacted routes. Once raised, the funds will support the deployment of Access Fund’s Conservation Team, which is scheduled to begin work on the social trail to Delta Lake in June 2026.
A decade ago, Delta Lake—a turquoise alpine lake tucked beneath the east face of the Grand Teton—was a remote, trail-free backcountry objective visited by only a handful of experienced hikers. Today, fueled by social media and GPS apps, it has become one of the Park’s most photographed destinations. Despite no formal trail infrastructure, hundreds of hikers visit daily, resulting in severe erosion, vegetation loss, litter, and overcrowding.
Last summer, recognizing that Delta Lake’s popularity had far outpaced the trail’s informal origins, the TCC proposed a two-phase solution to Grand Teton National Park Superintendent Chip Jenkins. The proposal focused on engaging Access Fund, a national climbing advocacy organization and leader in sustainable trail construction, to implement a rapid intervention that would stabilize the existing social trail, reduce erosion, and consolidate traffic onto a single route.
In September 2025, the TCC convened a site visit that brought Access Fund Field Coordinator Loryn Posladek to the Park to assess trail conditions alongside Park staff. During the visit, Posladek and TCC Executive Director Christian Beckwith were joined by Jenny Lake District Ranger Chris Bellino and Sarah Zermani, head of the Park’s Trails Program. The group reviewed the heavily braided trail, identified three distinct and severely impacted sections, and discussed the compliance and resource constraints the Park must navigate before rehabilitation could begin.
While no final decisions were made at the time, the visit established a shared framework for action and clarified feasible, low-impact next steps.
Following the visit, the Grand Teton National Park Foundation committed to underwriting Phase One of the project. The funding will support the deployment of the Access Fund’s Conservation Team to stabilize the existing route, reduce erosion, and consolidate traffic in an effort to protect surrounding alpine terrain and vegetation.
Work is expected to begin in June and continue through early August.
The initiative underscored the TCC’s commitment to stewardship and to collaborating with local land managers to protect access and conserve natural resources. While the Foundation’s commitment marked the successful completion of the TCC’s role in the project, it will continue to support the Park, Access Fund and GTNPF as requested.
“This project reflects what’s possible when community partners and land managers work together,” said Beckwith. “We’re grateful to Grand Teton National Park for their willingness to consider our proposal, and to the Grand Teton National Park Foundation for stepping up to make Phase One possible.”
“Delta Lake is a powerful example of what happens when use outpaces infrastructure—and what’s possible when local advocates, land managers, and conservation partners come together,” said Heather Thorne, Executive Director of the Access Fund. “We’re proud to support the Teton Climbers’ Coalition and Grand Teton National Park with on-the-ground solutions that protect sensitive alpine terrain while preserving access for future generations.”