WHERE WE TRAVEL
Teton Valley Ranch Camp has a long and rich history in the Jackson Hole area
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE)
Our access to this American national treasure is unparalleled, and makes TVRC a gateway to extraordinary adventures! The GYE includes Grand Teton National Park and the entire Teton, Wind River, and Absaroka Mountain Ranges. It also includes the Shoshone, Bridger-Teton, and Caribou-Targhee National Forests. This land encompases one of the last entact ecosystems in the world where campers will see native wildlife foraging on the plains and trotting through tree-lined mountain sides on their many adventures in the wilderness.
Our permits allow us to take backpacking and horse pack trips into some of the most rugged and striking landscapes in the lower 48 states. Many of the trips we take have been routes for TVRC dating back to the 1940’s. Some of our campers are now the third and fourth generations to summit the same peaks, and walk the same trails here in the GYE. This is an extraordinary privilege that we are very proud to hold, and deeply grateful to provide for our Campers.
Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) is one of the most spectacular and wild places in the United States, known for its hiking, wildlife viewing, scenic vistas and impressive Teton Range. TVRC has been fortunate to have access to the incredible GTNP resource for many years as a concessioner, an organization that possesses special, federal permission to provide services within the National Park. Because we hold one of only two contracts that allow for guided youth backpacking within GTNP, we are responsible for providing a service that interprets park resources, instills conservation ethics, and teaches environmental awareness to our campers while minimizing our environmental footprint in the park. As a concessioner, TVRC is able to aid the National Park Service in its mission to “…preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.”
National Forest
In addition to our use of Grand Teton National Park, TVRC is also privileged to have access to three National Forests in the area. Similar to our Concession Contract with GTNP, TVRC maintains “Outfitter Contracts” with Bridger-Teton, Caribou-Targhee, and Shoshone National Forests. As outfitters, TVRC helps the United States Forest Service (USFS) accomplish their motto of “caring for the land and serving people” by teaching our campers principles such as Leave No Trace, while providing them with unforgettable backcountry experiences.
Wilderness Areas
TVRC trips also frequent several highly-protected Wilderness areas. Within all of the federal lands on which TVRC is contractually permitted to recreate, there are certain areas designated and regulated as “Wilderness.” These are very special and important places for many reasons:
- They provide habitat for wildlife and havens for threatened species.
- They provide outstanding places to recreate and to escape the bustle of the modern world.
- They provide a pristine environment free of roads, vehicles, and permanent structures.
A Wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.
Traveling in these untamed areas allows TVRC campers to experience nature in its most original form. Providing kids with this opportunity is a priority that we strive to keep at the forefront of our trips program.