Happy 88th Birthday, Grand Teton National Park

This weekend marks a monumental anniversary in Wyoming history. 88 years ago, on Feburary 26, 1929, President Calvin Coolidge signed an order establishing Grand Teton National Park. 

Named for the tallest mountain in the Teton Range, its status as a national park was the culmination of a conservation movement that began soon after nearby Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872.

Along with its many majestic peaks, the 310,000 acre park includes the Snake River, many alpine lakes and over a dozen glaciers.

Several rocks inside the park date back over 2.7 billion years; the oldest formations found in any National Park.

Grand Teton is also home to over 1,000 species of plants and animals, including over 60 mammals, hundreds of birds, and several species of fish, including the native Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat trout.

According to data from the National Park Service, Grand Teton attracts over 4 million visitors each year. Estimates suggest the park generates over $450 million for Wyoming's economy and, combined with Yellowstone National Park, accounts for nearly 12,000 jobs.