The study’s lead author, Courtney Larson, said the data show that wildlife in the Jackson area are not being forced out by the crush of trail runners, mountain bikers, cross-country skiers, and walkers that use the network daily.
Larson, a conservation scientist with The Nature Conservancy, collaborated with Linda Merigliano, a recreation planner for the Bridger-Teton National Forest, to test whether the heavy recreational use in Teton County—which draws several million tourists annually—had turned the trail system into a sacrifice zone where wildlife was effectively pushed out.
The remote cameras recorded an impressive array of species, including moose, wolves, mountain lions and grizzly bears, moving through the landscape often within hours of human passage, according to the research.
Larson said the study did not find a significant relationship between the volume of human activity and the presence of most wildlife, challenging an assumption that has often driven conflict between conservation advocates and recreation enthusiasts in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem.
The research area, which includes land bordering the National Elk Refuge and the Gros Ventre Wilderness, is one of the most visited wildland-urban interfaces in the country. Trail networks there serve as critical connectivity corridors for wildlife moving between summer and winter ranges.
Larson cautioned that not all species react identically to human presence and that the study’s data can help land managers make targeted decisions about seasonal closures, trail reroutes, or design standards to protect sensitive species during calving, denning, or migration.
Merigliano, of the Bridger-Teton National Forest, said the research fills an important gap because the agency has largely managed trails on intuition and precautionary principles. With the new data, she said, the Forest Service can have both world-class recreation and healthy wildlife populations through thoughtful design and seasonal restrictions.
The study’s release comes as Teton County debates proposals to expand its trail network, including a connector trail through moose calving habitat. Environmental groups have argued that more trails fragment habitat, while recreation advocates push for greater access.
Larson said the study does not greenlight unlimited trail building but provides a more nuanced picture than the binary sacrifice zone narrative. The placement and use of trails, and the specific needs of wildlife by season, should guide decisions, she said.
The Nature Conservancy said the findings will inform its conservation planning in Wyoming and could apply to other gateway communities near national parks and forests. The research, funded in part by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, was released before peer review to aid pending Forest Service management decisions, Larson said.