History of Grand Teton National Park Trails Topic of AMK Ranch Talk Thursday

July 2, 2012

Grand Teton National Park’s first ranger-naturalist, Fritiof M. Fryxell, and his early work developing the park’s trail system, is the topic for the weekly summer lecture series Thursday, July 5, at the University of Wyoming-National Park Service (UW-NPS) Research Center. The center is located at the AMK Ranch in Grand Teton National Park.

Iowa State University Professor James Pritchard will discuss “History of Trails of Grand Teton National Park: Geologist Fritiof Fryxell” at 6:30 p.m. at the AMK Ranch, located north of Leeks Marina. A barbecue, at a cost of $5 per person, will take place at 5:30 p.m. Reservations are not required. For more information, call the UW-NPS Center at (307) 543-2463.

Pritchard says Fryxell not only created interpretive exhibits to explain local geology to the public, but also designed the layout of the park’s trail system to provide access to the mountains for equestrians, alpinists and casual tourists.

Pritchard also will discuss Fryxell’s later contributions made to the establishment of natural history museums system-wide, and the development of the parks’ educational mission.

The UW-NPS Research Center provides a base for university faculty members and governmental scientists from throughout North America to conduct research in the diverse aquatic and terrestrial environments of Grand Teton National Park and the greater Yellowstone area.

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