Congresswoman Poised To Force Issue On Packrafting In Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Parks

A Wyoming congresswoman carrying water for packrafters seeking access to rivers and streams in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks has offered an amendment to her own legislation that seemingly would force the National Park Service to open up specific waters to the paddlers.

The amendment, which will be considered Thursday when the House Natural Resource Committee marks up Rep. Cynthia Lummis' bill, specifically directs the Park Service to allow packrafters access to 50 streams in the two parks.

Among those 50 segments are 4.3 miles along Spread Creek from Grand Teton's eastern boundary to the Snake River, 6.8 miles of Pilgrim Creek from Grand Teton's northeast boundary to Jackson Lake, 26.7 miles of Yellowstone River from Yellowstone's southeast boundary to Yellowstone Lake, and 5.7 miles of the Mountain Ash Creek in southwestern Yellowstone to the creek's confluence with the Falls River. 

Rep. Lummis in 2014 introduced legislation to open waters in the two parks to packrafters after discussing the matter with members of the American Packrafting Association. That initial effort was short on specifics, but gave the Interior Department and the Park Service three years to assess the paddling potential of nearly 7,000 stream miles in Yellowstone, and dozens more miles in nearby Grand Teton.

Just surveying those stream miles could take three years, let alone the months needed to produce the environmental reports and craft paddling regulations for the navigable streams. Under that bill, if the Park Service failed to come up with a plan that identified which sections of streams are open to paddling (by kayak, packraft, canoe, or, ostensibly, tube), all streams in the two parks would be open to paddlers. Drift boats could float the Yellowstone River through the Hayden Valley, canoeists could paddle the Lamar River through its namesake valley, and kayakers could tackle the 50 or so miles of the Yellowstone River from the Lower Falls to Gardiner, Montana. Groups could drift down the Firehole River, the Madison, and the Gibbon, as well as the Bechler, the Lewis, the Gallatin River and more.

While the measure was not taken up last year by Congress, Rep. Lummis reintroduced a similar measure early this year. That legislation, if enacted, would give the Park Service three years to study the potential streams that could be opened to paddle sports such as packrafting, kayaking, and canoeing and assess what impacts could be created; prevent additional commercial paddling operations beyond what currently are in place, and; somewhat restrict where paddlers could go in Grand Teton.

In a release announcing the measure, the Republican said, “I took great care to preserve the discretion of park managers to actually manage paddling as they do any other recreational activity in the parks, and to ensure park managers have the time and resources necessary to go through the proper studies and analysis.  The end result will be yet another way for the public to have truly unforgettable experiences enjoying the Wyoming treasures that are Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park.”

But NPCA officials did not share the congresswoman's view of her legislation, saying that even with the changes it "could have far-reaching negative impacts on two of our country’s most iconic national parks. At this time, NPCA believes that the bill fails to address longstanding concerns raised by conservationists, visitors, the National Park Service, and other key stakeholders."

"As currently written, the bill would eliminate critically important rules that have protected these two iconic national parks for decades," said Sharon Mader, the park advocacy group's Grand Teton program manager, said in February. "The area of untouched rivers and streams that park managers would be forced to study is approximately three and a half times the length of the entire Mississippi River.”

This week the Wyoming congresswoman introduced an amendment that, if adopted, would take away some of the Park Service's discretion in reviewing which stream segments in the two parks could be opened to packrafting. In its introduction, the amendment states, "Waters where such use shall be allowed under the regulations shall include, at a minimum, the segments listed in subsection..." (emphasis added).

At NPCA, Kristen Brengel said Tuesday that the language forces the Park Service's hand when it comes to studying which rivers and streams might be appropriate for paddlers.

“You could still do a study, but you’d still be required to allow the use on these rivers and streams," said Ms. Brengel, the non-profit advocacy group's Senior Director, Legislation & Policy. "Thanks to this amendment, this bill has taken a turn for the worse. Yellowstone and Grand Teton deserve better.”

A request for comment Tuesday from Rep. Lummis' staff was not immediately met. In the Park Service's Intermountain Regional Office, spokesman Patrick O'Driscoll said the agency was aware of the amendment.

"We have only begun to look at it, and we will be consulting with staff in Washington to formulate a response," he said.

The more than 400 miles of stream segments identified in the congresswoman's bill are:

* BEAVERDAM CREEK.—The approximately 5.6-mile segment of Beaverdam Creek from 8085’ to Yellowstone Lake.

* BECHLER RIVER.—The approximately 17.4-mile segment of Bechler River from Three River Junction to the confluence with Falls River.

* BOUNDARY CREEK.—The approximately 15.3-mile segment of Boundary Creek from 7455’ to the confluence with Bechler River.

* CACHE CREEK.—The approximately 12.2-mile segment from 7737’ to the confluence with Lamar River.

* COULTER CREEK.—The approximately .9-mile segment from the Yellowstone National Park south boundary to the confluence with the Snake River.

* FALLS RIVER.—The approximately 20.4-mile segment from 7316’ to the Yellowstone National Park south boundary.

* FAN CREEK.—The approximately 7.7-mile segment from Fan Creek upper forks (7526’) to the confluence with the Gallatin River.

* FERRIS FORK.—The approximately 1-mile segment from 7455’ to Three River Junction.

* FIREHOLE RIVER.—The approximately 4.5-mile segment of campsite OA3 to Kepler Cascades.

* GALLATIN RIVER.—The approximately 22.3-mile segment from 7650’ to the Yellowstone National Park northwest boundary.

* GARDNER RIVER.—The approximately 23.6-mile segment from Fawn Creek to the confluence with Yellowstone River.

* GRAYLING CREEK.—The approximately 7.4-mile segment from Grayling Creek canyon mouth (7088’) to the Yellowstone National Park west boundary.

* GREGG FORK.—The approximately 1.7-mile segment from 7795’ to Three River Junction.

* HEART RIVER.—The approximately 4.8-mile segment from Heart Lake to the confluence with Snake River.

* HELLROARING CREEK.—The approximately 6.4-mile segment from the Yellowstone National Park north boundary to the confluence with the Yellowstone River.

* HOWELL CREEK.—The approximately 5.4-mile segment from Howell Creek upper forks to the confluence with Mountain Creek.

* INDIAN CREEK.—The approximately 7.7-mile segment from 8030’ meadow to the confluence with Gardner River.

* LAMAR RIVER.—The approximately 27.3-mile segment from 8167’ to Specimen Ridge trail.

* LAMAR RIVER.—The approximately 7.5-mile segment from the top of Lamar Canyon (6478’) to the confluence with Yellowstone River.

* LEWIS RIVER.—The approximately 8.5-mile segment from the top of Lewis Canyon (7730’) to the confluence with Snake River.

* LITTLE LAMAR RIVER.—The approximately 3.7-mile segment from 8200’ to the confluence with the Lamar River.

* MIDDLE CREEK.—The approximately 4-mile segment from 7265’ to the Yellowstone National Park east boundary.

* MILLER CREEK.—The approximately 10-mile segment from 7655’ to the confluence with Lamar River.

* MOUNTAIN ASH CREEK.—The approximately 5.7-mile segment from 6555’ to the confluence with Falls River.

* MOUNTAIN CREEK.—The approximately 7.9-mile segment from the Yellowstone National Park east boundary to the confluence with Yellowstone River.

* NEZ PERCE CREEK.—The approximately 8.2-mile segment from 7310’ to Grand Loop Road.

* PEBBLE CREEK.—The approximately 10.3-mile segment from 7954’ trail crossing to the confluence with Soda Butte Creek.

* POLECAT CREEK.—The approximately 2-mile segment from 7050’ to the Yellowstone National Park south boundary.

* ROBINSON CREEK.—The approximately 4.4-mile segment from 6555’ to the Yellowstone National Park southwest boundary.

* SLOUGH CREEK.—The approximately 13.4-mile segment from the Yellowstone National Park north boundary to Slough Creek trail head/campground.

* SNAKE RIVER.—The approximately 31.8-mile segment from the Yellowstone National Park southeast boundary (8059’) to the Yellowstone National Park south boundary (6867’).

* SODA BUTTE CREEK.—The approximately 10.3-mile segment from the Yellowstone National Park northeast boundary to the confluence with Amphitheater Creek.

* SPECIMEN CREEK.—The approximately 2.6-mile segment from 7170’ to the confluence with the Gallatin River.

* THOROFARE CREEK.—The approximately 4.4-mile segment from the Yellowstone National Park southeast boundary to the confluence with Yellowstone River.

* TRAIL CREEK.—The approximately 3-mile segment from Trail Lake to Yellowstone Lake.

* YELLOWSTONE RIVER.—The approximately 36-mile segment, including Grand and Black canyons, from Sevenmile Hole to the Yellowstone National Park north boundary.

* YELLOWSTONE RIVER.—The approximately 26.7-mile segment from Yellowstone National Park southeast boundary to Yellowstone Lake.

* ARIZONA CREEK.—The approximately 4.8-mile segment from the Grand Teton National Park east boundary to Jackson Lake.

* BERRY CREEK.—The approximately 9.9-mile segment from 7560’ to Jackson Lake.

* BUFFALO FORK RIVER.—The approximately 8.7-mile segment from the Grand Teton National Park east boundary to the confluence with Snake River.

* COTTONWOOD CREEK.—The approximately 7.3-mile segment from Jenny Lake to the confluence with Snake River.

* DITCH CREEK.—The approximately 7.3-mile segment from the Grand Teton National Park east boundary to the confluence with Snake River.

* GROS VENTRE RIVER.—The approximately 12.7-mile segment from the Grand Teton National Park southeast boundary to the Grand Teton National Park south boundary.

* LAKE CREEK.—The approximately 3.9-mile segment from Phelps Lake to the Grand Teton National Park south boundary.

* OWL CREEK.—The approximately 2.2-mile segment from 7312’ to the confluence with Berry Creek.

* PACIFIC CREEK.—The approximately 4.6-mile segment from the Grand Teton National Park northeast boundary to the confluence with Snake River.

* PILGRIM CREEK.—The approximately 6.8-mile segment from Grand Teton National Park northeast boundary to Jackson Lake.

* PILGRIM CREEK EAST FORK.—The approximately .8-mile segment from the Grand Teton National Park northeast boundary to the confluence with Pilgrim Creek.

* POLECAT CREEK.—The approximately 3.9-mile segment from the Yellowstone National Park south boundary to the confluence with Snake River.

* SPREAD CREEK.—The approximately 4.3-mile segment, including both channels of Spread Creek, from the Grand Teton National Park east boundary to the Snake River.