A Fine Balance

Karns Meadow is set for a long-awaited makeover, balancing nature and human needs.

// By Emily Cohen

After more than two decades of planning, a vision for Jackson’s 42-acre Karns Meadow park is finally taking shape. Tucked between the rodeo arena and the library in West Jackson, the meadow is a hidden oasis, unexpected in its relatively urban (for Wyoming) surroundings. But soon it will be a place for both people and animals to enjoy. 

The land, homesteaded by the Karns family over 130 years ago, was intentionally left undeveloped. In a 2024 letter to the editor published in the Jackson Hole News&Guide, Jenny Karns described the land as a “childhood backyard field of dreams.” Between 2003 and 2009, the Karns family sold the property to the Town of Jackson in eight separate parcels, working with the nonprofit Jackson Hole Land Trust to place conservation easements on each one. A final master plan was approved in December 2024, and a phased development process is now underway.

Until now, the meadow—which has no infrastructure—has functioned largely as open space and wildlife habitat. In summer, seasonal workers have occasionally camped illegally in its willow thickets. Year-round, it supports beavers, songbirds, mule deer, moose, bald eagles, and trumpeter swans, and even serves as a connectivity corridor for migrating elk.

For years, town officials, environmental groups, and community advocates all had different ideas of how to balance access and preservation. Now, after more than two decades of debate, a compromise is moving forward.

The plan includes a parking lot, restroom, picnic shelter, and a 0.75-mile accessible pathway around the park’s perimeter. Though unpaved, the pathway will be surfaced with compacted granite dust, making for a mellow walk in summer. In winter, it will be groomed for cross-country skiing, with a small portion plowed for pedestrian use.

Earlier proposals called for lighting and year-round access throughout the meadow. But wildlife advocates including the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance successfully lobbied for scaled-back infrastructure to preserve wildlife habitat. Bikes and dogs won’t be allowed, and the park will close at sunset. The interior of the meadow will also be closed in winter to protect wildlife. 

“We’re finally starting to construct a vision that’s been discussed for 20 years,” says Max Moran of Teton County Parks and Recreation, which is spearheading the park’s development. “Any progress is exciting.”

Although Karns Meadow won’t be part of the Teton County Pathways system, it will be a unique green space destination, distinct among parks in the town of Jackson, says Jenny Fitzgerald from the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance. “It is a whole part of town that many people haven’t experienced, so I hope that once it opens, people will recognize how valuable it is as a resource,” she says. “In harsh winters, these low elevations are sheltered by buttes and provide valuable vegetation for mule deer and other animals. It offers incredible bird and wildlife watching in downtown Jackson.”

While full activation may not happen until late 2026, phased construction is already underway. There will be bridges over Flat Creek. Trail additions and amenities will roll out as funding and permitting allow. The Karns family, along with groups like the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance and Friends of Pathways, will continue to advocate for careful stewardship. “It’s all about finding the right balance between nature and people,” says Moran. JH