Grand Teton to Cut Back on Seasonal Employees

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — Grand Teton National Park will reduce its seasonal workforce, including hiring fewer search and rescue team members, to help meet federal spending cuts.

The park's plan to save $700,000 also includes furloughs, closed visitor centers and campgrounds and no snowplowing on at least four park roads this spring.

Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott tells the Associated Press that the park in northwest Wyoming is trying to minimize impacts on visitor services.

But she says the size of the budget reduction means some services must be reduced.

The park will hire 154 seasonal employees this year, down 26 from 2012. As recently as 2010 there were 237 seasonal employees hired by the park.

Seasonal workers are typically assigned to visitor centers, road patrols and search and rescue teams.