About Trails & Pathways

Mission & History


Mission Statement

Teton Valley Trails and Pathways promotes a trails and pathways connected community. The organization brings together citizens, businesses, and local governments to expand the Valley’s opportunities for outdoor recreation and nature appreciation, while linking communities, providing access to National Forest trails, and promoting healthy mountain lifestyles

Goals

To build and maintain a complete, connected network of pedestrian and bicycle pathways and trails throughout Teton Valley to create a practical alternative to driving as a means of both transportation and recreation.

History

TVTAP was formed in the fall of 1998, with the focus of creating a paved, pathway along Teton Creek between Driggs and Teton Canyon. The Valley’s first paved pathway, built in 1997 by the Idaho Transportation Department between Victor and Driggs, encouraged the founding members to form TVTAP to pursue additional pathways.

We are a small non-profit supported by the volunteer efforts of our Board of Directors and approximately 800+ members. Trails and Pathways currently has one full-time employee, Executive Director Dan Verbeten and one full-time seasonal employee, Nordic Program Manager, Nick Beatty. During the summer months we gather over 140 volunteers to work on trails and in the winter of 2010-2011 had over 25 volunteers working on grooming trails.

Programs

Trails and Pathway’s current programs include our Nordic Grooming Program, which provides groomed Nordic ski trails in Teton Canyon, Alta, Pioneer Park in Victor, Teton Springs Resort, and the Driggs Nordic Track located between the High School and Middle School (all these trails are free for public use); our partnership with the US Forest Service to help build, maintain, and restore trails in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest; and we work closely with the local, county and state agencies to build a Valley-wide connected pathways network. The Executive Director, with help from board members, regularly writes grant applications for organizational support to obtain funding for new pathways in Teton Valley. Trails and Pathways facilitates a Summer Trail Work day program which amasses over 1,200 hours of volunteer work annually in the National Forest. We also facilitate a Mountain Bike Festival as well races in the summer and winter to support our mission.


Staff & Board

Board of Directors


Corey McGrath
President
Supply Chain Manager New West Knife Works

Stacy Snyder
Vice President

Nan Pugh
Treasurer

Todd Saulters
Secretary
Postmaster for Driggs

Janet Conway Heslin
Board Member
Rancher

Jay Millin
Board Member
Production Engineer New West Knife Works

Greg Buchko
Board Member
Structural Engineer

Jill Payne
Board Member
Director of Compliance Teton Valley Health

Mike Abbott
Board Member
Retired (INL)

Wade Kauffman
Board Member
Owner Horizon Landscape Services

Stephen Houmes
Board Member
Physician, Teton Valley Health

Board Emeritus


Buol Heslin
Board Member Emeritus
Retired

Anna Trentadue
Board Member Emeritus
Valley Advocates for Responsible Development Program Director/Staff Attorney

Staff


Nick Beatty
Program Director

Dan Verbeten
Executive Director

Mark Heinen
Teton Canyon Head Groomer

Lauren Bennett
Wydaho Festival Manager

Kevin Emery
Winter Trails Manager

Caitie Quinn
Outreach & Development Director

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