R Park, Your Dog

R Park is a haven for public recreation, a space for learning about conservation, and critical wildlife habitat. Located at the crossroads of busy highways 22 and 390, this 40-acre reclaimed landscape offers over a mile of trails and three ponds, making it an easily accessible natural park for community use and a respite for wildlife. As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of R Park and navigate upcoming changes, the responsible use of R Park is more important than ever. There’s one easy step you can take starting today: Leash your dog at R Park at all times.

The ongoing highway 22/390 corridor construction is designed to manage both human and wildlife movement with new exclusion fencing, wildlife underpasses, and road widening. According to data provided by Teton Conservation District’s GIS & Wildlife Habitat Specialist, Morgan Graham, the highest moose utilization areas (shown in white on the map below) are at risk. This study, spearheaded by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and Wyoming Department of Transportation, analyzed over 650,000 GPS locations from 29 cow moose, offering a glimpse into the habitats that are crucial for moose survival. As these corridors face disruption and expanded exclusion fencing is set to divert wildlife towards new underpasses, wildlife activity around R Park is poised to increase.

With these new changes comes a heightened responsibility to protect and respect R Park, particularly when it comes to dog ownership. To that end, a new rule is being put in place: dogs must always be leashed. With the highway 22/390 corridor construction leading to more wildlife passing through R Park, unleashed dogs have the potential to disturb this wildlife and the many animals that already call R Park home.

Responsible pet ownership is more critical than ever as we navigate these coming changes to the landscape and wildlife habitat. This dog leash policy is about protecting the park’s visitors and ensuring R Park is a safe habitat for wildlife. As we celebrate the past 10 years and look towards the next decade of R Park, it is vital that this community open space continues to thrive and remains a sanctuary for all – visitors, wildlife, and the local community alike.