New Trailhead to Unlock 5,000 Acres of Riding in Teton Valley as Landowners Partner With Trust for Public Land
VICTOR, Idaho (October 1, 2025) — Riders in Teton County, Idaho, are getting a major boost with the protection of a 10.2-acre parcel that will serve as a trailhead into thousands of acres of Bureau of Land Management land.
Landowners Steven and Theresa Scott donated the property along Fox Creek in partnership with Trust for Public Land. The new access point opens up 5,000 acres of neighboring BLM land and links into tens of thousands more acres stretching across National Forest lands and Grand Teton National Park.
“In close coordination with the community, the Bureau of Land Management, and local partners, we are thrilled to protect this land to open access to miles of public trails and world-class recreation in Teton County’s backyard. With BLM as the future steward, we can ensure these lands will be protected and accessible for generations to come,” said David Weinstein, Northern Rockies Director at Trust for Public Land. “This is an amazing conservation opportunity and TPL is grateful to the Scott family for their vision and generosity.”
The BLM will manage the land long-term.
Mountain Bike the Tetons and Teton Valley Trails and Pathways have been working with the BLM for over a decade to build trails in the area. The BLM’s recent approval of a new travel management plan cleared the way for construction.
First up is the AJ Linnell trail system, scheduled to break ground next summer. The phased buildout will eventually deliver up to 20 miles of new singletrack for hikers and mountain bikers, with riding accessible directly from town without needing to drive.
“Having owned this land for the last 35 years, we understand and have enjoyed its natural beauty. We wanted to ensure that future generations have the same opportunity. Once we understood its potential to help unlock existing public lands and connect to the larger trails vision, we could not be happier to be donating the land towards the development of the AJ Linnell trail in Teton Valley,” said Steven and Teresa Scott.
“We have been working with the BLM and the community to provide new trails along the eastern side of Teton Valley for over 10 years now. BLM’s recent approval of its new travel management plan opens the door to that happening, but the real success is the community support and partnerships that will enable the AJ Linnell trail and access points to come to reality,” says Dan Verbeten, the Executive Director of Teton Valley trails and Pathways.
Trust for Public Land and partners are raising funds for the trailhead and future trail construction.
