Bat colony found in Grand Teton lodge, possibly exposing hundreds to rabies

Hundreds of people could potentially have been exposed to rabies during their summer vacation at Grand Teton National Park. 

A bat colony was recently discovered in the attic space at a popular lodge. 

Bat colony in Jackson Lake Lodge

The backstory:

Since June 2, Grand Teton Lodge Company has received eight reports involving overnight guests who may have been exposed to bats in Jackson Lake Lodge rooms, the National Park Service said. 

What they’re saying:

Dr. Alexia Harrist, Wyoming’s state health officer told local newspaper Jackson Hole News & Guide that management had received enough reports from guests that health officials determined it was not individual bats flying into rooms. 

NPS said on Aug. 8 that a suspected bat colony was recently discovered in the attic space above several guest rooms at the Jackson Lake Lodge. 

What’s next:

The Wyoming Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are assessing the risk that some guests may have been exposed to rabies in the bats. 

For context :

A bite or a scratch from a bat to a human is considered bat exposure to rabies, as well as physical contact with a bat. A person who cannot confirm or communicate a potential exposure—like a child, a deep sleeper, or someone who is mentally impaired or on mind-altering drugs—might be considered at-risk.

Dig deeper:

Bat teeth are small and a bite might not bleed or be visible or painful. A person may not realize that an exposure has occurred or may not think a bite or scratch requires medical attention.

State officials are reaching out to recent guests directly to see if they had exposure to a bat while staying in any of the rooms below the colony. 

NPS didn’t yet say if any bats in the area had tested positive for rabies. 

What you can do:

If you stayed at Jackson Lake Lodge between May 5, 2025, and July 27, 2025, and think you might have been exposed to a bat, contact Grand Teton Lodge Company at RoomsGTLC@vailresorts.com or 307-543-3044.

You can also get more information here. 

Grand Teton National Park

Local perspective:

Grand Teton National Park is an American National Park in northwestern Wyoming and just south of Yellowstone National Park. At approximately 310,000 acres, the park includes the major peaks of the 40-mile-long Teton Range as well as most of the northern sections of the valley known as Jackson Hole. 

Rabies vaccine

Big picture view:

Rabies is deadly if people don’t receive medical care before symptoms start. Approximately two people in the United States die each year from rabies, according to the CDC, and around 100,000 Americans are vaccinated against rabies following a potential exposure each year. 

Contact with infected bats is the leading cause of human rabies deaths in this country; at least seven out of 10 people who die from rabies in the United States were infected by bats, according to the CDC. 

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