Land Purchase Finalized for Astoria Hot Springs Park

The Trust for Public Land announced today it has purchased the land for the future Astoria Hot Springs Park.

“We are delighted to have come to an agreement with Northlight Capital Partners and Snake River Sporting Club,” said Dick Dolan, Northern Rockies Director of The Trust for Public Land. “We have all worked together for more than two years to negotiate the sale and relocation of the development entitlements away from the riverfront property to allow Astoria Hot Springs Park to be reopened to the public. Our success is thanks to collaboration with Northlight Capital, Snake River Sporting Club, and the Teton County Board of Commissioners, who all agree the best outcome for this property is to return it to community use.”

The project’s nearly 100 acres of riverfront is located 16 miles south of Jackson in Teton County’s Snake River Canyon, and was a privately owned park and hot springs for nearly 40 years until it closed in1999. “It’s beautiful setting, natural mineral hot springs and cultural significance make it a special place for a special park,” says Chris Deming, Senior Project Manager at The Trust for Public Land. “It’s very rare to get an opportunity to reclaim a beloved recreational asset like Astoria Hot Springs for the community.”

This Spring, The Trust for Public Land hired DHM Designs, a Colorado landscape architecture and ecological planning firm, to lead a team of consultants, experts, and community partners, including Jackson Hole Public Art, to design the new park. In an effort to truly create a park ‘designed by the community, for the community’, The Trust for Public Land is holding two public open houses on July 11, where everyone is welcome to contribute ideas and give feedback to DHM Design staff. The morning workshop will run from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Teton County Library Auditorium, and the afternoon session will be held at the Old Wilson Schoolhouse Community Center from 5 to 7 p.m.

The Trust for Public Land is also raising $5 million to support the park acquisition, planning, and initial construction. “Excitement about the new park has been tremendous, as many agree that the new park will bring significant community benefit. We’re delighted that so many people have joined us to protect and rebuild Astoria Hot Springs Park for future generations to enjoy,” says Paige Byron, Wyoming Associate Director of Philanthropy of The Trust for Public Land.

The first phase of the renovation includes the community design process and construction of the hot soaking pools, a bathhouse and welcome center, and the return of the beloved snack shack. Later phases of park development will include walking trails, picnic pavilions, pond and wetland enhancements, and other gathering spaces. The first phase of construction will begin once funding is secured, planned currently for 2017.

This landmark deal also has significant benefits to Snake River Sporting Club, adding to the suite of enhancements the Club has made recently including both short term rental possibilities and overnight accommodations. “We are pleased to be working with The Trust For Public Land, and through the agreement, we can offer a new way for members and visitors to experience the Club,” said Jeff Heilbrun General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of Snake River Sporting Club. “Overnight accommodations significantly expand the destination’s hospitality offering and allow more guests and members to visit and enjoy the rugged wilderness of Jackson Hole.”