A summer getaway in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park may have turned into an unexpected health scare for hundreds of travelers. Officials confirmed that a bat colony was discovered in the attic space above guest rooms at the iconic Jackson Lake Lodge, raising concerns that visitors may have been exposed to rabies.
Since early June, the Grand Teton Lodge Company has received at least eight reports from guests who encountered bats inside their rooms. After investigating, the National Park Service determined this wasn’t a case of a few stray bats but evidence of a larger colony roosting above several occupied rooms.
Health experts are taking the situation seriously. “There were enough reports that we knew it wasn’t isolated incidents,” said Dr. Alexia Harrist, Wyoming’s state health officer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now working with state officials to assess the risk.
The danger lies in rabies exposure. Even the smallest scratch, bite, or physical contact with a bat can transmit the virus. To make matters more concerning, bat bites are often so tiny that they go unnoticed—especially by children, heavy sleepers, or individuals unable to communicate their experience. Without immediate vaccination, rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.
Officials are now contacting guests who stayed in affected rooms between May 5 and July 27, 2025. Visitors who believe they had contact with bats are urged to call 307-543-3044 or email RoomsGTLC@vailresorts.com for guidance.
Rabies remains rare in the U.S
