Wyoming prepares for 2017 total solar eclipse tourism rush

JACKSON — Officials in Wyoming’s Teton County are already setting up management plans to prepare for a crush of 40,000 tourists, including people camping illegally, who are expected to swarm Jackson Hole next summer to see a total solar eclipse.

Jackson Hole lies in the path of the first total solar eclipse that will be viewable from the mainland U.S. in nearly four decades. The eclipse will occur Aug. 21, 2017, and will be visible from 12 U.S. states.

The last total eclipse over the U.S. happened on Feb. 26, 1979, and was visible from parts of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and North Dakota.

Next year’s eclipse will happen during the busy summer tourist season in Jackson Hole, which borders Grand Teton National Park and is a gateway to neighboring Yellowstone National Park.

Read more: http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming-prepares-for-total-solar-eclipse-tourism-rush/article_d30eba67-cb5f-57b2-8147-792ff44f8de2.html