If you visited Grand Teton National Park in mid-to-late June, Wyoming public health officials have identified specific locations where you may have been exposed to measles.
The Wyoming Department of Health confirmed on June 29, 2026 that an unvaccinated adult in Teton County — who lives and works inside Grand Teton National Park — tested positive for measles. The case is Wyoming's second measles case of 2026 and the first in Teton County in at least 15 years.
The patient was discharged from the hospital Thursday and is recovering in isolation. Investigators believe the person contracted measles within Wyoming, suggesting there may have been an unrecognized case or transmission chain prior to this diagnosis.
Why This Matters
Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases known to humans. One infected person can transmit measles to nine out of ten unprotected people in the same enclosed space. More critically for this case, the virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves a room. A summer tourist who stopped at the Colter Bay pizzeria, walked back to their campsite, and drove home to any city in the country may have been exposed without knowing it.
Grand Teton National Park draws approximately 3 million visitors annually. Colter Bay Village — where two of the specific exposure sites are located — is one of the park's most heavily visited areas, with restaurants, a convenience store, a marina, and camping facilities all in close proximity.
"Measles is here," said Teton County Public Health Director Dr. Travis Riddell. "For a long time, we've thought this was more a question of 'when,' than 'if,' and have been preparing accordingly."
The Complete Exposure Sites and Dates
According to the Wyoming Department of Health's official announcement and local reporting, the public may have been exposed at the following locations during these specific times:
Inside Grand Teton National Park:
-
Cafe Court Pizzeria and Ranch House Restaurant
, Colter Bay Village, Grand Teton National Park, 100 Colter Bay Village Road, Moran, WY 83013
- Wednesday, June 17: noon to 10 p.m.
- Thursday, June 18: noon to 10 p.m.
-
Colter Bay Convenience Store
, Grand Teton National Park, 1 Colter Bay Village Road, Moran, WY 83013
- Saturday, June 20: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
In Jackson, Wyoming:
-
Target Jackson Hole
, 510 S Highway 89, Jackson, WY
- Wednesday, June 25: 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Wyoming health officials also directly reached out to people who may have been exposed at additional, undisclosed locations during this period.
The 21-day monitoring window begins on the date of your potential exposure at one of these locations.
What We Know About This Case
Investigators determined that the patient likely contracted measles inside Grand Teton National Park, based on the fact that the person appeared to have stayed in the park during their incubation period. The symptoms began around June 17 — the same date as the earliest confirmed public exposure.
The case has raised the question of an unrecognized transmission chain: if the patient contracted measles locally, someone else was shedding the virus in the park or surrounding area earlier in June without being detected.
According to WyoFile reporting, neighboring Utah is one of the biggest measles hotspots in the country in 2026, with 499 cases so far this year. The proximity of Utah's active outbreak to the Wyoming border, combined with summer tourist flows from across the country, creates an elevated risk for continued imported cases.
Teton County has one of Wyoming's higher MMR vaccination rates — about 97 percent of Teton County kindergartners received the MMR vaccine in the most recent data year. However, as Riddell noted, "There are certainly pockets of people within this community who are not vaccinated. To the extent that those people might tend to congregate with each other, there are likely pockets where this virus could spread."
Who Faces the Greatest Risk?
"If you were in one of those places, if you're vaccinated, you should be pretty confident," Riddell said. Vaccinated individuals have approximately 97 percent protection from two documented MMR doses.
The highest-risk populations are:
- Unvaccinated individuals who visited any of the exposure sites during the listed times
- Infants under 12 months who cannot yet receive the MMR vaccine
- Pregnant individuals who are not immune to measles
- People with weakened immune systems for whom vaccination may not provide full protection
- People with only one documented MMR dose (93% protection, vs. 97% for two doses)
Symptoms and Warning Signs — and When to Call Ahead
Measles symptoms typically appear 7 to 14 days after exposure. Early symptoms include:
- High fever (often above 104°F)
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red, watery eyes
- Koplik spots (small white spots inside the cheeks) — an early distinguishing sign
A red, blotchy rash typically appears 3 to 5 days after initial symptoms, beginning on the face and spreading downward across the body.
Critical instruction: If you develop these symptoms and believe you may have been exposed, do not go directly to an emergency room or walk-in clinic without calling ahead. Measles spreads extremely easily in medical waiting rooms. Call your health care provider or urgent care center first and tell them you may have been exposed to measles — they can prepare isolation protocols before you arrive.
Infected people are contagious from four days before the rash appears through four days after it starts. This means someone who was exposed and contracts measles may be spreading it before they even know they are sick.
What You Can Do Now
- If you visited any of the listed locations during the specific dates and times shown above, monitor yourself for measles symptoms — specifically fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and rash — for 21 days after your exposure date.
- Consider avoiding crowded public places and high-risk settings such as daycare centers and schools during the monitoring period, as the Wyoming Department of Health specifically requests.
- If you are unvaccinated and visited one of the exposure sites, contact your health care provider or the Wyoming Department of Health for guidance.
- If you develop symptoms, call your health care provider or urgent care before going — describe the potential measles exposure first.
- Use this exposure as a prompt to check your own and your children's MMR vaccination records if you have not done so recently.
Cost and Access: What Patients Should Know
MMR vaccination is covered at no cost under the ACA preventive services mandate for most insured patients and through the Vaccines for Children program for eligible uninsured children. If you need to verify your vaccination records or get vaccinated, contact your primary care physician, county health department, or a local pharmacy.
What Happens Next
Wyoming health officials are monitoring for additional cases connected to this exposure event. Given the park's high daily visitor traffic during peak summer season and the possibility of an unrecognized prior transmission chain, additional cases may emerge. WDH will update its website with any additional exposure locations as the investigation develops. MedicalDaily will report on any confirmed secondary cases connected to the Grand Teton exposure.
The Bottom Line
Measles was confirmed at Grand Teton National Park this week in an unvaccinated adult who lives and works there. If you visited Cafe Court Pizzeria or Ranch House Restaurant in Colter Bay Village on June 17 or 18, the Colter Bay Convenience Store on June 20, or Target in Jackson on June 25, you should monitor for measles symptoms for 21 days from your exposure date and call your health care provider before seeking in-person care if you become ill. Two documented MMR doses provide 97 percent protection — if you are not vaccinated and visited these sites, contact your health care provider now.
