--- title: "Could RVs Be Banned From Teton Pass? Serious Crash Fuels Push for New Restrictions" url: "https://camperfaqs.com/could-rvs-be-banned-from-teton-pass" author: "Tory Jon" published: "2026-08-24T09:45:12-05:00" modified: "2026-08-24T09:45:15-05:00" --- # Could RVs Be Banned From Teton Pass? Serious Crash Fuels Push for New Restrictions A serious crash involving a motorhome and another recent runaway RV incident are adding fuel to a growing push to restrict recreational vehicles on one of Wyoming's steepest highways. A local group called Make Teton Pass Safer is asking the Wyoming Department of Transportation to temporarily ban RVs and vehicles towing trailers from Teton Pass while state officials consider longer-term safety changes. For now, no such summertime ban exists. ## Seven Injured in Latest Teton Pass Crash The latest call for restrictions follows an August 17 crash on Wyoming Highway 22 near milepost 7. According to [KHOL's report on the crash](https://891khol.org/seven-injured-after-rv-with-trailer-crashes-into-passenger-vehicle-on-teton-pass/), a motorhome pulling a trailer collided with a passenger vehicle shortly before 9 p.m. Seven people were involved. A juvenile was airlifted to Idaho Falls with serious injuries, and others were taken to St. John's Health in Jackson. The crash closed Teton Pass for about six hours. Authorities have not publicly announced what caused the collision. That point matters. The crash involved an RV, but investigators have not said the motorhome caused it or that brakes, weight, or driver error played a role. ## Group Wants RVs and Trailers Temporarily Banned Make Teton Pass Safer formed after a deadly July crash and is now asking WYDOT for immediate restrictions. The group's proposal includes: - Temporarily banning RVs and vehicles pulling trailers - Lowering the weight limit for heavy trucks - Working with Idaho transportation officials on additional safety measures - Getting vehicle restrictions added to navigation services such as Google Maps, Apple Maps and Waze WYDOT spokesperson Stephanie Harsha told [KHOL](https://891khol.org/seven-injured-after-rv-with-trailer-crashes-into-passenger-vehicle-on-teton-pass/) that Wyoming transportation officials planned meetings to discuss possible safety measures, including talks with Idaho officials. No new RV restriction has been announced. As of August 24, [WYDOT's current Highway 22 travel information](https://www.wyoroad.info/pls/Browse/WRR.RoutesResults?SelectedRoute=WY22) still lists a 60,000-pound gross vehicle weight restriction over Teton Pass but does not show a summertime ban on RVs or trailers. ## This Debate Did Not Start With One RV Crash Concern about large vehicles on Teton Pass has been building for years. On July 7, 2026, two people were killed and six others injured in a four-vehicle crash involving a dump truck hauling asphalt. The crash occurred near the bottom of the steep eastern descent toward Wilson. Then, on July 16, a motorhome was recorded racing downhill and weaving through traffic before eventually reaching the bottom without crashing. Witnesses believed the RV was having trouble stopping, although brake failure was not confirmed in the initial investigation, according to [Cowboy State Daily](https://cowboystatedaily.com/2026/07/17/holy-cow-motorhome-appears-to-lose-brakes-on-teton-pass-motorist-captures-video/). An earlier RV crash shows what can happen when brakes do fail. In August 2024, a motorhome descending Teton Pass while towing a Ford F-150 suffered overheated brakes and rolled near Wilson. One passenger was killed, and four others were injured. Wyoming Highway Patrol determined that brake failure caused the crash, according to [Buckrail's report on the investigation](https://buckrail.com/fatal-teton-pass-rv-crash-caused-by-brake-failure/). ## Teton Pass Has a Long History of Serious Crashes Teton Pass is not an ordinary mountain drive. Wyoming Highway Patrol describes it as having some of the steepest highway grades in the continental United States. The road climbs roughly 2,400 feet from Wilson before crossing the pass into Idaho. A [Federal Highway Administration study of the Teton Pass corridor](https://highways.dot.gov/sites/fhwa.dot.gov/files/2024-03/FINAL_TetonPassCorridorStudy_2_16_24.pdf) examined crash data from Wyoming and Idaho and identified 340 crashes along the corridor, averaging 68 per year during the study period. Summer had both the highest traffic volumes and the highest number of crashes. The Wyoming section covered by the study averaged about 62 crash incidents per year. Runaway vehicles have been enough of a problem that WYDOT installed a specialized vehicle arrestor near Wilson. The system uses a series of nets to stop vehicles that can no longer slow themselves. WYDOT notes that the steep descent continues for approximately 5.2 miles and that one arrestor cannot catch every vehicle that loses its brakes. [WYDOT's vehicle arrestor information](https://dot.state.wy.us/arrestor) says crashes have continued despite other safety measures. ## Are RVs the Problem? That question becomes harder once the individual crashes are separated from the broader safety problem. The deadly July 7 crash involved a dump truck, not an RV. The August 17 crash involved a motorhome pulling a trailer, but its cause has not been announced. There also does not appear to be publicly available crash data indicating that RVs account for a disproportionate share of crashes at Teton Pass. At the same time, the 2024 fatal motorhome crash and the July 2026 runaway motorhome incident show why heavy recreational vehicles are part of the discussion. A blanket restriction could also cover very different vehicles. A large diesel motorhome towing another vehicle can weigh tens of thousands of pounds, while a pickup pulling a small travel trailer may weigh far less. Those differences could become part of the debate if Wyoming considers a formal restriction. ## Trailers Are Already Banned During Winter Teton Pass already has rules that go beyond those found on many state highways. According to [Wyoming Highway Patrol's Teton Pass guidance](https://whp.wyo.gov/commercial-carrier/mountain-road-information): - Vehicles are limited to 60,000 pounds gross weight between Wilson and the Idaho state line. - Trailers of any kind are prohibited from November 15 through April 1. - Additional closures and restrictions can be imposed during poor weather. - Drivers are advised to use lower gears to control speed while descending. The new proposal would extend restrictions on RVs and trailers into the normal summer travel season. ## RVers Can Still Use Teton Pass Nothing in the current WYDOT restrictions prevents an otherwise legal RV or towable combination from crossing Teton Pass during summer. That does not mean every RV combination is well suited for the route. Large motorhomes and heavily loaded tow vehicles face long, steep descents where driver experience and proper downhill braking technique can make a major difference. Wyoming Highway Patrol lists the primary alternate route between Jackson and eastern Idaho as traveling south through Hoback Junction toward Alpine, then west through Swan Valley. It is a significantly longer drive, but it avoids Teton Pass. For now, RVers can still make that decision themselves. The push from Make Teton Pass Safer could eventually change that.