Bat Colony Found in Cabins at Popular Wyoming National Park Potentially Exposes Hundreds of Tourists to Rabies

Many visitors may have been exposed to rabies after a bat colony was discovered in the attic of a lodge at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

According to CNN, none of the bats found in some of the cabins at Jackson Lake Lodge have tested positive for rabies so far. However, Wyoming State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist told the outlet that the number tested represented only a fraction of the bats likely living in the attic.

Officials are now working to track visitors from 38 states and seven countries, Wyoming Public Radio and CNN reported. An estimated 500 guests stayed in the cabins between May and late July, when the colony was uncovered, according to CNN.

On Aug. 8, the National Park Service issued a statement confirming the discovery.

“A suspected bat colony was recently discovered in an attic space above guest rooms 516, 518, 520, 522, 524, 526, 528 and 530 at the Jackson Lake Lodge,” the release said. “There is no immediate threat to the public.”

The Wyoming Health Department referred PEOPLE to the National Park Service’s statement when asked about the incident.

A spokesperson for Grand Teton National Park added:

“Grand Teton National Park staff are working closely with the NPS Office of Health and Safety, Wyoming Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Grand Teton Lodge Company to address potential guest exposures to bats in the Jackson Lake Lodge. The Wyoming Department of Health is leading the response and is working with other state public health officials to contact individuals who stayed in the affected rooms from May 15 to July 27, 2025, to see if they meet the risk criteria for receiving rabies prevention treatment.”

The National Park Service also explained that the Wyoming Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are coordinating with local health officials to conduct rabies risk assessments. Guests are being contacted to determine whether they encountered bats and if they should begin preventive rabies treatment.

“Individuals who meet the risk criteria for a rabies exposure will be connected with the appropriate provider in their home state for preventive treatment,” the notice said.

Since June 2, there have been eight potential cases of people who may have been exposed to bats at the lodge. As a precaution, the affected rooms remain closed while health experts conduct further investigations and recommend mitigation measures.

Bats are known carriers of rabies, according to CNN. Symptoms can include vomiting, itching, and muscle aches. While rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, Harrist explained that a five-shot prophylactic treatment given within two weeks of exposure is highly effective at preventing illness.

Wyoming public health veterinarian Emily Curren told CNN that the lodge company has been proactive in addressing the issue:

“The lodge company has done a fantastic job of doing their due diligence of making sure everyone that is coming in for that, and for all other visits this year, are going to be as safe as possible.”

Curren added that bat colonies often range from 30 to 100 in size. “That’s a lot of bats that we cannot rule out a risk of rabies being in,” she said. “There’s no way for us to know for certain about every single bat that got into these rooms.”

Grand Teton National Park spokesperson Emily Davis told CNN the bats would not be exterminated. Instead, steps are being taken to prevent them from reentering the cabins.