Side-by-sides are the street-legal go-karts that have become ubiquitous in the last few years. Local companies now have fleets of these vehicles that they are renting to tourists. All of these vehicles are loud and some are very, very loud. They are fanning out onto the Elk Refuge Road and Forest Service roads, and disrupting the peace and quiet of our wild places. Our public recreational lands are being turned into go-kart race tracks for commercial gain. Each ultra-loud side-by-side has a dramatically oversized impact on our recreational resources. Their increasing use is transforming the character of our wild places. Peace and quiet is one of the most unique attributes that Jackson Hole’s wildlands have to offer, and it’s being crassly and inconsiderately destroyed by rental companies and their users who view Jackson Hole as a source of fun and profit without exhibiting a deeper respect for our valley and for other wildland users. We all have to share this increasingly overcrowded place and it’s not fair to selfishly engage in activities that are so high-impact on other recreationists. If this trend continues, walking, biking, and camping will become more and more miserable on or near any Forest Service access road. Side-by-side rental companies should convert their fleets to the quietest possible vehicles (electric vehicles would solve a lot of the noise problem), and they should educate their clients on proper speed and dust etiquette when passing other forest users.
