Wyoming State Parks Awarded Helmsley Charitable Trust Grant for Visitor Improvements at Keyhole State Park

MOORCROFT, Wyo. – Oct. 1, 2026 – The Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources has been awarded a $3 million grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to support the development of a new visitor center in the Coulter Bay area at Keyhole State Park. 

“The Helmsley Charitable Trust continues to make significant positive impacts possible across Wyoming’s state parks and historic sites, and we value their continued partnership,” said Dave Glenn, director of the Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources. “Funding opportunities like this allow us to make meaningful, long-term investments in our parks while responding to the needs of the communities they serve.”

The new visitor center will enhance recreation and education opportunities, improve visitor services, and support park operations. Designed to complement the surrounding landscape and natural character of the park, the facility will serve as a central hub for visitors and a gateway to Keyhole State Park and northeast Wyoming, with interpretive exhibits highlighting the area’s natural and cultural history, space for community gatherings, and resources to help visitors explore recreation opportunities throughout the park.

“Being outdoors and having access to places where people can recreate, connect with their communities, and enjoy nature is an important part of health and wellness,” said Walter Panzirer, a trustee of the Helmsley Charitable Trust. “Keyhole State Park is a great example of a place that serves both the people who live here and those who come to experience Wyoming. We’re pleased to help make this investment in the park and in the surrounding community, and we look forward to seeing how this new visitor center will serve people for generations to come.”

The visitor center will also support year-round park operations and natural resource management, and serve as an emergency shelter for the park and the nearby community of Pine Haven in the event of a natural disaster. The facility will be developed in conjunction with broader improvements planned for the Coulter Bay area, including boat ramp and courtesy dock enhancements.

“The Pine Haven Town Council congratulates Keyhole State Park on securing grant funding for the new Coulter Bay visitor center, and appreciates the Park’s collaboration with the Town throughout the application process,” said Rob Norton, mayor pro tem of Pine Haven. “As this project moves forward, the Council looks forward to continuing that partnership—including the boat dock and ramp improvements on the Pine Haven side of the lake that the Town has long identified as a priority.”

Wyoming State Parks hosted three public meetings in early 2026 to gather input from park users and area residents and help identify priorities and features for the proposed facility. Feedback received through that process has helped inform the project as it moves into the design phase. Construction is currently scheduled for completion in fall 2028.

For more information about Keyhole State Park, including recreation opportunities, amenities, and visitor information, visit wyoparks.wyo.gov/keyhole.

Figure 1: The Coulter Bay area at Keyhole State Park, where a new visitor center is planned as part of construction projects supported by a grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. Figure 2: Jentry Eatherton, assistant superintendent at Keyhole State Park, discussing existing amenities with a community member during a public meeting in January 2026.