What happened to the swing and diving board at Packsaddle Lake?

CARIBOU-TARGHEE NATIONAL FOREST– If you’re headed up to Packsaddle Lake to take a break from the summer heat, don’t expect to see the rope swing or diving board that’s been there for ages.

Last week, the Teton Basin Ranger District removed the “unauthorized structures” due to an increasing number of serious injuries at the lake.

Caribou-Targhee National Forest officials say they needed to address the safety concerns in the area to best fulfill their mission to serve the American people.

“There wasn’t one specific incident that resulted in the removal of unauthorized structures. Rather, the increasing number of serious injuries in combination with the proliferation of unauthorized structures created significant safety concerns,” Forest Service spokesperson Sarah Wheeler says.

Forest Service officials say visitor-made structures, such as these are routinely removed at forest service sites, although they often get rebuilt.

Many locals are upset to see the swing and diving board removed. Several recent visitors told EastIdahoNews.com that the tree holding the swing was cut down, and the stumps holding the diving board were severed preventing the trees from being used again.

“It looked like somebody worked really hard on building it,” Ammon resident Heather Fryar says. “It’s sad that it’s gone because you could tell also that … it’s a really popular spot.”

Fryar visited with her family less than a month ago and reports the area was overflowing with college students waiting to swing.

“The line was super long. It was pretty crazy up there. We just swam and had a picnic,” Fryar says.

Now all locals have to look forward to is what nature originally had to offer.

“It was there when we were there and then it was gone,” Heather says.

Read more about the Packsaddle Lake hike on RexburgFun.com.