TETONIA — A first-of-its-kind youth baseball destination is coming to East Idaho and its founder is thinking big — 190 acres, 18 fields and a vision to become the defining baseball experience for young players in the American West.
National Parks Baseball Resort is hoping to break ground before the end of the year and open in 2027 near Tetonia in Teton County.
It will sit within a short driving distance of Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. Organizers aren't pitching it as just another tournament stop. According to the resort's website, they're selling a week-long, all-inclusive destination experience — one they hope will do for 13-year-old players what Cooperstown's baseball parks have done for 12-year-old youth baseball for decades.
"Cooperstown kids don't forget Cooperstown," states the National Parks Baseball Resort website, www.nationalparksbaseball.com. "National Parks kids won't forget this."
The comparison to Cooperstown is intentional and central to the resort's identity. Where Cooperstown roots its experience in baseball history and the National Baseball Hall of Fame, National Parks Baseball Resort is offering something different: the American West itself as the backdrop, with Yellowstone's geysers and the jagged peaks of the Grand Tetons waiting just outside the fence.
Families routinely turn Cooperstown trips into full vacations, and the National Parks Baseball Resort is designed the same way, with parents, siblings and extended family all leaving with memories of the national treasures outside the fence.
The facility will open with six fields in 2027 before expanding to 12 by 2030 and eventually reaching a planned 18 fields across 190 acres, according to the resort's website. The complex will feature turf fields and real dugouts, and each diamond will carry the name of an iconic national park — Yellowstone Field, Grand Teton Field, Zion Field, Yosemite Field and others — each chosen to reflect something about the spirit of the game played on it.
The resort is zeroing in on a specific player: the 13-year-old travel ball athlete stepping into the most competitive years of youth baseball. Limited tournament weeks for 14-year-old players are planned for 2027, and organizers may eventually offer playing time for 12-year-olds as well.
But tournaments for 13-year-olds are the heart of the operation, filling a gap that Cooperstown, which focuses on 12-year-olds, leaves behind.
Teams will pay $1,500 per player and $1,000 per coach for an all-inclusive package covering housing, meals and tournament play. A minimum of three coaches is required per team, and organizers strongly encourage rosters of 13 or more players to manage pitching workloads deep into bracket play. Every player on the roster will see the field — the tournament structure is built to guarantee it, the website states.
Before teams ever take the field, they'll make a choice that organizers say sets the tone for the entire week: picking a mascot. With more than 50 options drawn from national park wildlife, landmarks and folklore — Gray Wolves, Geysers, Wendigos, Skinwalkers and beyond — each team gets a fully realized identity, complete with custom jerseys and hats players keep long after the final out. It's a concept designed to accelerate team chemistry and give players something to rally around beyond the scoreboard.
Roaming the resort throughout the week will be Big Timber — a Sasquatch mascot and the self-described "first fan of every team," according to the website. Equal parts character and ambient experience, Big Timber is designed to show up at the edges of team huddles, photo backgrounds and postgame celebrations, turning individual moments into the kind of stories players retell for years.
On-site medical staff and emergency protocols are planned throughout, with local medical facilities nearby as a backup. Registration was opened and all of 2027 was sold out in 100 days — drawing the familiar comparison to reserving a campsite in a popular national park before the best spots disappear.
The National Parks Baseball Resort is an ambitious vision that organizers say will soon become a reality, but there are still some large hurdles.
The resort is pending a few key elements: 1.) annexation of the land into the City of Tetonia 2.) permits from the city 3.) a way to quickly build the housing and fields.
When asked about this, National Parks Baseball Resort founder Stuart Draper said, "all of the teams that have signed up have only paid a fully-refundable deposit of $100, and if we get to November, and we don't have a path to permission and completion of phase 1 before the grand opening, we'll offer refunds and rainchecks for 2028. We do have a fast plan for building everything in time should we get the go ahead from the city that includes bunkhouses that can be built offsite and double as outfield fenceline."
Based on social media comments, there are those who oppose the ball fields as well. Concerns over more traffic, lights and buildings being the three most common that have been cited.
When asked about those concerns, Draper said, "I have spent parts of every year of my life visiting this valley and lived in Idaho for over 20 years. I invite all to come to our future community events we'll be hosting so you can meet me and my family and team. Our commitment to the city and county is that we will be a good neighbor. There will be no super tall buildings. There will be no lights on the ball fields. Idaho is blessed with long summer days and plenty of time to play ball before it gets dark. Our business should provide good tax revenue and in turn new resources (and) utilities for the city as well. This will also be a benefit for existing tourism businesses and short term rental owners."
Draper also promised he'll be adding a new soccer field and two shared turf baseball fields that can benefit all of the community and high school athletes as part of the project.