Industrial Yards and Site Civil Work in Hoback, Wyoming

A yard has to be built before anything else on an industrial site can work. Trailers need a turning radius, equipment needs a firm base, pipe and steel need somewhere to lie flat, and water needs somewhere to go. We build the yards, laydown areas and site civil work for industrial owners in the Hoback area, and we do it with a plan for the weather and the single highway that feeds the job.

Hoback lies in southern Teton County, 5,879 feet above sea level, across an area of 44.35 square miles. That is a lot of open ground and very few paved industrial lots. Owners who need a contractor yard, a storage compound or a staging area for energy and utility work often start with raw land and need grading, base, drainage and access built from scratch.

We plan around the drive and the weather, then the work. The bridge across the Snake River north of Hoback Junction reached full lane service in December 2022, with two lanes in each direction between the junction and Jackson up to the bridge and a single lane beyond it. Roads like this decide when a load can move, and our schedules respect them.

Yard Safety Before Anything Moves

A busy yard is a hazard if traffic is not controlled. We lay out one-way loops where possible, mark pedestrian paths, post speed limits and keep storage away from travel lanes. Spotters work every backing movement near open excavations. Before the first load arrives, every driver gets a site orientation and a map.

Winter adds ice and low light. We specify yard lighting, traction material and clear snow storage areas, so plows do not push piles into work zones. Fuel and fluid storage get containment and spill kits from the first day, and we inspect them weekly.

Roads, Closures and Delivery Windows

The state highway department posted a notice in September 2025 about repair of the expansion device on the Hoback Junction arch bridge, starting Tuesday, September 23, with one lane open each way as part of a district-wide bridge rehabilitation. A repair like that slows heavy loads for days. We watch these notices and shift deliveries so a gravel truck or a lowboy does not sit in a queue.

On a yard project, material arrives in volume: base rock, geotextile, culvert pipe, concrete and fence. We sequence it so each layer is placed and compacted before the next arrives, and we avoid stockpiles that block the work. When the road is slow, we adjust crews instead of paying them to wait.

Buildings That Go With the Yard

Most yards end up with a building. A pre-engineered metal building holds tools, parts and spare equipment, and it can be erected on a slab next to the compound. Some owners add an office, a lunch room and a small shop, all under the same roof and using the same utilities.

We place the building so trucks can pull in without crossing foot traffic, and we leave room to add bays later. The yard layout is drawn first, because the building follows the traffic pattern, not the other way around.

Floors in these buildings take a beating from forklifts, tracked equipment and dripping fluids. We pour a thick slab with a sealed surface, slope it to a trench drain near the wash bay and set the door sills high enough to keep meltwater out. A little attention to the slab in the first month prevents years of patching.

Design Values and Permit Steps

Teton County sets the design criteria for the Hoback area: a 105 mph basic wind speed, a minimum Seismic Design Category of D and a 34 inch frost depth measured from finished grade to the bottom of footings, unless a soils investigation indicates otherwise. Ground snow load comes from the ASCE Hazard Tool. These values reach the building, the fence posts, the light poles and the footings of every sign.

Site civil work also triggers grading, drainage and access reviews. We assemble the site plan, the drainage calculations and the access request in one package, and we submit it early. Residents in the area have also paid attention to drinking water, and a 2019 steering committee and nitrate screening effort shows that groundwater is a live subject, so we handle fuel storage and washout areas with care.

What a Yard Costs and Why

Yard cost follows the surface and the base. A gravel yard on good soil is the lowest cost. A heavy duty pad with geotextile, thick base and asphalt or concrete is the highest. The load you plan to park, haul or lift decides which one is right. We price two or three surfaces and show the maintenance each will need.

Drainage and grading come second. A yard that sheds water saves money for years, while one that holds it needs constant repair. Utility extensions, fencing and lighting are the third group of costs, and we price them separately so you can phase the work.

Clearing, Grading, Base and Drainage

Our site civil scope begins with site clearing and mass grading, then base placement, compaction testing and surface. We build stabilized laydown yards for equipment and materials, and heavy haul access roads where trucks carry loads that thin pavement cannot handle.

Trade partners handle the earthwork, utilities and paving. We schedule and supervise them, test the compaction and inspect the drainage before the surface goes down. A final walk with your operator checks gates, lights, drainage and signage.

Shutdowns and Repairs from a Prepared Yard

A well built yard is also the base for plant maintenance. When an owner schedules a shutdown, the yard holds cranes, replacement equipment, pipe, lodging trailers and parking for the crew. Our maintenance shops and service bays give repair crews a covered place to work in wind and snow.

We also support owners in the utilities and power sector who store spare transformers and line material. Their yards need secure fencing, stable ground for heavy lifts and quick access. Owners comparing this area with Jackson or Afton can ask us to price each.

Plan a Hoback Yard Project

Send us the parcel, the loads you expect and the date the yard has to open. We will tell you what the ground, the weather and the highway allow.

Common Questions

Can you build a yard on raw land?

Yes. We clear, grade, set the base, handle drainage, and add fence, gates and lighting. A geotechnical report and a survey come first so the base is sized for the loads.

How long does a laydown yard take?

A simple gravel yard can be built in a few weeks in good weather. Larger yards with drainage, utilities and paving take longer. We give a schedule once we know the area, the surface and the season.

What frost depth applies near Hoback?

Teton County lists 34 inches from finished grade to the bottom of footings, or a figure set by a soils investigation. Footings, fence posts and utility trenches follow it.

Will highway work delay my deliveries?

It can. Bridge repairs near Hoback Junction have reduced traffic to one lane each way for days. We follow announcements and adjust delivery times.

Can the yard be used for shutdown staging?

Yes, if designed for it. We plan for crane pads, parking, laydown and temporary power so a repair crew can start the day they arrive.