| Shoshone National Forest | |
|---|---|
IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources) | |
 Eagle Peak is the tallest peak in the Absaroka Range | |
  Location of Shoshone National Forest Show map of Wyoming Shoshone National Forest (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Location | Park,Fremont,Hot Springs,Sublette, andTeton counties,Wyoming, US |
| Nearest city | Cody, WY |
| Coordinates | 44°27′48″N109°36′55″W / 44.46333°N 109.61528°W /44.46333; -109.61528 (New Wapiti Ranger Station) |
| Area | 2,469,248 acres (9,992.69 km2)[1] |
| Established | March 3, 1891 |
| Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
| Website | Shoshone National Forest |
Shoshone National Forest (/ʃoʊˈʃoʊni/shoh-SHOH-nee)[2] is the firstfederally protectedNational Forest in the United States and covers nearly 2,500,000 acres (10,000 km2) in thestate ofWyoming.[3] Originally a part of theYellowstone Timberland Reserve, the forest is managed by theUnited States Forest Service and was created by an act ofCongress and signed into law byU.S. PresidentBenjamin Harrison in 1891. Shoshone National Forest is one of the first nationally protected land areas anywhere.Native Americans have lived in the region for at least 10,000 years, and when the region was first explored by European adventurers, forestlands were occupied by several different tribes. Never heavily settled or exploited, the forest has retained most of its wildness. Shoshone National Forest is a part of theGreater Yellowstone Ecosystem, a nearly unbroken expanse of federally protected lands encompassing an estimated 20,000,000 acres (81,000 km2).
TheAbsaroka andBeartooth Mountains are partly in the northern section of the forest. TheWind River Range is in the southern portion and containsGannett Peak, the tallest mountain in Wyoming.[3]Yellowstone National Park forms part of the boundary to the west; south of Yellowstone, theContinental Divide separates the forest from its neighborBridger-Teton National Forest to the west. The eastern boundary includes privately owned property, lands managed by the U.S.Bureau of Land Management and theWind River Indian Reservation, which belongs to theShoshone andArapahoe Indians.Custer National Forest along theMontana border is on the northern frontier. TheOregon Trail, the 19th centurycovered wagon route, passes just south of the forest, where broad and gentleSouth Pass allowed the migrants to bypass the rugged mountains to the north.
Shoshone National Forest is home to all of the original plant and animal species that were present when explorers such asJohn Colter andJim Bridger first visited the region. The forest is home to nearly all animal species found in North America, such asGrizzly bear,American black bear,gray wolf,bobcat,cougar,moose,elk, as well as the largest population ofbighorn sheep in the contiguous U.S. The streams and waterways in the forest are considered to have some of the best game species fishing opportunities in the U.S. includingYellowstone cutthroat trout. More than 1,300 miles (2,100 km) of hiking trails, 32 campgrounds and adjacent forests and parklands provide numerous recreational opportunities. There are fourwilderness areas within the forest, protecting more than half of themanaged land area from development. Fromsagebrush plains through densespruce andfir forest to craggy mountain peaks, Shoshone National Forest has a richbiodiversity rarely matched in any protected area.
Shoshone National Forest is named after theShoshone Indians, who, along with otherNative American groups such as theLakota,Crow andNorthern Cheyenne, were the major tribes encountered by the first European explorers into the region.Archeological evidence suggests that the presence of people in the area extends back at least 10,000 years.[4] The forest provided an abundance of game meat, wood products, and shelter during the winter months from the more exposedhigh plains to the east. Portions of the more mountainous regions were frequented by the Shoshone and Sioux for spiritual healing andvision quests. By the early 1840s,Washakie had become the leader of the easternmost branch of the Shoshone Indians.[5] At theFort Bridger Treaty Council of 1868 Washakie negotiated with the U.S. Government for 44,000,000 acres (180,000 km2) to be preserved as tribal lands. Subsequent amendments to the treaty reduced the actual acreage to approximately 2,000,000 acres (8,100 km2) and is known today as theWind River Indian Reservation.[6][7]
In 1957,Mummy Cave was rediscovered by a local resident on the north side of the North Fork Shoshone River, adjacent to U.S. Routes14/16/20, 15 mi (24 km) east of Yellowstone National Park.[8] Subsequent archeological excavations in the 1960s produced evidence that the cave had been occupied for over 9,000 years.[9] The oldest deposits in the cave yieldedprismatic stone blades and other artifacts created by paleoindians and the surrounding soils wereradiocarbon dated to 7,300 BC. The evidence indicates the cave was occupied from at least 7,280 BC to 1580 AD.[8] Besides projectile points, the cave also produced well preserved feathers, animal hides and other usually perishable materials. Additionally, the mummified remains of an individual buried inside a rockcairn were unearthed, which were dated to 800 AD.[9] Considered one of the finest paleoindian archeological assemblages in the Rocky Mountain region, the site was placed on theNational Register of Historic Places list in 1981.[10]
In the early 19th century, the forest was visited bymountain men and explorers such asJohn Colter andJim Bridger. Colter is the first white man known to have visited both the Yellowstone region and the forest, which he did between 1807 and 1808.[11] Having been an original member of theLewis and Clark Expedition, Colter requested permission from Meriwether Lewis to leave the expedition after it had finished crossing theRocky Mountains during their return journey from the Pacific Ocean. Colter teamed up with two unaffiliated explorers the expedition had encountered, but soon thereafter decided to explore regions south of where his new partners wished to venture.[11] Traveling first into the northeastern region of what is today Yellowstone National Park, Colter then explored theAbsaroka Range, crossing overTogwotee Pass and entering the valley known today asJackson Hole.[12] Colter survived agrizzly bear attack and a pursuit by a band ofBlackfeet Indians who had taken his horse.[11] The explorer later provided William Clark, who had been his commander on the Lewis and Clark Expedition, with previously unknown information on the regions he had explored, which Clark published in 1814.[13]
Travels byfur trappers and adventurers, such asManuel Lisa and Jim Bridger from 1807 to 1840, completed the exploration of the region. With the decline of the fur trade in the late 1840s and much of the prizedbeaver long since made scarce by over-trapping, few explorers entered the forest over the next few decades.[12] The first federally financed expedition which passed through portions of Shoshone National Forest was theRaynolds Expedition of 1860, led bytopographical engineer CaptainWilliam F. Raynolds.[14] The expedition included geologist and naturalistFerdinand Vandeveer Hayden and was guided by mountain man Jim Bridger. Though the Raynolds Expedition was focused on exploration of the Yellowstone region, several efforts to enter what later became Yellowstone National Park were impeded by heavy snows across the mountain passes such asTwo Ocean Pass. The expedition finally crossed the northern Wind River Range at a pass they namedUnion Pass and entered Jackson Hole valley to the south of Yellowstone.[14] Hayden led another expedition through the region in 1871. Hayden was primarily interested in documenting the Yellowstone country west of the forest, but his expedition also established that the forest was a prime resource that merited protection.
Prior to the establishment of the Wind River Indian Reservation, theU.S. Cavalry constructed Fort Brown on the reservation lands, which was subsequently renamedFort Washakie.[15] During the late 19th century, the fort was staffed byAfrican-American members of the U.S. Cavalry, better known as theBuffalo Soldiers, including the second African-American graduated from theUnited States Military Academy,John Hanks Alexander.[16] Chief Washakie is buried at the fort, which is located immediately east of the forest boundary.[15] Rumor has it thatSacajawea, the Shoshone Indian who provided invaluable assistance toMeriwether Lewis andWilliam Clark during the Lewis and Clark Expedition, is also buried here, but it is now considered that this is unlikely and that her actual burial place wasFort Lisa in North Dakota.[17]
During the last decade of the 19th century, minerals such as gold were mined with limited success. The last mine was abandoned in 1907, butpanning for gold is still allowed in many areas of the forest, and in most circumstances no permit is required.[18][19] After the end of the mining era, numerous camps were established by theCivilian Conservation Corps to help combat unemployment during theGreat Depression of the 1930s. The camps housed groups of unemployed men who were paid by the federal government to build roads, hiking trails, and campgrounds for future travelers to the Yellowstone region.[20] Visitation to national forests like Shoshone increased dramatically afterWorld War II with the advent of better roads and accessibility to the region.[21]
TheForest Reserve Act of 1891 authorized the president to set aside public domain land for forests.[22] Prior to this law, most transfer of public land had been into private ownership.[23] In 1891, creating the nation's first forest reserve,President Benjamin Harrison set aside theYellowstone Timberland Reserve.[22]
 | This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(January 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
In 1902, President Roosevelt first greatly expanded the reserve and then divided the reserve into four separate units, with Shoshone being the largest. Upon the creation of theU.S. Forest Service in 1905, the reserve was designated aNational Forest, but the current wording and title were formulated forty years later in 1945. A remnant of the earliest years of the forest management is theWapiti Ranger Station which is located west ofCody, Wyoming. The station was built in 1903 and is the oldest surviving ranger station in any national forest, and is now designated aNational Historic Landmark.[24]
Shoshone National Forest is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, an agency within theU.S. Department of Agriculture. The forest is separated into five districts and from 2008 and 2012 had an average staff of 165 employees and an annual operating budget of$17,500,000.[25] The headquarters and a visitor center are in Cody, Wyoming and a smaller information center is inLander, Wyoming. There are local ranger district offices in Cody,Dubois and Lander.[26]
Shoshone National Forest practicesconservation of resources, which ensures a sustainable flow of some raw materials from the forest, such as lumber for construction purposes andwood pulp for paper products.[27] The forest averages an annual harvest of 4.5 million board-feet of timber for the purposes of commercial log home construction and another 2.5 million board-feet of wood collection from dead and down trees that are used for firewood and poles.[28] Additionally, low-scale mineral extraction andoil andgas exploration and recovery are also conducted, though in Shoshone National Forest this has become less common due to a consensus to protect the natural surroundings. Only 8,570 acres (3,470 ha) of oil and gas leases were filed as of 2013.[29] More common than logging and mining are the lease options that are offered to ranchers to allow them to graze cattle and sheep.[30] The U.S. Forest Service provides guidelines and enforces environmental regulations to ensure that resources are notoverexploited and that necessary commodities are available for future generations, though conservation groups have voiced concerns over the management practices of the leasing program and especially cattleovergrazing problems.[31] Leases for sheep grazing have declined considerably since the 1940s while cattle grazing has remained relatively constant.[32]
Shoshone National Forest is an integral part of theGreater Yellowstone Ecosystem, which has 1,700 documented species of plants.[33] Since the elevation of the land in the forest ranges from 4,600 to 13,804 ft (1,402 to 4,207 m), which is more than 9,000 ft (2,700 m), the forest has a wide variety of ecosystems.[34][35] Lower elevations often havesagebrush andgrass-dominatedvegetation types, while forested areas are dominated by various combinations of tree and shrub species. These includelodgepole pine, which along withRocky Mountain juniper, andquaking aspen are found at elevations up to 9,000 ft (2,700 m).[35] At higher elevationssubalpine fir,Engelmann spruce,whitebark pine andlimber pine, are common, each occurring up totimberline.[35] The region above timberline makes up 25 percent of the total acreage of the forest and of that 13 percent is listed as just either barren, rock or ice.[36] The types of plant species is highly dependent on the amount of water available, and trees are more commonly found on higher slopes due to the longer lasting snowfall which keeps the soil moister for a longer time into the summer months. Along lower elevationriparian corridors,cottonwoods andwillows are typically dominant. Numerous plant species areendemic to the region including some that are rare. Among them, thewhitlow grass,fremont bladderpod, shoshonea, and thenorth fork Easter daisy provide vivid white and yellow flowers during the spring and summer.[37]
Exotic species of flora that are not native to the region includeCanada thistle,Musk thistle,Spotted knapweed,Leafy spurge andYellow toadflax.[38] These non-native plant species are considered noxious, impacting native plant communities and the species that thrive on them.[38] Native species such as themountain pine beetle are having an enormous negative impact on some tree species.[39] A survey of the forest performed in 2010 indicated that over 1,000,000 acres (400,000 ha) of timberland had been impacted by insects such as the mountain pine beetle,spruce bark beetle andDouglas fir beetle, and that the insects had killed between 25 and 100 percent of the trees in the impacted areas.[40] The forest service is addressing the situation by performing controlled burns, selling dead trees as firewood, timber harvesting and spraying the highest value areas.[39]
Since the migration of theendangeredgray wolf into Shoshone National Forest after the successfulwolf reintroduction program in the Yellowstone region commenced in the mid-1990s, all of the known 70mammal species that existed prior to white settlement still exist in the forest.[35] Altogether, at least 335 species of wildlife call Shoshone National Forest their home, including the largest population ofBighorn sheep and one of the few locationsGrizzly bears can still be found in thecontiguous U. S.[36]
At least 700 grizzly bears are believed to exist in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, which includes Shoshone National Forest, with approximately 125 grizzlies in the forest.[35][41] The grizzly is listed as athreatened species by theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the forest is one of their last strongholds. Non-lethal traps are set to capture nuisance bears, which are then relocated to remote areas away from civilization.[42] In the case of the grizzly, each captured bear is tranquilized and thenear tagged with an identifying number. Each number is registered, and if the bear continues to return to areas where they pose a risk of imminent threat to human safety, they are exterminated.[42] The grizzly recovery efforts implemented by federal agencies have often resulted in major disagreements with local landowners and surrounding municipalities.[41] This situation occurs less frequently with the smaller and less aggressiveblack bear. An active management program, in conjunction with other National Forests and National Parks within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, works cooperatively to maximize human safety and to ensure habitat protection for both species of endemic bears. Visitors are mandated to store their food in their vehicles or in steel containers found in campgrounds, andbear-proof trash receptacles are located in the front-country zones throughout the forest. In thebackcountry, food must be stored some distance from campsites, and other related precautions are enforced to help prevent bad encounters.[36]
Cougars andtimber wolves are largeapex predators that inhabit the forest. Since the 1990s wolf reintroduction program in Yellowstone National Park, wolves have migrated into the forest and established permanent packs.[43] Approximately a dozen wolf packs totaling 70 individual wolves were documented in the forest in 2012.[44] The wolf was delisted as endangered once their population levels had reached management objectives and limited hunting of wolves was permitted in the forest starting in 2012.[45][46] Cougars are generally nocturnal and rarely seen but hunting of this species is also allowed in highly regulated harvests.[47] Wolverines are rare and elusive so documentation is often only from their tracks.[48] TheCanada lynx was native to the forest, but no known populations may still exist due to the rarity of its primary food source, theSnowshoe hare. Shoshone National Forest is considered critical habitat for lynx recovery since the species is listed as threatened under theEndangered Species Act and the forest is in their historical range.[49] Other generally carnivorous mammals includecoyote,bobcat,weasel,marten,ferret andbadger.[50]
Omnivorous mammals such as theraccoon andskunk and herbivore mammal species such as theporcupine andpika, are common to the forest.[50][51] Thebeaver is considered a species of special interest to Shoshone National Forest since its dam building activities improve habitat for numerous other species such as themoose, breeding waterfowl, various amphibians and other species dependent on a riparian environment.[52]
Native herbivores such as the moose are found in small numbers near waterways, especially at lower elevations. Moose populations in northwestern Wyoming and other areas of North America have been on the decline since the end of the 20th century, possibly due to a parasite.[53] There were an estimated 739 moose in the forest in 2006 which is almost 300 fewer than there were 20 years earlier.[52][54] Other ungulate species are much more common and there are over 20,000elk (also known as wapiti) and 40,000mule deer.[54] Bighorn sheep andmountain goats inhabit the rocky terrain and highest elevations. During the winter, one of the largest bighorn sheep herds in thelower 48 states congregate in the region aroundDubois, Wyoming; however, their numbers since 1990 have been diminished due to disease transmitted from contact with domesticated sheep and goats.[55] An estimated 5,000 bighorn sheep are found throughout the forest and a small but stable population of 200 mountain goats reside in the northernmost portions of the forest.[54]Bison andpronghorn antelope are two other ungulates that live on the forest and have sustainable populations.[50]
An estimated 300 species of birds are found in the forest at least part of the year.Bald eagle,peregrine falcon,Swainson's hawk and theprairie falcon are birds of prey that are relatively common.[50] Waterfowl such asWestern grebe,Northern pintail,Great blue heron andBarrow's goldeneye have stable populations and rare sightings ofTrumpeter swans are reported.[50]pheasant,ruffed grouse andwild turkey are widely distributed across the open sage lands.Harlequin duck andnorthern goshawk are generally rare but management plans were implemented to protect various habitats these two species frequent to try and increase their population numbers.[52]
Fish found in Shoshone National Forest include at least six species and subspecies of trout includingrainbow,brook andbrown trout. TheYellowstone cutthroat trout is widespread throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, but in the forest is mostly limited to theShoshone River.[56][57] Themountain whitefish is also found in the Shoshone River, while theburbot is found in two streams in the southern regions of the forest.[56]
There are more than a dozen species ofreptiles in the forest including the venomousprairie rattlesnake which can be found at lower elevations.[51] Thewestern painted and theornate box turtle are turtle species known to exist and about eight species of lizards such as thegreater short-horned lizard have been documented.[51] Amphibians such as theColumbia spotted frog and theboreal toad are considered species of concern because of their high susceptibility to disease, habitat loss and human introduced toxins.[52] Boreal toads are found at elevations of between 7,380 and 11,800 ft (2,250 and 3,600 m) and the Columbia spotted frog can live at elevations as high as 9,480 ft (2,890 m) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.[52]
Exotic species of fauna such as thezebra andquagga mussels and theNew Zealand mud snail are invasive species that can greatly impact fish species. Though the mussel species are not known to be in Wyoming, several surrounding regions have reported them. The New Zealand mud snail has been found in the Shoshone River east of the forest. Forest managers have established a preventative program to try to keep these species from entering forest waterways.[58]
The forest contains four areas of pristinewilderness that have remained largely untouched by human activities such as mining, logging, and road and building construction. The four regions include theNorth Absaroka,Washakie,Fitzpatrick andPopo Agie Wildernesses.[34] Additionally, a small portion of theAbsaroka-Beartooth Wilderness extends into the extreme northwestern part of the forest, along the Montana border. In Shoshone National Forest, 1,400,000 acres (570,000 ha), constituting 56 percent of the forest is designated wilderness.[36][59] The wilderness designation provides a much higher level of land protection and prohibits any alterations by man to the resource.[60]
TheWilderness Act of 1964 enhanced the protection status of remote and undeveloped land already contained within federally administered protected areas. Passage of the act ensured that no human improvements would take place aside from those already existing. The protected status in wilderness designated zones prohibits road and building construction, oil and mineral exploration orextraction, and logging, and also prohibits the use of motorized equipment, including even bicycles. The only manner in which people can enter wilderness areas is either on foot orhorseback.Hunting andfishing are permitted in the wilderness, just as they are throughout the forest, provided those engaging in such activities have the proper licenses and permits.[61]
Fire Management officials in Shoshone National Forest recognize thatforest fires are a natural part of the ecosystem; however, this was not always the case. 20th century fire fighting efforts, especially in the first half of that century, emphasized quickly extinguishing all fires, as fire was seen as completely detrimental to a forest.[62] In 1935, fire management officials established the10 am rule for all fires on federal lands, which recommended aggressive attack on fires and to have them controlled by 10 am, the day after they are first detected.[63][64] This was intended to prevent fires from remaining active into the afternoon when the rising temperatures and more turbulent air caused fires to expand and become more erratic.[65] However, this policy led to an increase in fuels because fires were often extinguished before they had a chance to burn out dead and dying old growth. It was in a stand of old growth fir trees in Shoshone National Forest that theBlackwater fire of 1937 killed 15 fighters during a firestorm 35 mi (56 km) west of Cody, Wyoming. The fire was one of the deadliest in terms of forest firefighter deaths in U.S. history.[66]
Between the years 1970 and 2012, Shoshone National Forest averaged 25 fires annually, of which half were due to natural ignition from lightning, which accounted for 90 percent of the total acreage burned. The remaining acreage that burned was due to campfires that got out of control or from other causes.[67] In Shoshone National Forest, the highest fire incidence is generally in the months of August and September.[67] An average of 2,334 acres (945 ha) burns annually, with the worst year in the past century being 1988, when 194,430 acres (78,680 ha) burned from fires that had spread from the conflagration that engulfed Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding region.[67] After theYellowstone region fires of 1988, an effort to identify areas of similar fire potential was implemented.[62] Fire managers at Shoshone National Forest work with a number of outside agencies to incorporate fire restrictions, fuels management, and acontrolled burn plans to reduce the chances of a catastrophic fire.[68] The dead and dying trees which have been killed by various species of bark beetle may have a great impact on future forest fires.[40] Fire managers have stated the worst time for increased fire activity is 1–2 years after the trees are killed and then again after the trees have fallen many years later.[69]
Shoshone National Forest bordersYellowstone National Park andBridger-Teton National Forest to the west. TheContinental Divide demarks the boundary between Shoshone and Bridger-Teton National Forests. Along theMontana border, Shoshone National Forest bordersCuster National Forest to the north.[67] Private property, property belonging to the state of Wyoming and lands administered by theBureau of Land Management form the eastern boundaries. Lastly, the Wind River Indian Reservation also borders on the east, and bisects a smaller southern section which includes the Popo Agie Wilderness and the Washakie Ranger District.[70]
The altitude in the forest ranges from 4,600 feet (1,400 m) near Cody, Wyoming, to 13,804 ft (4,207 m) at the top ofGannett Peak, an elevation gain of over 9,200 ft (2,800 m).[67] Of the three majormountain ranges found in the forest, they aregeologically distinct from each other. All of the mountains are a part of the Rocky Mountains. In the northern and central portions of the forest lie theAbsaroka Range which were named after theCrow Indian tribe.[71] The majority of the Absaroka Range is contained within the forest, with the highest peak beingFrancs Peak at 13,158 ft (4,011 m).[72] The peaks of the Absaroka arebasaltic in origin, having been the result of volcanic activity estimated to have occurred 50 million years ago during theEoceneepoch.[72] The rocks are composed of mostlyandesite andbreccias deposited for millions of years during volcanic events and are atop more ancientsedimentary rocks that are considered to have economically viable mineral wealth.[72] Gold was mined from the slopes of Francs Peak between the years 1890 and 1915, and the smallghost town of Kirwin remains as a legacy of that period.[18] Major tributaries of theBighorn River, such as the Shoshone andGreybull Rivers, originate in the Absaroka Range. Importantpasses through the Absarokas includeSylvan Pass, which leads to the eastern entrance of Yellowstone National Park; andTogwotee Pass, which provides access to Jackson Hole andGrand Teton National Park.[73][74]
In the far north of Shoshone National Forest a small portion of the Beartooth Mountains are located north of theClarks Fork of the Yellowstone River. The Beartooths are composed ofPrecambriangranitic rocks that are amongst the oldest found on Earth.[75] Although often considered a part of the Absaroka Range, the Beartooths are distinct in appearance and geologic history.[71] Uplifted approximately 70 million years ago during theLaramide orogeny, the Beartooths consist of vast windswept plateaus and rugged peaks with sheer cliff faces. TheBeartooth Highway (U.S. Highway 212) crosses 10,974-foot (3,340 m) Beartooth Pass, and from there descends to the northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
The Wind River Range is in the southern portion of the forest and is composed primarily of Precambrian granitic rock.[76] Gannett Peak, the tallest mountain in Wyoming, is in the northern part of the range. Altogether eight peaks exceed 13,500 ft (4,100 m) and 119 rise at least 12,000 ft (3,700 m) above sea level.[77]Fremont Peak, the second highest peak in the range, was originally believed to be the tallest mountain in the Rocky Mountains due to its prominence when viewed from theOregon Trail by early pioneers.[78] The Wind River Range is popular with mountain climbers because of its solid rock and variety of routes.[79] TheCirque of the Towers in thePopo Agie Wilderness is one of the more popular climbing and hiking destinations, and an estimated 200 different climbing routes are located within the peaks that surround thecirque.[78]
There are over 500 lakes in the forest, and 1,000 mi (1,600 km) of streams and rivers.[80] The Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River is federally designated as aWild and Scenic River for 22 mi (35 km) through the forest, with cliffs towering up to 2,000 ft (610 m) as the river winds through a gorge. The forest is on the eastern slopes of the Continental Divide, and the rivers flow into theAtlantic Ocean basin.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, Shoshone National Forest has the greatest number of glaciers of any National Forest in the Rocky Mountains. The forest recreation guide lists 16 named and 140 unnamed glaciers within the forest, all in the Wind River Range. Forty-four of these glaciers are in the Fitzpatrick Wilderness, centered around the highest mountain peaks.[36][81] However, the state water board for Wyoming lists only 63 glaciers for the entire Wind River Range, which includes glaciers in adjacent Bridger-Teton National Forest.[82] Researchers claim that for most of the period that glaciers have been known to exist in the forest, that they have been in a state of general retreat, with glacial mass losses of as much as 25 percent between the years 1985 and 2009.[83]
Reversing the growth of mid-latitude glaciers that occurred during theLittle Ice Age (1350–1850), there has been aworldwide reduction of mountain glacial ice since, with some regions losing as much as 50 percent of their peak ice cover. This can be correlated by examiningphotographic evidence of glaciers taken over time even with an absence of other means of documentation.[84] The behavior of the glaciers of Shoshone National Forest is consistent with this pattern. In one study ofDinwoody andGannett Glaciers, during the period from 1958 to 1983, the thickness of these glaciers was reduced 77 and 61 ft (23 and 19 m), respectively.[85]
Gannett Glacier, on the northeast slope of Gannett Peak, is the largest single glacier in the U.S. Rocky Mountains. It has reportedly lost over 50 percent of its volume since 1920 with 25 percent of that occurring between the years 1980 and 1999.[86]Upper Fremont Glacier has been studied more than any other glacier in the Wind River Range. Scientists have obtainedice cores from the Upper Fremont Glacier and found that there have been measurable changes in the atmosphere over the past several hundred years.[87] The Upper Fremont Glacier and theQuelccaya Ice Cap in theAndes of South America both show nearly identical atmospheric records, which indicate a global linkage of atmospheric conditions over time.[88]
The small glaciers in the forest are less able to resist melting than the great ice sheets ofGreenland andAntarctica. Once a glacier begins retreating, it may fall into disequilibrium and be unable to findmass balance (accumulation versusmelting rate) at any size. Without a favorableclimate change, it will continue to retreat until it disappears.[89] Loss of glacial ice already reduces the summer glacial runoff that supplies water to streams and lakes and provides a cold-water source vital to certain fish and plant species. This, in turn, may have a significant impact on the forest ecosystem over time.[82]
Wyoming is an arid state, averaging 12.68 inches (32.2 cm) of precipitation annually.[90] However, Shoshone National Forest is located in and near some of the largest mountain ranges in the state, and consequently receives anywhere between 15 and 70 in (380 and 1,780 mm) annually.[67] Higher elevations in the forest not only get more precipitation than lower elevations, but also have lower overall temperatures, with summertime highs around 60 °F (16 °C) and lows near 35 °F (2 °C) while lower elevations may be 20 °F (−7 °C) or warmer on average.[67] Humidity levels throughout the forest are low, especially at higher altitudes. In the middle of the forest at the Wapiti Ranger Station, which is 30 mi (48 km) west of the forest headquarters in Cody, Wyoming, January high and low temperatures are 35.8 and 13.2 °F (2.1 and −10.4 °C), while the July highs and lows are 81.4 and 49.1 °F (27.4 and 9.5 °C). The annual precipitation at Wapiti is 10.37 in (263 mm).[91]
Most of the precipitation falls in the winter and early spring, while summer is punctuated with widely scattered thunderstorms.[67] The autumn is usually cool and dry. Due to the altitude and dryness of the atmosphere, vigorous radiative cooling occurs throughout the year, and exceptional daily temperature variances are not uncommon.[92] Consequently, the nights range from very cool in the summer toextremely cold in the winter; therefore, visitors should always remember to bring along at least a jacket, even during the summer.[93] Records indicate that the highest temperature ever recorded in the forest was 100 °F (38 °C) in 1978, while the coldest was −49 °F (−45 °C) in 1972.[94]
Shoshone National Forest receives an average of over half a million visitors a year.[95] Two visitor centers provide orientation, books, maps, and interpretive displays. One visitor center is at the Wapiti Wayside on theBuffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway, west of Cody, Wyoming and adjacent to the historic Wapiti Ranger Station while the other visitor center is to the south in Lander, Wyoming.[36] There are 30 vehicle accesscampgrounds in the forest, with up to 54 individual sites per campground. Approximately half of these campgrounds provide running water and restroom facilities and also provide for handicapped accessibility.[36][96] Referred to as "front country" campgrounds, they also permitrecreational vehicle access in most cases. All of the campgrounds are on a first come, first served basis although four campgrounds have sites that can be reserved in advance by contacting the National Reservation Service.[36][96] Due to the presence of grizzly bears, a few of the campgrounds require what is referred to as "hard-sided" camping only, and tent camping is not permitted.[36]
For some visitors the greater solitude of the backcountry requires usinghiking trails tobackpacking or horseback riding into more remote destinations such asBlackwater Natural Bridge which can be accessed from Blackwater Natural Bridge trailhead. There are dozens of trails which total over 1,600 mi (2,600 km) located throughout the forest.[36] Many of the trailheads can be accessed at campgrounds, with shorter day hikes available as well.[97] TheContinental Divide Trail has a 20-mile (32 km) section which passes through the forest and crosses the Continental Divide at Sheridan Pass.[98] There is also theNez Perce National Historic Trail and the Beartooth Loop National Recreation Trail, both of which are in the northern regions of the forest.[99][100] Some remote areas can also be accessed by horseback. Trailheads usually provide enough room for horse and pack animal trailers plus personal vehicles.[36] Along forest access roads,all-terrain vehicles (ATV) are allowed, but since wilderness areas do not permit access by way of motorized transport, those who wish to visit such areas usually do so either by hiking in or on horseback.[101][102]
Hunting and fishing are popular recreational activities permitted throughout the forest. Many of the streams and rivers are "Blue Ribbon Trout Streams".[103] Though many streams and lakes have excellent opportunities to catch various species of trout, the north and south forks of the Shoshone River, the Greybull River and the Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone, the only federally designatedWild and Scenic River in Wyoming, are a few of the better locations to reign in a trophy level Rainbow or Yellowstone cutthroat trout.[103] 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of streams and a hundred lakes that can be legally fished from provide plenty of elbow room during even the most crowded of fishing seasons. Hunting and fishing licenses are sponsored by the state of Wyoming and are available through the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.[104]
The southern section of the forest in the Wind River Range is the primary destination formountain climbers. Nine of the highest 10 peaks in Wyoming are here, and the mountains are primarily of granitic rock with countless cliffs and sheer rock walls.[105] The Cirque of the Towers is particularly popular as it has numerous peaks within a relatively short distance of each other. Two particular climbs on the peaks in the cirque are considered amongst the finest climbing adventures available in the U.S.[106] The Absaroka Range also attracts climbers but not of a technical nature since the rocks are not considered solid enough for good anchoring points.[107] For the tallest peaks in the Wind River Range, the entire summiting effort will take even experienced climbers many days due to the inaccessibility of the region and complexity of the climbing effort.[108]
Winter activities includecross-country skiing andsnowmobiling, with 48 mi (77 km) of groomed trails for cross-country skiing and over 300 mi (480 km) for use by snowmobilers.[109] The region around Togwotee Pass allows snowmobilers easy access from paved roads and has snow depths of between 6 and 10 ft (1.8 and 3.0 m) annually at elevations of 8,000 to 10,000 ft (2,400 to 3,000 m), which equates to a long season for winter activities.[110]
Shoshone National Forest forms the eastern boundary of Yellowstone National Park and the northeastern and eastern entrances to the park are both accessed by way of designated scenic roadways. A federally designatedNational Scenic BywaysAll-American Road, the Beartooth Highway (U.S. Highway 212), weaves through the forest and serves as the northeastern entranceway to Yellowstone National Park.[111][112]Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (Wyoming Highway 296) connects Cody, Wyoming with the Beartooth Highway and follows the old trail in whichChief Joseph and theNez Perce tribe attempted to flee the U.S. Cavalry in 1877.[113] South of there, Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway (US 14/16/20) heads west from Cody, Wyoming, passes through the forest and crosses Sylvan Pass as it enters Yellowstone.[114] Lastly, theWyoming Centennial Scenic Byway (US 26/287) heads northwest from Dubois, Wyoming, over Togwotee Pass and enters Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park.[79] Though the Beartooth Highway is the only one of these four roads that is a National Scenic Byway, all four of them have been designated Wyoming State Scenic Byways by the state of Wyoming.[115]
Encounteringbears is a concern in the Wind River Range.[116] There are other concerns as well, includingbugs,wildfires,adverse snow conditions andnighttime cold temperatures.[117]
Importantly, there have been notable incidents, includingaccidental deaths, due tofalls from steep cliffs (amisstep could be fatal in thisclass 4/5 terrain) and due tofalling rocks, over the years, including 1993,[118] 2007 (involving an experiencedNOLS leader),[119] 2015[120] and 2018.[121] Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted nearSquareTop Mountain[122] in 2005,[123] and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparentaccidental fall) in 2006 that involved statesearch and rescue.[124] TheU.S. Forest Service does not offer updated aggregated records on the official number of fatalities in the Wind River Range.
Shoshone National Forest is the setting of the 2016first-personadventure video gameFirewatch.[125][126]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
