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Coordinates: 44°27′48″N 109°36′55″W / 44.46333°N 109.61528°W / 44.46333; -109.61528 (New Wapiti Ranger Station)
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{{Infobox protected area
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Shoshone National Forest
| name = Shoshone National Forest
| iucn_category =
| iucn_category = VI
| photo = Francs Peak.jpg
| photo = Francs Peak.jpg
| photo_caption = [[Francs Peak]] is the tallest peak in the Absaroka Range
| photo_caption = [[Francs Peak]] is the tallest peak in the Absaroka Range
Line 12: Line 12:
| location = [[Park County, Wyoming|Park]], [[Fremont County, Wyoming|Fremont]], [[Hot Springs County, Wyoming|Hot Springs]], [[Sublette County, Wyoming|Sublette]], and [[Teton County, Wyoming|Teton]] counties, [[Wyoming]], US
| location = [[Park County, Wyoming|Park]], [[Fremont County, Wyoming|Fremont]], [[Hot Springs County, Wyoming|Hot Springs]], [[Sublette County, Wyoming|Sublette]], and [[Teton County, Wyoming|Teton]] counties, [[Wyoming]], US
| nearest_city = [[Cody, Wyoming|Cody, WY]]
| nearest_city = [[Cody, Wyoming|Cody, WY]]
| coordinates = {{coord|44|27|52|N|109|36|49|W|region:US|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates = {{coord|44|27|48|N|109|36|55|W|region:US-WY|display=inline,title|name=New Wapiti Ranger Station}}
| area_acre = 2,469,248
| coords_ref = <ref name=gnis>{{cite gnis|id=1603974|name=Wapiti Ranger Station|accessdate=August 31, 2013}}</ref>
| area_ref = <ref name=acreage>{{cite web |title=Land Areas of the National Forest System |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/land/staff/lar/LAR2021/LARTable28.pdf |publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture |access-date=June 13, 2023 |date=January 1, 2020 |archive-date=June 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230614022920/https://www.fs.usda.gov/land/staff/lar/LAR2021/LARTable28.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
| area_acre = 2,466,909
| area_ref = <ref name=acreage>{{cite web|title=Land Areas of the National Forest System|url=http://www.fs.fed.us/land/staff/lar/LAR2011/LAR2011_Book_A5.pdf|publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture|accessdate=August 31, 2013|date=September 30, 2011}}</ref>
| established = March 3, 1891
| established = March 3, 1891
| visitation_num =
| visitation_num = 646,000<ref name=visits>{{cite web|title=National Visitor Use Monitoring|url=http://apps.fs.usda.gov/nrm/nvum/results/A02014.aspx/Round2|publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture|accessdate=August 31, 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106040034/http://apps.fs.usda.gov/nrm/nvum/results/A02014.aspx/Round2|archivedate=January 6, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
| visitation_year = 2009
| visitation_year =
| governing_body = [[United States Forest Service|U.S. Forest Service]]
| governing_body = [[United States Forest Service|U.S. Forest Service]]
| website = [http://www.fs.usda.gov/shoshone/ Shoshone National Forest]
| website = [http://www.fs.usda.gov/shoshone/ Shoshone National Forest]
}}
}}
'''Shoshone National Forest''' ({{IPAc-en|ʃ|oʊ|ˈ|ʃ|oʊ|n|iː}} {{Respell|shoh|SHOH|nee}})<ref>{{cite web|title=Shoshone|url=http://www.answers.com/topic/shoshone|publisher=Answers|accessdate=March 23, 2013}}</ref> is the first [[Federal government of the United States|federally]] protected [[United States National Forest|National Forest]] in the United States and covers nearly {{convert|2500000|acre}} in the [[U.S. state|state]] of [[Wyoming]].<ref name=shoshone>{{cite web|title=Welcome to Shoshone National Forest|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/shoshone|publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture|accessdate=August 31, 2013}}</ref> Originally a part of the [[Yellowstone Timberland Reserve]], the forest is managed by the [[United States Forest Service]] and was created by an act of [[United States Congress|Congress]] and signed into law by [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] [[Benjamin Harrison]] in 1891. Shoshone National Forest is one of the first nationally protected land areas anywhere. [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]]s have lived in the region for at least 10,000&nbsp;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 the [[Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem]], a nearly unbroken expanse of federally protected lands encompassing an estimated {{convert|20000000|acre}}.
'''Shoshone National Forest''' ({{IPAc-en|ʃ|oʊ|ˈ|ʃ|oʊ|n|iː}} {{Respell|shoh|SHOH|nee}})<ref>{{cite web |title=Shoshone |url=http://www.answers.com/topic/shoshone |publisher=Answers |access-date=March 23, 2013 |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303170801/http://www.answers.com/topic/shoshone |url-status=live }}</ref> is the first [[Federal government of the United States|federally]] protected [[United States National Forest|National Forest]] in the United States and covers nearly {{convert|2500000|acre}} in the [[U.S. state|state]] of [[Wyoming]].<ref name=shoshone>{{cite web |title=Welcome to Shoshone National Forest |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/shoshone |publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture |access-date=August 31, 2013 |archive-date=October 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025114306/http://www.fs.usda.gov/shoshone |url-status=live }}</ref> Originally a part of the [[Yellowstone Timberland Reserve]], the forest is managed by the [[United States Forest Service]] and was created by an act of [[United States Congress|Congress]] and signed into law by [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] [[Benjamin Harrison]] in 1891. Shoshone National Forest is one of the first nationally protected land areas anywhere. [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]]s have lived in the region for at least 10,000&nbsp;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 the [[Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem]], a nearly unbroken expanse of federally protected lands encompassing an estimated {{convert|20000000|acre}}.


The [[Absaroka Mountains|Absaroka]] and [[Beartooth Mountains]] are partly in the northern section of the forest. The [[Wind River Range]] is in the southern portion and contains [[Gannett Peak]], the tallest mountain in Wyoming.<ref name=shoshone/> [[Yellowstone National Park]] forms part of the boundary to the west; south of Yellowstone, the [[Continental Divide of the Americas|Continental Divide]] separates the forest from its neighbor [[Bridger-Teton National Forest]] to the west. The eastern boundary includes privately owned property, lands managed by the U.S. [[Bureau of Land Management]] and the [[Wind River Indian Reservation]], which belongs to the [[Shoshone]] and [[Arapahoe]] Indians. [[Custer National Forest]] along the [[Montana]] border is on the northern frontier. The [[Oregon Trail]], the 19th century [[covered wagon]] route, passes just south of the forest, where broad and gentle [[South Pass (Wyoming)|South Pass]] allowed the migrants to bypass the rugged mountains to the north.
The [[Absaroka Mountains|Absaroka]] and [[Beartooth Mountains]] are partly in the northern section of the forest. The [[Wind River Range]] is in the southern portion and contains [[Gannett Peak]], the tallest mountain in Wyoming.<ref name=shoshone/> [[Yellowstone National Park]] forms part of the boundary to the west; south of Yellowstone, the [[Continental Divide of the Americas|Continental Divide]] separates the forest from its neighbor [[Bridger-Teton National Forest]] to the west. The eastern boundary includes privately owned property, lands managed by the U.S. [[Bureau of Land Management]] and the [[Wind River Indian Reservation]], which belongs to the [[Shoshone]] and [[Arapahoe]] Indians. [[Custer National Forest]] along the [[Montana]] border is on the northern frontier. The [[Oregon Trail]], the 19th century [[covered wagon]] route, passes just south of the forest, where broad and gentle [[South Pass (Wyoming)|South Pass]] allowed the migrants to bypass the rugged mountains to the north.


Shoshone National Forest has virtually all the original animal and plant species that were there when white explorers such as [[John Colter]] and [[Jim Bridger]] first visited the region. The forest is home to the [[Grizzly bear]], [[cougar]], [[moose]], tens of thousands of [[elk]] as well as the largest herd of [[bighorn sheep]] in the U.S. The streams in the forest are considered to have some of the best game species fishing opportunities in the U.S. including [[Yellowstone cutthroat trout]]. More than 1,300 miles of hiking trails, 32 campgrounds and adjacent forests and parklands provide numerous recreational opportunities. There are four [[wilderness]] areas within the forest, protecting more than half of the [[land management|managed land]] area from development. From [[sagebrush]] plains through dense [[spruce]] and [[fir]] forest to craggy mountain peaks, Shoshone National Forest has a rich [[biodiversity]] rarely matched in any protected area.
Shoshone National Forest has virtually all the original animal and plant species that were there when explorers such as [[John Colter]] and [[Jim Bridger]] first visited the region. The forest is home to the [[Grizzly bear]], [[cougar]], [[moose]], tens of thousands of [[elk]] as well as the largest herd of [[bighorn sheep]] in the U.S. The streams in the forest are considered to have some of the best game species fishing opportunities in the U.S. including [[Yellowstone cutthroat trout]]. More than {{convert|1300|mi}} of hiking trails, 32 campgrounds and adjacent forests and parklands provide numerous recreational opportunities. There are four [[wilderness]] areas within the forest, protecting more than half of the [[land management|managed land]] area from development. From [[sagebrush]] plains through dense [[spruce]] and [[fir]] forest to craggy mountain peaks, Shoshone National Forest has a rich [[biodiversity]] rarely matched in any protected area.


== Human history ==
== Human history ==
[[File:Shoshoni tipis.jpg|thumb|Shoshone encampment in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming, photographed by W. H. Jackson, 1870]]
[[File:Shoshoni tipis.jpg|thumb|Shoshone encampment in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming, photographed by W. H. Jackson, 1870]]
Shoshone National Forest is named after the [[Shoshone|Shoshone Indians]], who, along with other [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] groups such as the [[Lakota people|Lakota]], [[Crow Tribe|Crow]] and [[Northern Cheyenne]], were the major tribes encountered by the first white explorers into the region. [[Archaeology|Archeological]] evidence suggests that the presence of Indian tribes in the area extends back at least 10,000&nbsp;years.<ref name=history>{{cite web|title=History and Culture|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/shoshone/learning/history-culture|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|accessdate=August 31, 2013}}</ref> The forest provided an abundance of game meat, wood products, and shelter during the winter months from the more exposed [[Great Plains|high plains]] to the east. Portions of the more mountainous regions were frequented by the Shoshone and Sioux for spiritual healing and [[vision quest]]s. By the early 1840s, [[Washakie]] had become the leader of the easternmost branch of the Shoshone Indians.<ref name=hebard>{{cite book|last=Hebard|first=Grace R.|title=Washakie, Chief of the Shoshones|year=1995|publisher=Bison Books|isbn=978-0803272781|page=56|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H72qQ3R5mq0C&q=chieftainship}}</ref> At the [[Fort Bridger Treaty Council of 1868]] Washakie negotiated with the U.S. Government for {{convert|44000000|acre}}) to be preserved as tribal lands. Subsequent amendments to the treaty reduced the actual acreage to approximately {{convert|2000000|acre}} and is known today as the [[Wind River Indian Reservation]].<ref name=capace>{{cite book|last=Capace|first=Nancy|title=Encyclopedia of Wyoming|year=2007|publisher=Somerset Publishers, Inc|isbn=978-0403096138|page=88|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PRsh2LRuoQMC&q=treaty+of+fort+bridger}}</ref><ref name=johansen>{{cite book|last=Johansen|first=Bruce E.|title=Encyclopedia of American Indian History|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1851098187|page=1127|author2=Barry M. Pritzker |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sGKL6E9_J6IC&q=fort+bridger+treaty|date=July 23, 2007}}</ref>
Shoshone National Forest is named after the [[Shoshone|Shoshone Indians]], who, along with other [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] groups such as the [[Lakota people|Lakota]], [[Crow Tribe|Crow]] and [[Northern Cheyenne]], were the major tribes encountered by the first European explorers into the region. [[Archaeology|Archeological]] evidence suggests that the presence of Indian tribes in the area extends back at least 10,000&nbsp;years.<ref name=history>{{cite web |title=History and Culture |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/shoshone/learning/history-culture |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |access-date=August 31, 2013 |archive-date=May 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518080213/http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/shoshone/learning/history-culture |url-status=live }}</ref> The forest provided an abundance of game meat, wood products, and shelter during the winter months from the more exposed [[Great Plains|high plains]] to the east. Portions of the more mountainous regions were frequented by the Shoshone and Sioux for spiritual healing and [[vision quest]]s. By the early 1840s, [[Washakie]] had become the leader of the easternmost branch of the Shoshone Indians.<ref name=hebard>{{cite book |last=Hebard |first=Grace R. |title=Washakie, Chief of the Shoshones |year=1995 |publisher=Bison Books |isbn=978-0803272781 |page=56 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H72qQ3R5mq0C&q=chieftainship |access-date=October 28, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303094301/https://books.google.com/books?id=H72qQ3R5mq0C&q=chieftainship#v=snippet&q=chieftainship&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> At the [[Fort Bridger Treaty Council of 1868]] Washakie negotiated with the U.S. Government for {{convert|44000000|acre}}) to be preserved as tribal lands. Subsequent amendments to the treaty reduced the actual acreage to approximately {{convert|2000000|acre}} and is known today as the [[Wind River Indian Reservation]].<ref name=capace>{{cite book |last=Capace |first=Nancy |title=Encyclopedia of Wyoming |year=2007 |publisher=Somerset Publishers, Inc |isbn=978-0403096138 |page=88 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PRsh2LRuoQMC&q=treaty+of+fort+bridger |access-date=October 28, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303094335/https://books.google.com/books?id=PRsh2LRuoQMC&q=treaty+of+fort+bridger#v=snippet&q=treaty%20of%20fort%20bridger&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=johansen>{{cite book |last=Johansen |first=Bruce E. |title=Encyclopedia of American Indian History |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1851098187 |page=1127 |author2=Barry M. Pritzker |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sGKL6E9_J6IC&q=fort+bridger+treaty |date=July 23, 2007 |access-date=October 28, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303094453/https://books.google.com/books?id=sGKL6E9_J6IC&q=fort+bridger+treaty |url-status=live }}</ref>


In 1957, [[Mummy Cave]] was rediscovered by a local resident on the north side of the North Fork Shoshone River, adjacent to U.S. Routes [[U.S. Route 14|14]]/[[U.S. Route 16|16]]/[[U.S. Route 20|20]], {{convert|15|mi|abbr=on}} east of Yellowstone National Park.<ref name=mummy>{{cite web|title=Mummy Cave|url=http://wyoshpo.state.wy.us/NationalRegister/Site.aspx?ID=324|publisher=Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office|accessdate=September 29, 2013}}</ref> Subsequent archeological excavations in the 1960s produced evidence that the cave had been occupied for over 9,000&nbsp;years.<ref name=husted>{{cite web|last=Husted|first=Wilfred M.|author2=Robert Edgar |title=The Archeology of Mummy Cave, Wyoming: An Introduction to Shoshonean Prehistory|url=http://www.nps.gov/history/mwac/publications/pdf/spec4.pdf|publisher=National Park Service|year=2002|accessdate=September 29, 2013}}</ref> The oldest deposits in the cave yielded [[prismatic blade|prismatic stone blades]] and other artifacts created by paleoindians and the surrounding soils were [[Radiocarbon dating|radiocarbon dated]] to 7,300&nbsp;BC. The evidence indicates the cave was occupied from at least 7280&nbsp;BC to 1580&nbsp;AD.<ref name=mummy/> 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 rock [[cairn]] were unearthed, which were dated to 800&nbsp;AD.<ref name=husted/> Considered one of the finest paleoindian archeological assemblages in the Rocky Mountain region, the site was placed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] list in 1981.<ref name=nris>{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>
In 1957, [[Mummy Cave]] was rediscovered by a local resident on the north side of the North Fork Shoshone River, adjacent to U.S. Routes [[U.S. Route 14|14]]/[[U.S. Route 16|16]]/[[U.S. Route 20|20]], {{cvt|15|mi}} east of Yellowstone National Park.<ref name=mummy>{{cite web |title=Mummy Cave |url=http://wyoshpo.state.wy.us/NationalRegister/Site.aspx?ID=324 |publisher=Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office |access-date=September 29, 2013 |archive-date=June 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615162344/http://wyoshpo.state.wy.us/NationalRegister/Site.aspx?ID=324 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Subsequent archeological excavations in the 1960s produced evidence that the cave had been occupied for over 9,000&nbsp;years.<ref name=husted>{{cite web |last=Husted |first=Wilfred M. |author2=Robert Edgar |title=The Archeology of Mummy Cave, Wyoming: An Introduction to Shoshonean Prehistory |url=http://www.nps.gov/history/mwac/publications/pdf/spec4.pdf |publisher=National Park Service |year=2002 |access-date=September 29, 2013 |archive-date=September 2, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090902101958/http://www.nps.gov/history/mwac/publications/pdf/spec4.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The oldest deposits in the cave yielded [[prismatic blade|prismatic stone blades]] and other artifacts created by paleoindians and the surrounding soils were [[Radiocarbon dating|radiocarbon dated]] to 7,300&nbsp;BC. The evidence indicates the cave was occupied from at least 7280&nbsp;BC to 1580&nbsp;AD.<ref name=mummy/> 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 rock [[cairn]] were unearthed, which were dated to 800&nbsp;AD.<ref name=husted/> Considered one of the finest paleoindian archeological assemblages in the Rocky Mountain region, the site was placed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] list in 1981.<ref name=nris>{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>
[[File:Wapiti Ranger Station.jpg|thumb|left|Wapiti Ranger Station]]
[[File:Wapiti Ranger Station.jpg|thumb|left|Wapiti Ranger Station]]
In the early 19th century, the forest was visited by [[mountain man|mountain men]] and explorers such as [[John Colter]] and [[Jim 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.<ref name=utley>{{cite book|last=Utley|first=Robert M.|title=After Lewis and Clark: Mountain Men and the Paths to the Pacific|year=2004|publisher=Bison Books|isbn=978-0803295643|pages=15–16|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2lCSVm2rP-IC&q=After+Lewis+and+Clark:+Mountain+Men+and+the+Paths+to+the+Pacific}}</ref> Having been an original member of the [[Lewis and Clark Expedition]], Colter requested permission from Meriwether Lewis to leave the expedition after it had finished crossing the [[Rocky 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.<ref name=utley/> Traveling first into the northeastern region of what is today Yellowstone National Park, Colter then explored the [[Absaroka Mountains]], crossing over [[Togwotee Pass]] and entering the valley known today as [[Jackson Hole]].<ref name=daugherty1>{{cite web|last=Daugherty|first=John|title=The Fur Trappers|url=http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/grte2/hrs3.htm|work=A Place Called Jackson Hole|publisher=Grand Teton Natural History Association|accessdate=August 31, 2013}}</ref> Colter survived a [[grizzly bear]] attack and a pursuit by a band of [[Blackfoot Confederacy|Blackfeet]] Indians who had taken his horse.<ref name=utley/> 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.<ref name=burns>{{cite web|last=Burns|first=Ken|title=Private John Colter|url=https://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/inside/jcolt.html|work=Lewis and Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery|publisher=PBS|accessdate=August 31, 2013}}</ref>
In the early 19th century, the forest was visited by [[mountain man|mountain men]] and explorers such as [[John Colter]] and [[Jim 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.<ref name=utley>{{cite book |last=Utley |first=Robert M. |title=After Lewis and Clark: Mountain Men and the Paths to the Pacific |year=2004 |publisher=Bison Books |isbn=978-0803295643 |pages=15–16 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2lCSVm2rP-IC&q=After+Lewis+and+Clark:+Mountain+Men+and+the+Paths+to+the+Pacific |access-date=October 28, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303094455/https://books.google.com/books?id=2lCSVm2rP-IC&q=After+Lewis+and+Clark:+Mountain+Men+and+the+Paths+to+the+Pacific#v=snippet&q=After%20Lewis%20and%20Clark%3A%20Mountain%20Men%20and%20the%20Paths%20to%20the%20Pacific&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> Having been an original member of the [[Lewis and Clark Expedition]], Colter requested permission from Meriwether Lewis to leave the expedition after it had finished crossing the [[Rocky 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.<ref name=utley/> Traveling first into the northeastern region of what is today Yellowstone National Park, Colter then explored the [[Absaroka Mountains]], crossing over [[Togwotee Pass]] and entering the valley known today as [[Jackson Hole]].<ref name=daugherty1>{{cite web |last=Daugherty |first=John |title=The Fur Trappers |url=http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/grte2/hrs3.htm |work=A Place Called Jackson Hole |publisher=Grand Teton Natural History Association |access-date=August 31, 2013 |archive-date=November 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108182117/http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/grte2/hrs3.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Colter survived a [[grizzly bear]] attack and a pursuit by a band of [[Blackfoot Confederacy|Blackfeet]] Indians who had taken his horse.<ref name=utley/> 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.<ref name=burns>{{cite web |last=Burns |first=Ken |title=Private John Colter |url=https://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/inside/jcolt.html |work=Lewis and Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery |publisher=PBS |access-date=August 31, 2013 |archive-date=September 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180920111416/http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/inside/jcolt.html |url-status=live }}</ref>


Travels by [[fur trade|fur trappers]] and adventurers, such as [[Manuel 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 prized [[beaver]] long since made scarce by over-trapping, few white explorers entered the forest over the next few decades.<ref name=daugherty1/> The first federally financed expedition which passed through portions of Shoshone National Forest was the [[Raynolds Expedition]] of 1860, led by [[United States Army Corps of Engineers#Corps of Topographical Engineers|topographical engineer]] Captain [[William F. Raynolds]].<ref name=baldwin>{{cite web|last=Baldwin |first=Kenneth H. |title=Terra Incognita: The Raynolds Expedition of 1860 |work=Enchanted Enclosure |publisher=U.S. Army |date=November 15, 2004 |url=http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/baldwin/chap2.htm |accessdate=August 31, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023175338/http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/baldwin/chap2.htm |archivedate=October 23, 2012 }}</ref> The expedition included geologist and naturalist [[Ferdinand 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 as [[Two Ocean Pass]]. The expedition finally crossed the northern Wind River Range at a pass they named [[Union Pass]] and entered Jackson Hole valley to the south of Yellowstone.<ref name=baldwin/> 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. Travels in the forest in the 1880s by later U.S. President [[Theodore Roosevelt]], who was also a strong advocate of land [[conservation movement|conservation]], as well as by General [[Philip Sheridan]], provided the impetus that subsequently established the Yellowstone Timberland Reserve in 1891, creating the first national forest in the U.S.<ref name=shoshone/><ref>{{cite book|last=Steen|first=Harold K.|title=The beginning of the National Forest System|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|year=1991|url=https://archive.org/details/beginningofnatio00stee|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/beginningofnatio00stee/page/24 24]|quote=yellowstone timberland reserve.}}</ref>
Travels by [[fur trade|fur trappers]] and adventurers, such as [[Manuel 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 prized [[beaver]] long since made scarce by over-trapping, few explorers entered the forest over the next few decades.<ref name=daugherty1/> The first federally financed expedition which passed through portions of Shoshone National Forest was the [[Raynolds Expedition]] of 1860, led by [[United States Army Corps of Engineers#Corps of Topographical Engineers|topographical engineer]] Captain [[William F. Raynolds]].<ref name=baldwin>{{cite web |last=Baldwin |first=Kenneth H. |title=Terra Incognita: The Raynolds Expedition of 1860 |work=Enchanted Enclosure |publisher=U.S. Army |date=November 15, 2004 |url=http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/baldwin/chap2.htm |access-date=August 31, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023175338/http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/baldwin/chap2.htm |archive-date=October 23, 2012}}</ref> The expedition included geologist and naturalist [[Ferdinand 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 as [[Two Ocean Pass]]. The expedition finally crossed the northern Wind River Range at a pass they named [[Union Pass]] and entered Jackson Hole valley to the south of Yellowstone.<ref name=baldwin/> 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. Travels in the forest in the 1880s by later U.S. President [[Theodore Roosevelt]], who was also a strong advocate of land [[conservation movement|conservation]], as well as by General [[Philip Sheridan]], provided the impetus that subsequently established the Yellowstone Timberland Reserve in 1891, creating the first national forest in the U.S.<ref name=shoshone/><ref>{{cite book |last=Steen |first=Harold K. |title=The beginning of the National Forest System |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |year=1991 |url=https://archive.org/details/beginningofnatio00stee |url-access=registration |page=[https://archive.org/details/beginningofnatio00stee/page/24 24] |quote=yellowstone timberland reserve.}}</ref>
[[File:Wolf Mine Shaft.jpg|right|thumb|Wolf mine shaft at abandoned gold mine]]
[[File:Wolf Mine Shaft.jpg|right|thumb|Wolf mine shaft at abandoned gold mine]]
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 the [[United States Forest Service|U.S. Forest Service]] in 1905, the reserve was designated a [[United States National Forest|National 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 the [[Wapiti Ranger Station]] which is located west of [[Cody, Wyoming]]. The station was built in 1903 and is the oldest surviving ranger station in any national forest, and is now designated a [[National Historic Landmark]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Wapiti Ranger Station|work=National Historic Landmarks Program|publisher=National Park Service|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceID=568&resourceType=Building|accessdate=August 31, 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520194453/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceID=568&resourceType=Building|archivedate=May 20, 2009|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
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 the [[United States Forest Service|U.S. Forest Service]] in 1905, the reserve was designated a [[United States National Forest|National 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 the [[Wapiti Ranger Station]] which is located west of [[Cody, Wyoming]]. The station was built in 1903 and is the oldest surviving ranger station in any national forest, and is now designated a [[National Historic Landmark]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Wapiti Ranger Station |work=National Historic Landmarks Program |publisher=National Park Service |url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceID=568&resourceType=Building |access-date=August 31, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520194453/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceID=568&resourceType=Building |archive-date=May 20, 2009 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


Prior to the establishment of the Wind River Indian Reservation, the [[United States Cavalry|U.S. Cavalry]] constructed Fort Brown on the reservation lands, which was subsequently renamed [[Fort Washakie]].<ref name=mccoy>{{cite book|last=McCoy|first=Michael|title=Off the Beaten Path Wyoming: A Guide to Unique Places|year=2007|publisher=GPP Travel|isbn=978-0762744312|pages=152–153|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X60kQYBZEwgC&q=Off+the+Beaten+Path+Wyoming:+A+Guide+to+Unique+Places.}}</ref> During the late 19th century, the fort was staffed by [[African American|African-American]] members of the U.S. Cavalry, better known as the [[Buffalo Soldiers]], including the second African-American graduated from the [[United States Military Academy]], [[John Hanks Alexander]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Reef|first=Catherine|title=African Americans in the Military|year=2010|publisher=Facts on File, Incorporated|isbn=9780816078394|page=[https://archive.org/details/africanamericans0000reef/page/6 6]|url=https://archive.org/details/africanamericans0000reef|url-access=registration|quote=john hanks alexander fort washakie.}}</ref> Chief Washakie is buried at the fort, which is located immediately east of the forest boundary.<ref name=mccoy/> Rumor has it that [[Sacajawea]], the Shoshone Indian who provided invaluable assistance to [[Meriwether Lewis]] and [[William Clark (explorer)|William 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 was [[Fort Lisa (North Dakota)|Fort Lisa]] in North Dakota.<ref>{{cite web|title=Burial Sites|url=http://www.nps.gov/jeff/historyculture/burial-sites.htm|work=The Lewis and Clark Journey of Discovery|publisher=National Park Service|accessdate=August 31, 2013}}</ref>
Prior to the establishment of the Wind River Indian Reservation, the [[United States Cavalry|U.S. Cavalry]] constructed Fort Brown on the reservation lands, which was subsequently renamed [[Fort Washakie]].<ref name=mccoy>{{cite book |last=McCoy |first=Michael |title=Off the Beaten Path Wyoming: A Guide to Unique Places |year=2007 |publisher=GPP Travel |isbn=978-0762744312 |pages=152–153 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X60kQYBZEwgC&q=Off+the+Beaten+Path+Wyoming:+A+Guide+to+Unique+Places. |access-date=October 28, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303094329/https://books.google.com/books?id=X60kQYBZEwgC&q=Off+the+Beaten+Path+Wyoming:+A+Guide+to+Unique+Places.#v=snippet&q=Off%20the%20Beaten%20Path%20Wyoming%3A%20A%20Guide%20to%20Unique%20Places.&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> During the late 19th century, the fort was staffed by [[African American|African-American]] members of the U.S. Cavalry, better known as the [[Buffalo Soldiers]], including the second African-American graduated from the [[United States Military Academy]], [[John Hanks Alexander]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Reef |first=Catherine |title=African Americans in the Military |year=2010 |publisher=Facts on File, Incorporated |isbn=9780816078394 |page=[https://archive.org/details/africanamericans0000reef/page/6 6] |url=https://archive.org/details/africanamericans0000reef |url-access=registration |quote=john hanks alexander fort washakie.}}</ref> Chief Washakie is buried at the fort, which is located immediately east of the forest boundary.<ref name=mccoy/> Rumor has it that [[Sacajawea]], the Shoshone Indian who provided invaluable assistance to [[Meriwether Lewis]] and [[William Clark (explorer)|William 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 was [[Fort Lisa (North Dakota)|Fort Lisa]] in North Dakota.<ref>{{cite web |title=Burial Sites |url=http://www.nps.gov/jeff/historyculture/burial-sites.htm |work=The Lewis and Clark Journey of Discovery |publisher=National Park Service |access-date=August 31, 2013 |archive-date=October 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015083034/http://www.nps.gov/jeff/historyculture/burial-sites.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>


During the last decade of the 19th century, minerals such as gold were mined with limited success. The last mine was abandoned in 1907, but [[placer mining|panning]] for gold is still allowed in many areas of the forest, and in most circumstances no permit is required.<ref name=kirwin>{{cite web|title=The History of Kirwin|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/learning/kids/?cid=stelprdb5182989|accessdate=August 31, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Shoshone National Forest – FAQs|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/home/?cid=stelprdb5176591|accessdate=August 31, 2013}}</ref> After the end of the mining era, numerous camps were established by the [[Civilian Conservation Corps]] to help combat unemployment during the [[Great 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.<ref name=otis>{{cite book|last=Otis|first=Alison T.|title=The Forest Service and the Civilian Conservation Corps, 1933–42|year=1986|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|isbn=9781236205001|pages=24–26|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f0qHwwF4V5wC&pg=PA23}}</ref> Visitation to national forests like Shoshone increased dramatically after [[World War II]] with the advent of better roads and accessibility to the region.<ref name=miller>{{cite book|last=Miller|first=Char|title=Atlas of US and Canadian Environmental History|year=2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781136755248|page=138|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QD0LTYaBjKEC&pg=PA138}}</ref>
During the last decade of the 19th century, minerals such as gold were mined with limited success. The last mine was abandoned in 1907, but [[placer mining|panning]] for gold is still allowed in many areas of the forest, and in most circumstances no permit is required.<ref name=kirwin>{{cite web |title=The History of Kirwin |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/learning/kids/?cid=stelprdb5182989 |access-date=August 31, 2013 |archive-date=December 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218122152/http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/learning/kids/?cid=stelprdb5182989 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Shoshone National Forest – FAQs |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/home/?cid=stelprdb5176591 |access-date=August 31, 2013 |archive-date=December 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218123721/http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/home/?cid=stelprdb5176591 |url-status=live }}</ref> After the end of the mining era, numerous camps were established by the [[Civilian Conservation Corps]] to help combat unemployment during the [[Great 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.<ref name=otis>{{cite book |last=Otis |first=Alison T. |title=The Forest Service and the Civilian Conservation Corps, 1933–42 |year=1986 |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |isbn=9781236205001 |pages=24–26 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f0qHwwF4V5wC&pg=PA23 |access-date=October 28, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303094454/https://books.google.com/books?id=f0qHwwF4V5wC&pg=PA23#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> Visitation to national forests like Shoshone increased dramatically after [[World War II]] with the advent of better roads and accessibility to the region.<ref name=miller>{{cite book |last=Miller |first=Char |title=Atlas of US and Canadian Environmental History |year=2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781136755248 |page=138 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QD0LTYaBjKEC&pg=PA138 |access-date=October 28, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303094512/https://books.google.com/books?id=QD0LTYaBjKEC&pg=PA138#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref>


== Forest management ==
== Forest management ==
[[File:Shoshone wy map.jpg|thumb|300px|Shoshone National Forest highlighted in light green]]
[[File:Shoshone wy map.jpg|thumb|300px|Shoshone National Forest highlighted in light green]]
Shoshone National Forest is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, an agency within the [[United States Department of Agriculture|U.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 [[United States dollar|$]]17,500,000.<ref name=taylor>{{cite web|last=Taylor|first=David T.|author2=Thomas Foulke|author3=Roger H. Coupal|title=Shoshone National Forest Economic Profile|publisher=University of Wyoming Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics and the U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5379182.pdf|date=March 21, 2012|page=87|accessdate=September 2, 2013}}</ref> The headquarters and a visitor center are in Cody, Wyoming and a smaller information center is in [[Lander, Wyoming]]. There are local ranger district offices in Cody, [[Dubois, Wyoming|Dubois]] and Lander.<ref>{{cite web|title=USFS Ranger Districts by State|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.ufwda.org/pdfs/USDAForestServiceRangerDistricts.pdf|accessdate=August 31, 2013}}</ref>
Shoshone National Forest is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, an agency within the [[United States Department of Agriculture|U.S. Department of Agriculture]]. The forest is separated into five districts and from 2008 and 2012 had an average staff of 165 employees and an annual operating budget of [[United States dollar|$]]17,500,000.<ref name=taylor>{{cite web |last=Taylor |first=David T. |author2=Thomas Foulke |author3=Roger H. Coupal |title=Shoshone National Forest Economic Profile |publisher=University of Wyoming Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics and the U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5379182.pdf |date=March 21, 2012 |page=87 |access-date=September 2, 2013 |archive-date=January 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101035220/http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5379182.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The headquarters and a visitor center are in Cody, Wyoming and a smaller information center is in [[Lander, Wyoming]]. There are local ranger district offices in Cody, [[Dubois, Wyoming|Dubois]] and Lander.<ref>{{cite web |title=USFS Ranger Districts by State |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.ufwda.org/pdfs/USDAForestServiceRangerDistricts.pdf |access-date=August 31, 2013 |archive-date=January 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119235755/http://www.ufwda.org/pdfs/USDAForestServiceRangerDistricts.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>


Shoshone National Forest practices [[conservation biology|conservation]] of resources, which ensures a sustainable flow of some raw materials from the forest, such as lumber for construction purposes and [[wood pulp]] for paper products.<ref name=mission>{{cite web|title=Sustainable Operations|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.fed.us/sustainableoperations/|accessdate=September 2, 2013}}</ref> The forest averages an annual harvest of 4.5&nbsp;million board-feet of timber for the purposes of commercial log home construction and another 2.5&nbsp;million board-feet of wood collection from dead and down trees that are used for firewood and poles.<ref name=taylor2>{{cite web|last=Taylor|first=David T.|author2=Thomas Foulke|author3=Roger H. Coupal|title=Shoshone National Forest Economic Profile|publisher=University of Wyoming Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics and the U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5379182.pdf|date=March 21, 2012|page=73|accessdate=September 15, 2013}}</ref> Additionally, low-scale mineral extraction and [[oil exploration|oil]] and [[natural gas|gas]] 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 {{convert|8570|acre|abbr=on}} of oil and gas leases were filed as of 2013.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bleizeffer|first=Dustin|title=Don't count on a rush of drilling rigs in the Shoshone National Forest|publisher=WyoFile|url=http://wyofile.com/dustin/comments-suggest-wyoming-residents-support-conservation-on-shoshone-national-forest/|date=August 23, 2013|accessdate=September 2, 2013}}</ref> More common than logging and mining are the lease options that are offered to ranchers to allow them to graze cattle and sheep.<ref name=taylor3>{{cite web|last=Taylor|first=David T.|author2=Thomas Foulke|author3=Roger H. Coupal|title=Shoshone National Forest Economic Profile|publisher=University of Wyoming Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics and the U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5379182.pdf|date=March 21, 2012|page=53|accessdate=September 15, 2013}}</ref> The U.S. Forest Service provides guidelines and enforces environmental regulations to ensure that resources are not [[overexploited]] 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 cattle overgrazing problems.<ref name=ws>{{cite web|title=Beartooth Front, Wyoming|work=Too Wild to Drill|publisher=Wilderness Society|url=http://wilderness.org/sites/default/files/legacy/TWTD-WY-Beartooth.pdf|accessdate=September 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231151912/http://wilderness.org/sites/default/files/legacy/TWTD-WY-Beartooth.pdf|archive-date=December 31, 2013|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Leases for sheep grazing have declined considerably since the 1940s while cattle grazing has remained relatively constant.<ref>{{cite web|title=Analysis of the Management Situation|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5356003.pdf|date=February 2012|pages=79–81|accessdate=September 15, 2013}}</ref>
Shoshone National Forest practices [[conservation biology|conservation]] of resources, which ensures a sustainable flow of some raw materials from the forest, such as lumber for construction purposes and [[wood pulp]] for paper products.<ref name=mission>{{cite web |title=Sustainable Operations |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.fed.us/sustainableoperations/ |access-date=September 2, 2013 |archive-date=September 17, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130917013604/http://www.fs.fed.us/sustainableoperations/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The forest averages an annual harvest of 4.5&nbsp;million board-feet of timber for the purposes of commercial log home construction and another 2.5&nbsp;million board-feet of wood collection from dead and down trees that are used for firewood and poles.<ref name=taylor2>{{cite web |last=Taylor |first=David T. |author2=Thomas Foulke |author3=Roger H. Coupal |title=Shoshone National Forest Economic Profile |publisher=University of Wyoming Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics and the U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5379182.pdf |date=March 21, 2012 |page=73 |access-date=September 15, 2013 |archive-date=January 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101035220/http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5379182.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Additionally, low-scale mineral extraction and [[oil exploration|oil]] and [[natural gas|gas]] 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 {{cvt|8570|acre}} of oil and gas leases were filed as of 2013.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bleizeffer |first=Dustin |title=Don't count on a rush of drilling rigs in the Shoshone National Forest |publisher=WyoFile |url=http://wyofile.com/dustin/comments-suggest-wyoming-residents-support-conservation-on-shoshone-national-forest/ |date=August 23, 2013 |access-date=September 2, 2013 |archive-date=September 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908034549/http://wyofile.com/dustin/comments-suggest-wyoming-residents-support-conservation-on-shoshone-national-forest/ |url-status=live }}</ref> More common than logging and mining are the lease options that are offered to ranchers to allow them to graze cattle and sheep.<ref name=taylor3>{{cite web |last=Taylor |first=David T. |author2=Thomas Foulke |author3=Roger H. Coupal |title=Shoshone National Forest Economic Profile |publisher=University of Wyoming Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics and the U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5379182.pdf |date=March 21, 2012 |page=53 |access-date=September 15, 2013 |archive-date=January 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101035220/http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5379182.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The U.S. Forest Service provides guidelines and enforces environmental regulations to ensure that resources are not [[overexploited]] 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 cattle overgrazing problems.<ref name=ws>{{cite web |title=Beartooth Front, Wyoming |work=Too Wild to Drill |publisher=Wilderness Society |url=http://wilderness.org/sites/default/files/legacy/TWTD-WY-Beartooth.pdf |access-date=September 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231151912/http://wilderness.org/sites/default/files/legacy/TWTD-WY-Beartooth.pdf |archive-date=December 31, 2013 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Leases for sheep grazing have declined considerably since the 1940s while cattle grazing has remained relatively constant.<ref>{{cite web |title=Analysis of the Management Situation |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5356003.pdf |date=February 2012 |pages=79–81 |access-date=September 15, 2013 |archive-date=December 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218122138/http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5356003.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>


== Natural resources ==
== Natural resources ==
Line 55: Line 54:
=== Flora ===
=== Flora ===
[[File:Aspen tree grove in Shoshone National Forest.jpg|thumb|A grove of quaking aspen and lodgepole pine in the spring]]
[[File:Aspen tree grove in Shoshone National Forest.jpg|thumb|A grove of quaking aspen and lodgepole pine in the spring]]
Shoshone National Forest is an integral part of the [[Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem]], which has 1,700 documented species of plants.<ref name=Wuerthner>{{cite book|last=Wuerthner|first=George|title=Yellowstone: A Visitor's Companion|year=1992|publisher=Stackpole Books|isbn=978-0811730785|page=[https://archive.org/details/yellowstonevisit00wuer/page/65 65]|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VWt3GUrR-tcC&pg=PA64|edition=1|chapter=Flora|url=https://archive.org/details/yellowstonevisit00wuer/page/65}}</ref> Since the elevation of the land in the forest ranges from {{convert|4600|to|13804|ft|abbr=on}}, which is more than {{convert|9000|ft|abbr=on}}, the forest has a wide variety of ecosystems.<ref name=about>{{cite web|title=About the forest|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/shoshone/about-forest|publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture|accessdate=November 2, 2013}}</ref><ref name=enright>{{cite book|last=Enright|first=Kelly|title=America's Natural Places: Rocky Mountains and Great Plains|year=1992|publisher=Greenwood|isbn=978-0313353154|page=137|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AKME9xeG5hsC&pg=PA137}}</ref> Lower elevations often have [[sagebrush]] and [[grassland|grass]]-dominated [[vegetation]] types, while forested areas are dominated by various combinations of tree and shrub species. These include [[lodgepole pine]], which along with [[Juniperus scopulorum|Rocky Mountain juniper]], and [[Aspen|quaking aspen]] are found at elevations up to {{convert|9000|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref name=enright/> At higher elevations [[subalpine fir]], [[Engelmann spruce]], [[whitebark pine]] and [[limber pine]], are common, each occurring up to [[tree line|timberline]].<ref name=enright/> The region above timberline makes up 25&nbsp;percent of the total acreage of the forest and of that 13&nbsp;percent is listed as just either barren, rock or ice.<ref name=vg>{{cite web|title=Shoshone National Forest Visitor Guide|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5330186.pdf|accessdate=January 4, 2014}}</ref> 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 elevation [[riparian]] corridors, [[Populus sect. Aegiros|cottonwoods]] and [[willow]]s are typically dominant. Numerous plant species are [[endemic (ecology)|endemic]] to the region including some that are rare. Among them, the [[Draba|whitlow grass]], [[Brassicaceae|fremont bladderpod]], shoshonea, and the [[Asteraceae|north fork Easter daisy]] provide vivid white and yellow flowers during the spring and summer.<ref name=plants>{{cite web|title=Rare Plants of Shoshone National Forest (USFS R-2)|work=Wyoming Rare Plant Field Guide, US Forest Service Rare Plant List|publisher=U.S. Geological Survey|url=http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/others/wyplant/shoshone.htm|accessdate=September 30, 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051208153115/http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/others/wyplant/shoshone.htm|archivedate=December 8, 2005|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
Shoshone National Forest is an integral part of the [[Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem]], which has 1,700 documented species of plants.<ref name=Wuerthner>{{cite book |last=Wuerthner |first=George |title=Yellowstone: A Visitor's Companion |year=1992 |publisher=Stackpole Books |isbn=978-0811730785 |page=[https://archive.org/details/yellowstonevisit00wuer/page/65 65] |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VWt3GUrR-tcC&pg=PA64 |edition=1 |chapter=Flora |url=https://archive.org/details/yellowstonevisit00wuer/page/65}}</ref> Since the elevation of the land in the forest ranges from {{cvt|4600|to|13804|ft}}, which is more than {{cvt|9000|ft}}, the forest has a wide variety of ecosystems.<ref name=about>{{cite web |title=About the forest |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/shoshone/about-forest |publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture |access-date=November 2, 2013 |archive-date=November 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106054958/http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/shoshone/about-forest |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=enright>{{cite book |last=Enright |first=Kelly |title=America's Natural Places: Rocky Mountains and Great Plains |year=1992 |publisher=Greenwood |isbn=978-0313353154 |page=137 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AKME9xeG5hsC&pg=PA137 |access-date=October 28, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303095054/https://books.google.com/books?id=AKME9xeG5hsC&pg=PA137 |url-status=live }}</ref> Lower elevations often have [[sagebrush]] and [[grassland|grass]]-dominated [[vegetation]] types, while forested areas are dominated by various combinations of tree and shrub species. These include [[lodgepole pine]], which along with [[Juniperus scopulorum|Rocky Mountain juniper]], and [[Aspen|quaking aspen]] are found at elevations up to {{cvt|9000|ft}}.<ref name=enright/> At higher elevations [[subalpine fir]], [[Engelmann spruce]], [[whitebark pine]] and [[limber pine]], are common, each occurring up to [[tree line|timberline]].<ref name=enright/> The region above timberline makes up 25&nbsp;percent of the total acreage of the forest and of that 13&nbsp;percent is listed as just either barren, rock or ice.<ref name=vg>{{cite web |title=Shoshone National Forest Visitor Guide |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5330186.pdf |access-date=January 4, 2014 |archive-date=September 19, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919135917/http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5330186.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> 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 elevation [[riparian]] corridors, [[Populus sect. Aegiros|cottonwoods]] and [[willow]]s are typically dominant. Numerous plant species are [[endemic (ecology)|endemic]] to the region including some that are rare. Among them, the [[Draba|whitlow grass]], [[Brassicaceae|fremont bladderpod]], shoshonea, and the [[Asteraceae|north fork Easter daisy]] provide vivid white and yellow flowers during the spring and summer.<ref name=plants>{{cite web |title=Rare Plants of Shoshone National Forest (USFS R-2) |work=Wyoming Rare Plant Field Guide, US Forest Service Rare Plant List |publisher=U.S. Geological Survey |url=http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/others/wyplant/shoshone.htm |access-date=September 30, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051208153115/http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/others/wyplant/shoshone.htm |archive-date=December 8, 2005 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


[[Exotic species]] of flora that are not native to the region include [[Cirsium arvense|Canada thistle]], [[Carduus nutans|Musk thistle]], [[Centaurea maculosa|Spotted knapweed]], [[Euphorbia esula|Leafy spurge]] and [[Linaria vulgaris|Yellow toadflax]].<ref name=houston>{{cite web|last=Houston|first=Kent E.|author2=Walter J. Hartung|author3=Carol J. Hartung|title=A Field Guide for Forest Indicator Plants, Sensitive Plants, and Noxious Weeds of the Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming|publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture|url=http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr084.pdf|pages=155–171|accessdate=November 2, 2013|date=October 2001}}</ref> These non-native plant species are considered noxious, impacting native plant communities and the species that thrive on them.<ref name=houston/> Native species such as the [[mountain pine beetle]] are having an enormous negative impact on some tree species.<ref name=beetle>{{cite web|title=Bark Beetle Epidemic|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/landmanagement/?cid=STELPRDB5358725|accessdate=November 2, 2013}}</ref> A survey of the forest performed in 2010 indicated that over {{convert|1000000|acre}} of timberland had been impacted by insects such as the mountain pine beetle, [[Dendroctonus rufipennis|spruce bark beetle]] and [[Dendroctonus pseudotsugae|Douglas fir beetle]], and that the insects had killed between 25 and 100&nbsp;percent of the trees in the impacted areas.<ref name=impact>{{cite web|title=Shoshone National Forest – vegetation management projects in 2011|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=https://fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5260311.pdf|accessdate=November 2, 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031163352/https://fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5260311.pdf|archivedate=October 31, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The forest service is addressing the situation by performing controlled burns, selling dead trees as firewood, timber harvesting and spraying the highest value areas.<ref name=beetle/>
[[Exotic species]] of flora that are not native to the region include [[Cirsium arvense|Canada thistle]], [[Carduus nutans|Musk thistle]], [[Centaurea maculosa|Spotted knapweed]], [[Euphorbia esula|Leafy spurge]] and [[Linaria vulgaris|Yellow toadflax]].<ref name=houston>{{cite web |last=Houston |first=Kent E. |author2=Walter J. Hartung |author3=Carol J. Hartung |title=A Field Guide for Forest Indicator Plants, Sensitive Plants, and Noxious Weeds of the Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming |publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture |url=http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr084.pdf |pages=155–171 |access-date=November 2, 2013 |date=October 2001 |archive-date=November 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104141957/http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr084.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> These non-native plant species are considered noxious, impacting native plant communities and the species that thrive on them.<ref name=houston/> Native species such as the [[mountain pine beetle]] are having an enormous negative impact on some tree species.<ref name=beetle>{{cite web |title=Bark Beetle Epidemic |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/landmanagement/?cid=STELPRDB5358725 |access-date=November 2, 2013 |archive-date=November 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106055042/http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/landmanagement/?cid=STELPRDB5358725 |url-status=live }}</ref> A survey of the forest performed in 2010 indicated that over {{convert|1000000|acre}} of timberland had been impacted by insects such as the mountain pine beetle, [[Dendroctonus rufipennis|spruce bark beetle]] and [[Dendroctonus pseudotsugae|Douglas fir beetle]], and that the insects had killed between 25 and 100&nbsp;percent of the trees in the impacted areas.<ref name=impact>{{cite web |title=Shoshone National Forest – vegetation management projects in 2011 |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=https://fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5260311.pdf |access-date=November 2, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031163352/https://fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5260311.pdf |archive-date=October 31, 2014 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> The forest service is addressing the situation by performing controlled burns, selling dead trees as firewood, timber harvesting and spraying the highest value areas.<ref name=beetle/>


=== Fauna ===
=== Fauna ===
[[File:Grizzly Bear sow and cub in Shoshone National Forest.jpg|thumb|right|Grizzly bear mother and cub]]
[[File:Grizzly Bear sow and cub in Shoshone National Forest.jpg|thumb|right|Grizzly bear mother and cub]]
Since the migration of the [[endangered species|endangered]] [[gray wolf]] into Shoshone National Forest after the successful [[wolf reintroduction]] program in the Yellowstone region commenced in the mid-1990s, all of the known 70 [[mammal]] species that existed prior to white settlement still exist in the forest.<ref name=enright/> Altogether, at least 335 species of wildlife call Shoshone National Forest their home, including the largest population of [[Bighorn sheep]] and one of the few locations [[Grizzly bear]]s can still be found in the [[Contiguous United States|contiguous U. S.]].<ref name=vg/>
Since the migration of the [[endangered species|endangered]] [[gray wolf]] into Shoshone National Forest after the successful [[wolf reintroduction]] program in the Yellowstone region commenced in the mid-1990s, all of the known 70 [[mammal]] species that existed prior to white settlement still exist in the forest.<ref name=enright/> Altogether, at least 335 species of wildlife call Shoshone National Forest their home, including the largest population of [[Bighorn sheep]] and one of the few locations [[Grizzly bear]]s can still be found in the [[Contiguous United States|contiguous U. S.]]<ref name=vg/>


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.<ref name=enright/><ref name=grizzly>{{cite web|title=Grizzly Bear Conservation and Recovery|publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture|url=http://www.fs.fed.us/biology/resources/pubs/issuepapers/Issueupdate_GrizRecovery_Sept2013.pdf|date=September 2013|accessdate=November 15, 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215210412/http://www.fs.fed.us/biology/resources/pubs/issuepapers/Issueupdate_GrizRecovery_Sept2013.pdf|archivedate=December 15, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The grizzly is listed as a [[threatened species]] by the [[U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]], and the forest is one of their last strongholds. For what are considered to be "nuisance bears", non-lethal traps are set to capture them so that they can be relocated to remote areas, away from civilization.<ref name=moody>{{cite web|last=Moody|first=David|author2=Dennie Hammer|author3=Mark Bruscino|author4=Dan Bjornlie|author5=Ron Grogan|author6=Brian Debolt|title=Wyoming Grizzly Bear Management Plan|publisher=Wyoming Game and Fish Department|url=http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/Departments/Wildlife/pdfs/WYGRIZBEAR_MANAGEMENTPLAN0000716.pdf|pages=25–31|date=July 2005|accessdate=December 15, 2013}}</ref> In the case of the grizzly, each captured bear is tranquilized and then [[ear tag]]ged 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.<ref name=moody/> The grizzly recovery efforts implemented by federal agencies have often resulted in major disagreements with local landowners and surrounding municipalities.<ref name=grizzly/> This situation occurs less frequently with the smaller and less aggressive [[American black bear|black 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, and [[bear-resistant food storage container|bear-proof]] trash receptacles are located in the front-country zones throughout the forest. In the [[backcountry]], food must be stored some distance from campsites, and other related precautions are enforced to help prevent bad encounters.<ref name=vg/>
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.<ref name=enright/><ref name=grizzly>{{cite web |title=Grizzly Bear Conservation and Recovery |publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture |url=http://www.fs.fed.us/biology/resources/pubs/issuepapers/Issueupdate_GrizRecovery_Sept2013.pdf |date=September 2013 |access-date=November 15, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215210412/http://www.fs.fed.us/biology/resources/pubs/issuepapers/Issueupdate_GrizRecovery_Sept2013.pdf |archive-date=December 15, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> The grizzly is listed as a [[threatened species]] by the [[U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]], and the forest is one of their last strongholds. For what are considered to be "nuisance bears", non-lethal traps are set to capture them so that they can be relocated to remote areas, away from civilization.<ref name=moody>{{cite web |last=Moody |first=David |author2=Dennie Hammer |author3=Mark Bruscino |author4=Dan Bjornlie |author5=Ron Grogan |author6=Brian Debolt |title=Wyoming Grizzly Bear Management Plan |publisher=Wyoming Game and Fish Department |url=http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/Departments/Wildlife/pdfs/WYGRIZBEAR_MANAGEMENTPLAN0000716.pdf |pages=25–31 |date=July 2005 |access-date=December 15, 2013 |archive-date=February 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222182547/https://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/Departments/Wildlife/pdfs/WYGRIZBEAR_MANAGEMENTPLAN0000716.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> In the case of the grizzly, each captured bear is tranquilized and then [[ear tag]]ged 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.<ref name=moody/> The grizzly recovery efforts implemented by federal agencies have often resulted in major disagreements with local landowners and surrounding municipalities.<ref name=grizzly/> This situation occurs less frequently with the smaller and less aggressive [[American black bear|black 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, and [[bear-resistant food storage container|bear-proof]] trash receptacles are located in the front-country zones throughout the forest. In the [[backcountry]], food must be stored some distance from campsites, and other related precautions are enforced to help prevent bad encounters.<ref name=vg/>


[[File:Bighorn Sheep in Shoshone National Forest.jpg|thumb|left|Bighorn Sheep]]
[[File:Bighorn Sheep in Shoshone National Forest.jpg|thumb|left|Bighorn Sheep]]
[[North American cougar|Cougar]]s and [[northwestern wolf|timber wolves]] are large [[apex predator]]s that inhabit the forest. Since the 1990s wolf reintroduction program in Yellowstone National Park, wolves have migrated into the forest and established permanent packs.<ref name=wolf1>{{cite web|title=2012 Wyoming Gray Wolf Population Monitoring and Management Annual Report|url=http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/wolf/annualrpt12/2012_WY_Annual_Report_FINAL_2013-04-04.pdf|publisher=Wyoming Game and Fish Department|accessdate=December 21, 2013|editor1=K.J. Mills|editor2=R.F. Trebelcock |page=1|year=2013}}</ref> Approximately a dozen wolf packs totaling 70 individual wolves were documented in the forest in 2012.<ref name=wolf2>{{cite web|title=2012 Wyoming Gray Wolf Population Monitoring and Management Annual Report|url=http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/wolf/annualrpt12/2012_WY_Annual_Report_FINAL_2013-04-04.pdf|publisher=Wyoming Game and Fish Department|accessdate=December 21, 2013|editor1=K.J. Mills|editor2=R.F. Trebelcock |pages=8–9|year=2013}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wolves in Wyoming|url=http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/wildlife-1000380.aspx|publisher=Wyoming Game and Fish Department|accessdate=December 21, 2013|year=2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Gray Wolf Hunting Seasons|url=http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/Departments/Hunting/pdfs/REGULATIONS_CH470002742.pdf|publisher=Wyoming Game and Fish Commission|accessdate=December 21, 2013|year=2012}}</ref> Cougars are generally nocturnal and rarely seen but hunting of this species is also allowed in highly regulated harvests.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mountain Lion Hunting Seasons|url=http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/imgs/QRDocs/REGULATIONS_CH42_BROCHURE.pdf|publisher=Wyoming Game and Fish Commission|accessdate=December 21, 2013|year=2012}}</ref> Wolverines are rare and elusive so documentation is often only from their tracks.<ref>{{cite web|last=Murphy|first=Kerry|title=Wolverine Conservation in Yellowstone National Park|publisher=National Park Service|url=http://files.cfc.umt.edu/cesu/NPS/UMT/2004/04Pletscher_wolverines_final%20rpt.pdf|accessdate=December 21, 2013|date=March 2011}}</ref> The [[Canada lynx]] was native to the forest, but no known populations may still exist due to the rarity of its primary food source, the [[Snowshoe hare]]. Shoshone National Forest is considered critical habitat for lynx recovery since the species is listed as threatened under the [[Endangered Species Act]] and the forest is in their historical range.<ref>{{cite web|title=Proposed Revision of the Critical Habitat Designation for the Canada Lynx and Revised Definition of the Contiguous United States Distinct Population Segment of Canada Lynx|publisher=U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service|url=http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/lynx/09112013LynxCHQandA.pdf|year=2013|accessdate=December 21, 2013}}</ref> Other generally carnivorous mammals include [[coyote]], [[bobcat]], [[weasel]], [[marten]], [[ferret]] and [[American badger|badger]].<ref name=species2>{{cite web|title=Shoshone National Forest Species of Interest Report|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5199969.pdf|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|accessdate=December 22, 2013|pages=65–68|date=April 2009}}</ref>
[[North American cougar|Cougar]]s and [[northwestern wolf|timber wolves]] are large [[apex predator]]s that inhabit the forest. Since the 1990s wolf reintroduction program in Yellowstone National Park, wolves have migrated into the forest and established permanent packs.<ref name=wolf1>{{cite web |title=2012 Wyoming Gray Wolf Population Monitoring and Management Annual Report |url=http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/wolf/annualrpt12/2012_WY_Annual_Report_FINAL_2013-04-04.pdf |publisher=Wyoming Game and Fish Department |access-date=December 21, 2013 |editor1=K.J. Mills |editor2=R.F. Trebelcock |page=1 |year=2013 |archive-date=April 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140401124351/http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/wolf/annualrpt12/2012_WY_Annual_Report_FINAL_2013-04-04.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Approximately a dozen wolf packs totaling 70 individual wolves were documented in the forest in 2012.<ref name=wolf2>{{cite web |title=2012 Wyoming Gray Wolf Population Monitoring and Management Annual Report |url=http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/wolf/annualrpt12/2012_WY_Annual_Report_FINAL_2013-04-04.pdf |publisher=Wyoming Game and Fish Department |access-date=December 21, 2013 |editor1=K.J. Mills |editor2=R.F. Trebelcock |pages=8–9 |year=2013 |archive-date=April 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140401124351/http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/wolf/annualrpt12/2012_WY_Annual_Report_FINAL_2013-04-04.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Wolves in Wyoming |url=http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/wildlife-1000380.aspx |publisher=Wyoming Game and Fish Department |access-date=December 21, 2013 |year=2013 |archive-date=December 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224110650/http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/wildlife-1000380.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Gray Wolf Hunting Seasons |url=http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/Departments/Hunting/pdfs/REGULATIONS_CH470002742.pdf |publisher=Wyoming Game and Fish Commission |access-date=December 21, 2013 |year=2012 |archive-date=February 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130202203728/http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/Departments/Hunting/pdfs/REGULATIONS_CH470002742.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Cougars are generally nocturnal and rarely seen but hunting of this species is also allowed in highly regulated harvests.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mountain Lion Hunting Seasons |url=http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/imgs/QRDocs/REGULATIONS_CH42_BROCHURE.pdf |publisher=Wyoming Game and Fish Commission |access-date=December 21, 2013 |year=2012 |archive-date=December 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224101334/http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/imgs/QRDocs/REGULATIONS_CH42_BROCHURE.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Wolverines are rare and elusive so documentation is often only from their tracks.<ref>{{cite web |last=Murphy |first=Kerry |title=Wolverine Conservation in Yellowstone National Park |publisher=National Park Service |url=http://files.cfc.umt.edu/cesu/NPS/UMT/2004/04Pletscher_wolverines_final%20rpt.pdf |access-date=December 21, 2013 |date=March 2011 |archive-date=April 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421223832/http://files.cfc.umt.edu/cesu/NPS/UMT/2004/04Pletscher_wolverines_final%20rpt.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Canada lynx]] was native to the forest, but no known populations may still exist due to the rarity of its primary food source, the [[Snowshoe hare]]. Shoshone National Forest is considered critical habitat for lynx recovery since the species is listed as threatened under the [[Endangered Species Act]] and the forest is in their historical range.<ref>{{cite web |title=Proposed Revision of the Critical Habitat Designation for the Canada Lynx and Revised Definition of the Contiguous United States Distinct Population Segment of Canada Lynx |publisher=U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |url=http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/lynx/09112013LynxCHQandA.pdf |year=2013 |access-date=December 21, 2013 |archive-date=December 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224115809/http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/lynx/09112013LynxCHQandA.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Other generally carnivorous mammals include [[coyote]], [[bobcat]], [[weasel]], [[marten]], [[ferret]] and [[American badger|badger]].<ref name=species2>{{cite web |title=Shoshone National Forest Species of Interest Report |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5199969.pdf |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |access-date=December 22, 2013 |pages=65–68 |date=April 2009 |archive-date=December 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227085830/http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5199969.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>


Omnivorous mammals such as the [[raccoon]] and [[Western spotted skunk|skunk]] and herbivore mammal species such as the [[North American porcupine|porcupine]] and [[American pika|pika]], are common to the forest.<ref name=species2/><ref name=orabona>{{cite web|last=Orabona|first=Andrea|title=Atlas of Birds, Mammals, Amphibians and Reptiles in Wyoming|url=http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/Departments/Wildlife/pdfs/WILDLIFE_ANIMALATLAS0002711.pdf|publisher=Wyoming Game and Fish Department|accessdate=December 21, 2013|author2=Courtney Rudd |author3=Martin Grenier |author4=Zack Walker |author5=Susan Patla |author6=Bob Oakleaf |date=June 2012}}</ref> The [[North American beaver|beaver]] is considered a species of special interest to Shoshone National Forest since its dam building activities improve habitat for numerous other species such as the [[moose]], breeding waterfowl, various amphibians and other species dependent on a riparian environment.<ref name=species1>{{cite web|title=Shoshone National Forest Species of Interest Report|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5199969.pdf|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|accessdate=December 22, 2013|pages=6–11|date=April 2009}}</ref>
Omnivorous mammals such as the [[raccoon]] and [[Western spotted skunk|skunk]] and herbivore mammal species such as the [[North American porcupine|porcupine]] and [[American pika|pika]], are common to the forest.<ref name=species2/><ref name=orabona>{{cite web |last=Orabona |first=Andrea |title=Atlas of Birds, Mammals, Amphibians and Reptiles in Wyoming |url=http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/Departments/Wildlife/pdfs/WILDLIFE_ANIMALATLAS0002711.pdf |publisher=Wyoming Game and Fish Department |access-date=December 21, 2013 |author2=Courtney Rudd |author3=Martin Grenier |author4=Zack Walker |author5=Susan Patla |author6=Bob Oakleaf |date=June 2012 |archive-date=November 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131116083911/http://wgfd.wyo.gov/Web2011/Departments/Wildlife/pdfs/WILDLIFE_ANIMALATLAS0002711.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[North American beaver|beaver]] is considered a species of special interest to Shoshone National Forest since its dam building activities improve habitat for numerous other species such as the [[moose]], breeding waterfowl, various amphibians and other species dependent on a riparian environment.<ref name=species1>{{cite web |title=Shoshone National Forest Species of Interest Report |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5199969.pdf |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |access-date=December 22, 2013 |pages=6–11 |date=April 2009 |archive-date=December 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227085830/http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5199969.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>


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.<ref>{{cite news|last=French|first=Brett|title=Montana, Wyoming trying to understand why moose populations are plummeting|publisher=Billings Gazette|url=http://billingsgazette.com/lifestyles/recreation/montana-wyoming-trying-to-understand-why-moose-populations-are-plummeting/article_cf1fcb02-9699-56d8-9b34-9b297fd4dc5f.html|date=September 17, 2012|accessdate=December 21, 2013}}</ref> There were an estimated 739 moose in the forest in 2006 which is almost 300 fewer than there were 20 years earlier.<ref name=species1/><ref name=population>{{cite web|title=Shoshone National Forest Comprehensive Evaluation Report|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5201453.pdf|date=December 2007|accessdate=December 21, 2013}}</ref> Other ungulate species are much more common and there are over 20,000 [[elk]] (also known as wapiti) and 40,000 [[mule deer]].<ref name=population/> Bighorn sheep and [[mountain goat]]s inhabit the rocky terrain and highest elevations. During the winter, one of the largest bighorn sheep herds in the [[Continental United States|lower 48 states]] congregate in the region around [[Dubois, Wyoming]]; however, their numbers since 1990 have been diminished due to disease transmitted from contact with domesticated sheep and goats.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mlodik|first=Cory|title=Risk Analysis of Disease Transmission between Domestic Sheep and Goats and Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5383002.pdf|date=April 2012|accessdate=December 21, 2013}}</ref> 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.<ref name=population/> [[Bison]] and [[pronghorn]] antelope are two other ungulates that live on the forest and have sustainable populations.<ref name=species2/>
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.<ref>{{cite news |last=French |first=Brett |title=Montana, Wyoming trying to understand why moose populations are plummeting |publisher=Billings Gazette |url=http://billingsgazette.com/lifestyles/recreation/montana-wyoming-trying-to-understand-why-moose-populations-are-plummeting/article_cf1fcb02-9699-56d8-9b34-9b297fd4dc5f.html |date=September 17, 2012 |access-date=December 21, 2013 |archive-date=September 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921022943/http://billingsgazette.com/lifestyles/recreation/montana-wyoming-trying-to-understand-why-moose-populations-are-plummeting/article_cf1fcb02-9699-56d8-9b34-9b297fd4dc5f.html |url-status=live }}</ref> There were an estimated 739 moose in the forest in 2006 which is almost 300 fewer than there were 20 years earlier.<ref name=species1/><ref name=population>{{cite web |title=Shoshone National Forest Comprehensive Evaluation Report |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5201453.pdf |date=December 2007 |access-date=December 21, 2013 |archive-date=December 25, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225155515/http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5201453.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Other ungulate species are much more common and there are over 20,000 [[elk]] (also known as wapiti) and 40,000 [[mule deer]].<ref name=population/> Bighorn sheep and [[mountain goat]]s inhabit the rocky terrain and highest elevations. During the winter, one of the largest bighorn sheep herds in the [[Continental United States|lower 48 states]] congregate in the region around [[Dubois, Wyoming]]; however, their numbers since 1990 have been diminished due to disease transmitted from contact with domesticated sheep and goats.<ref>{{cite web |last=Mlodik |first=Cory |title=Risk Analysis of Disease Transmission between Domestic Sheep and Goats and Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5383002.pdf |date=April 2012 |access-date=December 21, 2013 |archive-date=December 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226080005/http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5383002.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref name=population/> [[Bison]] and [[pronghorn]] antelope are two other ungulates that live on the forest and have sustainable populations.<ref name=species2/>


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 the [[prairie falcon]] are birds of prey that are relatively common.<ref name=species2/> Waterfowl such as [[Western grebe]], [[Northern pintail]], [[Great blue heron]] and [[Barrow’s goldeneye]] have stable populations and rare sightings of [[Trumpeter swan]]s are reported.<ref name=species2/> [[Common pheasant|pheasant]], [[ruffed grouse]] and [[wild turkey]] are widely distributed across the open sage lands. [[Harlequin duck]] and [[northern goshawk]] are generally rare but management plans were implemented to protect various habitats these two species frequent to try and increase their population numbers.<ref name=species1/>
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 the [[prairie falcon]] are birds of prey that are relatively common.<ref name=species2/> Waterfowl such as [[Western grebe]], [[Northern pintail]], [[Great blue heron]] and [[Barrow’s goldeneye]] have stable populations and rare sightings of [[Trumpeter swan]]s are reported.<ref name=species2/> [[Common pheasant|pheasant]], [[ruffed grouse]] and [[wild turkey]] are widely distributed across the open sage lands. [[Harlequin duck]] and [[northern goshawk]] are generally rare but management plans were implemented to protect various habitats these two species frequent to try and increase their population numbers.<ref name=species1/>


[[File:Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout.jpg|thumb|right|Yellowstone cutthroat trout]]
[[File:Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout.jpg|thumb|right|Yellowstone cutthroat trout]]
Fish found in Shoshone National Forest include at least six species and subspecies of trout including [[Rainbow trout|rainbow]], [[Brook trout|brook]] and [[brown trout]]. The [[Yellowstone cutthroat trout]] is widespread throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, but in the forest is mostly limited to the [[Shoshone River]].<ref name=fishguide>{{cite web|title=Wyoming Fishing Guide|publisher=Wyoming Game and Fish Department|url=http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/Departments/Fishing/pdfs/WGFD_FISHINGGUIDE0000393.pdf|year=2011|accessdate=December 29, 2013}}</ref><ref name=gresswell>{{cite web|last=Gresswell|first=Robert|title=Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri): A Technical Conservation Assessment|publisher=U.S. Geological Survey|url=http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/scp/assessments/yellowstonecutthroattrout.pdf|date=June 30, 2009|accessdate=December 29, 2013}}</ref> The [[Coregonus|mountain whitefish]] is also found in the Shoshone River, while the [[burbot]] is found in two streams in the southern regions of the forest.<ref name=fishguide/>
Fish found in Shoshone National Forest include at least six species and subspecies of trout including [[Rainbow trout|rainbow]], [[Brook trout|brook]] and [[brown trout]]. The [[Yellowstone cutthroat trout]] is widespread throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, but in the forest is mostly limited to the [[Shoshone River]].<ref name=fishguide>{{cite web |title=Wyoming Fishing Guide |publisher=Wyoming Game and Fish Department |url=http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/Departments/Fishing/pdfs/WGFD_FISHINGGUIDE0000393.pdf |year=2011 |access-date=December 29, 2013 |archive-date=October 19, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019035222/http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/Departments/Fishing/pdfs/WGFD_FISHINGGUIDE0000393.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=gresswell>{{cite web |last=Gresswell |first=Robert |title=Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri): A Technical Conservation Assessment |publisher=U.S. Geological Survey |url=http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/scp/assessments/yellowstonecutthroattrout.pdf |date=June 30, 2009 |access-date=December 29, 2013 |archive-date=October 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131008161733/http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/scp/assessments/yellowstonecutthroattrout.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Coregonus|mountain whitefish]] is also found in the Shoshone River, while the [[burbot]] is found in two streams in the southern regions of the forest.<ref name=fishguide/>


There are more than a dozen species of [[reptile]]s in the forest including the venomous [[Rattlesnake|prairie rattlesnake]] which can be found at lower elevations.<ref name=orabona/> The [[Painted turtle|western painted]] and the [[Box turtle|ornate box turtle]] are turtle species known to exist and about eight species of lizards such as the [[greater short-horned lizard]] have been documented.<ref name=orabona/> Amphibians such as the [[Frog|Columbia spotted frog]] and the [[Toad|boreal toad]] are considered species of concern because of their high susceptibility to disease, habitat loss and human introduced toxins.<ref name=species1/> Boreal toads are found at elevations of between {{convert|7380|and|11800|ft|abbr=on}} and the Columbia spotted frog can live at elevations as high as {{convert|9480|ft|abbr=on}} in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.<ref name=species1/>
There are more than a dozen species of [[reptile]]s in the forest including the venomous [[Rattlesnake|prairie rattlesnake]] which can be found at lower elevations.<ref name=orabona/> The [[Painted turtle|western painted]] and the [[Box turtle|ornate box turtle]] are turtle species known to exist and about eight species of lizards such as the [[greater short-horned lizard]] have been documented.<ref name=orabona/> Amphibians such as the [[Frog|Columbia spotted frog]] and the [[Toad|boreal toad]] are considered species of concern because of their high susceptibility to disease, habitat loss and human introduced toxins.<ref name=species1/> Boreal toads are found at elevations of between {{cvt|7380|and|11800|ft}} and the Columbia spotted frog can live at elevations as high as {{cvt|9480|ft}} in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.<ref name=species1/>


Exotic species of fauna such as the [[Zebra mussel|zebra]] and [[quagga mussel]]s and the [[New 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Aquatic Invasive Species|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/landmanagement/?cid=STELPRDB5358127|accessdate=December 29, 2013}}</ref>
Exotic species of fauna such as the [[Zebra mussel|zebra]] and [[quagga mussel]]s and the [[New 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Aquatic Invasive Species |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/landmanagement/?cid=STELPRDB5358127 |access-date=December 29, 2013 |archive-date=October 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031173830/http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/landmanagement/?cid=STELPRDB5358127 |url-status=live }}</ref>


=== Wilderness ===
=== Wilderness ===
[[File:Popo Agie Wilderness Wind River Range.jpg|thumb|[[Popo Agie Wilderness]]]]
[[File:Popo Agie Wilderness Wind River Range.jpg|thumb|[[Popo Agie Wilderness]]]]
The forest contains four areas of pristine [[wilderness]] that have remained largely untouched by human activities such as mining, logging, and road and building construction. The four regions include the [[North Absaroka Wilderness|North Absaroka]], [[Washakie Wilderness|Washakie]], [[Fitzpatrick Wilderness|Fitzpatrick]] and [[Popo Agie Wilderness]]es.<ref name=about/> Additionally, a small portion of the [[Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness]] extends into the extreme northwestern part of the forest, along the Montana border. In Shoshone National Forest, {{convert|1400000|acre|abbr=on}}, constituting 56&nbsp;percent of the forest is designated wilderness.<ref name=vg/><ref name=wilderness>{{cite web|title=Wilderness|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5183021|accessdate=September 7, 2013}}</ref> The wilderness designation provides a much higher level of land protection and prohibits any alterations by man to the resource.<ref name=nwps>{{cite web|last=Landres|first=Peter|author2=Shannon Meyer |title=National Wilderness Preservation System Database: Key Attributes and Trends, 1964 Through 1999|publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture|url=http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr018.pdf|page=1|date=July 2000|accessdate=September 7, 2013}}</ref>
The forest contains four areas of pristine [[wilderness]] that have remained largely untouched by human activities such as mining, logging, and road and building construction. The four regions include the [[North Absaroka Wilderness|North Absaroka]], [[Washakie Wilderness|Washakie]], [[Fitzpatrick Wilderness|Fitzpatrick]] and [[Popo Agie Wilderness]]es.<ref name=about/> Additionally, a small portion of the [[Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness]] extends into the extreme northwestern part of the forest, along the Montana border. In Shoshone National Forest, {{cvt|1400000|acre}}, constituting 56&nbsp;percent of the forest is designated wilderness.<ref name=vg/><ref name=wilderness>{{cite web |title=Wilderness |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5183021 |access-date=September 7, 2013 |archive-date=November 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106055030/http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5183021 |url-status=live }}</ref> The wilderness designation provides a much higher level of land protection and prohibits any alterations by man to the resource.<ref name=nwps>{{cite web |last=Landres |first=Peter |author2=Shannon Meyer |title=National Wilderness Preservation System Database: Key Attributes and Trends, 1964 Through 1999 |publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture |url=http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr018.pdf |page=1 |date=July 2000 |access-date=September 7, 2013 |archive-date=November 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104134030/http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr018.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>


The [[Wilderness Act|Wilderness Act of 1964]] enhanced the protection status of remote and/or 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 or [[mining|extraction]], 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 or [[equestrianism|horseback]]. [[Hunting]] and [[fishing]] are permitted in the wilderness, just as they are throughout the forest, provided those engaging in such activities have the proper licenses and permits.<ref name=wilderness2>{{cite web|title=The National Wilderness Preservation System|publisher=Wilderness.net|work=The Wilderness Act of 1964|url=http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=legisAct|accessdate=September 7, 2013}}</ref>
The [[Wilderness Act|Wilderness Act of 1964]] enhanced the protection status of remote and/or 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 or [[mining|extraction]], 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 or [[equestrianism|horseback]]. [[Hunting]] and [[fishing]] are permitted in the wilderness, just as they are throughout the forest, provided those engaging in such activities have the proper licenses and permits.<ref name=wilderness2>{{cite web |title=The National Wilderness Preservation System |publisher=Wilderness.net |work=The Wilderness Act of 1964 |url=http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=legisAct |access-date=September 7, 2013 |archive-date=February 28, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120228165154/http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=legisAct |url-status=dead}}</ref>


=== Fire ecology ===
=== Fire ecology ===
{{see also|Fire ecology|Wildfire#Ecology}}
{{see also|Fire ecology|Wildfire#Ecology}}
[[File:Forest fire in Shoshone National Forest 2001.jpg|thumb|Dinwoody spot fire in 2001]]
[[File:Forest fire in Shoshone National Forest 2001.jpg|thumb|Dinwoody spot fire in 2001]]
Fire Management officials in Shoshone National Forest recognize that [[forest fire]]s 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.<ref name=aplet>{{cite journal|last=Aplet|first=Gregory H.|title=Evolution of Wilderness Fire Policy|journal=International Journal of Wilderness|volume=12|issue=1|pages=9–13|date=April 2006|url=http://www.wilderness.net/library/documents/IJWApr06_Aplet.pdf|accessdate=December 30, 2013}}</ref> In 1935, fire management officials established the ''10&nbsp;am rule'' for all fires on federal lands, which recommended aggressive attack on fires and to have them controlled by 10&nbsp;am, the day after they are first detected.<ref name=10am>{{cite web|title=Evolution of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy |work=Review and Update of the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy January 2001 |publisher=National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service |date=January 2001 |url=http://www.nwcg.gov/branches/ppm/fpc/archives/fire_policy/docs/chp1.pdf |accessdate=December 30, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018102707/http://www.nwcg.gov/branches/ppm/fpc/archives/fire_policy/docs/chp1.pdf |archivedate=October 18, 2012 }}</ref><ref name=omi1>{{cite book|last=Omi|first=Phillip N.|title=Forest Fires: A Reference Handbook|chapter=Institutionalization of Fire Exclusion|publisher=ABC-CLIO|date=May 23, 2005|page=[https://archive.org/details/forestfiresrefer0000omip/page/67 67]|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Ts_oE23Wu8C&q=Institutionalization%20of%20Fire%20Exclusion&pg=PA67|isbn=978-1851094387|url=https://archive.org/details/forestfiresrefer0000omip/page/67}}</ref> 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.<ref name=omi2>{{cite book|last=Omi|first=Phillip N.|title=Forest Fires: A Reference Handbook|chapter=Institutionalization of Fire Exclusion|publisher=ABC-CLIO|date=May 23, 2005|page=[https://archive.org/details/forestfiresrefer0000omip/page/131 131]|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Ts_oE23Wu8C&q=Institutionalization%20of%20Fire%20Exclusion&pg=PA131|isbn=978-1851094387|url=https://archive.org/details/forestfiresrefer0000omip/page/131}}</ref> 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 the [[Blackwater fire of 1937]] killed 15 fighters during a firestorm {{convert|35|mi|abbr=on}} west of Cody, Wyoming. The fire was one of the deadliest in terms of forest firefighter deaths in U.S. history.<ref name=deaths>{{cite web|title=Deadliest Incidents Resulting in the Deaths of 8 or More Firefighters|publisher=National Fire Protection Association|url=http://www.nfpa.org/research/reports-and-statistics/the-fire-service/fatalities-and-injuries/deadliest-incidents-resulting-in-the-deaths-of-8-or-more-firefighters|accessdate=December 30, 2013|date=February 2012}}</ref>
Fire Management officials in Shoshone National Forest recognize that [[forest fire]]s 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.<ref name=aplet>{{cite journal |last=Aplet |first=Gregory H. |title=Evolution of Wilderness Fire Policy |journal=International Journal of Wilderness |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=9–13 |date=April 2006 |url=http://www.wilderness.net/library/documents/IJWApr06_Aplet.pdf |access-date=December 30, 2013 |archive-date=February 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228130826/http://www.wilderness.net/library/documents/IJWApr06_Aplet.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1935, fire management officials established the ''10&nbsp;am rule'' for all fires on federal lands, which recommended aggressive attack on fires and to have them controlled by 10&nbsp;am, the day after they are first detected.<ref name=10am>{{cite web |title=Evolution of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy |work=Review and Update of the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy January 2001 |publisher=National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service |date=January 2001 |url=http://www.nwcg.gov/branches/ppm/fpc/archives/fire_policy/docs/chp1.pdf |access-date=December 30, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018102707/http://www.nwcg.gov/branches/ppm/fpc/archives/fire_policy/docs/chp1.pdf |archive-date=October 18, 2012}}</ref><ref name=omi1>{{cite book |last=Omi |first=Phillip N. |title=Forest Fires: A Reference Handbook |chapter=Institutionalization of Fire Exclusion |publisher=ABC-CLIO |date=May 23, 2005 |page=[https://archive.org/details/forestfiresrefer0000omip/page/67 67] |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Ts_oE23Wu8C&q=Institutionalization%20of%20Fire%20Exclusion&pg=PA67 |isbn=978-1851094387 |url=https://archive.org/details/forestfiresrefer0000omip/page/67}}</ref> 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.<ref name=omi2>{{cite book |last=Omi |first=Phillip N. |title=Forest Fires: A Reference Handbook |chapter=Institutionalization of Fire Exclusion |publisher=ABC-CLIO |date=May 23, 2005 |page=[https://archive.org/details/forestfiresrefer0000omip/page/131 131] |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Ts_oE23Wu8C&q=Institutionalization%20of%20Fire%20Exclusion&pg=PA131 |isbn=978-1851094387 |url=https://archive.org/details/forestfiresrefer0000omip/page/131}}</ref> 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 the [[Blackwater fire of 1937]] killed 15 fighters during a firestorm {{cvt|35|mi}} west of Cody, Wyoming. The fire was one of the deadliest in terms of forest firefighter deaths in U.S. history.<ref name=deaths>{{cite web |title=Deadliest Incidents Resulting in the Deaths of 8 or More Firefighters |publisher=National Fire Protection Association |url=http://www.nfpa.org/research/reports-and-statistics/the-fire-service/fatalities-and-injuries/deadliest-incidents-resulting-in-the-deaths-of-8-or-more-firefighters |access-date=December 30, 2013 |date=February 2012 |archive-date=December 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131215183047/http://www.nfpa.org/research/reports-and-statistics/the-fire-service/fatalities-and-injuries/deadliest-incidents-resulting-in-the-deaths-of-8-or-more-firefighters |url-status=dead }}</ref>


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&nbsp;percent of the total acreage burned. The remaining acreage that burned was due to campfires that got out of control or from other causes.<ref name=fmp1>{{cite web|title=Shoshone National Forest Fire Management Plan – 2012|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://gacc.nifc.gov/rmcc/dispatch_centers/r2cdc/predictive/fuels_fire_danger/SHF%20FMP/shf%20fmp%202012%20final%204-16-12.pdf|pages=46–49|year=2012|accessdate=January 4, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104210817/http://gacc.nifc.gov/rmcc/dispatch_centers/r2cdc/predictive/fuels_fire_danger/SHF%20FMP/shf%20fmp%202012%20final%204-16-12.pdf|archive-date=January 4, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> In Shoshone National Forest, the highest fire incidence is generally in the months of August and September.<ref name=fmp1/> An average of {{convert|2334|acre|abbr=on}} burns annually, with the worst year in the past century being 1988, when {{convert|194430|acre|abbr=on}} burned from fires that had spread from the conflagration that engulfed Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding region.<ref name=fmp1/> After the [[Yellowstone fires of 1988|Yellowstone region fires of 1988]], an effort to identify areas of similar fire potential was implemented.<ref name=aplet/> Fire managers at Shoshone National Forest work with a number of outside agencies to incorporate fire restrictions, fuels management, and a [[controlled burn]] plans to reduce the chances of a catastrophic fire.<ref name=fire>{{cite web|title=Fire and fuels management|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/landmanagement/resourcemanagement/?cid=stelprdb5192920|accessdate=December 30, 2013}}</ref> The dead and dying trees which have been killed by various species of bark beetle may have a great impact on future forest fires.<ref name=impact/> Fire managers have stated the worst time for increased fire activity is 1–2&nbsp;years after the trees are killed and then again after the trees have fallen many years later.<ref>{{cite web|title=About the epidemic|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/barkbeetle/aboutepidemic|accessdate=December 30, 2013}}</ref>
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&nbsp;percent of the total acreage burned. The remaining acreage that burned was due to campfires that got out of control or from other causes.<ref name=fmp1>{{cite web |title=Shoshone National Forest Fire Management Plan – 2012 |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://gacc.nifc.gov/rmcc/dispatch_centers/r2cdc/predictive/fuels_fire_danger/SHF%20FMP/shf%20fmp%202012%20final%204-16-12.pdf |pages=46–49 |year=2012 |access-date=January 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104210817/http://gacc.nifc.gov/rmcc/dispatch_centers/r2cdc/predictive/fuels_fire_danger/SHF%20FMP/shf%20fmp%202012%20final%204-16-12.pdf |archive-date=January 4, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In Shoshone National Forest, the highest fire incidence is generally in the months of August and September.<ref name=fmp1/> An average of {{cvt|2334|acre}} burns annually, with the worst year in the past century being 1988, when {{cvt|194430|acre}} burned from fires that had spread from the conflagration that engulfed Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding region.<ref name=fmp1/> After the [[Yellowstone fires of 1988|Yellowstone region fires of 1988]], an effort to identify areas of similar fire potential was implemented.<ref name=aplet/> Fire managers at Shoshone National Forest work with a number of outside agencies to incorporate fire restrictions, fuels management, and a [[controlled burn]] plans to reduce the chances of a catastrophic fire.<ref name=fire>{{cite web |title=Fire and fuels management |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/landmanagement/resourcemanagement/?cid=stelprdb5192920 |access-date=December 30, 2013 |archive-date=January 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101022055/http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/landmanagement/resourcemanagement/?cid=stelprdb5192920 |url-status=live }}</ref> The dead and dying trees which have been killed by various species of bark beetle may have a great impact on future forest fires.<ref name=impact/> Fire managers have stated the worst time for increased fire activity is 1–2&nbsp;years after the trees are killed and then again after the trees have fallen many years later.<ref>{{cite web |title=About the epidemic |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/barkbeetle/aboutepidemic |access-date=December 30, 2013 |archive-date=November 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109134443/http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/barkbeetle/aboutepidemic |url-status=live }}</ref>


== Geography and geology ==
== Geography and geology ==
[[File:Gannett Peak.jpg|thumb|[[Gannett Peak]] is the highest mountain in Wyoming and the forest.]]
[[File:Gannett Peak.jpg|thumb|[[Gannett Peak]] is the highest mountain in Wyoming and the forest.]]
Shoshone National Forest borders [[Yellowstone National Park]] and [[Bridger-Teton National Forest]] to the west. The [[Continental Divide of the Americas|Continental Divide]] demarks the boundary between Shoshone and Bridger-Teton National Forests. Along the [[Montana]] border, Shoshone National Forest borders [[Custer National Forest]] to the north.<ref name=fmp1/> Private property, property belonging to the state of Wyoming and lands administered by the [[Bureau 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Washakie Ranger District|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/about-forest/?cid=stelprdb5191040|accessdate=January 17, 2014}}</ref>
Shoshone National Forest borders [[Yellowstone National Park]] and [[Bridger-Teton National Forest]] to the west. The [[Continental Divide of the Americas|Continental Divide]] demarks the boundary between Shoshone and Bridger-Teton National Forests. Along the [[Montana]] border, Shoshone National Forest borders [[Custer National Forest]] to the north.<ref name=fmp1/> Private property, property belonging to the state of Wyoming and lands administered by the [[Bureau 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Washakie Ranger District |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/about-forest/?cid=stelprdb5191040 |access-date=January 17, 2014 |archive-date=November 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109210439/http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/about-forest/?cid=stelprdb5191040 |url-status=live }}</ref>


The altitude in the forest ranges from {{convert|4600|ft}} near Cody, Wyoming, to {{convert|13804|ft|abbr=on}} at the top of [[Gannett Peak]], an elevation gain of over {{convert|9200|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref name=fmp1/> Of the three major [[mountain range]]s found in the forest, they are [[geology|geologically]] 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 the [[Absaroka Mountains]] which were named after the [[Crow tribe|Crow]] Indian tribe.<ref name=absaroka>{{cite web|title=Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5190252|accessdate=January 18, 2014}}</ref> The majority of the Absaroka Mountains are contained within the forest, with the highest peak being [[Francs Peak]] at {{convert|13158|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref name=francs>{{cite peakbagger|pid=5311|name=Francs Peak, Wyoming|accessdate=January 4, 2014}}</ref><ref name=antweiler>{{cite journal|last=Antweiler|first=John C.|author2=Carl L. Bieniewski |title=Northern part of the Washakie Wilderness and Nearby Roadless Areas, Wyoming|journal=U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper|volume=2|issue=1300|pages=1272–1275|publisher=U.S. Geological Survey|date=984|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HcfOaXOMRbcC&q=francs+peak+tallest+in+absaroka&pg=PA1173}}</ref> The peaks of the Absaroka are [[basaltic]] in origin, having been the result of volcanic activity estimated to have occurred 50&nbsp;million years ago during the [[Eocene]] [[epoch (geology)|epoch]].<ref name=antweiler/> The rocks are composed of mostly [[andesite]] and [[breccia]]s deposited for millions of years during volcanic events and are atop more ancient [[sedimentary rock]]s that are considered to have economically viable mineral wealth.<ref name=antweiler/> Gold was mined from the slopes of Francs Peak between the years 1890 and 1915, and the small [[ghost town]] of Kirwin remains as a legacy of that period.<ref name=kirwin/> Major tributaries of the [[Bighorn River]], such as the Shoshone and [[Greybull River]]s, originate in the Absaroka Mountains. Important [[mountain pass|passes]] through the Absarokas include [[Sylvan Pass (Wyoming)|Sylvan Pass]], which leads to the eastern entrance of Yellowstone National Park; and [[Togwotee Pass]], which provides access to Jackson Hole and [[Grand Teton National Park]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Larson|first=T.A.|title=Wyoming: A Guide to Its History, Highways, and People|publisher=University of Nebraska Press|isbn=978-0803268548|page=429|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sObNp2jHduEC&pg=PA429|date=March 1, 1981}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Adkison|first=Ron|title=Hiking Wyoming's Wind River Range|publisher=Falcon Guides|isbn=978-1560444022|page=1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iSzkDm5UAssC&pg=PA1|date=June 1, 1996}}</ref>
The altitude in the forest ranges from {{convert|4600|ft}} near Cody, Wyoming, to {{cvt|13804|ft}} at the top of [[Gannett Peak]], an elevation gain of over {{cvt|9200|ft}}.<ref name=fmp1/> Of the three major [[mountain range]]s found in the forest, they are [[geology|geologically]] 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 the [[Absaroka Mountains]] which were named after the [[Crow tribe|Crow]] Indian tribe.<ref name=absaroka>{{cite web |title=Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5190252 |access-date=January 18, 2014 |archive-date=November 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109034226/http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5190252 |url-status=live }}</ref> The majority of the Absaroka Mountains are contained within the forest, with the highest peak being [[Francs Peak]] at {{cvt|13158|ft}}.<ref name=antweiler>{{cite journal |last=Antweiler |first=John C. |author2=Carl L. Bieniewski |title=Northern part of the Washakie Wilderness and Nearby Roadless Areas, Wyoming |journal=U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper |volume=2 |issue=1300 |pages=1272–1275 |publisher=U.S. Geological Survey |date=984 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HcfOaXOMRbcC&q=francs+peak+tallest+in+absaroka&pg=PA1173 |access-date=October 28, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303094810/https://books.google.com/books?id=HcfOaXOMRbcC&q=francs+peak+tallest+in+absaroka&pg=PA1173#v=onepage&q=francs%20peak%20tallest%20in%20absaroka&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> The peaks of the Absaroka are [[basaltic]] in origin, having been the result of volcanic activity estimated to have occurred 50&nbsp;million years ago during the [[Eocene]] [[epoch (geology)|epoch]].<ref name=antweiler/> The rocks are composed of mostly [[andesite]] and [[breccia]]s deposited for millions of years during volcanic events and are atop more ancient [[sedimentary rock]]s that are considered to have economically viable mineral wealth.<ref name=antweiler/> Gold was mined from the slopes of Francs Peak between the years 1890 and 1915, and the small [[ghost town]] of Kirwin remains as a legacy of that period.<ref name=kirwin/> Major tributaries of the [[Bighorn River]], such as the Shoshone and [[Greybull River]]s, originate in the Absaroka Mountains. Important [[mountain pass|passes]] through the Absarokas include [[Sylvan Pass (Wyoming)|Sylvan Pass]], which leads to the eastern entrance of Yellowstone National Park; and [[Togwotee Pass]], which provides access to Jackson Hole and [[Grand Teton National Park]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Larson |first=T.A. |title=Wyoming: A Guide to Its History, Highways, and People |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |isbn=978-0803268548 |page=429 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sObNp2jHduEC&pg=PA429 |date=March 1, 1981 |access-date=October 28, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303094923/https://books.google.com/books?id=sObNp2jHduEC&pg=PA429#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Adkison |first=Ron |title=Hiking Wyoming's Wind River Range |publisher=Falcon Guides |isbn=978-1560444022 |page=1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iSzkDm5UAssC&pg=PA1 |date=June 1, 1996}}</ref>
[[File:Beartooth Lake in Shoshoe National Forest.jpg|thumb|left|Beartooth Lake]]
[[File:Beartooth Lake in Shoshoe National Forest.jpg|thumb|left|Beartooth Lake]]


In the far north of Shoshone National Forest a small portion of the Beartooth Mountains are located north of the [[Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River]]. The Beartooths are composed of [[Precambrian]] [[granite|granitic]] rocks that are amongst the oldest found on Earth.<ref>{{cite book|title=Earth's Oldest Rocks|publisher=Elsevier Science|editor1=Martin J. Van Kranendonk|editor2=R. Hugh Smithies|editor3=Vickie Bennett|isbn=978-0080552477|pages=780–781|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lIRpMW6gLm4C&pg=PA780|date=October 26, 2007}}</ref> Although often considered a part of the Absaroka Mountains, the Beartooths are distinct in appearance and geologic history.<ref name=absaroka/> Uplifted approximately 70&nbsp;million years ago during the [[Laramide orogeny]], the Beartooths consist of vast windswept plateaus and rugged peaks with sheer cliff faces. The [[Beartooth Highway]] ([[U.S. Highway 212 (Wyoming)|U.S. Highway 212]]) crosses {{convert|10974|ft|m|adj=on|sigfig=3}} Beartooth Pass, and from there descends to the northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
In the far north of Shoshone National Forest a small portion of the Beartooth Mountains are located north of the [[Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River]]. The Beartooths are composed of [[Precambrian]] [[granite|granitic]] rocks that are amongst the oldest found on Earth.<ref>{{cite book |title=Earth's Oldest Rocks |publisher=Elsevier Science |editor1=Martin J. Van Kranendonk |editor2=R. Hugh Smithies |editor3=Vickie Bennett |isbn=978-0080552477 |pages=780–781 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lIRpMW6gLm4C&pg=PA780 |date=October 26, 2007 |access-date=October 28, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303094918/https://books.google.com/books?id=lIRpMW6gLm4C&pg=PA780#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> Although often considered a part of the Absaroka Mountains, the Beartooths are distinct in appearance and geologic history.<ref name=absaroka/> Uplifted approximately 70&nbsp;million years ago during the [[Laramide orogeny]], the Beartooths consist of vast windswept plateaus and rugged peaks with sheer cliff faces. The [[Beartooth Highway]] ([[U.S. Highway 212 (Wyoming)|U.S. Highway 212]]) crosses {{convert|10974|ft|m|adj=on|sigfig=3}} Beartooth Pass, and from there descends to the northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park.


[[File:Cirque of the Towers.jpg|thumb|right|Cirque of the Towers]]
[[File:Cirque of the Towers.jpg|thumb|right|Cirque of the Towers]]
The Wind River Range is in the southern portion of the forest and is composed primarily of Precambrian granitic rock.<ref name=winds>{{cite web|title=Wind River Range|publisher=Wyoming State Geological Survey|url=http://www.wsgs.uwyo.edu/research/stratigraphy/WindRiverRange/Default.aspx|year=2013|accessdate=January 21, 2014}}</ref> Gannett Peak, the tallest mountain in Wyoming, is in the northern part of the range. Altogether eight peaks exceed {{convert|13500|ft|abbr=on}} and 119 rise at least {{convert|12000|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level.<ref>{{cite book|last=Kelsey|first=Joe|title=Climbing and Hiking in the Wind River Mountains|publisher=Falcon Guides|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FYEVAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA432|isbn=978-0762780785|date=July 16, 2013|page=432}}</ref> [[Fremont Peak (Wyoming)|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 the [[Oregon Trail]] by early pioneers.<ref name=cooper>{{cite book|last=Cooper|first=Ed|title=Soul of the Rockies: Portraits of America's Largest Mountain Range|publisher=Falcon Guides|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yRggz0glL3gC&q=fremont%20peak%20tallest%20in%20rockies&pg=PT98|isbn=978-0762749416|date=November 25, 2008|pages=76–82}}</ref> The Wind River Range is popular with mountain climbers because of its solid rock and variety of routes.<ref name=windriver>{{cite web|title=Wind River Ranger District|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/about-forest/districts/?cid=stelprdb5191039|accessdate=January 21, 2014}}</ref> The [[Cirque of the Towers]] in the [[Popo 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 the [[cirque (landform)|cirque]].<ref name=cooper/>
The Wind River Range is in the southern portion of the forest and is composed primarily of Precambrian granitic rock.<ref name=winds>{{cite web |title=Wind River Range |publisher=Wyoming State Geological Survey |url=http://www.wsgs.uwyo.edu/research/stratigraphy/WindRiverRange/Default.aspx |year=2013 |access-date=January 21, 2014 |archive-date=February 3, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203184936/http://www.wsgs.uwyo.edu/research/stratigraphy/WindRiverRange/Default.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> Gannett Peak, the tallest mountain in Wyoming, is in the northern part of the range. Altogether eight peaks exceed {{cvt|13500|ft}} and 119 rise at least {{cvt|12000|ft}} above sea level.<ref>{{cite book |last=Kelsey |first=Joe |title=Climbing and Hiking in the Wind River Mountains |publisher=Falcon Guides |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FYEVAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA432 |isbn=978-0762780785 |date=July 16, 2013 |page=432}}</ref> [[Fremont Peak (Wyoming)|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 the [[Oregon Trail]] by early pioneers.<ref name=cooper>{{cite book |last=Cooper |first=Ed |title=Soul of the Rockies: Portraits of America's Largest Mountain Range |publisher=Falcon Guides |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yRggz0glL3gC&q=fremont%20peak%20tallest%20in%20rockies&pg=PT98 |isbn=978-0762749416 |date=November 25, 2008 |pages=76–82}}</ref> The Wind River Range is popular with mountain climbers because of its solid rock and variety of routes.<ref name=windriver>{{cite web |title=Wind River Ranger District |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/about-forest/districts/?cid=stelprdb5191039 |access-date=January 21, 2014 |archive-date=February 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204041143/http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/about-forest/districts/?cid=stelprdb5191039 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Cirque of the Towers]] in the [[Popo 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 the [[cirque (landform)|cirque]].<ref name=cooper/>


There are over 500&nbsp;lakes in the forest, and {{convert|1000|mi|abbr=on}} of streams and rivers.<ref name=dow>{{cite book|last=Dow|first=Fred|author2=Suzanne Dow |title=U.S. National Forest Campground Guide Rocky Mountain Region|publisher=Authorhouse|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3OnLh3hF4ZIC&pg=PA507|isbn=978-0759630239|page=507|year=2001}}</ref> The Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River is federally designated as a [[National Wild and Scenic Rivers System|Wild and Scenic River]] for {{convert|22|mi|abbr=on}} through the forest, with cliffs towering up to {{convert|2000|ft|abbr=on}} as the river winds through a gorge. The forest is on the eastern slopes of the Continental Divide, and the rivers flow into the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic Ocean basin]].
There are over 500&nbsp;lakes in the forest, and {{cvt|1000|mi}} of streams and rivers.<ref name=dow>{{cite book |last=Dow |first=Fred |author2=Suzanne Dow |title=U.S. National Forest Campground Guide Rocky Mountain Region |publisher=Authorhouse |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3OnLh3hF4ZIC&pg=PA507 |isbn=978-0759630239 |page=507 |year=2001 |access-date=October 28, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303095540/https://books.google.com/books?id=3OnLh3hF4ZIC&pg=PA507#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> The Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River is federally designated as a [[National Wild and Scenic Rivers System|Wild and Scenic River]] for {{cvt|22|mi}} through the forest, with cliffs towering up to {{cvt|2000|ft}} as the river winds through a gorge. The forest is on the eastern slopes of the Continental Divide, and the rivers flow into the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic Ocean basin]].


=== Glaciology ===
=== Glaciology ===
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.<ref name=vg/><ref>{{cite web|title=Fitzpatrick Wilderness|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5190243|accessdate=January 11, 2014}}</ref> 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.<ref name=state>{{cite web|last=Hutson|first=Harold J|title=Wyoming State Water Plan|url=http://waterplan.state.wy.us/plan/bighorn/techmemos/glaciers.html|accessdate=January 11, 2014}}</ref> 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&nbsp;percent between the years 1985 and 2009.<ref name=rice>{{cite web|last=Rice|first=Janine|author2=Andrew Tredennick |author3=Linda A. Joyce |title=Climate Change on the Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming: A Synthesis of Past Climate, Climate Projections, and Ecosystem Implications|date=January 2012|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr264.pdf|pages=24–25|accessdate=January 11, 2014}}</ref>
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.<ref name=vg/><ref>{{cite web |title=Fitzpatrick Wilderness |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5190243 |access-date=January 11, 2014 |archive-date=November 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109112424/http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5190243 |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref name=state>{{cite web |last=Hutson |first=Harold J |title=Wyoming State Water Plan |url=http://waterplan.state.wy.us/plan/bighorn/techmemos/glaciers.html |access-date=January 11, 2014 |archive-date=May 16, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516103812/http://waterplan.state.wy.us/plan/bighorn/techmemos/glaciers.html |url-status=live }}</ref> 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&nbsp;percent between the years 1985 and 2009.<ref name=rice>{{cite web |last=Rice |first=Janine |author2=Andrew Tredennick |author3=Linda A. Joyce |title=Climate Change on the Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming: A Synthesis of Past Climate, Climate Projections, and Ecosystem Implications |date=January 2012 |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr264.pdf |pages=24–25 |access-date=January 11, 2014 |archive-date=November 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105040837/http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr264.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>


Reversing the growth of mid-latitude glaciers that occurred during the [[Little Ice Age]] (1350–1850), there has been a [[Retreat of glaciers since 1850|worldwide reduction of mountain glacial ice]] since, with some regions losing as much as 50&nbsp;percent of their peak ice cover. This can be correlated by examining [[photography|photographic]] evidence of glaciers taken over time even with an absence of other means of documentation.<ref name=hall>{{cite journal|last=Hall |first=Myrna |author2=Daniel Fagre |title=Modeled Climate-Induced glacier change in Glacier National Park, 1850–2100 |volume=53 |issue=2 |journal=BioScience |date=February 2003 |page=131 |doi=10.1641/0006-3568(2003)053[0131:MCIGCI]2.0.CO;2 |url=http://www.nrmsc.usgs.gov/files/norock/products/GCC/Bioscience_Hall_03.pdf |accessdate=January 12, 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130221230156/http://www.nrmsc.usgs.gov/files/norock/products/GCC/Bioscience_Hall_03.pdf |archivedate=February 21, 2013 }}</ref> The behavior of the glaciers of Shoshone National Forest is consistent with this pattern. In one study of [[Dinwoody Glacier|Dinwoody]] and [[Gannett Glacier]]s, during the period from 1958 to 1983, the thickness of these glaciers was reduced {{convert|77|and|61|ft|abbr=on}}, respectively.<ref name=retreat>{{cite web|last=Pochop|first=Larry|author2=Richard Marston|author3=Greg Kerr|author4=David Veryzer|author5=Marjorie Varuska|author6=Robert Jacobel|title=Glacial Icemelt in the Wind River Range, Wyoming|work=Water Resources Data System Library|url=http://library.wrds.uwyo.edu/wrp/90-16/90-16.html|date=July 1990|accessdate=January 12, 2014}}</ref>
Reversing the growth of mid-latitude glaciers that occurred during the [[Little Ice Age]] (1350–1850), there has been a [[Retreat of glaciers since 1850|worldwide reduction of mountain glacial ice]] since, with some regions losing as much as 50&nbsp;percent of their peak ice cover. This can be correlated by examining [[photography|photographic]] evidence of glaciers taken over time even with an absence of other means of documentation.<ref name=hall>{{cite journal |last=Hall |first=Myrna |author2=Daniel Fagre |title=Modeled Climate-Induced glacier change in Glacier National Park, 1850–2100 |volume=53 |issue=2 |journal=BioScience |date=February 2003 |page=131 |doi=10.1641/0006-3568(2003)053[0131:MCIGCI]2.0.CO;2 |doi-access=free}}</ref> The behavior of the glaciers of Shoshone National Forest is consistent with this pattern. In one study of [[Dinwoody Glacier|Dinwoody]] and [[Gannett Glacier]]s, during the period from 1958 to 1983, the thickness of these glaciers was reduced {{cvt|77|and|61|ft}}, respectively.<ref name=retreat>{{cite web |last=Pochop |first=Larry |author2=Richard Marston |author3=Greg Kerr |author4=David Veryzer |author5=Marjorie Varuska |author6=Robert Jacobel |title=Glacial Icemelt in the Wind River Range, Wyoming |work=Water Resources Data System Library |url=http://library.wrds.uwyo.edu/wrp/90-16/90-16.html |date=July 1990 |access-date=January 12, 2014 |archive-date=August 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130824191415/http://library.wrds.uwyo.edu/wrp/90-16/90-16.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Gannet Peak with Gannett Glacier.jpg|thumb|left|Gannett Glacier on the slopes of Gannett Peak]]
[[File:Gannet Peak with Gannett Glacier.jpg|thumb|left|Gannett Glacier on the slopes of Gannett Peak]]


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&nbsp;percent of its volume since 1920 with 25&nbsp;percent of that occurring between the years 1980–1999.<ref name=urbigkit>{{cite news |first=Cat |last=Urbigkit |title=Glaciers shrinking |date=September 1, 2005 |publisher=Sublette Examiner |url=http://www.sublette.com/examiner/v5n23/v5n23s3.htm|accessdate=January 14, 2014}}</ref> [[Upper Fremont Glacier]] has been studied more than any other glacier in the Wind River Range. Scientist have obtained [[ice core]]s from the Upper Fremont Glacier and found that there have been measurable changes in the atmosphere over the past several hundred years.<ref>{{cite web|title=Glacial Ice Cores Reveal a Record of Natural and Anthropogenic Atmosphere Mercury Deposition for the Last 270 Years|url=http://toxics.usgs.gov/pubs/FS-051-02/|publisher=U.S. Geological Survey|date=June 2002|accessdate=January 14, 2014}}</ref> The Upper Fremont Glacier and the [[Quelccaya Ice Cap]] in the [[Andes]] of South America both show nearly identical atmospheric records, which indicate a global linkage of atmospheric conditions over time.<ref>{{cite web|title=Fremont Glacier, Wyoming USA|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/icecore/trop/fremont/fremont.html|accessdate=January 15, 2014}}</ref>
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&nbsp;percent of its volume since 1920 with 25&nbsp;percent of that occurring between the years 1980 and 1999.<ref name=urbigkit>{{cite news |first=Cat |last=Urbigkit |title=Glaciers shrinking |date=September 1, 2005 |publisher=Sublette Examiner |url=http://www.sublette.com/examiner/v5n23/v5n23s3.htm |access-date=January 14, 2014 |archive-date=May 16, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516174030/http://www.sublette.com/examiner/v5n23/v5n23s3.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Upper Fremont Glacier]] has been studied more than any other glacier in the Wind River Range. Scientists have obtained [[ice core]]s from the Upper Fremont Glacier and found that there have been measurable changes in the atmosphere over the past several hundred years.<ref>{{cite web |title=Glacial Ice Cores Reveal a Record of Natural and Anthropogenic Atmosphere Mercury Deposition for the Last 270 Years |url=http://toxics.usgs.gov/pubs/FS-051-02/ |publisher=U.S. Geological Survey |date=June 2002 |access-date=January 14, 2014 |archive-date=July 4, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070704010753/http://toxics.usgs.gov/pubs/FS-051-02/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Upper Fremont Glacier and the [[Quelccaya Ice Cap]] in the [[Andes]] of South America both show nearly identical atmospheric records, which indicate a global linkage of atmospheric conditions over time.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fremont Glacier, Wyoming USA |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/icecore/trop/fremont/fremont.html |access-date=January 15, 2014 |archive-date=January 16, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116165806/http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/icecore/trop/fremont/fremont.html |url-status=live }}</ref>


The small glaciers in the forest are less able to resist melting than the great ice sheets of [[Greenland]] and [[Antarctica]]. Once a glacier begins retreating, it may fall into disequilibrium and be unable to find [[glacier mass balance|mass balance]] ([[accumulation zone|accumulation]] versus [[ablation|melting]] rate) at any size. Without a favorable climate change, it will continue to retreat until it disappears.<ref>{{cite web |last=Pelto|first=Mauri|title=The Disequilbrium of North Cascade, Washington Glaciers 1984–2004 |url=http://www.nichols.edu/departments/glacier/diseqilibrium.html |accessdate=January 15, 2014}}</ref> 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.<ref name=state/>
The small glaciers in the forest are less able to resist melting than the great ice sheets of [[Greenland]] and [[Antarctica]]. Once a glacier begins retreating, it may fall into disequilibrium and be unable to find [[glacier mass balance|mass balance]] ([[accumulation zone|accumulation]] versus [[ablation|melting]] rate) at any size. Without a favorable climate change, it will continue to retreat until it disappears.<ref>{{cite web |last=Pelto |first=Mauri |title=The Disequilbrium of North Cascade, Washington Glaciers 1984–2004 |url=http://www.nichols.edu/departments/glacier/diseqilibrium.html |access-date=January 15, 2014 |archive-date=July 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705035431/http://www.nichols.edu/departments/Glacier/diseqilibrium.html |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref name=state/>


== Climate ==
== Climate ==
Wyoming is an arid state, averaging {{convert|12.68|in|cm}} of precipitation annually.<ref>{{cite web|title=Precipitation|work=The National Atlas of the United States of America|publisher=U.S. Department of the Interior|url=http://www.nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/pdf/precip/pageprecip_wy3.pdf|accessdate=January 4, 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224133054/http://www.nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/pdf/precip/pageprecip_wy3.pdf|archivedate=December 24, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref> However, Shoshone National Forest is located in and near some of the largest mountain ranges in the state, and consequently receives anywhere between {{convert|15|and|70|in|abbr=on}} annually.<ref name=fmp1/> Higher elevations in the forest not only get more precipitation than lower elevations, but also have lower overall temperatures, with summertime highs around {{convert|60|°F|°C}} and lows near {{convert|35|°F|°C|abbr=on}} while lower elevations may be {{convert|20|°F|°C|abbr=on}} or warmer on average.<ref name=fmp1/> Humidity levels throughout the forest are low, especially at higher altitudes. In the middle of the forest at the Wapiti Ranger Station, which is {{convert|30|mi|abbr=on}} west of the forest headquarters in Cody, Wyoming, January high and low temperatures are {{convert|35.8|and|13.2|°F|°C|abbr=on}}, while the July highs and lows are {{convert|81.4|and|49.1|°F|°C|abbr=on}}. The annual precipitation at Wapiti is {{convert|10.37|in|abbr=on}}.<ref name=nws>{{cite web|title=Monthly Station Normals of Temperature, Precipitation, and Heating and Cooling Degree Days 1971 – 2000|work=Wyoming|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)|url=http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov/climatenormals/clim81/WYnorm.pdf|date=February 2002|accessdate=January 4, 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140713145434/http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov/climatenormals/clim81/WYnorm.pdf|archivedate=July 13, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
Wyoming is an arid state, averaging {{convert|12.68|in|cm}} of precipitation annually.<ref>{{cite web |title=Precipitation |work=The National Atlas of the United States of America |publisher=U.S. Department of the Interior |url=http://www.nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/pdf/precip/pageprecip_wy3.pdf |access-date=January 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224133054/http://www.nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/pdf/precip/pageprecip_wy3.pdf |archive-date=December 24, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> However, Shoshone National Forest is located in and near some of the largest mountain ranges in the state, and consequently receives anywhere between {{cvt|15|and|70|in}} annually.<ref name=fmp1/> Higher elevations in the forest not only get more precipitation than lower elevations, but also have lower overall temperatures, with summertime highs around {{convert|60|°F|°C}} and lows near {{cvt|35|°F|°C}} while lower elevations may be {{cvt|20|°F|°C}} or warmer on average.<ref name=fmp1/> Humidity levels throughout the forest are low, especially at higher altitudes. In the middle of the forest at the Wapiti Ranger Station, which is {{cvt|30|mi}} west of the forest headquarters in Cody, Wyoming, January high and low temperatures are {{cvt|35.8|and|13.2|°F|°C}}, while the July highs and lows are {{cvt|81.4|and|49.1|°F|°C}}. The annual precipitation at Wapiti is {{cvt|10.37|in}}.<ref name=nws>{{cite web |title=Monthly Station Normals of Temperature, Precipitation, and Heating and Cooling Degree Days 1971 – 2000 |work=Wyoming |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) |url=http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov/climatenormals/clim81/WYnorm.pdf |date=February 2002 |access-date=January 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140713145434/http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov/climatenormals/clim81/WYnorm.pdf |archive-date=July 13, 2014 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


Most of the precipitation falls in the winter and early spring, while summer is punctuated with widely scattered thunderstorms.<ref name=fmp1/> 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Temperature|publisher=Wyoming State Climate Office|url=http://www.wrds.uwyo.edu/sco/climateatlas/temperature.html|accessdate=January 4, 2014}}</ref> Consequently, the nights range from very cool in the summer to [[polar climate|extremely cold]] in the winter; therefore, visitors should always remember to bring along at least a jacket, even during the summer.<ref>{{cite web|title=Weather Climate|publisher=Wyoming Office of Tourism|url=http://www.wyomingtourism.org/overview/Weather-Climate/43666|accessdate=January 4, 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321041507/http://www.wyomingtourism.org/overview/Weather-Climate/43666|archivedate=March 21, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Records indicate that the highest temperature ever recorded in the forest was {{convert|100|°F|°C|abbr=on}} in 1978, while the coldest was {{convert|-49|°F|°C|abbr=on}} in 1972.<ref>{{cite web|title=Monthly Averages for Wind River Ranger District – Shoshone NF|publisher=The Weather Channel|url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/021405:13|accessdate=January 4, 2014}}</ref>
Most of the precipitation falls in the winter and early spring, while summer is punctuated with widely scattered thunderstorms.<ref name=fmp1/> 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Temperature |publisher=Wyoming State Climate Office |url=http://www.wrds.uwyo.edu/sco/climateatlas/temperature.html |access-date=January 4, 2014 |archive-date=January 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140105063123/http://www.wrds.uwyo.edu/sco/climateatlas/temperature.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Consequently, the nights range from very cool in the summer to [[polar climate|extremely cold]] in the winter; therefore, visitors should always remember to bring along at least a jacket, even during the summer.<ref>{{cite web |title=Weather Climate |publisher=Wyoming Office of Tourism |url=http://www.wyomingtourism.org/overview/Weather-Climate/43666 |access-date=January 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321041507/http://www.wyomingtourism.org/overview/Weather-Climate/43666 |archive-date=March 21, 2012 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Records indicate that the highest temperature ever recorded in the forest was {{cvt|100|°F|°C}} in 1978, while the coldest was {{cvt|-49|°F|°C}} in 1972.<ref>{{cite web |title=Monthly Averages for Wind River Ranger District – Shoshone NF |publisher=The Weather Channel |url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/021405:13 |access-date=January 4, 2014 |archive-date=March 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303095534/https://weather.com/weather/monthly/l/37.7795,-122.4195 |url-status=live }}</ref>


== Recreation ==
== Recreation ==
Shoshone National Forest receives an average of over half a million visitors a year.<ref name=visits/> Two visitor centers provide orientation, books, maps, and interpretive displays. One visitor center is at the Wapiti Wayside on the [[Buffalo 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.<ref name=vg/> There are 30 vehicle access [[campground]]s 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.<ref name=vg/><ref name=camp>{{cite web|title=Camping and Cabins|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/passes-permits/?cid=stelprdb5189083|accessdate=January 5, 2014}}</ref> Referred to as "front country" campgrounds, they also permit [[recreational 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.<ref name=vg/><ref name=camp/> 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.<ref name=vg/>
Shoshone National Forest receives an average of over half a million visitors a year.<ref name=visits>{{cite web |title=National Visitor Use Monitoring |url=http://apps.fs.usda.gov/nrm/nvum/results/A02014.aspx/Round2 |publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture |access-date=August 31, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106040034/http://apps.fs.usda.gov/nrm/nvum/results/A02014.aspx/Round2 |archive-date=January 6, 2014 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Two visitor centers provide orientation, books, maps, and interpretive displays. One visitor center is at the Wapiti Wayside on the [[Buffalo 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.<ref name=vg/> There are 30 vehicle access [[campground]]s 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.<ref name=vg/><ref name=camp>{{cite web |title=Camping and Cabins |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/passes-permits/?cid=stelprdb5189083 |access-date=January 5, 2014 |archive-date=January 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106111952/http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shoshone/passes-permits/?cid=stelprdb5189083 |url-status=live }}</ref> Referred to as "front country" campgrounds, they also permit [[recreational 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.<ref name=vg/><ref name=camp/> 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.<ref name=vg/>
[[File:Horseback riding Shoshone National Forest.jpg|thumb|right|Horseback riding in Greybull Ranger District]]
[[File:Horseback riding Shoshone National Forest.jpg|thumb|right|Horseback riding in Greybull Ranger District]]
For some visitors the greater solitude of the backcountry requires using [[Trail|hiking trails]] to [[backpacking (wilderness)|backpacking]] or horseback riding into more remote destinations such as [[Blackwater Natural Bridge]] which can be accessed from Blackwater Natural Bridge trailhead. There are dozens of trails which total over {{convert|1600|mi|abbr=on}} located throughout the forest.<ref name=vg/> Many of the trailheads can be accessed at campgrounds, with shorter day hikes available as well.<ref name=dayhike>{{cite web|title=Day Hiking|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/shoshone/recreation/hiking/?recid=35807&actid=50|accessdate=January 5, 2014}}</ref> The [[Continental Divide Trail]] has a {{convert|20|mi|adj=on}} section which passes through the forest and crosses the Continental Divide at Sheridan Pass.<ref name=cdt>{{cite web|title=Wyoming Access Points|publisher=Continental Divide Trail Coalition|url=http://www.continentaldividetrail.org/about-the-trail/wyoming-cdt/wyoming-access-points/|accessdate=January 5, 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106034748/http://www.continentaldividetrail.org/about-the-trail/wyoming-cdt/wyoming-access-points/|archivedate=January 6, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref> There is also the [[Nez Perce National Historic Trail]] and the Beartooth Loop National Recreation Trail, both of which are in the northern regions of the forest.<ref name=nezperce>{{cite web|title=Nez Perce National Historic Trail (NPNHT) FACTS|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5251775.pdf|accessdate=January 5, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Beartooth loop|publisher=The National Recreation Trails Program|url=http://www.americantrails.org/NRTDatabase/trailDetail.php?recordID=2313|accessdate=January 5, 2014}}</ref> Some remote areas can also be accessed by horseback. Trailheads usually provide enough room for horse and pack animal trailers plus personal vehicles.<ref name=vg/> Along forest access roads, [[all-terrain vehicle]]s (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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Motor Vehicle Use Map|publisher=U.S. Forest Service|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5351442.pdf|date=2012|accessdate=January 8, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Washakie Wilderness Fact Sheet|publisher=Wilderness.net|url=http://www.wilderness.net/printFactSheet.cfm?WID=632|accessdate=January 8, 2014}}</ref>
For some visitors the greater solitude of the backcountry requires using [[Trail|hiking trails]] to [[backpacking (wilderness)|backpacking]] or horseback riding into more remote destinations such as [[Blackwater Natural Bridge]] which can be accessed from Blackwater Natural Bridge trailhead. There are dozens of trails which total over {{cvt|1600|mi}} located throughout the forest.<ref name=vg/> Many of the trailheads can be accessed at campgrounds, with shorter day hikes available as well.<ref name=dayhike>{{cite web |title=Day Hiking |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/shoshone/recreation/hiking/?recid=35807&actid=50 |access-date=January 5, 2014 |archive-date=January 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106034717/http://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/shoshone/recreation/hiking/?recid=35807&actid=50 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Continental Divide Trail]] has a {{convert|20|mi|adj=on}} section which passes through the forest and crosses the Continental Divide at Sheridan Pass.<ref name=cdt>{{cite web |title=Wyoming Access Points |publisher=Continental Divide Trail Coalition |url=http://www.continentaldividetrail.org/about-the-trail/wyoming-cdt/wyoming-access-points/ |access-date=January 5, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106034748/http://www.continentaldividetrail.org/about-the-trail/wyoming-cdt/wyoming-access-points/ |archive-date=January 6, 2014 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> There is also the [[Nez Perce National Historic Trail]] and the Beartooth Loop National Recreation Trail, both of which are in the northern regions of the forest.<ref name=nezperce>{{cite web |title=Nez Perce National Historic Trail (NPNHT) FACTS |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5251775.pdf |access-date=January 5, 2014 |archive-date=January 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106104910/http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5251775.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Beartooth loop |publisher=The National Recreation Trails Program |url=http://www.americantrails.org/NRTDatabase/trailDetail.php?recordID=2313 |access-date=January 5, 2014 |archive-date=January 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106031950/http://www.americantrails.org/NRTDatabase/trailDetail.php?recordID=2313 |url-status=live }}</ref> Some remote areas can also be accessed by horseback. Trailheads usually provide enough room for horse and pack animal trailers plus personal vehicles.<ref name=vg/> Along forest access roads, [[all-terrain vehicle]]s (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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Motor Vehicle Use Map |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5351442.pdf |date=2012 |access-date=January 8, 2014 |archive-date=January 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140118213808/http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5351442.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Washakie Wilderness Fact Sheet |publisher=Wilderness.net |url=http://www.wilderness.net/printFactSheet.cfm?WID=632 |access-date=January 8, 2014 |archive-date=January 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109010012/http://www.wilderness.net/printFactSheet.cfm?WID=632 |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Pingora Peak and Lonesome Lake.jpg|thumb|left|[[Pingora Peak]] rises above Lonesome Lake in the Popo Agie Wilderness. Pingora is one of many peaks located in the [[Cirque of the Towers]].]]
[[File:Pingora Peak and Lonesome Lake.jpg|thumb|left|[[Pingora Peak]] rises above Lonesome Lake in the Popo Agie Wilderness. Pingora is one of many peaks located in the [[Cirque of the Towers]].]]
Hunting and fishing are popular recreational activities permitted throughout the forest. Many of the streams and rivers are considered to be "Blue Ribbon Trout Streams".<ref name=retallic>{{cite book|last=Retallic|first=Ken|title=Flyfisher's Guide to Wyoming: Including Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks|publisher=Wilderness Adventures Press|isbn=978-1932098105
Hunting and fishing are popular recreational activities permitted throughout the forest. Many of the streams and rivers are considered to be "Blue Ribbon Trout Streams".<ref name=retallic>{{cite book |last=Retallic |first=Ken |title=Flyfisher's Guide to Wyoming: Including Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks |publisher=Wilderness Adventures Press |isbn=978-1932098105 |pages=141–172 |date=February 1, 2012}}</ref> 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 designated [[Wild and Scenic River]] in Wyoming, are a few of the better locations to reign in a trophy level Rainbow or Yellowstone cutthroat trout.<ref name=retallic/> {{convert|1000|mi}} 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Wyoming Game and Fish Department Regulations |publisher=Wyoming Game and Fish Department |url=http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/hunting-1000179.aspx |access-date=January 8, 2014 |archive-date=January 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109012159/http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/hunting-1000179.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>
|pages=141–172|date=February 1, 2012}}</ref> 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 designated [[Wild and Scenic River]] in Wyoming, are a few of the better locations to reign in a trophy level Rainbow or Yellowstone cutthroat trout.<ref name=retallic/> {{convert|1000|mi}} 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wyoming Game and Fish Department Regulations|publisher=Wyoming Game and Fish Department|url=http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/hunting-1000179.aspx|accessdate=January 8, 2014}}</ref>


The southern section of the forest in the Wind River Range is the primary destination for [[mountaineering|mountain 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.<ref>{{cite peakbagger|lid=21344|title=Wyoming 13,000-foot Peaks|accessdate=January 11, 2014}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Fifty Classic Climbs|pages=171–183}}</ref> The Absaroka Range also attracts climbers but not of a technical nature since the rocks are not considered solid enough for good anchoring points.<ref>{{cite web|title=Francs Peak|publisher=Summitpost|url=http://www.summitpost.org/francs-peak/153323|accessdate=January 11, 2014}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite book|last=Hunger|first=Bill|title=Wyoming: 110 of the State's Best Hiking Adventures|publisher=Falcon Guides|year=2008|page=151|isbn=978-0762734207}}</ref>
The southern section of the forest in the Wind River Range is the primary destination for [[mountaineering|mountain 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.<ref>{{cite peakbagger |lid=21344 |title=Wyoming 13,000-foot Peaks |access-date=January 11, 2014}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Fifty Classic Climbs|pages=171–183}}</ref> The Absaroka Range also attracts climbers but not of a technical nature since the rocks are not considered solid enough for good anchoring points.<ref>{{cite web |title=Francs Peak |publisher=Summitpost |url=http://www.summitpost.org/francs-peak/153323 |access-date=January 11, 2014 |archive-date=November 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131108160128/http://www.summitpost.org/francs-peak/153323 |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hunger |first=Bill |title=Wyoming: 110 of the State's Best Hiking Adventures |publisher=Falcon Guides |year=2008 |page=151 |isbn=978-0762734207}}</ref>


Winter activities include [[cross-country skiing]] and [[snowmobiling]], with {{convert|48|mi|abbr=on}} of groomed trails for cross-country skiing and over {{convert|300|mi|abbr=on}} for use by snowmobilers.<ref name=snow>{{cite web|title=Shoshone National Forest|publisher=Wyoming Office of Tourism|url=http://www.wyomingtourism.org/thingstodo/detail/Shoshone-National-Forest/4220|accessdate=January 11, 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112011039/http://www.wyomingtourism.org/thingstodo/detail/Shoshone-National-Forest/4220|archivedate=January 12, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The region around Togwotee Pass allows snowmobilers easy access from paved roads and has snow depths of between {{convert|6|to|10|ft|abbr=on}} annually at elevations of {{convert|8000|to|10000|ft|abbr=on}}, which equates to a long season for winter activities.<ref>{{cite web|title=Continental Divide|publisher=Wyoming State Trails Program|url=http://wyotrails.state.wy.us/pdf/continentaldivide.pdf|date=2013|accessdate=January 11, 2014}}</ref>
Winter activities include [[cross-country skiing]] and [[snowmobiling]], with {{cvt|48|mi}} of groomed trails for cross-country skiing and over {{cvt|300|mi}} for use by snowmobilers.<ref name=snow>{{cite web |title=Shoshone National Forest |publisher=Wyoming Office of Tourism |url=http://www.wyomingtourism.org/thingstodo/detail/Shoshone-National-Forest/4220 |access-date=January 11, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112011039/http://www.wyomingtourism.org/thingstodo/detail/Shoshone-National-Forest/4220 |archive-date=January 12, 2014 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> The region around Togwotee Pass allows snowmobilers easy access from paved roads and has snow depths of between {{cvt|6|and|10|ft}} annually at elevations of {{cvt|8000|to|10000|ft}}, which equates to a long season for winter activities.<ref>{{cite web |title=Continental Divide |publisher=Wyoming State Trails Program |url=http://wyotrails.state.wy.us/pdf/continentaldivide.pdf |date=2013 |access-date=January 11, 2014 |archive-date=January 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112001755/http://wyotrails.state.wy.us/pdf/continentaldivide.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>


=== Scenic roads ===
=== Scenic roads ===
[[File:Sunlight bridge.jpg|thumb|Sunlight Bridge on the [[Chief Joseph Scenic Byway]]]]
[[File:Sunlight bridge.jpg|thumb|Sunlight Bridge on the [[Chief Joseph Scenic Byway]]]]
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 designated [[National Scenic Byways]] [[All-American Road]], the Beartooth Highway (U.S. Highway 212), weaves through the forest and serves as the northeastern entranceway to Yellowstone National Park.<ref>{{cite web|title=A Wild Road – The Beartooth Highway|publisher=Friends of the Beartooth|url=http://beartoothhighway.com/wild-beartooth/|accessdate=January 4, 2014}}</ref><ref name=beartooth>{{cite web|title=Beartooth Highway|publisher=Federal Highway Administration|url=http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/byways/byways/2281|accessdate=January 4, 2014}}</ref> [[Chief Joseph Scenic Byway]] ([[Wyoming Highway 296]]) connects Cody, Wyoming with the Beartooth Highway and follows the old trail in which [[Chief Joseph]] and the [[Nez Perce tribe]] attempted to flee the U.S. Cavalry in 1877.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chief Joseph Scenic Byway|publisher=Wyoming Office of Tourism|url=http://www.wyomingtourism.org/thingstodo/detail/Chief-Joseph-Scenic-Byway/2721|accessdate=January 4, 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104204342/http://www.wyomingtourism.org/thingstodo/detail/Chief-Joseph-Scenic-Byway/2721|archivedate=January 4, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway|publisher=Wyoming Office of Tourism|url=http://www.wyomingtourism.org/thingstodo/detail/Buffalo-Bill-Cody-Scenic-Byway/2577|accessdate=January 4, 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104205431/http://www.wyomingtourism.org/thingstodo/detail/Buffalo-Bill-Cody-Scenic-Byway/2577|archivedate=January 4, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Lastly, the [[Wyoming Centennial Scenic Byway]] (US 26/287) heads northwest from Dubois, Wyoming, over Togwotee Pass and enters Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park.<ref name=windriver/> 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Scenic Byways and Backways|publisher=Wyoming Office of Tourism|url=http://www.wyomingtourism.org/thingstodo/overview/Scenic-Byways-and-Backways/1774|accessdate=January 4, 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022215957/http://www.wyomingtourism.org/thingstodo/overview/Scenic-Byways-and-Backways/1774|archivedate=October 22, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
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 designated [[National Scenic Byways]] [[All-American Road]], the Beartooth Highway (U.S. Highway 212), weaves through the forest and serves as the northeastern entranceway to Yellowstone National Park.<ref>{{cite web |title=A Wild Road – The Beartooth Highway |publisher=Friends of the Beartooth |url=http://beartoothhighway.com/wild-beartooth/ |access-date=January 4, 2014 |archive-date=January 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104205748/http://beartoothhighway.com/wild-beartooth/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=beartooth>{{cite web |title=Beartooth Highway |publisher=Federal Highway Administration |url=http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/byways/byways/2281 |access-date=January 4, 2014 |archive-date=January 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104204519/http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/byways/byways/2281 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Chief Joseph Scenic Byway]] ([[Wyoming Highway 296]]) connects Cody, Wyoming with the Beartooth Highway and follows the old trail in which [[Chief Joseph]] and the [[Nez Perce tribe]] attempted to flee the U.S. Cavalry in 1877.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chief Joseph Scenic Byway |publisher=Wyoming Office of Tourism |url=http://www.wyomingtourism.org/thingstodo/detail/Chief-Joseph-Scenic-Byway/2721 |access-date=January 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104204342/http://www.wyomingtourism.org/thingstodo/detail/Chief-Joseph-Scenic-Byway/2721 |archive-date=January 4, 2014 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway |publisher=Wyoming Office of Tourism |url=http://www.wyomingtourism.org/thingstodo/detail/Buffalo-Bill-Cody-Scenic-Byway/2577 |access-date=January 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104205431/http://www.wyomingtourism.org/thingstodo/detail/Buffalo-Bill-Cody-Scenic-Byway/2577 |archive-date=January 4, 2014 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Lastly, the [[Wyoming Centennial Scenic Byway]] (US 26/287) heads northwest from Dubois, Wyoming, over Togwotee Pass and enters Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park.<ref name=windriver/> 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Scenic Byways and Backways |publisher=Wyoming Office of Tourism |url=http://www.wyomingtourism.org/thingstodo/overview/Scenic-Byways-and-Backways/1774 |access-date=January 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022215957/http://www.wyomingtourism.org/thingstodo/overview/Scenic-Byways-and-Backways/1774 |archive-date=October 22, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


==Hazards==
==Hazards==
{{Main|Hazards of outdoor recreation|Mountaineering#Hazards}}
{{Main|Hazards of outdoor recreation|Mountaineering#Hazards}}
Encountering [[Bear danger|bear]]s is a concern in the [[Wind River Range]], as well as in this nearby adjoining area.<ref name="WR-20170424">{{cite news |author=Staff |title=Bear Safety in Wyoming's Wind River Country |url=https://windriver.org/bear-safety-in-wyomings-wind-river-country/ |date=April 24, 2017 |work=[[Wind River Indian Reservation#Tourism|WindRiver.org]] |accessdate=February 17, 2019 }}</ref> There are other concerns as well, including [[Insect|bugs]], [[wildfire]]s, [[Classifications of snow|adverse snow conditions]] and [[Rocky Mountain National Park#Elevation|nighttime cold temperatures]].<ref name="PD-20050727">{{cite news |last=Ballou |first=Dawn |title=Wind River Range condition update - Fires, trails, bears, Continental Divide |url=http://www.pinedaleonline.com/news/2005/07/WindRiverRangecondit.htm |date=July 27, 2005 |work=PineDaleOnline News |accessdate=February 17, 2019}}</ref>
Encountering [[Bear danger|bear]]s is a concern in the Wind River Range.<ref name="WR-20170424">{{cite news |author=Staff |title=Bear Safety in Wyoming's Wind River Country |url=https://windriver.org/bear-safety-in-wyomings-wind-river-country/ |date=April 24, 2017 |work=[[Wind River Indian Reservation#Tourism|WindRiver.org]] |url-status=live |archive-date=July 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726133155/https://windriver.org/bear-safety-in-wyomings-wind-river-country/ |access-date=May 31, 2022}}</ref> There are other concerns as well, including [[Insect|bugs]], [[wildfire]]s, [[Classifications of snow|adverse snow conditions]] and [[Rocky Mountain National Park#Elevation|nighttime cold temperatures]].<ref name="PD-20050727">{{cite news |last=Ballou |first=Dawn |title=Wind River Range condition update - Fires, trails, bears, Continental Divide |url=http://www.pinedaleonline.com/news/2005/07/WindRiverRangecondit.htm |date=July 27, 2005 |work=PineDaleOnline News |url-status=live |archive-date=April 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421050551/http://www.pinedaleonline.com/news/2005/07/WindRiverRangecondit.htm |access-date=May 31, 2022}}</ref>


Importantly, there have been notable incidents, including [[accidental death]]s, due to [[Mountaineering#Falls from rocks|falls from steep cliffs]] (a [[wikt:misstep|misstep]] could be fatal in this [[Yosemite Decimal System|class 4/5 terrain]]) and due to [[Mountaineering#Falling rocks|falling rocks]], over the years, including 1993,<ref name="AAC-1993">{{cite news |author=Staff |title=Falling Rock, Loose Rock, Failure to Test Holds, Wyoming, Wind River Range, Seneca Lake |url=http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13199308300/Falling-Rock-Loose-Rock-Failure-to-Test-Holds-Wyoming-Wind-River-Range-Seneca-Lake |date=1993 |work=[[American Alpine Club]] |accessdate=February 15, 2019 }}</ref> 2007 (involving an experienced [[National Outdoor Leadership School|NOLS leader]]),<ref name="CLMB-20070814">{{cite news |last=MacDonald |first=Dougald |title=Trundled Rock Kills NOLS Leader |url=https://www.climbing.com/news/trundled-rock-kills-nols-leader/ |date=August 14, 2007 |work=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]] |accessdate=February 15, 2019 }}</ref> 2015<ref name="TRIB-20151209">{{cite news |author=Staff |title=Officials rule Wind River Range climbing deaths accidental |url=https://trib.com/outdoors/officials-rule-wind-river-range-climbing-deaths-accidental/article_eca43632-2f91-519f-bb81-0c59ed52e07e.html |date=December 9, 2015 |work=[[Casper Star-Tribune]] |accessdate=February 15, 2019 }}</ref> and 2018.<ref name="WYO-20180814">{{cite news |last=Dayton |first=Kelsey |title=Deadly underestimation |url=https://www.wyofile.com/deadly-underestimation/ |date=August 24, 2018 |work=WyoFile News |accessdate=February 15, 2019 }}</ref> Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near [[Pinedale, Wyoming|SquareTop Mountain]]<ref name="MP-2009">{{cite web |last=Funk |first=Jason |title=Squaretop Mountain Rock Climbing |url=https://www.mountainproject.com/area/106521163/squaretop-mountain |date=2009 |work=[[Mountain Project]] |accessdate=March 29, 2019 }}</ref> in 2005,<ref name="PD-20050722">{{cite news |author=Staff |title=Injured man rescued from Square Top Mtn - Tip-Top Search & Rescue helps 2 injured on the mountain |url=http://www.pinedaleonline.com/news/2005/07/Injuredmanrescuedfro.htm |date=July 22, 2005 |work=PineDaleOnline News |accessdate=February 17, 2019 }}</ref> and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent [[Accidental death|accidental fall]]) in 2006 that involved state [[search and rescue]].<ref name="WD-20060901">{{cite news |author=Staff |title=Incident Reports - September, 2006 - Wind River Search |url=http://www.1.wildernessdoc.com/Report.aspx?IN=13 |date=September 1, 2006 |work=WildernessDoc.com |accessdate=February 17, 2019 }}</ref> The [[U.S. Forest Service]] does not offer updated aggregated records on the official number of fatalities in the Wind River Range.
Importantly, there have been notable incidents, including [[accidental death]]s, due to [[Mountaineering#Falls from rocks|falls from steep cliffs]] (a [[wikt:misstep|misstep]] could be fatal in this [[Yosemite Decimal System|class 4/5 terrain]]) and due to [[Mountaineering#Falling rocks|falling rocks]], over the years, including 1993,<ref name="AAC-1993">{{cite news |author=Staff |title=Falling Rock, Loose Rock, Failure to Test Holds, Wyoming, Wind River Range, Seneca Lake |url=http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13199308300/Falling-Rock-Loose-Rock-Failure-to-Test-Holds-Wyoming-Wind-River-Range-Seneca-Lake |date=1993 |work=[[American Alpine Club]] |url-status=live |archive-date=July 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726124452/http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13199308300/Falling-Rock-Loose-Rock-Failure-to-Test-Holds-Wyoming-Wind-River-Range-Seneca-Lake |access-date=May 31, 2022}}</ref> 2007 (involving an experienced [[National Outdoor Leadership School|NOLS leader]]),<ref name="CLMB-20070814">{{cite news |last=MacDonald |first=Dougald |title=Trundled Rock Kills NOLS Leader |url=https://www.climbing.com/news/trundled-rock-kills-nols-leader/ |date=August 14, 2007 |work=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]] |url-status=live |archive-date=July 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726131458/https://www.climbing.com/news/trundled-rock-kills-nols-leader/ |access-date=May 31, 2022}}</ref> 2015<ref name="TRIB-20151209">{{cite news |author=Staff |title=Officials rule Wind River Range climbing deaths accidental |url=https://trib.com/outdoors/officials-rule-wind-river-range-climbing-deaths-accidental/article_eca43632-2f91-519f-bb81-0c59ed52e07e.html |date=December 9, 2015 |work=[[Casper Star-Tribune]] |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726124448/https://trib.com/outdoors/officials-rule-wind-river-range-climbing-deaths-accidental/article_eca43632-2f91-519f-bb81-0c59ed52e07e.html |access-date=May 31, 2022}}</ref> and 2018.<ref name="WYO-20180814">{{cite news |last=Dayton |first=Kelsey |title=Deadly underestimation |url=https://www.wyofile.com/deadly-underestimation/ |date=August 24, 2018 |work=WyoFile News |url-status=live |archive-date=July 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726124437/https://www.wyofile.com/deadly-underestimation/ |access-date=May 31, 2022}}</ref> Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near [[Pinedale, Wyoming|SquareTop Mountain]]<ref name="MP-2009">{{cite web |last=Funk |first=Jason |title=Squaretop Mountain Rock Climbing |url=https://www.mountainproject.com/area/106521163/squaretop-mountain |date=2009 |work=[[Mountain Project]] |url-status=live |archive-date=July 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726095630/https://www.mountainproject.com/area/106521163/squaretop-mountain |access-date=May 31, 2022}}</ref> in 2005,<ref name="PD-20050722">{{cite news |author=Staff |title=Injured man rescued from Square Top Mtn - Tip-Top Search & Rescue helps 2 injured on the mountain |url=http://www.pinedaleonline.com/news/2005/07/Injuredmanrescuedfro.htm |date=July 22, 2005 |work=PineDaleOnline News |url-status=live |archive-date=July 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726131552/http://www.pinedaleonline.com/news/2005/07/Injuredmanrescuedfro.htm |access-date=May 31, 2022}}</ref> and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent [[Accidental death|accidental fall]]) in 2006 that involved state [[search and rescue]].<ref name="WD-20060901">{{cite news |author=Staff |title=Incident Reports - September, 2006 - Wind River Search |url=http://www.1.wildernessdoc.com/Report.aspx?IN=13 |date=September 1, 2006 |work=WildernessDoc.com |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127232916/http://www.1.wildernessdoc.com/Report.aspx?IN=13 |access-date=May 31, 2022}}</ref> The [[U.S. Forest Service]] does not offer updated aggregated records on the official number of fatalities in the Wind River Range.


== Popular culture ==
== Popular culture ==
Shoshone National Forest was the setting of the 2016 [[First person (video games)|first person]] [[adventure game|adventure]] video game, ''[[Firewatch (video game)|Firewatch]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Campo Santo's debut, Firewatch, is an exploration of isolation and choice|publisher=Polygon|url=http://www.polygon.com/2014/9/8/6111015/firewatch-campo-santo|accessdate=April 11, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Firewatch|publisher=Campo Santo|url=http://www.firewatchgame.com/|accessdate=April 11, 2016}}</ref>
Shoshone National Forest is the setting of the 2016 [[First person (video games)|first-person]] [[adventure game|adventure]] video game, ''[[Firewatch (video game)|Firewatch]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Campo Santo's debut, Firewatch, is an exploration of isolation and choice |date=September 8, 2014 |publisher=Polygon |url=http://www.polygon.com/2014/9/8/6111015/firewatch-campo-santo |access-date=April 11, 2016 |archive-date=March 5, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305160827/http://www.polygon.com/2014/9/8/6111015/firewatch-campo-santo |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Firewatch |publisher=Campo Santo |url=http://www.firewatchgame.com/ |access-date=April 11, 2016 |archive-date=February 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160209071309/http://www.firewatchgame.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Tie Hack Historical Monument]]


== References ==
== References ==
{{Commons}}
{{Reflist|30em}}]]
{{Reflist|30em}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons}}
* [http://www.fs.usda.gov/shoshone/ Shoshone National Forest]
* [http://www.fs.usda.gov/shoshone/ Shoshone National Forest]

{{National Forests of the United States}}
{{National Forests of the United States}}
{{Protected areas of Wyoming}}
{{Protected areas of Wyoming}}
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[[Category:Protected areas of Sublette County, Wyoming]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Sublette County, Wyoming]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Teton County, Wyoming]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Teton County, Wyoming]]
[[Category:National Recreation Trails in Wyoming]]

Latest revision as of 23:28, 20 August 2024

Shoshone National Forest
IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources)
Francs Peak is the tallest peak in the Absaroka Range
Map showing the location of Shoshone National Forest
Map showing the location of Shoshone National Forest
Location of Shoshone National Forest
Map showing the location of Shoshone National Forest
Map showing the location of Shoshone National Forest
Shoshone National Forest (the United States)
LocationPark, Fremont, Hot Springs, Sublette, and Teton counties, Wyoming, US
Nearest cityCody, WY
Coordinates44°27′48″N 109°36′55″W / 44.46333°N 109.61528°W / 44.46333; -109.61528 (New Wapiti Ranger Station)
Area2,469,248 acres (9,992.69 km2)[1]
EstablishedMarch 3, 1891
Governing bodyU.S. Forest Service
WebsiteShoshone National Forest

Shoshone National Forest (/ʃˈʃn/ shoh-SHOH-nee)[2] is the first federally protected National Forest in the United States and covers nearly 2,500,000 acres (1,000,000 ha) in the state of Wyoming.[3] Originally a part of the Yellowstone Timberland Reserve, the forest is managed by the United States Forest Service and was created by an act of Congress and signed into law by U.S. President Benjamin 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 the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, a nearly unbroken expanse of federally protected lands encompassing an estimated 20,000,000 acres (8,100,000 ha).

The Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains are partly in the northern section of the forest. The Wind River Range is in the southern portion and contains Gannett Peak, the tallest mountain in Wyoming.[3] Yellowstone National Park forms part of the boundary to the west; south of Yellowstone, the Continental Divide separates the forest from its neighbor Bridger-Teton National Forest to the west. The eastern boundary includes privately owned property, lands managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the Wind River Indian Reservation, which belongs to the Shoshone and Arapahoe Indians. Custer National Forest along the Montana border is on the northern frontier. The Oregon Trail, the 19th century covered wagon route, passes just south of the forest, where broad and gentle South Pass allowed the migrants to bypass the rugged mountains to the north.

Shoshone National Forest has virtually all the original animal and plant species that were there when explorers such as John Colter and Jim Bridger first visited the region. The forest is home to the Grizzly bear, cougar, moose, tens of thousands of elk as well as the largest herd of bighorn sheep in the U.S. The streams in the forest are considered to have some of the best game species fishing opportunities in the U.S. including Yellowstone 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 four wilderness areas within the forest, protecting more than half of the managed land area from development. From sagebrush plains through dense spruce and fir forest to craggy mountain peaks, Shoshone National Forest has a rich biodiversity rarely matched in any protected area.

Human history

[edit]
Shoshone encampment in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming, photographed by W. H. Jackson, 1870

Shoshone National Forest is named after the Shoshone Indians, who, along with other Native American groups such as the Lakota, Crow and Northern Cheyenne, were the major tribes encountered by the first European explorers into the region. Archeological evidence suggests that the presence of Indian tribes 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 exposed high plains to the east. Portions of the more mountainous regions were frequented by the Shoshone and Sioux for spiritual healing and vision quests. By the early 1840s, Washakie had become the leader of the easternmost branch of the Shoshone Indians.[5] At the Fort Bridger Treaty Council of 1868 Washakie negotiated with the U.S. Government for 44,000,000 acres (18,000,000 ha)) to be preserved as tribal lands. Subsequent amendments to the treaty reduced the actual acreage to approximately 2,000,000 acres (810,000 ha) and is known today as the Wind 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. Routes 14/16/20, 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 yielded prismatic stone blades and other artifacts created by paleoindians and the surrounding soils were radiocarbon dated to 7,300 BC. The evidence indicates the cave was occupied from at least 7280 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 rock cairn 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 the National Register of Historic Places list in 1981.[10]

Wapiti Ranger Station

In the early 19th century, the forest was visited by mountain men and explorers such as John Colter and Jim 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 the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Colter requested permission from Meriwether Lewis to leave the expedition after it had finished crossing the Rocky 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 the Absaroka Mountains, crossing over Togwotee Pass and entering the valley known today as Jackson Hole.[12] Colter survived a grizzly bear attack and a pursuit by a band of Blackfeet 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 by fur trappers and adventurers, such as Manuel 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 prized beaver 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 the Raynolds Expedition of 1860, led by topographical engineer Captain William F. Raynolds.[14] The expedition included geologist and naturalist Ferdinand 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 as Two Ocean Pass. The expedition finally crossed the northern Wind River Range at a pass they named Union 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. Travels in the forest in the 1880s by later U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, who was also a strong advocate of land conservation, as well as by General Philip Sheridan, provided the impetus that subsequently established the Yellowstone Timberland Reserve in 1891, creating the first national forest in the U.S.[3][15]

Wolf mine shaft at abandoned gold mine

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 the U.S. Forest Service in 1905, the reserve was designated a National 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 the Wapiti Ranger Station which is located west of Cody, Wyoming. The station was built in 1903 and is the oldest surviving ranger station in any national forest, and is now designated a National Historic Landmark.[16]

Prior to the establishment of the Wind River Indian Reservation, the U.S. Cavalry constructed Fort Brown on the reservation lands, which was subsequently renamed Fort Washakie.[17] During the late 19th century, the fort was staffed by African-American members of the U.S. Cavalry, better known as the Buffalo Soldiers, including the second African-American graduated from the United States Military Academy, John Hanks Alexander.[18] Chief Washakie is buried at the fort, which is located immediately east of the forest boundary.[17] Rumor has it that Sacajawea, the Shoshone Indian who provided invaluable assistance to Meriwether Lewis and William 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 was Fort Lisa in North Dakota.[19]

During the last decade of the 19th century, minerals such as gold were mined with limited success. The last mine was abandoned in 1907, but panning for gold is still allowed in many areas of the forest, and in most circumstances no permit is required.[20][21] After the end of the mining era, numerous camps were established by the Civilian Conservation Corps to help combat unemployment during the Great 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.[22] Visitation to national forests like Shoshone increased dramatically after World War II with the advent of better roads and accessibility to the region.[23]

Forest management

[edit]
Shoshone National Forest highlighted in light green

Shoshone National Forest is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, an agency within the U.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.[24] The headquarters and a visitor center are in Cody, Wyoming and a smaller information center is in Lander, Wyoming. There are local ranger district offices in Cody, Dubois and Lander.[25]

Shoshone National Forest practices conservation of resources, which ensures a sustainable flow of some raw materials from the forest, such as lumber for construction purposes and wood pulp for paper products.[26] 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.[27] Additionally, low-scale mineral extraction and oil and gas 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.[28] More common than logging and mining are the lease options that are offered to ranchers to allow them to graze cattle and sheep.[29] The U.S. Forest Service provides guidelines and enforces environmental regulations to ensure that resources are not overexploited 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 cattle overgrazing problems.[30] Leases for sheep grazing have declined considerably since the 1940s while cattle grazing has remained relatively constant.[31]

Natural resources

[edit]

Flora

[edit]
A grove of quaking aspen and lodgepole pine in the spring

Shoshone National Forest is an integral part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, which has 1,700 documented species of plants.[32] 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.[33][34] Lower elevations often have sagebrush and grass-dominated vegetation types, while forested areas are dominated by various combinations of tree and shrub species. These include lodgepole pine, which along with Rocky Mountain juniper, and quaking aspen are found at elevations up to 9,000 ft (2,700 m).[34] At higher elevations subalpine fir, Engelmann spruce, whitebark pine and limber pine, are common, each occurring up to timberline.[34] 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.[35] 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 elevation riparian corridors, cottonwoods and willows are typically dominant. Numerous plant species are endemic to the region including some that are rare. Among them, the whitlow grass, fremont bladderpod, shoshonea, and the north fork Easter daisy provide vivid white and yellow flowers during the spring and summer.[36]

Exotic species of flora that are not native to the region include Canada thistle, Musk thistle, Spotted knapweed, Leafy spurge and Yellow toadflax.[37] These non-native plant species are considered noxious, impacting native plant communities and the species that thrive on them.[37] Native species such as the mountain pine beetle are having an enormous negative impact on some tree species.[38] 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 and Douglas fir beetle, and that the insects had killed between 25 and 100 percent of the trees in the impacted areas.[39] The forest service is addressing the situation by performing controlled burns, selling dead trees as firewood, timber harvesting and spraying the highest value areas.[38]

Fauna

[edit]
Grizzly bear mother and cub

Since the migration of the endangered gray wolf into Shoshone National Forest after the successful wolf reintroduction program in the Yellowstone region commenced in the mid-1990s, all of the known 70 mammal species that existed prior to white settlement still exist in the forest.[34] Altogether, at least 335 species of wildlife call Shoshone National Forest their home, including the largest population of Bighorn sheep and one of the few locations Grizzly bears can still be found in the contiguous U. S.[35]

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.[34][40] The grizzly is listed as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the forest is one of their last strongholds. For what are considered to be "nuisance bears", non-lethal traps are set to capture them so that they can be relocated to remote areas, away from civilization.[41] In the case of the grizzly, each captured bear is tranquilized and then ear 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.[41] The grizzly recovery efforts implemented by federal agencies have often resulted in major disagreements with local landowners and surrounding municipalities.[40] This situation occurs less frequently with the smaller and less aggressive black 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, and bear-proof trash receptacles are located in the front-country zones throughout the forest. In the backcountry, food must be stored some distance from campsites, and other related precautions are enforced to help prevent bad encounters.[35]

Bighorn Sheep

Cougars and timber wolves are large apex 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.[42] Approximately a dozen wolf packs totaling 70 individual wolves were documented in the forest in 2012.[43] 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.[44][45] Cougars are generally nocturnal and rarely seen but hunting of this species is also allowed in highly regulated harvests.[46] Wolverines are rare and elusive so documentation is often only from their tracks.[47] The Canada lynx was native to the forest, but no known populations may still exist due to the rarity of its primary food source, the Snowshoe hare. Shoshone National Forest is considered critical habitat for lynx recovery since the species is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act and the forest is in their historical range.[48] Other generally carnivorous mammals include coyote, bobcat, weasel, marten, ferret and badger.[49]

Omnivorous mammals such as the raccoon and skunk and herbivore mammal species such as the porcupine and pika, are common to the forest.[49][50] The beaver is considered a species of special interest to Shoshone National Forest since its dam building activities improve habitat for numerous other species such as the moose, breeding waterfowl, various amphibians and other species dependent on a riparian environment.[51]

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.[52] There were an estimated 739 moose in the forest in 2006 which is almost 300 fewer than there were 20 years earlier.[51][53] Other ungulate species are much more common and there are over 20,000 elk (also known as wapiti) and 40,000 mule deer.[53] Bighorn sheep and mountain goats inhabit the rocky terrain and highest elevations. During the winter, one of the largest bighorn sheep herds in the lower 48 states congregate in the region around Dubois, Wyoming; however, their numbers since 1990 have been diminished due to disease transmitted from contact with domesticated sheep and goats.[54] 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.[53] Bison and pronghorn antelope are two other ungulates that live on the forest and have sustainable populations.[49]

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 the prairie falcon are birds of prey that are relatively common.[49] Waterfowl such as Western grebe, Northern pintail, Great blue heron and Barrow’s goldeneye have stable populations and rare sightings of Trumpeter swans are reported.[49] pheasant, ruffed grouse and wild turkey are widely distributed across the open sage lands. Harlequin duck and northern goshawk are generally rare but management plans were implemented to protect various habitats these two species frequent to try and increase their population numbers.[51]

Yellowstone cutthroat trout

Fish found in Shoshone National Forest include at least six species and subspecies of trout including rainbow, brook and brown trout. The Yellowstone cutthroat trout is widespread throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, but in the forest is mostly limited to the Shoshone River.[55][56] The mountain whitefish is also found in the Shoshone River, while the burbot is found in two streams in the southern regions of the forest.[55]

There are more than a dozen species of reptiles in the forest including the venomous prairie rattlesnake which can be found at lower elevations.[50] The western painted and the ornate box turtle are turtle species known to exist and about eight species of lizards such as the greater short-horned lizard have been documented.[50] Amphibians such as the Columbia spotted frog and the boreal toad are considered species of concern because of their high susceptibility to disease, habitat loss and human introduced toxins.[51] 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.[51]

Exotic species of fauna such as the zebra and quagga mussels and the New 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.[57]

Wilderness

[edit]
Popo Agie Wilderness

The forest contains four areas of pristine wilderness that have remained largely untouched by human activities such as mining, logging, and road and building construction. The four regions include the North Absaroka, Washakie, Fitzpatrick and Popo Agie Wildernesses.[33] Additionally, a small portion of the Absaroka-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.[35][58] The wilderness designation provides a much higher level of land protection and prohibits any alterations by man to the resource.[59]

The Wilderness Act of 1964 enhanced the protection status of remote and/or 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 or extraction, 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 or horseback. Hunting and fishing are permitted in the wilderness, just as they are throughout the forest, provided those engaging in such activities have the proper licenses and permits.[60]

Fire ecology

[edit]
Dinwoody spot fire in 2001

Fire Management officials in Shoshone National Forest recognize that forest 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.[61] In 1935, fire management officials established the 10 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.[62][63] 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.[64] 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 the Blackwater 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.[65]

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.[66] In Shoshone National Forest, the highest fire incidence is generally in the months of August and September.[66] 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.[66] After the Yellowstone region fires of 1988, an effort to identify areas of similar fire potential was implemented.[61] Fire managers at Shoshone National Forest work with a number of outside agencies to incorporate fire restrictions, fuels management, and a controlled burn plans to reduce the chances of a catastrophic fire.[67] The dead and dying trees which have been killed by various species of bark beetle may have a great impact on future forest fires.[39] 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.[68]

Geography and geology

[edit]
Gannett Peak is the highest mountain in Wyoming and the forest.

Shoshone National Forest borders Yellowstone National Park and Bridger-Teton National Forest to the west. The Continental Divide demarks the boundary between Shoshone and Bridger-Teton National Forests. Along the Montana border, Shoshone National Forest borders Custer National Forest to the north.[66] Private property, property belonging to the state of Wyoming and lands administered by the Bureau 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.[69]

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 of Gannett Peak, an elevation gain of over 9,200 ft (2,800 m).[66] Of the three major mountain ranges found in the forest, they are geologically 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 the Absaroka Mountains which were named after the Crow Indian tribe.[70] The majority of the Absaroka Mountains are contained within the forest, with the highest peak being Francs Peak at 13,158 ft (4,011 m).[71] The peaks of the Absaroka are basaltic in origin, having been the result of volcanic activity estimated to have occurred 50 million years ago during the Eocene epoch.[71] The rocks are composed of mostly andesite and breccias deposited for millions of years during volcanic events and are atop more ancient sedimentary rocks that are considered to have economically viable mineral wealth.[71] Gold was mined from the slopes of Francs Peak between the years 1890 and 1915, and the small ghost town of Kirwin remains as a legacy of that period.[20] Major tributaries of the Bighorn River, such as the Shoshone and Greybull Rivers, originate in the Absaroka Mountains. Important passes through the Absarokas include Sylvan Pass, which leads to the eastern entrance of Yellowstone National Park; and Togwotee Pass, which provides access to Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park.[72][73]

Beartooth Lake

In the far north of Shoshone National Forest a small portion of the Beartooth Mountains are located north of the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River. The Beartooths are composed of Precambrian granitic rocks that are amongst the oldest found on Earth.[74] Although often considered a part of the Absaroka Mountains, the Beartooths are distinct in appearance and geologic history.[70] Uplifted approximately 70 million years ago during the Laramide orogeny, the Beartooths consist of vast windswept plateaus and rugged peaks with sheer cliff faces. The Beartooth 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.

Cirque of the Towers

The Wind River Range is in the southern portion of the forest and is composed primarily of Precambrian granitic rock.[75] 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.[76] 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 the Oregon Trail by early pioneers.[77] The Wind River Range is popular with mountain climbers because of its solid rock and variety of routes.[78] The Cirque of the Towers in the Popo 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 the cirque.[77]

There are over 500 lakes in the forest, and 1,000 mi (1,600 km) of streams and rivers.[79] The Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River is federally designated as a Wild 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 the Atlantic Ocean basin.

Glaciology

[edit]

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.[35][80] 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.[81] 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.[82]

Reversing the growth of mid-latitude glaciers that occurred during the Little Ice Age (1350–1850), there has been a worldwide 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 examining photographic evidence of glaciers taken over time even with an absence of other means of documentation.[83] The behavior of the glaciers of Shoshone National Forest is consistent with this pattern. In one study of Dinwoody and Gannett Glaciers, during the period from 1958 to 1983, the thickness of these glaciers was reduced 77 and 61 ft (23 and 19 m), respectively.[84]

Gannett Glacier on the slopes of Gannett Peak

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.[85] Upper Fremont Glacier has been studied more than any other glacier in the Wind River Range. Scientists have obtained ice cores from the Upper Fremont Glacier and found that there have been measurable changes in the atmosphere over the past several hundred years.[86] The Upper Fremont Glacier and the Quelccaya Ice Cap in the Andes of South America both show nearly identical atmospheric records, which indicate a global linkage of atmospheric conditions over time.[87]

The small glaciers in the forest are less able to resist melting than the great ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica. Once a glacier begins retreating, it may fall into disequilibrium and be unable to find mass balance (accumulation versus melting rate) at any size. Without a favorable climate change, it will continue to retreat until it disappears.[88] 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.[81]

Climate

[edit]

Wyoming is an arid state, averaging 12.68 inches (32.2 cm) of precipitation annually.[89] 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.[66] 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.[66] 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).[90]

Most of the precipitation falls in the winter and early spring, while summer is punctuated with widely scattered thunderstorms.[66] 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.[91] Consequently, the nights range from very cool in the summer to extremely cold in the winter; therefore, visitors should always remember to bring along at least a jacket, even during the summer.[92] 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.[93]

Recreation

[edit]

Shoshone National Forest receives an average of over half a million visitors a year.[94] Two visitor centers provide orientation, books, maps, and interpretive displays. One visitor center is at the Wapiti Wayside on the Buffalo 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.[35] There are 30 vehicle access campgrounds 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.[35][95] Referred to as "front country" campgrounds, they also permit recreational 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.[35][95] 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.[35]

Horseback riding in Greybull Ranger District

For some visitors the greater solitude of the backcountry requires using hiking trails to backpacking or horseback riding into more remote destinations such as Blackwater 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.[35] Many of the trailheads can be accessed at campgrounds, with shorter day hikes available as well.[96] The Continental Divide Trail has a 20-mile (32 km) section which passes through the forest and crosses the Continental Divide at Sheridan Pass.[97] There is also the Nez Perce National Historic Trail and the Beartooth Loop National Recreation Trail, both of which are in the northern regions of the forest.[98][99] Some remote areas can also be accessed by horseback. Trailheads usually provide enough room for horse and pack animal trailers plus personal vehicles.[35] 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.[100][101]

Pingora Peak rises above Lonesome Lake in the Popo Agie Wilderness. Pingora is one of many peaks located in the Cirque of the Towers.

Hunting and fishing are popular recreational activities permitted throughout the forest. Many of the streams and rivers are considered to be "Blue Ribbon Trout Streams".[102] 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 designated Wild and Scenic River in Wyoming, are a few of the better locations to reign in a trophy level Rainbow or Yellowstone cutthroat trout.[102] 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.[103]

The southern section of the forest in the Wind River Range is the primary destination for mountain 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.[104] 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.[105] The Absaroka Range also attracts climbers but not of a technical nature since the rocks are not considered solid enough for good anchoring points.[106] 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.[107]

Winter activities include cross-country skiing and snowmobiling, with 48 mi (77 km) of groomed trails for cross-country skiing and over 300 mi (480 km) for use by snowmobilers.[108] 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.[109]

Scenic roads

[edit]
Sunlight Bridge on the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway

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 designated National Scenic Byways All-American Road, the Beartooth Highway (U.S. Highway 212), weaves through the forest and serves as the northeastern entranceway to Yellowstone National Park.[110][111] Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (Wyoming Highway 296) connects Cody, Wyoming with the Beartooth Highway and follows the old trail in which Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce tribe attempted to flee the U.S. Cavalry in 1877.[112] 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.[113] Lastly, the Wyoming Centennial Scenic Byway (US 26/287) heads northwest from Dubois, Wyoming, over Togwotee Pass and enters Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park.[78] 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.[114]

Hazards

[edit]

Encountering bears is a concern in the Wind River Range.[115] There are other concerns as well, including bugs, wildfires, adverse snow conditions and nighttime cold temperatures.[116]

Importantly, there have been notable incidents, including accidental deaths, due to falls from steep cliffs (a misstep could be fatal in this class 4/5 terrain) and due to falling rocks, over the years, including 1993,[117] 2007 (involving an experienced NOLS leader),[118] 2015[119] and 2018.[120] Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near SquareTop Mountain[121] in 2005,[122] and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent accidental fall) in 2006 that involved state search and rescue.[123] The U.S. Forest Service does not offer updated aggregated records on the official number of fatalities in the Wind River Range.

[edit]

Shoshone National Forest is the setting of the 2016 first-person adventure video game, Firewatch.[124][125]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
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