   #copyright

Shoshone National Forest

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: North American Geography


   This is a featured article. Click here for more information.
                 Shoshone National Forest
   IUCN Category VI (Managed Resource Protected Area)
   Shoshone National Forest
   Location:       Wyoming, USA
   Nearest city:   Cody, WY
   Coordinates:    44°6′33″N, 109°32′33″W
   Area:           2,466,586 acres (9,982 km²)
   Established:    March 3, 1891
   Visitation:     617,000 (in 2004)
   Governing body: U.S. Forest Service

   Shoshone National Forest spans over 2.4 million acres (9,700 km²) in
   the U.S. state of Wyoming and was the first federally protected forest
   in the United States. Originally a part of the Yellowstone Timberland
   Reserve, the forest was created by an act of Congress and signed into
   law by U.S. President Benjamin Harrison in 1891. A total of four
   wilderness areas are located 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.
   Beartooth Lake in Shoshone National Forest
   Enlarge
   Beartooth Lake in Shoshone National Forest

   Three major mountain ranges are partially located in the forest
   including the Absaroka, the Beartooth and the Wind River Range.
   Yellowstone National Park forms part of the forest boundary to the
   west; while south of Yellowstone, the Continental Divide separates the
   forest from its neighbour, the 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 the boundary to the north.
   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 of the forest. All of the
   forest is a part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, an unbroken
   expanse of federally protected lands encompassing an estimated 20
   million acres (80,937 km²).
   Shoshone National Forest, locator map.
   Enlarge
   Shoshone National Forest, locator map.

Human history

   Shoshone Indians in camp, ca. 1890
   Enlarge
   Shoshone Indians in camp, ca. 1890

   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 white
   explorers into the region. Archeological evidence suggests that the
   presence of Indian tribes in the area extends back at least 8,000
   years. 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 (Lakota) for spiritual healing and vision
   quests. By 1840, Chief Washakie had become the leader of the
   easternmost branch of the Shoshone Indians. In 1868 he negotiated with
   the U.S. Government for 2.2 million acres (8,903 km²) to be preserved
   as tribal lands, known today as the Wind River Indian Reservation.
   Prior to the establishment of the reservation, the U.S. Cavalry
   constructed Fort Brown on the reservation lands, which was subsequently
   renamed Fort Washakie. During the late 1800s, the fort was staffed by
   African-American members of the U.S Cavalry, better known as the
   Buffalo Soldiers. Both Chief Washakie and Sacajawea, the Shoshone
   Indian who provided invaluable assistance to Meriwether Lewis and
   William Clark during the Lewis and Clark Expedition, are buried at the
   fort, which is located immediately east of the forest boundary.
   Wolf Mine shaft at abandoned gold mine
   Enlarge
   Wolf Mine shaft at abandoned gold mine

   In the early 1800s, 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 in the period between 1806 and 1808. 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. 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.
   Colter survived both a grizzly bear attack and a pursuit by a band of
   Blackfeet Indians that had taken his horse. 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.

   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 white
   explorers entered the forest. Explorations under direction of F.V.
   Hayden in 1871 were the first federally financed and supported. 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, provided the impetus that subsequently
   established the Yellowstone Timberland Reserve in 1891, creating the
   first national forest in the U.S.
   Wapiti Ranger Station.
   Enlarge
   Wapiti Ranger Station.

   In 1902 President Roosevelt first greatly expanded the reserve and then
   divided the reserve into four separate units, with the 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 listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

   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. 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. Visitation rapidily increased
   after the end of World War II with the advent of better roads and
   accessibility to the region.

Forest management

   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 has a staff of 145 employees. The
   annual operating budget is $15,000,000, with much of it from grants.
   The main headquarters and a visitor centre are located in Cody, Wyoming
   and a smaller information centre is located in Lander, Wyoming.

   As is true with all National Forests in the U.S., 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. Additionally,
   mineral extraction through mining 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 pristine
   nature of region. More common than logging and mining are the lease
   options that are offered to ranchers to allow them to graze cattle and
   sheep. The forest 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.

   The efforts of environmentalists combined with public demand led to the
   creation of wilderness designated zones beginning in 1964 within most
   U.S. Government land areas that fit the criteria of wilderness. The
   wilderness designation provides a much higher level of land protection
   and prohibits any alterations by man to the resource. In Shoshone
   National Forest, less than ten percent of the total area is utilized
   for land lease, logging or mineral extraction. The rest of the forest
   is either designated wilderness, reserved for habitat protection for
   plants and animals, or set aside for visitor recreation. However, the
   overgrazing of cattle in riparian areas and into zones not within lease
   agreements are continuous points of argument. Oil and gas exploration
   interest groups also lobby to explore regions that may adversely impact
   wildlife habitat. Plans to build roads into nonwilderness areas for
   easier extraction of timber have come under fire and are not in
   compliance with recent legislation that prohibits such construction.
   Illegal off road motorized transport by all terrain vehicles and
   snowmobiles continues to be a problem, especially in wilderness areas.
   Lastly, protection of threatened and endangered species such as the
   grizzly and wolf is sometimes met with opposition from local ranching
   interests.

Geography and geology

   Gannett Peak is the highest mountain in Wyoming and the forest
   Enlarge
   Gannett Peak is the highest mountain in Wyoming and the forest

   The altitude in the forest ranges from 4,600 feet (1,402 m) near Cody,
   Wyoming, to 13,804 feet (4,207 m) at the top of Gannett Peak, an
   elevation gain of over 9,200  feet (2,800 m). 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 Rockies and are
   at the transitional point between the central Rockies and the northern
   Rockies. The Absaroka Mountains were named after the Crow Indian tribe,
   although they only inhabited the far northernmost part to the mountain
   range. The majority of the Absaroka Mountains are contained within the
   forest, with the highest peak being Francs Peak at 13,153 feet
   (4009 m). Stretching north to south through the northern and eastern
   sections of the forest, they span over 100 miles (160 km) from the
   Montana border to south of Dubois, Wyoming.

   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. 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. The rocks themselves are relatively dark
   and consist of rhyolite, andesite and breccias. Because of the
   erosional influences of glaciers and water and the relative softness of
   the rocks, the Absarokas are quite craggy in appearance. Gold was mined
   from the slopes of Francs Peak until 1907, and the small ghost town of
   Kirwin is still visited today. Few lakes exist in the Absarokas, but
   the headwaters of both the Bighorn and Yellowstone Rivers are found
   there.

   The Beartooth Mountains in the northernmost section of the forest are
   intrusive igneous and metamorphic in origin, and at 3.96 billion years
   old, some of these exposed Precambrian rocks are among the oldest found
   on the Earth. Although oftentimes considered a part of the Absarokas,
   they are distinct in appearance and geologic history. Uplifted
   approximately 70 million years ago during the Laramide orogeny, the
   Beartooths consist of vast windswept plateaus and rugged peaks with
   sometimes sheer cliff faces. The granite, gneiss and schist rocks are
   rich in minerals such as chromium and platinum. Iron and magnesium are
   found in the biotite, amphiboles and pyroxene minerals throughout the
   range. Quartz and feldspars are also commonly found. Geologists believe
   that the Beartooth's were at one time at least 20,000 feet (6,096 m) in
   altitude, but subsequent erosion for tens of millions of years has
   reduced them to an average of 12,000 feet (3,657 m) for the higher
   peaks. There are an estimated 300 lakes in the Beartooth region of
   Shoshone National Forest, some of them left behind by the receding
   glaciers of the last glacial maximum known as the Pinedale Glaciation,
   which ended roughly 10,000 years ago. The Beartooth Highway ( U.S.
   Highway 212) crosses 10,974 foot (3,345 m) Beartooth Pass, and from
   there descends to the northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
   Cirque of the Towers U.S. Geological Survey
   Enlarge
   Cirque of the Towers U.S. Geological Survey

   The Wind River Range is in the southern portion of the forest and is
   composed primarily of granitic rock, gneiss and schist. Gannett Peak is
   the highest peak in Wyoming, and another seven peaks also exceed
   13,500 feet (4,115 m). At one time, Fremont Peak was thought to be the
   tallest mountain in the Rocky Mountains due to its prominence when
   viewed from the Oregon Trail. In total, over 230 mountains rise above
   12,000 feet (3,600 m). This range is also popular with mountain
   climbers from all over the world because of its solid rock and variety
   of routes. 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. Hundreds of lakes are located in this region as
   are the headwaters of the Wind River.

   Altogether, over 500 lakes are located in the forest, as well as
   2,500 miles (4,023 km) of streams and rivers. The Clarks Fork of the
   Yellowstone River is designated as a National Wild and Scenic River for
   22 miles (35 km) through the forest, with cliffs towering up to
   2,000 feet (610 m) as the river winds through a gorge. All of the
   forest is located on the eastern slopes of the Continental Divide, and
   all the rivers that flow out of the forest eventually empty into the
   Atlantic Ocean basin.

Glaciology

   According to the U.S. Forest Service, Shoshone National Forest has the
   most individual glaciers in any single U.S. National Forest in the
   Rocky Mountains. According to the forest recreation guide, there are
   sixteen named and 140 unnamed glaciers within the forest, all of which
   are located in the Wind River Range. Forty-four of these glaciers are
   found in the Fitzpatrick Wilderness, centered around the highest
   mountain peaks. However, the state water board for Wyoming lists only
   63 glaciers for the entire Wind River Range, and this includes areas
   outside the forest boundaries. While there is little doubt that the
   forest has more glaciers than any other in the rockies, there is no
   controversy that all of the glaciers in the forest are retreating
   rapidly.

   Reversing the growth that occurred during the Little Ice Age
   (1350–1850), there has been a reduction of mountain glacial ice
   worldwide of 50% since 1850. Much of this reduction has been well
   documented by photographic evidence and other data. An increase in
   recession rate since the 1970s, however, seems to be correlated with
   anthropogenic global warming.
   Gannett Glacier
   Enlarge
   Gannett Glacier

   The behaviour of the glaciers of Shoshone National Forest is consistent
   with this pattern. The area covered by glaciers shrank by 50 percent in
   the century after they were first photographed in the late 1890s.
   Research between 1950 and 1999 demonstrated that the glaciers shrank by
   over a third of their size over that period. Research also indicates
   that the glacial retreat was proportionately greater in the 1990s than
   in any other decade of the last 100 years. 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 loss since 1980.

   The small glaciers found in the forest are less able to resist melting
   as compared to the great ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica, that
   are also clearly showing evidence of shrinkage. Once a glacier begins
   retreating it may fall into disequilibrium and be unable to find mass
   balance (accumulation versus abalation rate} at any size. Without a
   favorable climate change, it will continue to retreat until it
   disappears. Glaciologists believe that if the current trends continue,
   by the middle of the 21st century, all the remaining glaciers in the
   forest will have disappeared. Shrinkage 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.

Climate

   With an average of less than 10 inches (25 cm) of precipitation
   annually, Wyoming is generally considered an arid state. However,
   Shoshone National Forest is located in some of the largest mountain
   ranges in the state, which ensure that glaciers and snowmelt provide
   water for streams through the dry summer months. The average
   temperature at the lower elevations is 72 °F (22.2 °C) during the
   summer and 20 °F (−6.7 °C) during the winter, and the higher peaks
   average 20 °F (−6.7 °C) below those figures. The hottest temperature
   ever recorded is 105 °F (40.6 °C), while a reading of −52 °F (−47 °C)
   was recorded in 1993. Most of the precipitation falls in the winter and
   early spring, while summer is punctuated with widely scattered
   afternoon and evening thunderstorms. The fall is usually cool and dry.
   Due to the altitude and dryness of the atmosphere, vigorous radiative
   cooling occurs throughout the year, and temperature variances of 50 °F
   (10 °C) daily are normal. 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.

Recreation

   Over half a million visitors will spend at least one night in the
   forest in an average year, and the majority of tourists visit between
   June and September. Two visitor centers provide orientation, books,
   maps, and interpretive displays and are staffed by either forest
   service interpreters or volunteers. The Wapiti Wayside is located on
   the Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway, west of Cody, Wyoming adjacent to
   the historic Wapiti Ranger Station. Another visitor centre is located
   to the south in Lander, Wyoming. There are 30 vehicle access
   campgrounds in the forest with up to 27 individual sites each.
   Approximately half of these campgrounds provide running water and
   restroom facilities and also provide for handicapped accessibility.
   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 except for the Rex Hale campground,
   which is on the National Recreation Reservation Service; a phone and
   web-based system that permits campsite reservation months ahead of
   time. Due to the presence of Grizzly Bears, some of the campgrounds
   require what is referred to as "hard-sided" camping only, and tent
   camping is not permitted.
   Horseback riding in Greybull Ranger District
   Enlarge
   Horseback riding in Greybull Ranger District

   For some visitors the greater solitude of the "backcountry" requires
   accessing hiking trails and then backpacking or horseback riding into
   more remote destinations. There are dozens of trails which total over
   1,500 miles (2,400 km) spread throughout the forest. The Continental
   Divide Trail weaves its way through the forest, though it follows
   alternatively named trails for some of the distance. 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. Some remote areas can be accessed by horseback. Trailheads
   usually provide enough room for horse and pack animal trailers plus
   personal vehicles. Along forest access roads, all terrain vehicles are
   allowed, however there are plans to limit their use in most of the
   forest.

   Hunting and fishing are popular recreational activities permitted
   throughout the forest, provided that proper permits are obtained and
   the applicable rules and regulations are followed. Hunting regulations
   are altered each year to ensure certain species are protected from
   overhunting and to maximize personal safety. Many of the streams and
   rivers are considered to be "Blue Ribbon Trout Streams". 1,700 miles
   (2,735 km) of streams and 500 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 state department of fish and
   game.

   The southern section of the forest in the Wind River Range is the
   primary destination for mountain climbers. Twenty-nine of the highest
   30 peaks in Wyoming are located here, and the mountains are primarily
   of granitic rock with countless cliffs and sheer rock walls. The Cirque
   of the Towers is particularly popular as it has numerous peaks within a
   relatively short distance of each other.

   Winter activities include cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. The
   Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail is a popular maintained snowmobile
   route that can be accessed from Togwotee Pass. With up to 40 feet
   (12.2 m) of snow annually in the higher elevations, the snowmobile
   season extends usually from the beginning of December to the middle of
   April. Lander, Cody and the area near Togwotee Pass are the hubs of
   snowmobile activity in the forest. Numerous outfitters rent snowmobiles
   on a daily basis and can provide guided trips for those less
   experienced, and a number of motels also remain open during the winter
   to provide food and lodging. Snowmobile activity has increased in the
   forest with increased restrictions on their use within Yellowstone
   National Park.

Scenic roads

   Sunlight Bridge on the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway
   Enlarge
   Sunlight Bridge on the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway

   As a gateway to two entrances leading into Yellowstone National Park
   from the east, the forest has a number of scenic roadways. A federally
   designated All-American Road, the Beartooth Highway ( U.S. Highway
   212), weaves through the forest and serves as the northeastern
   entranceway to Yellowstone National Park. Immediately south of the
   Beartooth Highway, the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (Wyoming route 296)
   follows the old trail in which Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce tribe
   attempted to flee the U.S. Cavalry in 1877. South of there, Buffalo
   Bill Cody Scenic Byway (US 14/16/20) heads west from Cody, Wyoming and
   crosses Sylvan Pass as it enters Yellowstone. Lastly, the Wyoming
   Centennial Scenic Byway (US 26/287) heads west from Dubois, Wyoming,
   over Togwotee Pass and enters Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National
   Park. The Chief Joseph, Buffalo Bill Cody and Wyoming Centennial byways
   have all been designated by the U.S. Government as National Scenic
   Byways.

Additional reading

     * William J. Fritz (1985). Roadside Geology of the Yellowstone
       Country. Mountain Press Publishing Company, Missoula. ISBN
       0-87842-170-X.
     * John O. Whitaker, National Audubon Society Staff (1996). National
       Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mammals. Knopf
       Publishing Group, New York, N.Y.. ISBN 0-679-44631-1.
     * Elbert L. Little (1980). National Audubon Society Field Guide to
       North American Trees: Western Edition. Knopf Publishing Group, New
       York, N.Y.. ISBN 0-394-50761-4.
     * Robert Marshall M. Utley (2004). After Lewis and Clark: Mountain
       Men and the Paths to the Pacific. Bison Books, Univ. of Nebraska
       Press, Lincoln, NE. ISBN 0-8032-9564-2.
     * Rebecca Woods (1994). Walking the Winds: A Hiking and Fishing Guide
       to Wyoming's Wind River Range. White Willow Publishing, Jackson WY.
       ISBN 0-9642423-0-3.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoshone_National_Forest"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
