Shoshone NF

Shoshone National Forest (SNF)

Bighorn NF | Bridger-Teton NF | Shoshone NF | Black Hills NF

The Shoshone National Forest is located from the Montana border south to the center of the State of Wyoming near Lander, bordering Yellowstone National Park. Nearly 2.5 million acres of some of the most raw and rugged country in the Lower 48, the Shoshone National Forest, established in 1891, is the oldest of our national forests. And it remains a cornerstone of all that we value in the Rocky Mountain wilds—the mountain men and Native cultures of its past, the huge swaths of roadless, untrammeled wildlife habitat of its present, the classic outdoor experiences, the Shoshone is truly one the nation's natural treasures of wilderness and wildlife to be preserved for future generations to enjoy.

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. 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.

Three major mountain ranges are partially n the forest: the Absaroka, the Beartooth and the Wind River Range. Yellowstone National Park forms part of the boundary to the west; south of Yellowstone, the Continental Divide separates the forest from its neighbor, 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 (81,000 km²).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 comprise 1.5 million acres (6,000 km²) and include the North Absaroka, Washakie, Fitzpatrick and Popo Agie Wildernesses. Additionally, a small portion of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness extends into the extreme northwestern part of the forest, along the Montana border.

Wyoming Wilderness Association Dubois Office

In early 2011, the Wyoming Wilderness Association opened new office doors in Dubois, to focus on the special wild places on the Shoshone National Forest. The Shoshone Forest Plan Revision Process (learn more here) is underway, and this revised land management forest plan will guide the management of the forest for the next 10-15 years. Public participation in this process is important, and YOU have an opportunity to help protect these public lands for future generations, wildlife, and backcountry recreation opportunities. To learn how you can be more involved, contact Sara at 307-455-2246 or stop by the office at 132 East Ramshorn, Unit 4 in Dubois. For information about the Shoshone Forest Plan, contact Shoshone Forest Planning staff Carrie Christman at 307-578-5118 or email cchristman@fs.fed.us.

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UW ENR seminar features WWA's Shoshone Wildlands Director Sara Domek!

The University of Wyoming recently hosted the panel on Wilderness in Wyoming: Perception, Politics and Status. Conversations about these important issues are confronting misconceptions and leading to a new era of wilderness preservation in Wyoming. This seminar is available for viewing online by clicking here.

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It’s time for the next step:

For years, folks from all walks of life have found common cause keeping Wyoming’s wild places the way they are. By bringing together ranchers, sportsmen, outfitters, recreationists, and conservationists, we have an opportunity to protect what we all love about the Shoshone-continued access to renowned hunting and fishing, healthy landscapes full of wildlife, and a Wyoming way of life.

The Shoshone National Forest offers world-class hunting, fishing, tourism, and recreation opportunities. Roadless areas on this forest provide critical habitat for big-game species, including Bighorn sheep and elk. All species depend upon the protections provided by the 34 inventoried roadless areas on the Shoshone. To keep these areas the way they are, without shutting down any roads, some areas should be recommended for wilderness. WWA does not advocate that all roadless areas on the Shoshone National Forest should become wilderness, but those with qualified primitive values including wildlife habitat, water quality protection, and backcountry recreation, should be protected.

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