"Opportunities for solitude" is one of the four defining wilderness characteristics identified in the 1964 Wilderness Act. To that end, federal managers have established a solitude monitoring protocol in the Teton, Gros Ventre, Bridger, and Jedediah Smith Wilderness areas. This protocol gathers travel encounter data essential for creating a baseline to assess visitor trends and guide management.

The Solitude Monitoring program, a partnership between the Wyoming Wilderness Association, federal agencies, and community members, trains local volunteers on this citizen science project. These volunteers then collect data adhering to the Forest Service’s National Minimum Protocol for Monitoring Opportunities for Solitude. This effort not only ensures consistent, high-quality data, it also cultivates a stewardship ethos among community members.