Shoshone National Forest facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shoshone National Forest |
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Francs Peak is the tallest peak in the Absaroka Range
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 Shoshone National Forest
Location in Wyoming
Shoshone National Forest
Location in the United States
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| Location | Park, Fremont, Hot Springs, Sublette, and Teton counties, Wyoming, US |
| Nearest city | Cody, WY |
| Area | 2,466,909 acres (9,983.23 km2) |
| Established | March 3, 1891 |
| Visitors | 646,000 (in 2009) |
| Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
| Website | Shoshone National Forest |
The Shoshone National Forest (pronounced shoh-SHOH-nee) is the very first National Forest in the United States. It covers almost 2.5 million acres in Wyoming. This huge forest is managed by the United States Forest Service. It was created by a law signed by President Benjamin Harrison in 1891. This made it one of the first protected land areas anywhere!
Native Americans have lived in this area for at least 10,000 years. When European explorers first arrived, several tribes lived in these forestlands. The Shoshone National Forest is still mostly wild. It is part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, a massive area of protected lands that covers about 20 million acres.
The Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains are partly in the northern forest. The Wind River Range is in the southern part. It holds Gannett Peak, Wyoming's tallest mountain. Yellowstone National Park is to the west. The Continental Divide separates the forest from Bridger-Teton National Forest to the west. The eastern side has private land, land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and the Wind River Indian Reservation. This reservation belongs to the Shoshone and Arapahoe tribes. Custer National Forest is to the north, along the Montana border. The Oregon Trail, a famous 19th-century wagon route, passes just south of the forest. Its gentle South Pass helped travelers avoid the rough mountains.
Shoshone National Forest still has almost all the original animals and plants from when explorers like John Colter and Jim Bridger first visited. It is home to Grizzly bears, cougars, moose, and thousands of elk. It also has the largest herd of bighorn sheep in the U.S. The forest's streams offer some of the best fishing, including for Yellowstone cutthroat trout. There are over 1,300 miles of hiking trails and 32 campgrounds. Nearby forests and parks offer even more fun activities. Over half of the forest is protected as wilderness areas. This means these areas are kept wild and undeveloped. From sagebrush plains to thick spruce and fir forests and rocky mountain peaks, Shoshone National Forest has amazing biodiversity.
Contents
Exploring Human History
Shoshone National Forest is named after the Shoshone Indians. They were one of the main Native American groups, along with the Lakota, Crow, and Northern Cheyenne, that early white explorers met. Archeological findings show that Indian tribes have lived here for at least 10,000 years. The forest provided lots of game meat, wood, and shelter during winter. Some mountain areas were important to the Shoshone and Sioux for spiritual healing and vision quests.
By the early 1840s, Washakie became the leader of the eastern Shoshone. In 1868, he worked with the U.S. Government to protect 44 million acres as tribal lands. Later, this area was reduced to about 2 million acres. Today, it is known as the Wind River Indian Reservation.
Ancient Discoveries at Mummy Cave
In 1957, Mummy Cave was found again near the Shoshone River, east of Yellowstone National Park. Digs in the 1960s showed the cave was used for over 9,000 years. The oldest items found were stone blades from early Native Americans, dating back to 7,300 BC. The cave was used from at least 7280 BC to 1580 AD. Besides tools, well-preserved feathers and animal hides were found. The mummified remains of a person buried in a rock pile were also found, dating to 800 AD. This site is very important for understanding ancient life in the Rocky Mountains. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
Early Explorers and Conservation
In the early 1800s, mountain men like John Colter and Jim Bridger visited the forest. Colter was the first white man known to explore both Yellowstone and the forest, between 1807 and 1808. He was part of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Colter explored the Absaroka Mountains, crossing Togwotee Pass into Jackson Hole. He even survived a grizzly bear attack! Colter later shared his discoveries with William Clark, who published them in 1814.
Fur trappers like Manuel Lisa and Jim Bridger explored the area from 1807 to 1840. After the fur trade slowed down, fewer explorers came. The first government-funded trip through parts of the forest was the Raynolds Expedition in 1860. It included geologist Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden and was guided by Jim Bridger. They focused on Yellowstone but also showed the forest was a valuable resource. Later, in the 1880s, future U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, who cared a lot about conservation, visited the forest. His visits, along with General Philip Sheridan's, helped create the Yellowstone Timberland Reserve in 1891. This was the first national forest in the U.S.
In 1902, President Roosevelt made the reserve much bigger. Then he split it into four parts, with Shoshone being the largest. When the U.S. Forest Service was created in 1905, the reserve became a National Forest. The Wapiti Ranger Station, built in 1903 west of Cody, Wyoming, is the oldest surviving ranger station in any national forest. It is now a National Historic Landmark.
Before the Wind River Indian Reservation was set up, the U.S. Cavalry built Fort Brown there, later called Fort Washakie. In the late 1800s, African-American soldiers, known as Buffalo Soldiers, were stationed there. Chief Washakie is buried at the fort. It's rumored that Sacagawea, the Shoshone woman who helped Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on their expedition, is also buried there, but this is now thought to be unlikely.
In the late 1800s, people tried to mine gold in the forest, but with little success. The last mine closed in 1907. Today, you can still pan for gold in many areas without a permit. After the mining era, many camps were set up by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Unemployed men were paid by the government to build roads, hiking trails, and campgrounds. After World War II, more people visited national forests like Shoshone as roads improved.
Managing the Forest
The U.S. Forest Service manages Shoshone National Forest. The forest has five districts. From 2008 to 2012, it had about 165 employees and a budget of $17.5 million. The main office and a visitor center are in Cody, Wyoming. A smaller information center is in Lander, Wyoming. There are also local ranger offices in Cody, Dubois, and Lander.
Shoshone National Forest practices conservation. This means they manage resources so that they can be used sustainably for a long time. For example, they harvest some lumber for building and wood pulp for paper. The forest harvests about 4.5 million board-feet of timber each year for log homes. Another 2.5 million board-feet of dead wood is collected for firewood. They also allow some mineral and gas exploration. However, this is less common now because people want to protect the natural environment. Only about 8,570 acres were leased for oil and gas in 2013.
More common are leases for ranchers to graze cattle and sheep. The U.S. Forest Service sets rules to make sure resources are not overused. This helps ensure resources are available for future generations. However, some groups worry about cattle overgrazing. Sheep grazing has decreased a lot since the 1940s, while cattle grazing has stayed about the same.
Amazing Natural Resources
Plant Life and Ecosystems
Shoshone National Forest is a key part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. This area has 1,700 different plant species. The forest's elevation ranges from 4,600 to 13,804 feet, a difference of over 9,000 feet! This means the forest has many different types of ecosystems. Lower areas often have sagebrush and grass. Forested areas have different mixes of trees and shrubs.
Common trees include lodgepole pine, Rocky Mountain juniper, and quaking aspen up to 9,000 feet. At higher elevations, you'll find subalpine fir, Engelmann spruce, whitebark pine, and limber pine. These grow up to the tree line. The area above the tree line makes up 25 percent of the forest. Of that, 13 percent is barren rock or ice. Plant types depend a lot on water. Trees grow better on higher slopes because snow lasts longer, keeping the soil moist. Along lower riparian areas (near rivers), cottonwoods and willows are common.
Many plant species are endemic (only found here), and some are rare. These include the whitlow grass, fremont bladderpod, shoshonea, and the north fork Easter daisy. They bring beautiful white and yellow flowers in spring and summer.
Challenges for Plant Life
Some exotic species (plants not native to the area) are a problem. These include Canada thistle, Musk thistle, Spotted knapweed, Leafy spurge, and Yellow toadflax. These non-native plants are harmful. They hurt native plant communities and the animals that rely on them.
Native insects, like the mountain pine beetle, also cause big problems for some trees. A 2010 survey showed that over 1 million acres of timberland were affected by insects like the mountain pine beetle, spruce bark beetle, and Douglas fir beetle. These insects killed 25 to 100 percent of trees in affected areas. The forest service is trying to help by doing controlled burns, selling dead trees for firewood, harvesting timber, and spraying important areas.
Amazing Animal Life
Since the gray wolf was brought back to the Yellowstone area in the mid-1990s, all 70 known mammal species that lived here before white settlement are still in the forest. In total, at least 335 wildlife species call Shoshone National Forest home. This includes the largest population of Bighorn sheep and one of the few places where Grizzly bears can still be found in the lower 48 states.
About 700 grizzly bears live in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, with around 125 in the forest. The grizzly is listed as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The forest is one of their last strongholds. For bears that cause problems, non-deadly traps are used to catch them. They are then moved to remote areas away from people. Each captured grizzly is given a tag with an identifying number. If a bear keeps returning to areas where it might harm people, it might be removed.
This can sometimes cause disagreements with local landowners. This happens less often with the smaller, less aggressive black bear. The forest works with other National Forests and Parks to keep people safe and protect bear habitats. Visitors must store food in their vehicles or in steel containers at campgrounds. Bear-proof trash cans are also used. In the backcountry, food must be stored away from campsites, and other rules are followed to prevent bad encounters.
Cougars and timber wolves are large predators in the forest. Since wolves were brought back to Yellowstone National Park in the 1990s, they have moved into the forest and formed packs. In 2012, about a dozen wolf packs, totaling 70 wolves, were in the forest. Once wolf populations reached healthy levels, limited hunting of wolves was allowed starting in 2012. Cougars are mostly active at night and are rarely seen. Hunting them is also allowed with strict rules.
Wolverines are rare and hard to spot, so they are often only known by their tracks. The Canada lynx used to live here, but there might not be any left. This is because their main food, the Snowshoe hare, is rare. Shoshone National Forest is important for lynx recovery because they are a threatened species and used to live here. Other meat-eating mammals include coyotes, bobcats, weasels, martens, ferrets, and badgers.
Omnivores (animals that eat plants and meat) like raccoons and skunks are common. Plant-eating mammals like the porcupine and pika are also found. The beaver is important to Shoshone National Forest. Their dam-building helps create habitats for many other species, like moose, waterfowl, and amphibians.
Native plant-eaters like the moose are found in small numbers near water, especially at lower elevations. Moose populations in Wyoming have been decreasing since the late 1900s, possibly due to a parasite. In 2006, there were about 739 moose in the forest, nearly 300 fewer than 20 years before. Other hoofed animals are much more common. There are over 20,000 elk (also called wapiti) and 40,000 mule deer. Bighorn sheep and mountain goats live in the rocky, high-elevation areas. In winter, one of the largest bighorn sheep herds in the lower 48 states gathers near Dubois, Wyoming. However, their numbers have dropped since 1990 due to diseases from contact with farm animals. About 5,000 bighorn sheep live in the forest. A small but steady population of 200 mountain goats lives in the northern forest. Bison and pronghorn antelope also live in the forest and have healthy populations.
Birds of the Forest
About 300 bird species are found in the forest for at least part of the year. Birds of prey like the Bald eagle, peregrine falcon, Swainson’s hawk, and prairie falcon are common. Waterfowl like the Western grebe, Northern pintail, Great blue heron, and Barrow’s goldeneye have stable populations. Rare sightings of Trumpeter swans are also reported. Pheasants, ruffed grouse, and wild turkey are found across the open sage lands. Harlequin ducks and northern goshawks are generally rare. Management plans are in place to protect their habitats and help their numbers grow.
Fish and Water Life
At least six species of trout live in Shoshone National Forest. These include rainbow, brook, and brown trout. The Yellowstone cutthroat trout is common throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. In the forest, it is mostly found in the Shoshone River. The mountain whitefish is also in the Shoshone River. The burbot is found in two streams in the southern forest.
More than a dozen reptile species live in the forest. This includes the venomous prairie rattlesnake at lower elevations. The western painted and ornate box turtle are known to exist. About eight species of lizards, like the greater short-horned lizard, have been seen. Amphibians like the Columbia spotted frog and the boreal toad are a concern. They are easily affected by disease, habitat loss, and human-made toxins. Boreal toads live at elevations between 7,380 and 11,800 feet. Columbia spotted frogs can live as high as 9,480 feet in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Invasive Species
Exotic species like the zebra and quagga mussels and the New Zealand mud snail are invasive. They can greatly harm native fish species. While these mussels are not known to be in Wyoming, they have been reported in nearby areas. The New Zealand mud snail has been found in the Shoshone River east of the forest. Forest managers have programs to prevent these species from entering forest waterways.
Wilderness Areas
The forest has four untouched wilderness areas. These areas have been largely unchanged by human activities like mining, logging, or building roads. These include the North Absaroka, Washakie, Fitzpatrick, and Popo Agie Wildernesses. A small part of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness also extends into the far northwestern part of the forest, along the Montana border. In Shoshone National Forest, 1.4 million acres, or 56 percent of the forest, are designated as wilderness. This means these lands are highly protected.
The Wilderness Act of 1964 made sure that remote, undeveloped lands within protected areas would stay wild. This law prevents new roads, buildings, oil and mineral exploration, mining, and logging. It also bans motorized equipment, even bicycles. People can only enter wilderness areas by walking or on horseback. Hunting and fishing are allowed in wilderness areas, just like the rest of the forest, if you have the right licenses.
Fire in the Forest Ecosystem
Forest managers in Shoshone National Forest understand that forest fires are a natural part of the ecosystem. However, this wasn't always the case. In the early 1900s, firefighters tried to put out all fires quickly. They thought fires were always bad for forests. In 1935, a "10 am rule" was made for all federal lands. It said fires should be attacked aggressively and controlled by 10 am the day after they start. This was meant to stop fires from growing larger in the afternoon heat.
But this policy led to more "fuel" (dead trees and plants) building up. Fires were put out before they could burn away old, dead growth. In 1937, the Blackwater fire of 1937 in Shoshone National Forest killed 15 firefighters. This was one of the deadliest fires for firefighters in U.S. history.
Between 1970 and 2012, Shoshone National Forest had about 25 fires each year. Half of these were caused by lightning, which burned 90 percent of the total area. The rest were from campfires or other causes. Most fires happen in August and September. An average of 2,334 acres burn annually. The worst year in the last century was 1988, when 194,430 acres burned. These fires spread from the huge fires in Yellowstone National Park.
After the 1988 Yellowstone fires, efforts were made to find areas with similar fire risks. Fire managers in Shoshone National Forest work with other groups. They set fire restrictions, manage fuels, and plan controlled burns. This helps reduce the chance of huge, damaging fires. Dead trees killed by bark beetles can greatly affect future fires. Fire managers say the highest risk for increased fire activity is 1–2 years after trees die, and again many years later when the dead trees fall.
Forest Geography and Geology
Shoshone National Forest borders Yellowstone National Park and Bridger-Teton National Forest to the west. The Continental Divide marks the border between Shoshone and Bridger-Teton National Forests. To the north, along the Montana border, Shoshone National Forest borders Custer National Forest. Private land, Wyoming state land, and land managed by the Bureau of Land Management form the eastern borders. The Wind River Indian Reservation also borders the east. It cuts through a smaller southern section that includes the Popo Agie Wilderness.
The forest's elevation goes from 4,600 feet near Cody, Wyoming, to 13,804 feet at the top of Gannett Peak. That's a height difference of over 9,200 feet! The three main mountain ranges in the forest are all part of the Rocky Mountains, but they are different geologically.
Absaroka Mountains
The Absaroka Mountains are in the northern and central parts of the forest. They were named after the Crow Indian tribe. Most of the Absaroka Mountains are within the forest. The highest peak is Francs Peak at 13,158 feet. The Absaroka peaks are made of basaltic rock. They formed from volcanic activity about 50 million years ago. The rocks are mostly andesite and breccia from millions of years of volcanic eruptions. These sit on older sedimentary rocks that have valuable minerals. Gold was mined from Francs Peak between 1890 and 1915. The small ghost town of Kirwin is a reminder of that time. Major rivers like the Shoshone and Greybull Rivers start in the Absaroka Mountains. Important passes include Sylvan Pass, which leads to Yellowstone National Park, and Togwotee Pass, which goes to Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park.
Beartooth Mountains
In the far north of Shoshone National Forest, a small part of the Beartooth Mountains is north of the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River. The Beartooths are made of very old Precambrian granitic rocks. They are some of the oldest rocks on Earth. Even though they are often seen as part of the Absaroka Mountains, the Beartooths look different and have a different geologic history. They were lifted up about 70 million years ago. The Beartooths have vast, windy plateaus and rugged peaks with steep cliffs. The Beartooth Highway (U.S. Highway 212) crosses the 10,974-foot Beartooth Pass. From there, it goes down to the northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park.
Wind River Range
The Wind River Range is in the southern part of the forest. It is mostly made of old granitic rock. Gannett Peak, Wyoming's tallest mountain, is in the northern part of this range. Eight peaks are over 13,500 feet, and 119 peaks rise at least 12,000 feet high. Fremont Peak, the second highest in the range, was once thought to be the tallest in the Rockies. This was because it looked so prominent from the Oregon Trail. The Wind River Range is popular with mountain climbers because of its solid rock and many climbing routes. The Cirque of the Towers in the Popo Agie Wilderness is a very popular climbing and hiking spot. About 200 different climbing routes are found on the peaks around the cirque.
The forest has over 500 lakes and 1,000 miles of streams and rivers. The Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River is a federally protected Wild and Scenic River for 22 miles through the forest. Cliffs tower up to 2,000 feet as the river flows through a gorge. The forest is on the eastern side of the Continental Divide. Its rivers flow into the Atlantic Ocean basin.
Glaciers of the Forest
According to the U.S. Forest Service, Shoshone National Forest has the most glaciers of any National Forest in the Rocky Mountains. The forest 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, around the highest mountain peaks.
However, researchers say that most glaciers in the forest have been shrinking. Glacial ice has decreased by as much as 25 percent between 1985 and 2009. This is part of a worldwide reduction of mountain glacial ice since the end of the Little Ice Age (1350–1850). Some regions have lost as much as 50 percent of their ice. Photos taken over time show this shrinking. The glaciers in Shoshone National Forest follow this pattern. A study of Dinwoody and Gannett Glaciers showed their thickness reduced by 77 and 61 feet, respectively, between 1958 and 1983.
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 size since 1920. A quarter of that loss happened between 1980 and 1999. Upper Fremont Glacier has been studied more than any other glacier in the Wind River Range. Scientists have taken ice cores from Upper Fremont Glacier. They found measurable changes in the atmosphere over the past few hundred years. The Upper Fremont Glacier and the Quelccaya Ice Cap in the Andes of South America show very similar atmospheric records. This suggests a global connection of atmospheric conditions over time.
The small glaciers in the forest melt more easily than the huge ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica. Once a glacier starts shrinking, it might not be able to find a balance between snowfall and melting. Without a favorable climate change, it will keep shrinking until it disappears. Losing glacial ice already reduces the summer runoff that feeds streams and lakes. This cold water is vital for certain fish and plant species. This could have a big impact on the forest ecosystem over time.
Forest Climate
Wyoming is a dry state, getting about 12.68 inches of rain each year. However, Shoshone National Forest is in and near some of the state's largest mountain ranges. So, it gets between 15 and 70 inches of precipitation annually. Higher elevations get more precipitation and have lower temperatures. Summertime highs are around 60°F, and lows are near 35°F. Lower elevations can be 20°F or warmer on average. Humidity levels are low throughout the forest, especially at higher altitudes.
At the Wapiti Ranger Station, in the middle of the forest, January temperatures are about 35.8°F high and 13.2°F low. July highs are about 81.4°F, and lows are 49.1°F. The station gets about 10.37 inches of rain each year.
Most precipitation falls in winter and early spring. Summer has scattered thunderstorms. Autumn is usually cool and dry. Because of the high altitude and dry air, temperatures can change a lot in one day. Nights are very cool in summer and extremely cold in winter. Visitors should always bring a jacket, even in summer. The highest temperature recorded in the forest was 100°F in 1978. The coldest was -49°F in 1972.
Fun Things to Do
Shoshone National Forest gets over half a million visitors each year. Two visitor centers offer information, maps, and displays. One is at the Wapiti Wayside on the Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway, west of Cody, Wyoming. It's next to the historic Wapiti Ranger Station. The other is in Lander, Wyoming.
There are 30 vehicle-accessible campgrounds in the forest. Each campground has up to 54 individual sites. About half of these campgrounds have running water and restrooms. They also have handicapped access. These "front country" campgrounds usually allow recreational vehicles. All campgrounds are first-come, first-served, but four have sites you can reserve ahead of time. Because of grizzly bears, a few campgrounds only allow "hard-sided" camping, meaning no tents.
For more quiet adventures, you can use hiking trails for backpacking or horseback riding into remote places. One such place is Blackwater Natural Bridge. There are dozens of trails, totaling over 1,600 miles, throughout the forest. Many trailheads are at campgrounds, offering shorter day hikes too. The Continental Divide Trail has a 20-mile section that crosses the Continental Divide at Sheridan Pass. There's also the Nez Perce National Historic Trail and the Beartooth Loop National Recreation Trail in the northern forest. Some remote areas can also be reached by horseback. Trailheads usually have room for horse trailers and personal vehicles. All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are allowed on forest access roads. But since wilderness areas don't allow motorized transport, people usually hike or ride horses there.
Hunting and fishing are popular activities allowed throughout the forest. Many streams and rivers are known as "Blue Ribbon Trout Streams." The north and south forks of the Shoshone River, the Greybull River, and the Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone are great places to catch trophy-level Rainbow or Yellowstone cutthroat trout. The Clark's Fork is Wyoming's only federally designated Wild and Scenic River. With 1,000 miles of streams and a hundred lakes, there's plenty of space for fishing. Hunting and fishing licenses are issued by the state of Wyoming.
The southern part of the forest, in the Wind River Range, is a top spot for mountain climbers. Nine of Wyoming's 10 highest peaks are here. The mountains are mostly granite with many cliffs and rock walls. The Cirque of the Towers is especially popular. It has many peaks close together. Two climbs in the cirque are considered among the best in the U.S. The Absaroka Range also attracts climbers, but not for technical climbing, as the rocks are not as solid. Climbing the tallest peaks in the Wind River Range can take many days, even for experienced climbers. This is because the area is hard to reach and the climbs are complex.
Winter activities include cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. There are 48 miles of groomed trails for cross-country skiing and over 300 miles for snowmobiling. The area around Togwotee Pass offers easy access for snowmobilers from paved roads. It gets 6 to 10 feet of snow each year at elevations of 8,000 to 10,000 feet. This means a long season for winter fun.
Scenic Drives
Shoshone National Forest is on the eastern side of Yellowstone National Park. The park's northeastern and eastern entrances are reached by scenic roads. The Beartooth Highway (U.S. Highway 212) is a federally designated National Scenic Byway and All-American Road. It winds through the forest and leads to Yellowstone's northeastern entrance. The Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (Wyoming Highway 296) connects Cody, Wyoming, with the Beartooth Highway. It follows the old path where Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce tribe tried to escape the U.S. Cavalry in 1877.
South of there, the Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway (US 14/16/20) heads west from Cody, Wyoming. It passes through the forest and crosses Sylvan Pass to enter Yellowstone. Finally, the Wyoming Centennial Scenic Byway (US 26/287) heads northwest from Dubois, Wyoming. It goes over Togwotee Pass and enters Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park. While the Beartooth Highway is the only National Scenic Byway, all four of these roads are designated Wyoming State Scenic Byways.
Images for kids
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Yellowstone cutthroat trout
See also
In Spanish: Bosque nacional Shoshone para niños
