Forest Service to rehabilitate a neglected 180-mile trail network in the Wyoming Range

The Wyoming Range parallels the state’s western border, unfolding in a spine of ridges between Jackson and Kemmerer. Although the state’s namesake range, it’s not as well-known as the Tetons, Bighorns or Wind Rivers.

That oversight probably owes more to the remoteness of the Wyoming Range than its majesty, according to Bridger-Teton National Forest Kemmerer District Ranger Adam Calkins.

“It’s really a beautiful place that sits between the Tetons and the Winds, and so it gets lost in the shuffle,” Calkins said.

A Forest Service project to revitalize a 180-mile trail system in the southern range could change that by attracting more users and making access easier. Due to limited budgets and understaffing, Commissary Ridge’s trail network has been unmaintained for 20 years. Today, erosion, overgrowth, and fallen trees have made its trails difficult to navigate.

The Forest Service, in partnership with nonprofits and local governments, spent much of the summer paving the trails. It is now reaching out to the public for input before finalizing the specifics of trailhead parking improvements, tree clearing and other work.

The agency is asking the public, and in particular users of the Wyoming Range, to fill out a survey that will inform the project. Fossil Fuel Coffee Company in Kemmerer will also hold a public informational meeting on November 19 from 4 to 7 p.m.

The project has great potential to expand recreational opportunities in an underutilized area, Wyoming Pathways Executive Director Mike Kusiek said. “It’s super exciting.”

Off the beaten track

The Commissary Ridge Trail System, located on national forest land that the agency manages as “roadless,” is not near major cities or major highways. Users can access the system by driving from Kemmerer, Cokeville or La Barge.

The range is home to exceptional elk and mule deer habitat, and most users are hunters, Calkins said. But there’s also potential for backpacking, hiking, camping and fishing. And this is linked to the motivation of the project.

“We recognized the need — that the trails in the Kemmerer district hadn’t been maintained for over a decade, and that was a problem,” he said. “We didn’t have great access to those trails for hunters, anglers, backpackers or anyone else.”

The Forest Service district secured several partners to help implement the project, including Wyoming Pathways, Friends of the Bridger-Teton, Tread Lightly! and Lincoln County.

Forest Service employees spent most of the season hiking and inventorying about 80 percent of the system, which, all told, includes 17 trailheads and more than 30 separate trails. This work helped identify what is there and what needs to be done to make the trails safe and accessible: clean up dead, improve signage, or shore up erosion.

The agency has applied for several grants to help pay for the work. Now, Calkins said, he wants to hear from the public to better understand which trails are being used and where to prioritize improvements.

“We first want to start clearing and clearing the trails that most (of) people are using,” he said, “and that’s why we’re looking for that public input.”

Faced with major budget cuts, the Forest Service is expected to cut back on hiring temporary non-fire workers in the coming fiscal year, putting more pressure on full-time staff. Calkins doesn’t anticipate that affecting the Commissary Ridge project. Crews are expected to complete the work in three to five years, he said.

‘Simply spectacular’

Although he works in the world of trail development, Wyoming Pathways’ Kusiek knew very little about the southern Wyoming Range before the Forest Service contacted his organization: “probably, like a lot of people, next to nothing.”

After spending time exploring the area, he sees a lot of promise.

“It’s just spectacular,” he said. “I mean, it’s so beautiful in such a different way than anything else in Wyoming.”

Along with the hunters and hikers who already use it, Kusiek and Calkins see potential for expanded fishing, summit bagging, mountain biking and other activities.

At a time when the state is embracing the outdoor recreation industry with initiatives like a new trust fund to award infrastructure projects, Kusiek also believes this project fits the goal of dispersing outdoor visitors across the state. “Especially for lawmakers who say, ‘let’s take visitors to places they don’t go yet,'” he said, “it’s perfect.”

It can also create better opportunities for southwest Wyoming residents who live near the mountain range, Kusiek and Calkins said.

“Everybody we’ve talked to in the city of Kemmerer is very excited,” Calkins said. “Most people are very grateful that we are recognizing this need and doing something about it or moving on.”