Much of the range’s southern section near Kemmerer is hard to access, but zone is ‘just spectacular.’
That oversight probably owes more to the Wyoming Range’s remoteness than its majesty, according to Bridger-Teton National Forest Kemmerer District Ranger Adam Calkins.
“It really is a beautiful location that just happens to be sandwiched between the Tetons and the Winds, and so it just gets lost in the shuffle,” Calkins said.
A Forest Service project to revitalize a 180-mile trail system in the range’s southern region could change that by drawing more users and easing access. Because of strapped budgets and lean staff, the Commissary Ridge trail network has gone largely 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 inventorying the trails. Now it’s 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 particularly users of the Wyoming Range, to fill out a survey that will inform the project. It will also hold a public informational meeting Nov. 19 from 4-7 p.m. at Fossil Fuel Coffee Company in Kemmerer.
The project has a lot of potential for expanding recreational opportunities in a little-used area, Wyoming Pathways Executive Director Mike Kusiek said. “It’s super exciting.”
Off the beaten path
The Commissary Ridge Trail System, located on national forest land the agency manages as “roadless,” isn’t close to large towns 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 the bulk of users are hunters, Calkins said. But there is also potential for backpacking, hiking, camping and fishing. And that ties into the motivation for the project.
“We recognized the need — that the trails on the Kemmerer District hadn’t been maintained in over a decade, and that was a problem,” he said. “We didn’t have great access to these trails for hunters, for fishers, backpackers or for anybody else.”
The Forest Service district secured several partners to help it implement the project, including Wyoming Pathways, Friends of the Bridger-Teton, Tread Lightly! and Lincoln County.
Forest Service employees spent the bulk of the season hiking and inventorying roughly 80% of the system, which, all told, includes 17 trailheads and more than 30 separate trails. That work helped identify what is out there and what needs to be done to make trails safe and accessible — clearing deadfall, improving signage or shoring up erosion.
The agency has applied for several grants to help it pay for the work. Now, Calkins said, it wants to hear from the public to better understand which trails are used and where to prioritize improvements.
“We want to first start clearing and cleaning up the trails that the bulk [of] people are using,” he said, “and that’s why we’re looking for that public input.”
Facing significant budget cuts, the Forest Service is anticipated to forgo hiring non-fire seasonal workers in the next fiscal year, which will put more strain on full-time staff. Calkins does not foresee that affecting the Commissary Ridge project. Crews are anticipated to complete the work in three to five years, he said.
‘Just spectacular’
Though he works in the world of trail development, Kusiek of Wyoming Pathways knew very little about the southern Wyoming Range before the Forest Service contacted his organization — “probably, like a lot of people, almost next to nothing.”
After spending time exploring the area, he sees a ton 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 that already use it, Kusiek and Calkins see potential for expanded fishing, peak-bagging, mountain biking and other activities.
In a time when the state is embracing the outdoor recreation industry with initiatives like a new trust fund to grant infrastructure projects, Kusiek also believes this project fits into a goal to disperse outdoor visitors around the state. “Especially for legislators who are saying, ‘let’s bring visitors to places they aren’t already going,’” he said, “it’s perfect.”
It can also create better opportunities for the residents of southwest Wyoming who live near the range, Kusiek and Calkins said.
“Everybody that we’ve talked to in the city of Kemmerer is very excited about it,” Calkins said. “Most people, they’re very grateful that we’re recognizing this need and that we’re doing something about it or moving forward with it.”
WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy.
