Bighorn National Forest

Bighorn National Forest
The Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark in the National Forest
Map showing the location of Bighorn National Forest
Map showing the location of Bighorn National Forest
Map showing the location of Bighorn National Forest
Map showing the location of Bighorn National Forest
LocationSheridan, Big Horn, Johnson, and Washakie counties, Wyoming, USA
Nearest citySheridan, WY
Coordinates44°32′N 107°21′W / 44.533°N 107.350°W / 44.533; -107.350
Area1,107,571 acres (4,482.18 km2)[1]
EstablishedFebruary 22, 1897[2]
Governing bodyU.S. Forest Service
WebsiteBighorn National Forest

The Bighorn National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in northern Wyoming, United States and consists of over 1.1 million acres (4,500 km2). Created as a US Forest Reserve in 1897, it is one of the oldest government-protected forest lands in the U.S. The forest is well east of the continental divide and extends from the Montana border for a distance of 80 miles (130 km) along the spine of the Bighorn Mountains, an outlying mountain range separated from the rest of the Rocky Mountains by Bighorn Basin. Elevations range from 5,000 feet (1,500 m) along the sagebrush and grass-covered lowlands at the foot of the mountains, to 13,189 feet (4,020 m) on top of Cloud Peak, the highest point in the Bighorn Mountains. Around 99% of the land is above 1,500 metres (4,900 ft).[3] The forest is named after the Bighorn River, which is partially fed by streams found in the forest. Streams in the range are fed primarily by snowmelt and snowmelt mixed with driving rainfall.[3]

Within the forest is the Cloud Peak Wilderness area in which no motorized or mechanical equipment is allowed. The only access into the 189,000 acres (760 km2) wilderness[4] is on foot or horseback. There are 1,500 miles (2,400 km) of trails in the forest, along with 32 improved campgrounds, lodges, and three scenic vehicular byways. U.S. Route 14 in Wyoming, also known as the Bighorn Scenic Byway, crosses the middle of the 30-mile (48 km) wide forest. The Medicine Wheel Passage (U.S. Highway 14A) crosses in the north passing the Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark, while the Cloud Peak Skyway (U.S. Route 16) crosses the highest pass in the forest (Powder River Pass 9,677 ft/2,950 m) and is located in the southern section of the forest.

The forest headquarters is located in Sheridan, Wyoming. There are local ranger district offices in Buffalo, Greybull, and Sheridan.[5] Visitor centers are located at Burgess Junction and near Shell Falls. Burgess Junction, at the intersection of Route 14 and Route 14A about 25 miles from Dayton,[6] also has a ranger station, visitor accommodation, and campgrounds.

  1. ^ "Land Areas of the National Forest System" (PDF). U.S. Forest Service. January 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  2. ^ "The National Forests of the United States" (PDF). Forest History Society. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
  3. ^ a b wohl, Ellen; cooper, david; Poff, LeRoy; Rahel, Frank; Staley, Dennis; Winters, David. "Assessment of Stream Ecosystem Function and Sensitivity in the Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  4. ^ Forest Service
  5. ^ "USFS Ranger Districts by State" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-01-19. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
  6. ^ "Burgess Junction Visitor Center". USDA Forest Service: Bighorn National Forest. Retrieved 23 November 2014.