Updated Cloud Peak Wilderness Map Released

Bighorn National Forest officials collaborated with the Cloud Peak Chapter of Wilderness Watch (the Chapter) and the National Geographic Society to revise the Cloud Peak Wilderness trail map. The new edition includes updates to trails within the wilderness boundary, as well as to access roads and trails outside of wilderness.

Proceeds from the sale of the trail map support the Chapter’s monitoring and data collection work within Cloud Peak Wilderness. Bighorn National Forest wilderness managers rely on the Chapter to complete all recurring monitoring, which is tied to Wilderness Stewardship Performance (WSP) reporting. Currently, Cloud Peak Wilderness has a WSP score of 64 putting it in the top 15% of the best managed wilderness areas in the nation, this level of performance is only possible because of the recurring monitoring that the Chapter completes.  In 2020, the Chapter completed an inventory of user created trails in wilderness.

In partnership with the Bighorn National Forest, the Chapter plans to hire interns in 2021 to complete bare ground assessments. These important assessments are completed about once every five years on over a hundred predetermined locations using a protocol developed at the University of Montana. The assessment provides managers information on the effects of alpine camping, firewood collection, and timber regeneration above 9200,’ and is used for determining the effectiveness of current wilderness regulations.

Additionally, the Chapter will be seeking volunteers in 2021 to assist with a rapid campsite assessment inventory. This assessment is based on a national protocol and is used to catalog all campsites in the wilderness. Current inventories compared with past inventories provide Cloud Peak Wilderness managers with valuable information to guide management decisions and protect wilderness character.

For more information please contact one of our offices or email us at SM.FS.bighorninfo@usda.gov. You can also follow us on Twitter (@BighornNF), like us on Facebook (US Forest Service – Bighorn National Forest), or check out our website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/bighorn.