• Much of the range’s southern section near Kemmerer is hard to access, but zone is ‘just spectacular.’

By Katie Klingsporn, WyoFile.com

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

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.”