Vol. 1, Issue 3

Governor Gordon Signs Bill Strengthening Outdoor Tourism Economy

Governor Mark Gordon signed a bill Thursday, March 10th creating the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Trust Fund, which will strengthen Wyoming’s outdoor recreation economy and help fund recreation infrastructure projects.

The Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Trust Fund was funded with $6 million. Additional work will take place in the interim to develop the structure for the fund and how funding will be awarded for potential projects. The Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation currently facilitates seven outdoor recreation collaboratives around the state, each focused on defining grassroots opportunities for the growth and enhancement of outdoor recreation in their region. The collaboratives include community members, recreation stakeholders, businesses, conservation groups, federal and state agencies, and elected officials.

“We have seen a hunger for visitors to experience Wyoming’s mountains, rivers and trails. This trust fund has the potential to create new opportunities for small businesses, focus visitation towards appropriate locations and enhance the quality of life for all Wyoming residents,” Governor Gordon said. “I’d like to thank the Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources Committee for their work on this bill, and the Legislature for their support of this fund.”

Details on The Wyoming Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Trust Fund Bill

Organization of the Month

Southwest Wyoming Off-Road Trails (SWOT), SCORC

SWOT is a non-profit, grassroots, economic development project for the communities in southwest Wyoming. Their goal is to connect the communities with a series of off-road motorized trails in order to bring visitors and riders into the region. By using existing public roads and public lands, SWOT can showcase all of the history, points of interest and amazing landscapes of the region. SWOT can also be used as a template to create trails in other regions of Wyoming.

This organization has been in existence since 2020. SWOT has been able to bring many important stakeholders to the table including Forest Service, BLM, Chambers of Commerce, City and Town Councils, County Commissioners, Wyoming Game and Fish, wildlife advocacy groups, non-profits, and of course state agencies like WYDOT, State Trails, State Parks and the Outdoor Recreation Office.

Two of our goals for the next year are to Gain OHV access to Fossil Butte National Monument and to get the groundwork set for the 3 mile connection along I-80 out of Evanston off the ground.

Ride the Red Desert is coming up in early summer in Sweetwater County. SWOT will also have the 3rd annual Bridger Valley SWOT OHV Poker Run on August 19th, 2023.

To get involved with SWOT, Contact Mark Tesoro at southwestwyomingoffroadtrails@gmail.com.

Join SWOT for a Ride

Meet the Advisors

Caleb Owen,

Non-Motorized Trails Coordinator

Who is your employer? Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation, a division of Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources.
Which Outdoor Recreation Collaborative(s) do you advise? I work will all seven Collaboratives.
Why do you love your job? I love the trails I work on and the people that use them.
What are 3 ways you support outdoor recreation through your work? Designing, building and maintaining the best trails in Wyoming!
What are some projects you are currently working on? Curt Gowdy Gold Trails, new trail development at Glendo and some other State Park surprises...
How and with whom do you like to spend your free time? I like skiing, biking and kayaking with my wife and friends.
What’s something about you (a fun fact) that not many people know? When I'm not on the trail I love being on the river. I've floated the Grand Canyon six times.
What are your 3 favorite places in Wyoming to visit, and why? Curt Gowdy State Park, the Snowy Range and Bluegrass Creek. I love the diverse landscapes; Wyoming has it all!

Collaborative Member Spotlight

Dan Barks, NEWORC

Who is your employer, and what is your official job title? Retired. Previously, I was the General Manager of Cam-Plex Event Facilities in Gillette
What organizations and clubs do you participate in? Rotary, Wyoming State Fair Board
Why is outdoor recreation important to you?. I live in Wyoming because of the outdoor opportunities. It fits my lifestyle and there are challenging high country adventures everywhere you look.
How do you spend your time outdoors? I spend a lot of time in the Bighorn Mountains- fishing, hunting, backpacking, snowshoeing, and enjoying time at our cabin. I also enjoy kayaking in mountain lakes and at Keyhole State Park.
What are your 3 favorite outdoor recreation areas/trails in Wyoming? I love Backpacking the many trails of the Bighorns, and trekking above the trails to many alpine lakes. I also enjoy Keyhole State Park.
Why did you choose to join the Outdoor Recreation Collaborative? I was asked to join because of my outdoors experience. I have enjoyed many outdoor opportunities and it is good to help an organization that works to help provide facilities for others to enjoy.

Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Collaboratives

The Northeast Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Collaborative has been working to find solutions for reclaiming the old Gillette landfill and turning it into a bike skills park and trail network. In an effort to ensure the project gets off to a great start, NEWORC convened a meeting of the "Bike Park Dream Team". These experts from Collaboratives around the state represented 8 different communities, and were joined by staff from Wyorec. Advocates from Lander, Cody, Worland, Laramie, Casper, Cheyenne, Gillette, and Newcastle were involved in this very important first step to planning a new bike park. This team had a wealth of knowledge and experience to advise NEWORC on the project, and will continue to help as the project matures.

Be a Part of the Bike Park Dream Team

The Park County Outdoor Recreation Collaborative's first project will break ground this spring. The town of Powell will be gaining a boat ramp and river access on the Shoshone River. This will create a new one-mile float that is sure to attract families, new boaters and fishermen. The access will include a re-vamped parking area and signage. The Powell Economic Partnership (PEP) spearheaded an event to clean up the existing area last fall. Other key partners in this effort include Mayor Wetzel and the Town of Powell, The Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and Trout Unlimited. This was one of the first Collaborative projects to be funded through the Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation.

Learn more about Trout Unlimited

The Bighorn Basin Outdoor Recreation Collaborative has been supporting the Tensleep Nowood Trail Breaker's efforts to advocate for summer and winter trails in the Bighorn National Forest. They are working with the agency to determine routes using the the old logging roads in Willow Park. They are hoping to connect trails between Willow Park, Meadowlark and the old highway. The trail is mapped out and they are working on making an official proposal from TNT to the Forest Service. These trails would benefit all types of non motorized recreation during all seasons and would be a benefit to the businesses in the area. The connector would create a loop of 10 miles for trail users to enjoy.

LIke TNT on Facebook

Sweetwater County Outdoor Recreation Collaborative: Collaborative members spent most of the March general meeting exploring ideas or topics that have been mentioned in previous meetings. The first topic concerned what a State Park could look like in Sweetwater County. Members highlighted areas that would be ideal, and brainstormed the different amenities that would be needed. Advisors are being brought into the conversation to clarify the process of creating a new State Park. Members then reviewed maps to determine where a non-motorized trail could exist between Rock Springs and Green River. Subcommittees will form on these topics. The collaborative will look into supporting Southwest Wyoming Offroad Trails and campsites North of the town of Superior.

Explore Wyoming State Parks

Wind River Outdoor Recreation Collaborative: During the general meeting in March, Collaborative members ironed out the final details for the Recreation User Survey they will launch this Spring. Several new projects and ideas were introduced. This included winter trail grooming in the Shoshone National Forest and a Squaw-Baldwin Multi-Modal Lane in Lander. Both topics will have a subcommittee formed to continue discussions outside general meetings. There will also be a subcommittee for the CDT Gateway Communities of Lander/South Pass City. On March 16th, South Pass City hosted a public meeting with the Bureau of Land Management to discuss trail expansion on and around the site. A comment period will be open through May.

What is a Gateway Community?

The Natrona County Outdoor Recreation Collaborative has been hard at work developing new projects. A meeting was held with Wyoming State Trails Program representatives, Natrona County Parks board Members & staff, and user groups to develop a plan for repairing, maintaining, and possibly re-opening some OHV trails on Casper Mountain and Muddy Mountain. This subcommittee also discussed extending the trails to include an additional 8 miles. Additionally, there was a subcommittee meeting held to look at steps to reopening Hell’s Half Acre to the public. Hell's Half Acre is a very unique area with significant geological history. It has incredible views and fantastic photographic opportunities. The goal is to reopen this area for pedestrian use and day trips while protecting the geology and natural history of the area. Work continues on bike park planning in Casper with two potential sites being explored.

Check out the Wyoming State Trails Program

The Southeast Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Collaborative: Collaborative members took time at the previous meeting to think of the opportunities that exist for Albany and Carbon Counties. At the March meeting, members held discussions on several topics including a non-motorized trail between Laramie and Saratoga (now will focus on smaller towns to connect), shuttle services for Continental Divide Trail users and other recreationalists (ideas arose around a ‘stop’ for users), a Blueway Water Trail for the Laramie River and/or the North Platte River, a long-range shooting range (this spurred on other ideas), and winter recreation amenities such as a hut trail system similar to Utah, and backcountry skiing opportunities. Two other topics will continue to be discussed online and subcommittees will form for several ideas and projects. The Collaborative's Outdoor Recreation survey is nearly finished, and is undergoing it's final review.

Utah's Newest Hut System: Aquarius