(Lander, WY) – Following the completion of a month-long project, individuals using the North Fork Trail on the Washakie Ranger District of the Shoshone National Forest will see noticeable improvements. After years of overuse, which resulted in a trenched trail that would often flood during the spring, the North Fork Trail posed a danger for hikers and pack strings alike.
“We couldn’t have completed this project without funding from the Great American Outdoors Act and our partnership with the Montana Conservation Corps (MCC),” said Washakie District Ranger Steve Schacht. “Along with staff from the Shoshone National Forest, the MCC crew completed four miles of trail work to ensure the trail remains a viable access route for the Popo Agie Wilderness and the popular Cirque of the Towers.”
Some of the work completed on the North Fork Trail includes the removal of heavy brush, widening of the trail corridor, removal of berms, and installation of grade reversals, drain dips, check steps, and water bars. A 500-foot reroute through dense timber was also completed to bypass a swampy section of the trail.
The work completed on the North Fork Trail will improve drainage and mitigate erosion on the trail for years to come. This successful project will increase public access, protect valuable natural resources, and allow the American public to continue to enjoy this treasured area for years to come.
