This section briefly describes the broad spectrum of recreational opportunities available on BLM-administered land in the Bighorn Basin.

Recreation Management

Recreational opportunities are offered to the public on all BLM-administered lands in the Planning Area to which there is legal access. Federal lands in the Planning Area provide a broad spectrum of outdoor opportunities that afford visitors the freedom of recreational choice with minimal regulatory constraints. The BLM provides opportunities for outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism using the concept of multiple-use management. Visitors to public lands are afforded the opportunity to enjoy natural landscapes, the freedom to choose a particular activity in which to participate, the opportunity to test skills in a sport, time spent with family and friends, and the opportunity for discovery. Recreational activities on public lands are multi-faceted.

There is dispersed recreation throughout the Planning Area in a wide range of recreational settings, and recreation can occur in combination with other resource activities. Dispersed recreation includes, but is not limited to, hunting, sightseeing, touring, backpacking, horseback riding, mountain biking, hiking, OHV use, spelunking, photography, wildlife viewing, fishing, boating and other water-related activities, and camping. The BLM offers some combination of these recreational opportunities to the public on all BLM-administered lands in the Bighorn Basin. Public access to BLM-administered lands is more readily available in the central and eastern portions of the Planning Area, in the basin and along the western slopes of the Big Horn Mountains, and less available in the Absaroka Foothills region.

In addition to managing dispersed recreation throughout the Planning Area, the CYFO and WFO recreation programs manage developed recreation sites ranging from minor improvements for parking to multi-site hosted campground areas. The BLM manages seven SRMAs (Map 59) and one National Back Country Byway (Map 71) in the Planning Area (refer to Section 3.7.2 National Back Country Byways for more information).

The BLM manages recreational uses on public lands to protect resources, reduce user conflicts, and promote public safety. Travel management designations are one of the ways this is accomplished. These designations have been implemented statewide and are designed to direct the appropriate use of motorized vehicles on BLM-administered lands.

The BLM uses law enforcement and routine monitoring of recreational uses and areas, along with information from the public, to identify issues related to recreation. The BLM addresses recreational issues through user education, signs, additional facilities, maintenance, and law enforcement attention.

The BLM has actively embraced the Leave No Trace and Tread Lightly programs in an effort to encourage responsible use of public lands. Both programs promote and teach outdoor ethics and are geared toward reducing the adverse impacts of recreation. The goal is to make recreational uses more sustainable in the long run. Leave No Trace is geared toward nonmotorized recreation and Tread Lightly focuses on motorized recreation.

Recent BLM guidance (IM No. 2006-060 and IM No. 2007-043) establishes the agency’s commitment to incorporate the framework of benefits-based management (BBM) into its recreation management program. BBM is a method of managing recreation that focuses on the beneficial outcomes from engaging in recreational activities, rather than only on the recreation activities themselves. This approach gives the BLM a framework within which to manage recreation on public lands to provide outcomes that benefit individuals, communities, economies, and the environment (BLM 2009r). BBM represents a departure from previous recreation management methodologies by integrating management of recreation settings with desired recreation opportunities and benefits through collaboration with public and local and private-sector providers. It is guided by the premise that the BLM is not a sole-source provider of recreation opportunities and that recreation planning must be considered in a regional context (BLM 2007e). Appendix O provides more information about BBM.

Special Recreation Permits

The field offices in the Planning Area have active SRP programs, administering approximately 65 SRPs per year for outfitters, activities, and events. Typical activities and events include outfitting and guiding for hunting, fishing, float boating, horseback rides, wild horse viewing tours, interpretive tours, livestock drives, horseback fundraising events, horse endurance rides, yoga trips, motorcycle hill climbs, paragliding, triathlon events, mountain bike races, and wagon trains. The field offices collect between $11,000 and $14,000 per year in SRP fees and spend this revenue on visitor services, maintenance, monitoring, and law enforcement.

Outfit-guided hunting trips are the most popular SRP activity in the Bighorn Basin. Outfitters are widely dispersed over several hunt areas, and authorized activities take place during different times and places throughout the Planning Area. Conflicts between these SRP activities and other recreational uses are not uncommon and can result in visitor displacement.

Special Recreation Management Areas and Extensive Recreation Management Areas

The RMP planning process identifies areas where recreation is the management focus. SRMAs were traditionally areas that had higher recreation use or required extra recreation investment, or where more intensive recreation management was needed. The 2005 revision of the BLM Land Use Planning Handbook (H-1610-1) amended the criteria for identifying an SRMA; these are administrative units where the predominant land use and emphasis is recreation. SRMAs provide specific long-term recreation opportunities (activities, experiences, benefits) and settings. At present, SRMAs must identify a distinct, primary recreation-tourism market (destination, community, or undeveloped), and a corresponding and distinguishing strategy. The BLM prescribes recreation settings or natural resource settings as part of the land use allocation decision. Subsequent implementing actions, as identified in the activity planning framework, are proactive and address management, marketing and visitor information, and monitoring and administration.

The BLM is required to consider the delineation of distinct recreation management zones (RMZ) in SRMAs. RMZs are subunits of an SRMA managed for distinctly different recreation products. The BLM Land Use Planning Handbook (H-1610-1) states that each RMZ has four defining characteristics  it (1) serves a different recreation niche within the primary recreation market, (2) produces a different set of recreation opportunities and facilitates the attainment of different experience and benefit outcomes (to individuals, households, communities, economies, and the environment), (3) has distinctive recreation setting character, and (4) requires a different set of recreation provider actions to meet the strategically targeted primary recreation market demand. At present, there are no designated RMZs in the Planning Area, but several are proposed as part of this RMP revision project.

Recreational Use Patterns

Hunting and fishing are two of the most common recreational activities for local users on BLM-administered public lands in the Planning Area. Most pronghorn hunting, and a major portion of deer, elk, and upland bird (greater sage-grouse) hunting in the Planning Area occurs on public lands.

Hunting opportunities available in the Bighorn Basin also are available to non-residents. Commercial outfitting provides recreational opportunities for residents of other states, and the recreation and tourism industry is one of the most important industries in the Planning Area and the state of Wyoming as a whole.

Regionally, the Wyoming Travel Industry Impact Report of 2006 concluded that 7.3 million overnight visits to Wyoming resulted in $2.5 billion in direct travel-generated expenditures. The report also notes that 98 percent of visitors came to Wyoming for pleasure, while only two percent came for business. Travel and tourism resulted in $103 million in state and local tax revenues and $624 million in earnings for Wyoming residents (Wyoming State Office of Travel and Tourism 2007). Refer to Section 3.8.2 Economic Conditions for more information.

A large proportion of outdoor recreation on public lands relates to hunting and fishing activities. The numbers of hunters and fishermen remain fairly constant over time because they depend on wildlife population numbers and available licenses. While there is no trend toward increased recreation related to hunting and fishing, the numbers do reflect the magnitude of recreation demand on public lands.

Table 3–45 lists hunting and fishing recreation days for Wyoming, BLM-administered lands in Wyoming, and public lands in the Planning Area from 2003 through 2009. The Planning Area estimates assume representative proportions of visitations in Wyoming and are based on a ratio of acreage in the Planning Area to acreage of land in Wyoming.

The Cody, Washakie, and Grass Creek RMPs identified seven areas to be managed as SRMAs (Map 59) based on the unique and identified recreational niche these areas fill. Chapter 2 describes current management for SRMAs and the proposed management for RMZs. The following paragraphs briefly describe existing SRMAs and proposed RMZs in relation to those SRMAs.

Absaroka Mountain Foothills SRMA – Goals and objectives for the 72,177-acre Absaroka Mountain Foothills are to enhance semi-primitive motorized and nonmotorized recreational opportunities in this scenic area.

Badlands SRMA – Goals and objectives for the approximately 214,099-acre Badlands SRMA are to provide for interpretive opportunities and to display the scenic qualities of the area. There are three RMZs proposed for the Badlands SRMA  Tour de Badlands, Wild Badlands, and Tatman Mountain.

Bighorn River SRMA – Goals and objectives for this approximately 15,417-acre SRMA are to provide for and enhance public access to the Bighorn River so as to enhance recreational opportunities and wildlife management. Recreational uses of public lands along the Bighorn River include fishing, hunting, and float boating.

Historic Trails SRMA – This 12,083-acre SRMA includes segments of the Nez Perce NHT, Bridger Trail, and the Fort Washakie Trail to Red Lodge Stage Route.

The Rivers SRMA – This SRMA includes about 18,278 acres of public land along the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River, the north and south forks of the Shoshone River, and the main stem of the Shoshone River.

West Slope SRMA – The west slope of the Big Horn Mountains is popular for dispersed recreational activities due to scenic qualities; a variety of recreational resources, activities, opportunities, and experiences; access to the Bighorn National Forest, and accessibility in the area. The area provides recreation opportunities such as hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, driving for pleasure, sightseeing, and spelunking. This SRMA contains several caves rated as significant. The West Slope SRMA is approximately 373,755 acres. There are four RMZs proposed in the West Slope SRMA  Trapper Creek, Paint Rock, Brokenback/Logging Road Area, and South Bighorns.

Worland Caves SRMA – The goals of this cave-focused SRMA are to provide protection for the fragile cave resources, promote ethical uses, and help educate the public on proper management and recreational use.

In addition, this RMP and EIS proposes several new SRMAs (Red Canyon, Basin Garden, Horse Pasture, Rattlesnake Ridge, Newton Lake Ridge, Beck Lake, and McCullough Peaks).

A specific type of ERMA is the separate ERMA, a type of management area for which management objectives may address a wide variety of recreation-tourism issues, activities, and conflicts as well as particular desired recreation setting character conditions (RSCC). Several new separate ERMAs are proposed as part of this RMP revision project: Bighorn River ERMA, Absaroka Foothills ERMA, Rattlesnake Ridge ERMA, Red Canyon Creek ERMA, Southern Bighorns ERMA, and Basin Gardens ERMA.

The BLM manages lands not designated as SRMAs as Extensive Recreation Management Areas (ERMAs). There are two existing ERMAs: the Cody ERMA (756,152 acres) and the Worland ERMA (1,566,022 acres). ERMAs do not have substantial numbers of developed recreational facilities such as campgrounds), nor does the BLM develop specific recreational setting prescriptions or recreation activity plans for these areas. The BLM provides custodial management of recreational activities in these areas to help ensure user health and safety, protect resources, and resolve use and user conflicts.

Recreational Use Patterns

Hunting and fishing are two of the most common recreational activities for local users on BLM-administered public lands in the Planning Area. Most pronghorn hunting, and a major portion of deer, elk, and upland bird (greater sage-grouse) hunting in the Planning Area occurs on public lands.

Hunting opportunities available in the Bighorn Basin also are available to non-residents. Commercial outfitting provides recreational opportunities for residents of other states, and the recreation and tourism industry is one of the most important industries in the Planning Area and the state of Wyoming as a whole.

Regionally, the Wyoming Travel Industry Impact Report of 2006 concluded that 7.3 million overnight visits to Wyoming resulted in $2.5 billion in direct travel-generated expenditures. The report also notes that 98 percent of visitors came to Wyoming for pleasure, while only two percent came for business. Travel and tourism resulted in $103 million in state and local tax revenues and $624 million in earnings for Wyoming residents (Wyoming State Office of Travel and Tourism 2007). Refer to Section 3.8.2 Economic Conditions for more information.

A large proportion of outdoor recreation on public lands relates to hunting and fishing activities. The numbers of hunters and fishermen remain fairly constant over time because they depend on wildlife population numbers and available licenses. While there is no trend toward increased recreation related to hunting and fishing, the numbers do reflect the magnitude of recreation demand on public lands.

Table 3-45 lists hunting and fishing recreation days for Wyoming, BLM-administered lands in Wyoming, and public lands in the Planning Area from 2003 through 2009. The Planning Area estimates assume representative proportions of visitations in Wyoming and are based on a ratio of acreage in the Planning Area to acreage of land in Wyoming.

Literature reviews show that recreation visitation trends in the United States fluctuate for a number of reasons, including drought, current social conditions, international conditions, current economic conditions and trends, and an increase in the costs for amenities such as fuel (Pergams and Zaradic 2006; Roggenbuck and Watson 1988).

Recreational use has generally been increasing in Wyoming, particularly in the northwest part of the state. Visitation data have been collected for Yellowstone National Park and Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, two national tourist attractions near the Planning Area. While visitation trends between 2002 and 2005 in both of these areas fluctuated, showing an overall decline in visitors, trends in both areas have shown a gradual increase since 2006 (NPS 2008). Based on current upward population trends in the state of Wyoming (Wyoming State Office of Travel and Tourism 2007) and the expansion of energy development in the state, it is likely that the general upward trend in outdoor recreation on public lands will continue for the foreseeable future (BLM 2009b).

There is a modest upward trend in overall public land recreational use in the Planning Area, though the degree of increase of this trend varies by activity. In 2006, 61 percent of recreational visits to Wyoming were to northwest Wyoming, which includes the Planning Area. Use of public land for some activities has remained stable, while use for other activities has increased. Locally, the BLM has seen increases in driving for pleasure, OHV use, fishing, hunting, camping, wildlife and wild horse viewing, and mountain biking. There has also been increased demand for SRPs on BLM-administered land in the Planning Area over the past 20 years.

Over the past 20 years, the BLM has seen a large increase in motorized recreation in relation to other forms of recreation. Part of this increase could be due to a shift in preferences and activities. For example, many hunters have shifted from more traditional foot or horseback travel to OHV travel.

If travel and transportation costs increase, the BLM would expect to see more Wyoming residents recreating on nearby public lands as a substitute for taking trips to more distant locations.

Management Challenges

Managing OHV recreation use is a challenge in the Planning Area. National, regional, and local OHV recreation has been trending upward for many years. The result is more demand for motorized vehicle trails and motorized vehicle use areas. The proliferation of unauthorized roads and trails continues. The BLM recreation program works to minimize resource damage, and use and user conflicts related to such activities. The BLM attempts to address these challenges through the promotion of educational efforts such as the tread lightly program, through resource monitoring and work with local user groups and organizations, and through law enforcement activities.