Outdoor Recreation

Several ski areas in the Mountain West have extended their seasons by a week or two as skiers and snowboarders relish in an epic powder year.

A transcontinental trail that’s being constructed on abandoned railroad beds is slowly connecting the East and West coasts. Wyoming Public Radio’s Hugh Cook spoke with Patrick Harrington of the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Office about the Cowboy State’s planned segment of the Great American Rail-Trail.

The Great American Rail-Trail is a 3,700-mile conversion initiative that would stretch from Washington, D.C. to Washington state and the Pacific coast. First announced in 2019, more than half of the trail's mileage has been opened for usage in several states. Just over 500 miles are planned for the trail in Wyoming. Most existing rail to trail conversions along the trail's projected route are in municipalities.

Wyoming is eyeing outdoor recreation as a valuable asset to its economy, as a new law creates a trust fund for growing the industry.In recent years, the outdoor recreation industry has blossomed in Wyoming. It accounts for 3.6 percent of the state’s economy – even higher than Colorado.So to help meet that demand, Gov. Mark Gordon signed the Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Trust Fund into law last week. It will start with $6 million that can go toward projects like new biking and hiking trails, campgrounds and even shooting ranges.

The program was launched in 2021 when two of ranger positions were created, a first for the state. Visitation at Wyoming state parks and historic sites has been on the rise in recent years. This can partly be attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic and the desire to go outdoors. Offerings for LGBTQ and Latino youth, in addition to female-oriented camping trips are also part of their offerings. Other ranger programs aimed specifically at young people are also set to debut this year.

Commercially guided fishing boats will be able to launch into Wyoming rivers as they please this summer, as a House Bill that would have changed that has been postponed.House Bill 84 would have set daily limits on the number of commercially guided fishing boats launching into any section of river in Wyoming.

Outdoor recreation is booming in Wyoming and requests to build new trails often supersede available funds. A proposed bill would have put millions of dollars toward the effort, but lawmakers voted it down for fear of it being too much money.

Small towns in the Mountain West are leading the pack when it comes to economic success, according to a recent report by Heartland Forward.

Outdoor recreation remains a steady part of Wyoming’s economy, according to a new report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, and some speculate it will continue to grow.

Nationally, outdoor recreation created $862 billion in gross economic output last year, accounting for $454 billion in GDP and 4.5 million jobs. Included in those numbers are activities like biking and boating, but also equipment manufacturing, entertainment and construction.