Every time snow covers the ground, it brings magical opportunities to reconnect with nature. The snow muffles all sound as you cross-country ski except the snow crunching under your skis and offers an almost meditative experience. The feel of the physical exercise combined with the pure white snow, the surrounding forest, and the bright sun in the sky, leave you feeling calmer and reinvigorated, something we all need.

Thanks to the Great American Outdoors Act, and the dedication of numerous volunteers, youth corps members, and USDA Forest Service employees, one of the Shoshone National Forest’s trail systems is offering winter visitors more ways to connect with nature.

The Rocky Mountains are famous for their winter recreation opportunities. The newly renovated Willow Creek Trail network awaits individuals and families to sled, snowshoe, Nordic ski, ride fat-tire bikes, and more this winter. Seven looped trails between two mountains on the Continental Divide on the Shoshone National Forest allow visitors to take in the majestic South Pass. The 10-mile trail network traverses along the edges of meadows, Willow Creek, through aspen and conifer trees winding around large granite outcroppings. The area offers a less crowded, rustic experience. As recreationists move along the trails, a feeling of solitude and remoteness greets them.

In 2010, the Willow Creek area was identified to provide a wider variety of winter uses to serve the Lander, Wyo. community to complement the existing Nordic skiing opportunities offered nearby. Over the past 15 years the trail network became degraded, navigational signs were missing or worn, and other priority needs affected forest staff’s ability to improve and maintain the area.

This past summer, trail crews from the Wyoming and Montana Conservation Corps worked alongside Shoshone National Forest employees to improve access, navigation aids and trail conditions for recreationists and winter grooming activities. A National Public Lands Day event also gave volunteers from the Lander Cycling Club an opportunity to help improve an area important to the group.

A lot of work was done, including removing and trimming vegetation that was impacting the trail to improve trail widths, installing new signposts and trail signs, constructing 200 feet of rock wall, installing a new 30-foot bridge, and deconstructing and removing the old bridge and trail markers. These changes significantly improve visitor safety and help maintain better winter trail conditions.

Much of this work was made possible by the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund, which covered the rental of mechanized equipment and helped to speed up the project. All of the necessary work was completed within just a month. Without that investment, the forest staff could have only completed the bridge work and resurfacing one-quarter mile of rock-laden trail.

While the focus of this project was to improve trail conditions for all winter use types, the public will be able to enjoy these trail upgrades year-round.  In collaboration with the Lander Cycling Club and the Rock Shop Inn, forest staff will continue to improve winter access and enhance recreational opportunities in this area. Local partnerships are being enhanced and strengthened to continue improving access to the Willow Creek area for winter recreation use for years to come.