Welcome to the Shoshone National Forest

The Shoshone National Forest offers superb scenery and endless recreational opportunities! The Shoshone National Forest was set aside in 1891 as part of the Yellowstone Timberland Reserve, making the Shoshone the first national forest in the United States. It consists of some 2.4 million acres of varied terrain ranging from sagebrush flats to rugged mountains. The higher mountains are snow-clad most of the year. Immense areas of exposed rock are interspersed with meadows and forests. With Yellowstone National Park on its western border, the Shoshone encompasses the area from the Montana state line south to Lander, Wyoming, and includes portions of the Absaroka, Wind River, and Beartooth Mountains. 

Features

Christmas Tree Permits

The selection and cutting of a special tree from the forest for the holidays has been a treasured tradition for generations. The Shoshone National Forest offers personal-use Christmas Tree Permits for the cutting of a tree on National Forest Sysytem lands. Christmas Tree Permits cost $8 per tree up to 20ft in height (limit five per household), are for personal use only (not for resale), and expire 12/31 of the year they are purchased.

Permits may also be purchased online through recreation.gov/tree-permits/shoshone. 

Cross Country Skiing Areas

One way to explore your public lands in the winter is by cross country skiing. This unique way of experiencing nature can be done through a variety of groomed trails on the Shoshone National Forest.

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Spotlights

Outdoor Safety and Ethics

Outdoor safety is a key consideration when visiting the Shoshone National Forest.