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112-473: Bridger–Teton National Forest is located in western Wyoming , United States. The forest consists of 3.4 million acres (14,000 square kilometers), making it the third largest National Forest outside Alaska . The forest stretches from Yellowstone National Park , along the eastern boundary of Grand Teton National Park and from there rides along the western slope of the Continental Divide to

224-696: A United States Bureau of Economic Analysis report, Wyoming's gross state product in 2022 was $ 49.8 billion. As of 2014, the population was growing slightly with the most growth in tourist-oriented areas, such as Teton County . Boom conditions in neighboring states, such as North Dakota , were drawing energy workers away. About half of Wyoming's counties showed population loss. The state makes active efforts through Wyoming Grown, an internet-based recruitment program, to find jobs for young people educated in Wyoming who have emigrated but may wish to return. The mineral-extraction industry and travel and tourism sector are

336-731: A bill to Congress to provide a "temporary government for the territory of Wyoming ". The territory was named after the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania. Thomas Campbell wrote his 1809 poem " Gertrude of Wyoming ", inspired by the Battle of Wyoming in the American Revolutionary War . The name ultimately derives from the Lenape Munsee word xwé:wamənk ("at the big river flat"). Wyoming's climate

448-461: A constant supply of water for streams and rivers . 1,500 lakes also help provide water for the Yellowstone , Snake and Green rivers, which all have their headwaters in the forest. Seven of the largest glaciers outside of Alaska are located within the forest boundaries. U.S. Route 26 and U.S. Route 287 cross over the continental divide at Togwotee Pass and enter the forest from

560-401: A good amount of precipitation, 20 inches (510 mm) or more, much of it as snow, sometimes 200 inches (510 cm) or more annually. The state's highest recorded temperature is 114 °F (46 °C) at Basin on July 12, 1900, and the lowest recorded temperature is −66 °F (−54 °C) at Riverside on February 9, 1933. The number of thunderstorm days varies across the state with

672-408: A heavy backpack. Winter hiking requires a higher level of skill and generally more specialized gear than in other seasons (see winter hiking below). Proponents of ultralight backpacking argue that long lists of required items for multi-day hikes increases pack weight, and hence fatigue and the chance of injury. Instead, they recommend reducing pack weight, to make hiking long distances easier. Even

784-490: A high degree of activity, and a rapid increase in elevation. Other threats include attacks by animals (e.g., bears, snakes, and insects or ticks carrying diseases such as Lyme ) or contact with noxious plants that can cause rashes (e.g., poison ivy , poison oak , poison sumac , or stinging nettles ). Lightning is also a threat, especially on high ground. Walkers in high mountains, and during winter in many countries, can encounter hazardous snow and ice conditions, and

896-527: A higher overall number. In 2010, 93.39% (474,343) of Wyomingites over age 5 spoke English as their primary language ; 4.47% (22,722) spoke Spanish , 0.35% (1,771) spoke German , and 0.28% (1,434) spoke French . Other common non-English languages included Algonquian (0.18%), Russian (0.10%), Tagalog , and Greek (both 0.09%). In 2007, the American Community Survey reported 6.2% (30,419) of Wyoming's population over five spoke

1008-506: A language other than English at home. Of those, 68.1% were able to speak English very well, 16.0% spoke English well, 10.9% did not speak English well, and 5.0% did not speak English at all. Surveys have consistently ranked Wyoming among the most irreligious states . According to the 2020 American Values Atlas survey, Wyoming was the least religious state in the country. Religious self-identification, Public Religion Research Institute 's 2020 American Values Atlas survey. In 2020,

1120-563: A large number of hikers are involved. For example, years of gathering wood can strip an alpine area of valuable nutrients, and can cause deforestation; and some species, such as martens or Bighorn Sheep , are very sensitive to the presence of humans, especially around mating season. Generally, protected areas such as parks have regulations in place to protect the environment, so as to minimize such impact. Such regulations include banning wood fires, restricting camping to established campsites, disposing or packing out faecal matter , and imposing

1232-458: A lesser extent other Asiatic countries, like Turkey, Israel, and Jordan. In the Alps of Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland, Germany, France, and Italy walking tours can be made from 'hut-to-hut', using an extensive system of mountain huts . In the late 20th-century, there has been a proliferation of official and unofficial long-distance routes, which mean that hikers now are more likely to refer to using

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1344-408: A list of " Ten Essentials " equipment for hiking, including a compass, sunglasses, sunscreen, a flashlight , a first aid kit, a fire starter , and a knife. Other groups recommend items such as hat, gloves, insect repellent, and an emergency blanket . A GPS navigation device can also be helpful and route cards may be used as a guide. Trekking poles are also recommended, especially when carrying

1456-714: A long-distance way (Britain), trail (US), The Grande Randonnée (France), etc., than setting out on a walking tour. Early examples of long-distance paths include the Appalachian Trail in the US and the Pennine Way in Britain. Organized hiking clubs emerged in Europe at approximately the same time as official hiking trails. These clubs established and upheld their own paths during the 19th and 20th centuries, prioritizing

1568-549: A quota on the number of hikers. Many hikers espouse the philosophy of Leave No Trace , following strict practices on dealing with food waste , food packaging, and other impacts on the environment. Human feces are often a major source of environmental impact from hiking, and can contaminate the watershed and make other hikers ill. ' Catholes ' dug 10 to 25 cm (4 to 10 inches) deep, depending on local soil composition and covered after use, at least 60 m (200 feet) away from water sources and trails, are recommended to reduce

1680-494: A return from Astoria , Robert Stuart and a party of five men discovered South Pass in 1812. The Oregon Trail later followed that route as emigrants moved to the west coast. In 1850, mountain man Jim Bridger first documented what is now known as Bridger Pass . Bridger also explored Yellowstone, and filed reports on the region that, like Colter's, were largely regarded at the time as tall tales . The Union Pacific Railroad constructed track through Bridger Pass in 1868. It

1792-520: A rewarding experience for them, particularly if a route is chosen with their interests in mind. Young children are prone to becoming fatigued more rapidly than adults, requiring fluids and energy-rich foods more frequently, and are also more sensitive to variations in weather and terrain. Hiking routes may be chosen with these factors in mind, and appropriate clothing, equipment and sun-protection need to be available. Natural environments are often fragile and may be accidentally damaged, especially when

1904-488: A seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near SquareTop Mountain in 2005, and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent accidental fall ) in 2006 that involved state search and rescue . The U.S. Forest Service does not offer updated aggregated records on the official number of fatalities in the Wind River Range. Wyoming Wyoming ( / w aɪ ˈ oʊ m ɪ ŋ / wye- OH -ming )

2016-700: A short-lived boom after the Carissa Mine began producing gold in 1867. Copper was mined in some areas between the Sierra Madre Mountains and the Snowy Range near Grand Encampment . Once government-sponsored expeditions to the Yellowstone country began, Colter's and Bridger's descriptions of the region's landscape were confirmed. In 1872, Yellowstone National Park was created as the world's first, to protect this area. Nearly all of

2128-411: A variety of factors, including local climate. Day hikers often carry water, food, a map, hat, and rain-proof gear. Hikers have traditionally worn sturdy hiking boots for stability over rough terrain. In recent decades this has become less common as some long-distance hikers have switched to trail running shoes . Boots are still commonly used in mountainous terrain. The Mountaineers club recommends

2240-668: Is Cheyenne , which had a population of 65,132 in 2020. Wyoming's western half consists mostly of the ranges and rangelands of the Rocky Mountains ; its eastern half consists of high-elevation prairie , and is referred to as the High Plains . Wyoming's climate is semi-arid in some parts and continental in others, making it drier and windier overall than other states, with greater temperature extremes. The federal government owns just under half of Wyoming's land, generally protecting it for public use. The state ranks sixth in

2352-477: Is Johann Gottfried Seume , who set out on foot from Leipzig to Sicily in 1801, and returned to Leipzig via Paris after nine months. Thomas West , a Scottish priest, popularized the idea of walking for pleasure in his guide to the Lake District of 1778. In the introduction he wrote that he aimed to encourage the taste of visiting the lakes by furnishing the traveller with a Guide; and for that purpose,

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2464-417: Is "Equal Rights". Farming and ranching, and the attendant range wars , feature prominently in the state's history. Wyoming's economy is largely based on tourism and the extraction of minerals such as coal , natural gas , oil , and trona . Its agricultural commodities include barley, hay, livestock, sugar beets , wheat, and wool. Wyoming does not require the beneficial owners of LLCs to be disclosed in

2576-579: Is "Equal Rights". Wyoming's constitution also included a pioneering article on water rights . Bills for Wyoming Territory's admission to the union were introduced in both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives in December 1889. On March 27, 1890, the House passed the bill and President Benjamin Harrison signed Wyoming's statehood bill; Wyoming became the 44th state in the union. Wyoming

2688-480: Is a concern in the Wind River Range. There are other concerns as well, including bugs , wildfires , adverse snow conditions and nighttime cold temperatures . Importantly, there have been notable incidents, including accidental deaths , due to falls from steep cliffs (a misstep could be fatal in this class 4/5 terrain ) and due to falling rocks , over the years, including 1993, 2007 (involving an experienced NOLS leader ), 2015 and 2018. Other incidents include

2800-402: Is a danger for all hikers and especially inexperienced hikers. Weather does not need to be very cold to be dangerous since ordinary rain or mist has a strong cooling effect. In high mountains a further danger is altitude sickness . This typically occurs only above 2,500 metres (8,000 ft), though some are affected at lower altitudes. Risk factors include a prior episode of altitude sickness,

2912-554: Is a dry state with much of the land receiving less than 10 inches (250 mm) of rainfall per year. Precipitation depends on elevation with lower areas in the Big Horn Basin averaging 5–8 inches (130–200 mm), making the area nearly a true desert . The lower areas in the North and on the eastern plains typically average around 10–12 inches (250–300 mm), making the climate there semi-arid . Some mountain areas do receive

3024-616: Is a landlocked state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States . It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the southwest, and Colorado to the south. With a population of 576,851 in 2020 , Wyoming is the least populous state despite being the 10th largest by area , with the second-lowest population density after Alaska . The state capital and most populous city

3136-519: Is a marked long-distance trail in southwestern Turkey around part of the coast of ancient Lycia . It is over 500 km (310 mi) in length and stretches from Hisarönü ( Ovacık ), near Fethiye , to Geyikbayırı in Konyaaltı about 20 km (12 mi) from Antalya . It was conceived by Briton Kate Clow, who lives in Turkey. It takes its name from the ancient civilization, which once ruled

3248-449: Is an historically important early sign of an awakening appreciation of the mountains, though it is chiefly designed to contrast the simple and idyllic life of the inhabitants of the Alps with the corrupt and decadent existence of the dwellers in the plains. Numerous travellers explored Europe on foot in the last third of the 18th century and recorded their experiences. A significant example

3360-531: Is called hillwalking . In Northern England , Including the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales , fell walking describes hill or mountain walks, as fell is the common word for both features there. Hiking sometimes involves bushwhacking and is sometimes referred to as such. This specifically refers to difficult walking through dense forest, undergrowth, or bushes where forward progress requires pushing vegetation aside. In extreme cases of bushwhacking, where

3472-433: Is especially hazardous in high mountains, crossing rivers and glaciers, and when there is snow and ice. At times hiking may involve scrambling , as well as the use of ropes, ice axes and crampons and the skill to properly use them. Potential hazards involving physical ailments may include dehydration, frostbite, hypothermia, sunburn, sunstroke, or diarrhea , and such injuries as ankle sprains, or broken bones. Hypothermia

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3584-617: Is generally semi-arid and continental ( Köppen climate classification BSk ) and is drier and windier in comparison to most of the United States with greater temperature extremes. Much of this is due to the topography of the state. Summers in Wyoming are warm with July high temperatures averaging between 80 and 90 °F (27 and 32 °C) in most of the state. With increasing elevation, however, this average drops rapidly with locations above 9,000 feet (2,700 m) averaging around 70 °F (21 °C). Summer nights throughout

3696-414: Is made up of 23 counties. From the north border to the south border, it is 276 miles (444 km); and from the east to the west border is 365 miles (587 km) at its south end and 342 miles (550 km) at the north end. The Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming. The state is a great plateau broken by many mountain ranges . Surface elevations range from the summit of Gannett Peak in

3808-511: Is more straightforward and a crossing can be made, if advanced arrangements are made with Canada Border Services . Within the Schengen Area , which includes most of the E.U. , and associated nations like Switzerland and Norway, there are no impediments to crossing by path, and borders are not always obvious. Hiking in winter offers additional opportunities, challenges and hazards. Crampons may be needed in icy conditions, and an ice ax

3920-498: Is not a hard climb, and is not usually considered part of the Alps. This implicit claim of Petrarch and Burckhardt, that Petrarch was the first to climb a mountain for pleasure since antiquity, was disproven by Lynn Thorndike in 1943. Mount Ventoux was climbed by Jean Buridan , on his way to the papal court in Avignon before the year 1334, "in order to make some meteorological observations". There were ascents accomplished during

4032-618: Is now southwestern Wyoming was claimed by the Spanish Empire , which extended through the Southwest and Mexico. With Mexican independence in 1821, it was considered part of Alta California . U.S. expansion brought settlers who fought for control. Mexico ceded these territories after its defeat in 1848 in the Mexican–American War . From the late 18th century, French-Canadian trappers from Québec and Montréal regularly entered

4144-536: Is probably Robert Louis Stevenson 's journey through the Cévennes in France with a donkey, recorded in his Travels with a Donkey (1879). Stevenson also published in 1876 his famous essay "Walking Tours". The subgenre of travel writing produced many classics in the subsequent 20th century. An early American example of a book that describes an extended walking tour is naturalist John Muir 's A Thousand Mile Walk to

4256-696: Is recommended on steep, snow covered paths. Snowshoes and hiking poles , or cross country skis are useful aid for those hiking in deep snow. An example of a close relationship between skiing and hiking is found in Norway, where The Norwegian Trekking Association maintains over 400 huts stretching across thousands of kilometres of trails which hikers can use in the summer and skiers in the winter. For longer routes in snowy conditions, hikers may resort to ski touring , using specialised skis and boots for uphill travel. In winter, factors such as shortened daylight, changeable weather conditions and avalanche risk can raise

4368-634: Is the most popular of the routes and runs from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles on the Spanish side and then another 780 kilometres (480 mi) on to Santiago de Compostela through the major cities of Pamplona , Logroño , Burgos and León . A typical walk on the Camino francés takes at least four weeks, allowing for one or two rest days on the way. Some travel

4480-652: Is today referred to as the "Father of the National Parks". In 1916, the National Park Service was created to protect national parks and monuments. In 1921, Benton MacKaye , a forester, conceived the idea of what would become America's first National Scenic Trail, the Appalachian trail (AT). The AT was completed in August 1937, running from Maine to Georgia. The Pacific Crest Trail ("PCT")

4592-726: Is very popular and a permit is required . The longest hiking trail in Chile is the informal 3,000 km (1,850 mi) Greater Patagonia Trail that was created by a non-governmental initiative. In Africa a major trekking destination is Mount Kilimanjaro , a dormant volcano in Tanzania , which is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest single free-standing mountain in the world: 5,895 metres (19,341 ft) above sea level and about 4,900 metres (16,100 ft) above its plateau base. The equipment required for hiking depends on

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4704-521: The Ancient Near East . The path was established in 2007 as a pilgrimage route between Urfa, Turkey , possibly his birthplace, and his final destination of the desert of Negev . National parks are often important hiking destinations, such as National Parks of England and Wales ; of Canada ; of New Zealand , of South Africa , etc. Frequently, nowadays long-distance hikes (walking tours) are undertaken along long-distance paths, including

4816-870: The Arapaho , Crow , Lakota , and Shoshone . Part of the land that is now Wyoming came under American sovereignty via the Louisiana Purchase , part via the Oregon Treaty , and, lastly, via the Mexican Cession . With the opening of the Oregon Trail , the Mormon Trail , and the California Trail , vast numbers of pioneers traveled through parts of the state that had once been traversed mainly by fur trappers, and this spurred

4928-523: The Camino de Santiago , or Way of St. James, has become more recently the source for a number of long-distance hiking routes. This is a network of pilgrims' ways leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain. Many follow its routes as a form of spiritual path or retreat for their spiritual growth. The French Way

5040-906: The Gulf of Mexico . They are the North Platte , Wind , Bighorn , and Yellowstone rivers. The Snake River in northwest Wyoming eventually drains into the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean, as does the Green River through the Colorado River Basin. The Continental Divide forks in the south-central part of the state in an area known as the Great Divide Basin where water that precipitates onto or flows into it cannot reach an ocean—it all sinks into

5152-557: The Middle Ages ; Lynn Thorndike mentions that "a book on feeling for nature in Germany in the tenth and eleventh centuries, noted various ascents and descriptions of mountains from that period", and that "in the closing years of his life archbishop Anno II, Archbishop of Cologne (c. 1010 – 1075) climbed his beloved mountain oftener than usual". Other early examples of individuals hiking or climbing mountains for pleasure include

5264-880: The National Trails in England and Wales, the Kungsleden (Sweden) and the National Trail System in the United States. The Grande Randonnée (France), Grote Routepaden, or Lange-afstand-wandelpaden (The Netherlands), Grande Rota (Portugal), Gran Recorrido (Spain) is a network of long-distance footpaths in Europe, mostly in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain. There are extensive networks in other European countries of long-distance trails, as well as in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Nepal, and to

5376-596: The Public Religion Research Institute determined that about 55% of Wyoming's adult population was Christian , primarily evangelical and mainline Protestant , Roman Catholic , and Mormon . The Public Religion Research Institute survey documented a decrease in religiosity from a 2014 separate Pew Research Center study; according to the Public Religion Research Institute, the irreligious made up 40% of

5488-710: The Snake River cutthroat trout . 355 species of birds have been sighted including bald eagles , trumpeter swans , sandhill cranes , hawks , and Clark's nutcrackers . Over 2,000 mi (3,200 km) of hiking trails are located in the forest providing access into wilderness areas and interlinking with trails in Yellowstone National Park. There are several dozen vehicle accessible campgrounds that have picnic tables and tent sites as well as room in some circumstances for recreational vehicles . Nighttime temperatures can be below freezing any time of

5600-511: The U.S. Congress for the National Park bill that was passed in 1890, establishing Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. The Sierra Club , which he founded, is now one of the most important conservation organizations in the United States. The spiritual quality and enthusiasm toward nature expressed in his writings inspired others, including presidents and congressmen, to take action to help preserve large areas of undeveloped countryside. He

5712-885: The Wind River Mountain Range , at 13,804 feet (4,207 m), to the Belle Fourche River valley in the state's northeast corner, at 3,125 feet (952 m). In the northwest are the Absaroka , Owl Creek , Gros Ventre , Wind River , and the Teton ranges. In the north central are the Big Horn Mountains ; in the northeast, the Black Hills ; and in the southern region the Laramie , Snowy , and Sierra Madre ranges. The Snowy Range in

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5824-535: The right to roam in England and Wales. An early example of an interest in hiking in the United States is Abel Crawford and his son Ethan's clearing of a trail to the summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire in 1819. This 8.5-mile path is the oldest continually used hiking trail in the United States. The influence of British and European Romanticism reached North America through the transcendentalist movement , and both Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) and Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) were important influences on

5936-498: The 18th century in Europe, and arose because of changing attitudes to the landscape and nature associated with the Romantic movement . In earlier times walking generally indicated poverty and was also associated with vagrancy. In previous centuries long walks were undertaken as part of religious pilgrimages and this tradition continues throughout the world. The Swiss scientist and poet Albrecht von Haller 's poem Die Alpen (1732)

6048-561: The Camino on bicycle or on horseback. Paths from the cities of Tours , Vézelay , and Le Puy-en-Velay meet at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. The French long-distance path GR 65 (of the Grande Randonnée network), is an important variant route of the old Christian pilgrimage way. The Abraham Path is a cultural route believed to have been the path of Islamic , Christian , and Jewish patriarch Abraham 's ancient journey across

6160-550: The Catholic Church, with 61,222 (10.8%); and the Southern Baptist Convention , with 15,812 (2.8%). The report counted 59,247 evangelical Protestants (10.5%), 36,539 mainline Protestants (6.5%), 785 Eastern Orthodox Christians; 281 Black Protestants; 65,000 adhering to other traditions; and 340,552 claiming no religious tradition. In 2020, ARDA reported the state's largest individual denominations as

6272-465: The Gulf (1916), a posthumously published account of a long botanizing walk, undertaken in 1867. Due to industrialisation in England, people began to migrate to the cities where living standards were often cramped and unsanitary. They would escape the confines of the city by rambling about in the countryside. However, the land in England, particularly around the urban areas of Manchester and Sheffield ,

6384-639: The Renaissance in Italy (in German in 1860) declared Petrarch "a truly modern man", because of the significance of nature for his "receptive spirit"; even if he did not yet have the skill to describe nature. Petrarch's implication that he was the first to climb mountains for pleasure, and Burckhardt's insistence on Petrarch's sensitivity to nature have been often repeated since. There are also numerous references to Petrarch as an "alpinist", although Mont Ventoux

6496-433: The Roman Emperor, Hadrian, who ascended Mount Etna during a return trip from Greece in 125 CE. In 1275, Peter III of Aragon claimed to have reached the summit of Pic du Canigou, a 9134-foot mountain located near the southern tip of France. The first ascent of any technical difficulty to be officially verified took place on June 26, 1492, when Antoine de Ville, a chamberlain and military engineer for Charles VIII, King of France,

6608-466: The Yellowstone Forest Reserve in 1904, then renamed in 1908. The Teton Forest Reserve was created at the same time, destined to become Teton National Forest. Ranger district offices are located in Pinedale , Kemmerer , Big Piney , Moran , Afton and Jackson. The forest headquarters is located in Jackson. In descending order of land area the forest is located in parts of Sublette , Teton , Lincoln , Park , and Fremont counties. Encountering bears

6720-458: The amount of land—and fifth in the proportion of its land—that is owned by the federal government. Its federal lands include two national parks ( Grand Teton and Yellowstone ), two national recreation areas, two national monuments, and several national forests, as well as historic sites, fish hatcheries, and wildlife refuges. Indigenous peoples inhabited the region for thousands of years. Historic and currently federally recognized tribes include

6832-438: The area for trade with the tribes. French toponyms such as Téton and La Ramie are marks of that history. American John Colter first recorded a description in English of the region in 1807. He was a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition , which was guided by French Canadian Toussaint Charbonneau and his young Shoshone wife, Sacagawea . At the time, Colter's reports of the Yellowstone area were considered fictional. On

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6944-517: The area. The Great Himalaya Trail is a route across the Himalayas . The original concept of the trail was to establish a single long distance trekking trail from the east end to the west end of Nepal that includes a total of roughly 1,700 kilometres (1,100 mi) of path. The proposed trail will link together a range of the less explored tourism destinations of Nepal's mountain region. In Latin America , Peru and Chile are important hiking destinations. The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru

7056-491: The book was a major success. Another famous early exponent of walking for pleasure was the English poet William Wordsworth . In 1790 he embarked on an extended tour of France, Switzerland, and Germany, a journey subsequently recorded in his long autobiographical poem The Prelude (1850). His famous poem Tintern Abbey was inspired by a visit to the Wye Valley made during a walking tour of Wales in 1798 with his sister Dorothy Wordsworth . Wordsworth's friend Coleridge

7168-400: The bulk of the Rocky Mountains. The Teton Range in the northwest extends for 50 miles (80 km), part of which is included in Grand Teton National Park . The park includes the Grand Teton , the second-highest peak in the state. The Continental Divide spans north–south across the central portion of the state. Rivers east of the divide drain into the Missouri River Basin and eventually

7280-431: The country (behind Alaska ) and is the sparsest-populated of the 48 contiguous states . It is one of only two states with a population smaller than that of the nation's capital; the only other state with this distinction is Vermont . According to HUD 's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report , there were an estimated 648 homeless people in Wyoming. According to the 2020 census, the population's racial composition

7392-449: The designating legislation for the Territory of Wyoming , Wyoming's borders are lines of latitude 41°N and 45°N , and longitude 104°3'W and 111°3'W (27 and 34 west of the Washington Meridian )—a geodesic quadrangle. Wyoming is one of only three states (the others being Colorado and Utah ) to have borders defined by only "straight" lines. Due to surveying inaccuracies during the 19th century, Wyoming's legal border deviates from

7504-505: The development of extended hiking routes. In 1938, the first long-distance hiking trail in Europe, the Hungarian National Blue Trail, was established in the Hungarian wilderness, stretching approximately 62 miles (100 km). In the Middle East, the Jordan Trail is a 650 km (400 miles) long hiking trail in Jordan established in 2015 by the Jordan Trail Association. And Israel has been described as "a trekker's paradise" with over 9,656 km (6,000 miles) of trails. The Lycian Way

7616-423: The distinction of being the oldest hiking club in America. It was founded to protect the trails and mountains in the northeastern United States. Prior to its founding, four other hiking clubs had already been established in America. This included the very short-lived (first) Rocky Mountain Club in 1875, the White Mountain Club of Portland in 1873, the Alpine Club of Williamstown in 1863, and the Exploring Circle, which

7728-512: The establishment of forts, such as Fort Laramie , that today serve as population centers. The Transcontinental Railroad supplanted the wagon trails in 1867 with a route through southern Wyoming, bringing new settlers and the establishment of founding towns, including the state capital of Cheyenne. On March 27, 1890, Wyoming became the union's 44th state. Wyoming is known for having a political culture that leans towards libertarian conservatism . The Republican presidential nominee has carried

7840-401: The filing, which creates an opportunity for a tax haven . Wyoming levies no individual or corporate income tax and no tax on retirement income. Several Native American groups originally inhabited the region today known as Wyoming. The Crow , Arapaho , Lakota , and Shoshone were but a few of the original inhabitants European explorers encountered when they first visited the region. What

7952-417: The first female court bailiff (Mary Atkinson, Laramie, in 1870), and the first female justice of the peace in the country ( Esther Hobart Morris , South Pass City, in 1870). In 1924, Wyoming was the first state to elect a female governor, Nellie Tayloe Ross , who took office in January 1925. Due to its civil-rights history, one of Wyoming's state nicknames is "The Equality State", and the official state motto

8064-662: The following: the Catholic Church (69,500); the LDS Church (67,729); and the Southern Baptist Convention (11,082). Non-denominational Protestants were 23,410 in number. According to ARDA's 2020 report, the Roman Catholics had an adherence rate of 120.48 per 1,000 people, Mormons 117.41 per 1,000 people, and Southern Baptists 19.21 per 1,000 people. Non-denominational Protestants had an adherence rate of 40.58 per 1,000 people; these trends reflected

8176-450: The forest boundaries include grizzly bear , gray wolf , black-footed ferret and peregrine falcon . Most of the mammals that existed in the region prior to European settlement can still be found here. Elk , moose , mule deer , bighorn sheep , bison , coyote , marmot , pronghorn , and cougar are but a few of the 75 species of mammals known to exist in the forest. Four subspecies of cutthroat trout also are found here including

8288-418: The highlands of East Africa . Hiking a long-distance trail from end-to-end is also referred to as trekking and as thru-hiking in some places. In North America, multi-day hikes, usually with camping , are referred to as backpacking . The poet Petrarch is frequently mentioned as an early example of someone hiking. Petrarch recounts that on April 26, 1336, with his brother and two servants, he climbed to

8400-655: The main drivers of Wyoming's economy. The federal government owns about 42.3% of its landmass, while the state controls 6%. The total taxable value of mining production in Wyoming in 2007 was over $ 14.5 billion. In 2018, tourism industry contributed approximately $ 3.8 billion in spending from domestic and international visitors. In 2002, more than six million people visited Wyoming's national parks and monuments. Wyoming's main tourist attractions include Grand Teton National Park , Yellowstone National Park , Devils Tower National Monument , Independence Rock and Fossil Butte National Monument . Yellowstone, established in 1872 as

8512-538: The majority are in Jackson Lake and Yellowstone Lake , within Yellowstone National Park in the northwest portion of the state. The Green River in the southwest also contains a number of islands. The state of Wyoming has 23 counties . Wyoming license plates have a number on the left that indicates the county where the vehicle is registered, ranked by an earlier census. Specifically,

8624-450: The north, and U.S. Highways 89 and 191 provide access to the forest in the vicinity of Jackson, Wyoming and forest lands to the south. The primary tree species include lodgepole pine , Engelmann spruce , Douglas fir , subalpine fir , aspen and whitebark pine . Willows, grasses and sagebrush are found on the lower altitudes, while above the timberline alpine meadows are common. Threatened and endangered species found within

8736-416: The numbers are representative of the property values of the counties in 1930. The county license plate numbers are: The State of Wyoming has 99 incorporated municipalities . In 2020, 51.1% of Wyomingites lived in one of the 12 most populous Wyoming municipalities. The United States Census Bureau has defined two metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) and eight micropolitan statistical areas (MiSA) for

8848-552: The outdoors movement in North America. Thoreau's writing on nature and on walking include the posthumously published "Walking" (1862)". His earlier essay " A Walk to Wachusett " (1842) describes a four-day walking tour Thoreau took with a companion from Concord, Massachusetts to the summit of Mount Wachusett , Princeton, Massachusetts and back. Established in 1876, the Appalachian Mountain Club has

8960-417: The park lies within the northwestern corner of Wyoming. On December 10, 1869, territorial Governor John Allen Campbell extended the right to vote to women, making Wyoming the first territory to do so, and upon statehood became the first state to grant women's suffrage . Women first served on juries in Wyoming ( Laramie in 1870). Wyoming was also a pioneer in welcoming women into electoral politics. It had

9072-544: The possibility of avalanches . Year round glaciers are potentially hazardous. Fast flowing water presents another danger and a safe crossing may requires special techniques. In various countries, borders may be poorly marked. In 2009, Iran imprisoned three Americans for hiking across the Iran-Iraq border. It is illegal to cross into the US on the Pacific Crest Trail from Canada. Going south to north it

9184-607: The public's 'right to roam' across some private land, were periodically presented to Parliament from 1884 to 1932 without success. Finally, in 1932, the Rambler's Right Movement organized a mass trespass on Kinder Scout in Derbyshire . Despite attempts on the part of the police to prevent the trespass from going ahead, it was successfully achieved due to massive publicity. However, the Mountain Access Bill that

9296-634: The risk of bacterial contamination. Fire is a particular source of danger, and an individual hiker can have a large impact on an ecosystem. For example, in 2005, a Czech backpacker accidentally started a fire that burnt 5% of Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. Because hikers may come into conflict with other users of the land or may harm the natural environment, hiking etiquette has developed. Hiking can be hazardous because of terrain, inclement weather, potential to get lost, or pre-existing medical conditions. The dangerous circumstances hikers can face include specific accidents or physical ailments. It

9408-574: The separate 2014 Pew study's varying attendance at religious services. In 2014, 38% visited a religious service at least once a week, 28% once or twice a month, and 32% seldom/never. A 2018 research article by the National Christian Foundation cited non-churchgoing Christians nationwide did not attend religious services often through practicing the faith in other ways, not finding a house of worship they liked, disliking sermons and feeling unwelcomed, and logistics. According to

9520-991: The soil and eventually evaporates. Several rivers begin in or flow through the state, including the Yellowstone River, Bighorn River, Green River, and the Snake River. Much of Wyoming is covered with large basins containing different eco-regions, from shrublands to smaller patches of desert. Regions of the state classified as basins contain everything from large geologic formations to sand dunes and vast unpopulated spaces. Basin landscapes are typically at lower elevations and include rolling hills, valleys, mesas, terraces and other rugged terrain, but also include natural springs as well as rivers and artificial reservoirs. They have common plant species such as various subspecies of sagebrush , juniper and grasses such as wheatgrass , but basins are known for their diversity of plant and animal species. Wyoming has 32 named islands;

9632-477: The south-central part of the state is an extension of the Colorado Rockies both in geology and in appearance. The Wind River Range in the west central part of the state is remote and includes more than 40 mountain peaks in excess of 13,000 ft (4,000 m) tall in addition to Gannett Peak , the highest peak in the state. The Bighorn Mountains in the north-central portion are somewhat isolated from

9744-543: The southeastern plains of the state having the most days of thunderstorm activity. Thunderstorm activity in the state is highest during the late spring and early summer. The southeastern corner of the state is the most vulnerable part of the state to tornado activity. Moving away from that point and westwards, the incidence of tornadoes drops dramatically with the west part of the state showing little vulnerability. Tornadoes, where they occur, tend to be small and brief, unlike some of those that occur farther east. As specified in

9856-659: The southern end of the Wind River Range . The forest also extends southward encompassing the Salt River Range and Wyoming Range mountains near the Idaho border. Located within the forest are the Gros Ventre , Bridger and Teton Wildernesses , totaling 1.2 million acres (4,900 square kilometers). Other points of interest contained in the forest include Gannett Peak at 13,804 feet (4,207 m),

9968-447: The state are characterized by a rapid cooldown with even the hottest locations averaging in the 50–60 °F (10–16 °C) range at night. In most of the state, most of the precipitation tends to fall in the late spring and early summer. Winters are cold but are variable with periods of sometimes extreme cold interspersed between generally mild periods, with Chinook winds providing unusually warm temperatures in some locations. Wyoming

10080-437: The state in every election since 1968 . It is one of the least religious states in the country. Wyoming was the first state to allow women the right to vote (not counting New Jersey, which had allowed it until 1807 ), and the right to assume elected office, as well as the first state to elect a female governor. In honor of this part of its history, its most common nickname is "The Equality State" and its official state motto

10192-468: The state population by 2020. According to a 2013 Gallup poll, Wyomingites' religious affiliations were 49% Protestant, 23% nonreligious or other, 18% Catholic, 9% Latter-day Saint (Mormons), and less than 1% Jewish . A 2010 Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) report recognized as Wyoming's largest denominations the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), with 62,804 (11%);

10304-681: The state. Immigration resulted in a net increase of 2,264 and migration within the country produced a net increase of 1,771. In 2004, the foreign-born population was 11,000 (2.2%). In 2005, total births in Wyoming were 7,231 (birth rate of 14.04 per thousand). According to the 2000 census, the largest ancestry groups in Wyoming were: German (26.0%), English (16.0%), Irish (13.3%), Norwegian (4.3%), and Swedish (3.5%). In 2018, The top countries of origin for Wyoming's immigrants were Mexico , China , Germany , England and Canada . Note: Births in table do not add up, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving

10416-494: The state. In 2020, 31.3% of Wyomingites lived in either of the metropolitan statistical areas, and 80.4% lived in either a metropolitan or a micropolitan area. The 2020 United States census counted 576,851 people living in Wyoming. The center of population of Wyoming is in Natrona County . Sparsely populated, Wyoming is the least populous state of the United States. Wyoming has the second-lowest population density in

10528-484: The tallest mountain in Wyoming, and the Gros Ventre landslide , which is one of the largest readily visible landslides on earth. All of the forest is in turn a part of the 20-million-acre (81,000-square-kilometer) Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem . While Gannett Peak is the highest summit in the forest, another 40 named mountains rise above 12,000 ft (3,660 m). The high altitudes and abundant snowfall , exceeding 600 inches (15 m) at some locations, provides

10640-466: The top of Mont Ventoux (1,912 meters (6,273 ft)), a feat which he undertook for recreation rather than necessity. The exploit is described in a celebrated letter addressed to his friend and confessor, the monk Dionigi di Borgo San Sepolcro , composed some time after the fact. However, some have suggested that Petrarch's climb was fictional. Jakob Burckhardt , in The Civilization of

10752-456: The true latitude and longitude lines by up to one-half mile (0.80 km) in some spots, especially in the mountainous region along the 45th parallel . Wyoming is bordered on the north by Montana , on the east by South Dakota and Nebraska , on the south by Colorado , on the southwest by Utah , and on the west by Idaho . It is the tenth largest state in the United States in total area, containing 97,814 square miles (253,340 km ) and

10864-676: The use of hiking boots on long-distances hikes is controversial among ultralight hikers, because of their weight. Hiking times can be estimated by Naismith's rule or Tobler's hiking function , while distances can be measured on a map with an opisometer . A pedometer is a device that records the distance walked. The American Hiking Society advises that parents with young children should encourage them to participate in decision-making about route-finding and pace. Alisha McDarris, writing in Popular Science , suggests that, whilst hiking with children poses particular challenges, it can be

10976-467: The vegetation is so dense that human passage is impeded, a machete is used to clear a pathway. The Australian term bushwalking refers to both on and off-trail hiking. Common terms for hiking used by New Zealanders are tramping (particularly for overnight and longer trips), walking or bushwalking. Trekking is the preferred word used to describe multi-day hiking in the mountainous regions of India, Pakistan, Nepal, North America, South America, Iran, and

11088-567: The world's first national park, attracts over three million visitors each year. Hiking In the United States, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom, hiking means walking outdoors on a trail, or off trail, for recreational purposes. A day hike refers to a hike that can be completed in a single day. However, in the United Kingdom, the word walking is also used, as well as rambling, while walking in mountainous areas

11200-400: The writer has here collected and laid before him, all the select stations and points of view, noticed by those authors who have last made the tour of the lakes, verified by his own repeated observations. To this end he included various 'stations' or viewpoints around the lakes, from which tourists would be encouraged to enjoy the views in terms of their aesthetic qualities. Published in 1778

11312-464: The year and mosquitos in the late spring and early summer are common. Summertime high temperatures average at 70 to 79 °F (21 to 26 °C) and the wintertime lows can drop below −50 °F (−46 °C). Bridger–Teton National Forest is an administrative combination of Bridger and Teton National Forests, amalgamated in 1973. The Bridger National Forest itself absorbed Wyoming National Forest in 1923. The Wyoming National Forest had been created as

11424-407: Was 84.7% white (81.4% non-Hispanic white), 2.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.9% Asian American, and 0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 3.5% from some other race, and 7.5% from two or more races. As of 2011, 24.9% of Wyoming's population younger than age   1 were minorities. According to data from the American Community Survey , as of 2018, Wyoming

11536-459: Was another keen walker and in the autumn of 1799, he and Wordsworth undertook a three-week tour of the Lake District. John Keats , who belonged to the next generation of Romantic poets began, in June 1818, a walking tour of Scotland, Ireland, and the Lake District with his friend Charles Armitage Brown . More and more people undertook walking tours through the 19th century, of which the most famous

11648-632: Was established by four men from Lynn, Massachusetts in 1850. Although not a hiking club in the same sense as the clubs that would emerge later, the National Park Service recognizes the Exploring Circle as being "the first hiking club in New England." All four of these clubs would disband within a few years of their founding. Despite clubs such as the Appalachian Mountain Club, hiking during the early twentieth century

11760-608: Was first explored in the 1930s by the YMCA hiking groups and was eventually registered as a complete border to border trail from Mexico to Canada. In earlier times people mainly hiked for practical reasons, or on religious pilgrimages . Numerous modern hiking trail follow such ancient routes. The British National Trail the North Downs Way closely follows that of the Pilgrims' Way to Canterbury . The ancient pilgrimage,

11872-428: Was ordered to ascend Mont Aiguille. Because ropes, ladders and iron hooks were used during the ascent, this event is widely recognized as being the birth of mountaineering. Conrad Gessner, a 16th Century physician, botanist and naturalist from Switzerland, is widely recognized as being the first person to hike and climb for sheer pleasure. However, the idea of taking a walk in the countryside only really developed during

11984-835: Was passed in 1939 was opposed by many walkers' organizations, including The Ramblers , who felt that it did not sufficiently protect their rights, and it was eventually repealed. The effort to improve access led after World War II to the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 , and in 1951 to the creation of the first national park in the UK, the Peak District National Park . The establishment of this and similar national parks helped to improve access for all outdoors enthusiasts. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 considerably extended

12096-548: Was privately owned and trespass was illegal. Rambling clubs soon sprang up in the north and began politically campaigning for the legal ' right to roam '. One of the first such clubs was 'Sunday Tramps' founded by Leslie White in 1879. The first national grouping, the Federation of Rambling Clubs, was formed in London in 1905 and was heavily patronized by the peerage . Access to Mountains bills , that would have legislated

12208-599: Was still primarily in New England, San Francisco , and the Pacific Northwest. Eventually, there were similar clubs formed in the Midwest and following the Appalachian range. As interest grew hiking culture was spread throughout the nation. The Scottish-born, American naturalist John Muir (1838 –1914), was another important early advocate of the preservation of wilderness in the United States. He petitioned

12320-571: Was the location of the Johnson County War of 1892, which erupted between competing groups of cattle ranchers. The passage of the Homestead Act led to an influx of small ranchers. A range war broke out when either or both of the groups chose violent conflict over commercial competition in the use of the public land. The region had acquired the name Wyoming by 1865 when Representative James Mitchell Ashley of Ohio introduced

12432-431: Was the only U.S. state where African Americans earn a higher median income than white workers. As of 2015, Wyoming had an estimated population of 586,107, which was an increase of 1,954, or 0.29%, from the prior year and an increase of 22,481, or 3.99%, since the 2010 census . This includes a natural increase since the last census of 12,165 (33,704 births minus 21,539 deaths) and an increase from net migration of 4,035 into

12544-565: Was used as the route for construction of Interstate 80 through the mountains 90 years later. After the Union Pacific Railroad reached Cheyenne in 1867, population growth was stimulated. The federal government established the Wyoming Territory on July 25, 1868. Lacking significant deposits of gold and silver, unlike mineral-rich Colorado , Wyoming did not have such a population boom. But South Pass City had

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