Connect with us

Wyoming

Most Remote Place In Lower 48 Is In Wyoming, But State Not As Rural As It Seems

Published

on

Most Remote Place In Lower 48 Is In Wyoming, But State Not As Rural As It Seems


What do portions of Wyoming and Maine have in common? In each state, there are several counties where the population is fewer than one person per square mile.

That may come as a surprise to some people, especially because Maine’s population is more than double that of Wyoming’s.

Here’s another bit of unexpected trivia: When considering what percentage of each state’s population lives in a rural area, Maine ranks second (behind Vermont), whereas Wyoming comes in at the No. 12 spot, behind both of the Dakotas and Montana.

“Wyoming is not as rural as people think,” said Jim Fonseca, a retired professor of geography and dean emeritus at Ohio University in Zanesville. He’s also the author of “The One Minute Geographer” on Medium, where he writes about world geography.

Advertisement

The reason why people might be surprised by Wyoming’s rural ranking is because the U.S. Census Bureau classifies urban areas as having at least 2,000 housing units, or a population of at least 5,000 people. 

Anything else is considered rural.

Rural is less so people living alone in the woods and more so lots of small towns with only a few hundred people apiece, which is common in states like Maine and Vermont, Fonseca said.

“One thing we’re dealing with is the unexpected definition of what is rural,” he said.

Population density in Wyoming counties shows a large part of the state has fewer than one person per mile.

Thorofare’s Remoteness 

Wyoming does, indeed, rightfully live up to its widespread distinction as home to the most remote place in the continental U.S. That’s the Thorofare Ranger Station, located in the southeast corner of Yellowstone National Park.

Advertisement

There are so many different ways to measure remoteness that Jerome Dobson, the longtime former president of the American Geographical Society, was a bit dubious about Thorofare’s claim to fame. 

But the ranger station came out on top as the most remote location in the lower 48 when Dobson considered the following factors: how long it would take to hike to the nearest trailhead, the distance to the nearest fast-food restaurant and the difficulty of the trail.

“It turned out to be a pretty good measure of remoteness,” he said.

To be fair, three locations in Alaska — within the Gates of the Arctic National Park and Reserve, Denali National Park and Preserve and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Reserve — are more remote than Thorofare.

But Dobson, who is also a professor emeritus at the University of Kansas, said the ranking of remoteness still was a bit surprising.

Advertisement

“What really struck me was that the places that I thought might compete for most remote weren’t on the list,” he said.

Specifically, he said he was surprised that the top 25 most remote locations, by his measure, didn’t include locations somewhere in the Appalachia or near the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia.

Despite its relative ruralness, Maine doesn’t have a location that ranked highly by Dobson’s measures for remoteness. 

Rural Flight

But when thinking about how rural Wyoming is, Fonseca said, the state shares many commonalities with other areas of the country — including Maine. 

Ruralites nationwide are grappling with finding sufficient job opportunities or easily accessing groceries and medical services. That’s why so many young people have deemed that being rural is a disadvantage, and rural populations are aging as the younger generations move elsewhere, he added.

Advertisement

That’s also why Wyoming is pretty typical in one regard: most of the population lives within a relatively short distance of the I-80 or I-25 corridors.

“We’ve tended to organize ourselves in these areas since the automobile was invented,” Fonseca said.

  • The Thorofare Ranger Station in the southwest corner of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming has long been credited as the most remote place in the Lower 48. A geographer testing this claim found Maine is more rural than Wyoming.
    The Thorofare Ranger Station in the southwest corner of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming has long been credited as the most remote place in the Lower 48. A geographer testing this claim found Maine is more rural than Wyoming. (Courtesy National Park Service)
  • The Thorofare Ranger Station in the southwest corner of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming has long been credited as the most remote place in the Lower 48. A geographer testing this claim found Maine is more rural than Wyoming.
    The Thorofare Ranger Station in the southwest corner of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming has long been credited as the most remote place in the Lower 48. A geographer testing this claim found Maine is more rural than Wyoming. (Courtesy National Park Service)



Source link

Wyoming

March 31 Deadline For Wyoming’s ‘Becoming An Outdoor Woman’ Workshops

Published

on

March 31 Deadline For Wyoming’s ‘Becoming An Outdoor Woman’ Workshops


Gaining the knowledge to become an outdoorsy type of person isn’t easy. It takes time, dedication, and the desire to sometimes get out of your comfort zone. Sure, if you grew up in the outdoors, but it’s been a while since you’ve actually been out hunting, fishing, hiking, or camping, you may be a little rusty, but you have a leg up on those who haven’t.

If you’re in Wyoming, there’s a good chance that taking advantage of the incredible outdoor activities we have available has crossed your mind, but where to start is the big question. Asking others for help is one way, but there’s sometimes an element of intimidation or embarrassment involved.

If you’re a woman looking for that help and want to avoid the intimidation, you should really check out the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Becoming an Outdoor Woman (BOW) workshops this summer. It’s held at the Whiskey Mountain Conservation Camp near Dubois, and everything you need to learn about the outdoors is provided, including food and lodging.

The registration deadline is March 31, meaning you have just a couple of weeks to apply for one or all of the offered workshops.

Advertisement

There are multiple options available depending on your level of outdoor knowledge.

Basic BOW Workshop: Introductory level camp teaching outdoor survival, basic fly fishing, backpacking, how to shoot, outdoor photography, and more. There will be two of these workshops, June 5-7 and August 7-9. $150

Fly Fishing Beyond BOW Workshop: The focus here is on fly fishing. Learn the basics and then put them to use. This workshop runs July 30 – Aug 2. $150

Backpacking Beyond BOW: This workshop is all about backpacking, hiking, cooking on the trail, adjusting to the trail, and preparing for the trip. You’ll learn how to properly pack your bag, set up camp, and then head out on an overnight trip. July 30 – Aug 2. $150

Become a BOW Instructor: Here’s where you put your years of experience to work by sharing your skills and knowledge with others, helping them learn the tricks and tips of the outdoors.

Not only will these workshops help get you started on a life in the outdoors, but you’re likely going to gain some street cred with your family when you can teach them the skills they’ll need to get out and celebrate a Wyoming lifestyle.

Advertisement

PHOTOS: Wyoming Outdoor Weekend

16 Types Of Hikes Explained





Source link

Continue Reading

Wyoming

Snowpack In The South Laramie Range At Just Three Percent Of Normal Levels

Published

on

Snowpack In The South Laramie Range At Just Three Percent Of Normal Levels


The snowpack in the South Laramie Range in southeast Wyoming as of Monday was at three percent of normal, according to the Cheyenne Office of the National Weather Service.

And while other mountain ranges in southeast Wyoming were not nearly that low in snowpack, they were still well below normal at last report.

The agency posted the following on its website:

February was yet another warm and dry month, continuing the pattern that has dominated our area since last fall. Mountain snowpack remains well below average in southeast Wyoming, especially in the Laramie Range where snowpack is at an all time record low. For the plains, some light snow fell last month, but it was not enough to keep from increasing seasonal snowfall deficits. Cheyenne is off to its 4th least snowy start to the season since records began in the 1880s, and Scottsbluff has received the 2nd least snow since record began in the 1890s. We are now approximately two-thirds of the way through the snow accumulation season, with a little more than one-third to go in March, April, and into early May.

Advertisement

But the good news is that after a wet 24 hours on Monday night/Tuesday, more snow may be headed our way on Friday.

Cheyenne, Laramie Forecasts

Cheyenne Forecast

Tonight

A slight chance of rain and snow showers before 11pm. Cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing, with a low around 24. West wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Wednesday

Advertisement

Sunny, with a high near 55. West wind around 10 mph.

Wednesday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 30. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday

A slight chance of rain showers after 11am, mixing with snow after 5pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 59. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south southeast in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Advertisement

Thursday Night

Rain and snow showers likely, becoming all snow after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25. Blustery. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Friday

Snow showers. High near 32. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Friday Night

Advertisement

A chance of snow showers before 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 18.

Saturday

Sunny, with a high near 44. Breezy.

Saturday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 29. Breezy.

Advertisement

Sunday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. Breezy.

Sunday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 35. Breezy.

Monday

Advertisement

Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. Breezy.

Monday Night

A slight chance of rain and snow showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 35.

Tuesday

A chance of rain and snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 54. Breezy.

Advertisement

Laramie Forecast

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 20. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph after midnight.

Wednesday

Sunny, with a high near 48. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon.

Advertisement

Wednesday Night

Increasing clouds, with a low around 27. South wind around 5 mph.

Thursday

A slight chance of rain and snow showers after 11am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Thursday Night

Advertisement

Snow showers. Low around 23. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Friday

Snow showers. High near 31. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Friday Night

A chance of snow showers before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13.

Advertisement

Saturday

Sunny, with a high near 39.

Saturday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 25.

Sunday

Advertisement

Sunny, with a high near 48. Breezy.

Sunday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 32.

Monday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. Breezy.

Advertisement

Monday Night

A slight chance of snow showers. Mostly clear, with a low around 33.

Tuesday

A chance of snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 50. Breezy.

2026 WHSAA Wyoming State Wrestling Championship

Gallery Credit: Kolby Fedore, TSM

Advertisement





Source link

Continue Reading

Wyoming

Search and rescue license plates raise $33K at auction for statewide fund

Published

on

Search and rescue license plates raise K at auction for statewide fund


WYOMING — New specialty license plates rolled out by the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) at the beginning of 2026 raised over $30,000 for Wyoming search and rescue (SAR) organizations in a statewide auction. The auction for the new SAR specialty license plates, hosted by WYDOT, offered residents the opportunity to bid on low-numbered license […]



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending