News Release
USDA Forest Service
Bighorn National Forest
RELEASE DATE: For immediate release
CONTACT: Craig Cope, 307-684-7806
West Tensleep Corridor Master Recreation Project
Powder River Ranger District, Bighorn National Forest
Powder River District Ranger, Mark Booth, is seeking comment on the proposal to provide a master
recreation management project for the West Tensleep Creek corridor on the southwest portion of the
Bighorn National Forest. The project area is approximately 45 miles west of Buffalo, WY and 20
miles east of Tensleep, WY on Forest Service Road (FSR) 27 north of the junction with U.S.
Highway 16 near Deer Haven in Big Horn County.
Identified concerns include campgrounds and dispersed campsites located too close to West Tensleep
Creek, improper disposal of solid human waste, and the amount and speed of motor vehicle traffic on
FSR 27. The following proposed actions are planned to address these concerns.
1. Relocate West Tensleep Campground approximately one-half mile south of its current
location, and construct a new handicapped accessible trail to West Tensleep Lake. Maximum
capacity would be 20 sites. Ten sites would be drive-in; ten sites would be walk-in. Campsites
would be for tent camping only; no trailers or generators would be permitted. The
handicapped accessible trail to West Tensleep Lake would tie back to the existing West
Tensleep trailhead.
2. Relocate campsites from the Deer Park Campground to a newly constructed Warner Draw
Campground just north of the Tyrrell Work Center. Maximum capacity would be 30 sites.
This campground would accommodate recreation vehicles up to 65 feet in length.
3. Decommission (remove) the old West Tensleep and Deer Park campgrounds. In the 2008
recreation facilities analysis, these two campgrounds were identified for replacement due to
their age and the deterioration of the equipment.
4. Require all dispersed camping from Tyrell Work Center north and within the West and
Middle Tensleep drainage (including the portion in the Cloud Peak Wilderness) to be selfcontained for solid human waste.
5. Allow dispersed camping only in designated dispersed camp sites with campfires permitted
only in steel fire rings at the designated camp site. Maximum capacity is 40 sites; including
some proposed sites less than ¼-mile distance from existing or proposed developed
campgrounds. Designated dispersed sites would be at least 100 feet from water. The proposed
locations are shown on the attached map.
6. Change the road width to a single-lane road with turnouts for the last one and a half miles of
FSR 27 (where FSR 27 crosses West Tensleep Creek northward to the end of the road at West
FOREST SUPERVISOR’S OFFICE
TONGUE RANGER DISTRICT
2013 Eastside 2nd St.
Sheridan, WY 82801
Phone: (307) 674-2600
POWDER RIVER RANGER DISTRICT
1415 Fort St.
Buffalo, WY 82834
Phone: (307) 684-7806
MEDICINE WHEEL/PAINTROCK
RANGER DISTRICT
604 E. Main
Lovell, WY 82431
Phone: (307) 548-6541
News Release
USDA Forest Service
Bighorn National Forest
Tensleep Trailhead). Allow the existing road surface to return to native surface over time,
with rock protrusions of no more than 2 inches which still allows for passenger car use.
7. Establish a safe speed on the rest of FSR 27 south to the Tyrrell Work Center by
implementing traffic calming actions (e.g., speed humps in the road, narrowing the road to a
22 feet wide). Do not apply any surface treatments (such as magnesium chloride) to improve
the road surface or eliminate wash boards.
8. Just north of the current Deer Park Campground location, construct a turn-around at the
conversion from two-lane gravel road to a single-lane road, to allow larger recreation vehicles
and vehicles with trailers to return south on FSR 27. This would eliminate difficulties with
large RVs trying to turn around further north towards the trailhead. Provide parking at this
location for access to Trail #67.
9. Limit parking in the West Tensleep Trailhead parking area to 45 cars and four double-length
trailer spots – the number and type of vehicles for which the area was designed. No parking
would be permitted within ¼ mile of the trailhead.
10. Construct a horse/foot trail from the bridge at Warner Draw north to the bridge at Deer Park
along the east side of Middle Tensleep Creek. Another option is to construct a bridge at the
Island Park campground as part of this proposed new trail.
11. Create a loop trail from west of Warner Draw campground to trail 69.
The District Ranger encourages all interested parties to request a copy of the full proposed action and
to send comments either by hard copy mail to Powder River Ranger District, 1415 Fort Street,
Buffalo 82834 or by email to: comments_bighorn@fs.fed.us with “West Tensleep Corridor Master
Recreation Project” in the subject line. Comments received by February 28, 2011 are most helpful.
The complete proposal, including the project map, is posted on the Bighorn National Forest’s website
at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/bighorn. Anyone with questions should contact Craig Cope, Project
Coordinator, at the Powder River Ranger District; phone 307-684-7806.
FOREST SUPERVISOR’S OFFICE
TONGUE RANGER DISTRICT
2013 Eastside 2nd St.
Sheridan, WY 82801
Phone: (307) 674-2600
POWDER RIVER RANGER DISTRICT
1415 Fort St.
Buffalo, WY 82834
Phone: (307) 684-7806
MEDICINE WHEEL/PAINTROCK
RANGER DISTRICT
604 E. Main
Lovell, WY 82431
Phone: (307) 548-6541