Assessment Forest Plan Revision Draft Existing Designated Areas Report Prepared by: Lauren Oswald Wilderness, Recreation, and Wild & Scenic Manager for: Custer Gallatin National Forest November 29, 2016 Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1 Potential Need or Opportunity for Future Designations .......................................................................... 4 Process and Methods .................................................................................................................................... 4 Scale .............................................................................................................................................................. 4 Existing Information Sources ........................................................................................................................ 5 Congressionally Designated Wilderness, Wilderness Study Area, Cabin Creek Wildlife and Recreation Area ............................................................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 5 Current Forest Plan Direction ................................................................................................................... 5 Existing Condition ..................................................................................................................................... 6 Designated Wilderness ......................................................................................................................... 6 Wilderness Study Area .......................................................................................................................... 8 Cabin Creek Recreation and Wildlife Management Area ................................................................... 11 Key Benefits to People ............................................................................................................................ 11 Trends and Drivers .................................................................................................................................. 12 Information Needs .................................................................................................................................. 13 Key Findings ............................................................................................................................................ 13 Inventoried Roadless Areas ........................................................................................................................ 14 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 14 Current Forest Plan Direction ................................................................................................................. 17 Existing Condition ................................................................................................................................... 17 Key Benefits to People ............................................................................................................................ 19 Trends and Drivers .................................................................................................................................. 19 Information Needs .................................................................................................................................. 19 Key Findings ............................................................................................................................................ 19 Forest Plan Recommended Wilderness and Eligible Wild and Scenic Rivers ............................................. 19 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 19 Current Forest Plan Direction ................................................................................................................. 19 Existing Condition ................................................................................................................................... 20 Forest Plan Recommended Wilderness .............................................................................................. 20 Forest Plan Eligible Wild and Scenic Rivers ......................................................................................... 21 Trends and Drivers .................................................................................................................................. 23 Key Benefits to People ............................................................................................................................ 23 Information Needs .................................................................................................................................. 24 Key Findings ............................................................................................................................................ 24 Travel Ways: National Designated Trails and the Beartooth Highway ....................................................... 24 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 24 Current Forest Plan Direction ................................................................................................................. 24 Existing Condition ................................................................................................................................... 25 i Trends and Drivers .................................................................................................................................. 27 Key Benefits to People ............................................................................................................................ 27 Information Needs .................................................................................................................................. 28 Key Findings ............................................................................................................................................ 28 National Natural Landmarks and Special Geologic Area ............................................................................ 28 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 28 Current Forest Plan Direction ................................................................................................................. 28 Existing Condition ................................................................................................................................... 28 Trends and Drivers .................................................................................................................................. 29 Key Benefits to People ............................................................................................................................ 29 Information Needs .................................................................................................................................. 29 Key Findings ............................................................................................................................................ 29 Literature Cited ........................................................................................................................................... 30 List of Tables Table 1. Total forest visits, forest visits within designated wilderness, and percent of use within designated wilderness ................................................................................................................ 8 Table 2. Inventoried roadless areas and locations ..................................................................................... 18 Table 3. Forest plan recommended wilderness areas ................................................................................ 20 Table 4. Forest plan eligible rivers .............................................................................................................. 22 Table 5. Custer Gallatin national recreation trails ...................................................................................... 25 List of Figures Figure 1. Existing designated areas on the Custer Gallatin National Forest, west side ................................ 2 Figure 2. Existing designated areas on the Custer Gallatin National Forest, east side ................................. 3 Figure 3. Current roadless inventory on the Custer Gallatin National Forest, west side ........................... 15 Figure 4. Current roadless inventory on the Custer Gallatin National Forest, east side ............................ 16 ii Assessment - Draft Existing Designated Areas Report Introduction Milestone legislation was established by Congress in the 1960s to create a system of designated areas that included, in part, the National Wilderness Preservation System, National Wild and Scenic Rivers, and the National Trails System. These