Pole Mountain Gateways

Connecting our communities to the land with sustainable, non-motorized recreation.

Pole Mountain Gateways 

The purpose of the Pole Mountain Gateways project is to gather public input on the Pole Mountain Unit in advance of a broad-scale United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service planning project. In order to maximize current and future user experiences, the Forest Service will conduct an Environmental Analysis (EA) for the entire Pole Mountain administrative unit that will look at trails, facilities, parking, signage and other aspects of non-motorized recreation.

The project is named Pole Mountain Gateways to reflect the area's designation as a Wyoming Forest Gateway Community Priority Area, which resulted from the implementation of the National Trails Stewardship Act.

User submitted data will help gain a better understanding of preferred public destinations and usage throughout Pole Mountain. Public conversations are being planned to discuss the vision for Pole Mountain, shared values, and priority areas. 

Read this press release to learn more about the Pole Mountain Gateways Project.

Read this press release to learn more about the virtual public meeting March 4, 2021.

 

Explore the Storymap

The Pole Mountain Gateways Storymap features U.S. Forest Service data, data collected during volunteer events, and reports collected from the public that show points of interest and map trails. The Storymap also features audio-visual narratives submitted by users, which uses images and storytelling to illustrate user values and connection to the Pole Mountain area. 

Visit the Storymap webpage ->

 

Digital Storytelling for Public Land Management

Using the Pole Mountain Gateways project as a case study, Haub School faculty published "Narratives of Place: Integrated Digital Storytelling and Story-Mapping for Sustainable Recreation Management" in the Journal of Park and Recreation Administration. Read the article ->

Drawing from that scholarly publication, Dr. Rachael Budowle and Haub graduate student Angus McReynolds created a best practices tool kit for pubic land managers interested in using digital storytelling to engage with local communities and the public. The toolkit provides a source of information about the value of digital storytelling, as well as step-by-step guide to doing. There is no single way to use the toolkit; land managers should adapt and apply these guidelines as they see fit. View the toolkit ->