Opt Outside: Town forms brain trust to develop outdoor recreation opportunities

Last Thursday, March 14, a group of hand-selected locals gathered at the Lovell Community Center to hold a broad discussion on the community’s outdoor recreation opportunities and local economy. Organized and moderated by town administrator Jed Nebel, the topics ranged from the community’s involvement, or lack thereof, in the Big Horn Basin Outdoor Recreation Collaborative (BBORC) to the ongoing development of a mountain bike trail system on public lands to future development of the northern Big Horn Basin’s recreation areas to improve accessibility and navigation for locals and visitors alike.
Nebel and the community were joined by representatives from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Wyoming Pathways, Wyoming Parks, and Pointe Strategies.
Nearly 50 community members received invitations from Nebel, and a healthy 32 turned up on Thursday in addition to the representatives and executives from the various organizations. Nebel conceived of the meeting as a means to ask questions, gauge interest and encourage the community to become more involved in the development of the area’s outdoor recreational opportunities and facilities. He noted that, compared to the southern end of the county, which has been leading the charge in the development of trails and the Blueway kayaking system, the north end is “a little behind the curve.”
“We want to drive civic engagement,” he told the room. “Civic participation is half the battle. It’s our hope that people will want to become more involved after learning a bit more about what we’re doing and turn up to represent us as a coalition (with BBORC).”
Nebel led for the first 20 minutes of the night with two presentations: the first on the benefits of outdoor recreation, which highlighted the positive impact of recreation on the local economy: in 2022, 4.1% of Wyoming’s GDP was generated through outdoor recreation. The outdoor sector employed over 16,000 people and tourists to the state spent over $4.3 billion into the communities they visited. He also delved into the more personal benefits of getting outside: fostering an appreciation for the natural world and its preservation, community-building, physical and mental well-being and overall quality of life. He noted that many of those in the room would be able to pinpoint hiking trails or cave systems or other local treasures, if asked by a visitor, but if that same visitor were to log onto Wyoming’s Wonder Map, they wouldn’t see those places.
“(What’s currently visible on the Wonder Map) isn’t even a sixteenth of what we have to offer,” Nebel explained. “What I’ve identified, what members of the community have identified, and where we’re falling behind is with deliverables. (We want to be able to tell a visitor or someone who just moved here) where they can kayak, but we don’t have any deliverables (at this time) to present those people.
“Outdoor recreation can be a huge contributing benefit to the economic development of Lovell,” he continued. “We’re kind of behind the curve (with BBORC); we’re slacking. Most of the current projects are catered toward the south end, and we really only have one north end member of the county representing us at meetings, but I’ve always believed we have so many opportunities (to offer people).”
Following this call to action, Nebel pivoted to a second presentation on the results of a study that was recently completed on the suitability of the area to a new mountain biking trail system. He outlined three locations identified in the study as areas of opportunity, or those areas with near ideal conditions and suitability to increased recreational use in-line with the needs of the project. For the mountain biking project, Nebel explained, the Cedars, Cottonwood Canyon and Little Sheep Mountain were identified as the top three candidates for trail development.
Of the three, Little Sheep Mountain was revealed to have the greatest number of pros working in its favor: it is Lovell-centric, easily accessible, has comparatively low recreational competition and has terrain suited to all levels and capabilities. Its primary drawbacks lie in lack of infrastructure and a need for trail identification.
Cottonwood Canyon, meanwhile, already has vital infrastructure with an existing campground and bathroom facilities, as well as easy access and varied terrain, but the researchers noted these same benefits will lead to greater competition with day hikers, ATV riders and other recreationalists. The Cedars poses the greatest number of problems, if selected, with sandy terrain, no infrastructure and little maintenance.
“The gentleman who came through (for the study) really felt that, if developed into a mountain biking area, Sheep Mountain would draw outsiders into Lovell,” Nebel said. “He (said) this could be a destination place to ride. There’s great route selection.”
Michael Kusiek, the executive director of Wyoming Pathways, a non-profit based in Lander who has done trail development statewide, concurred.
“We think this is a home run,” he said of the project, noting a trail system in Lovell could draw riders away from Southern Utah and other mountain towns, based on his own experience as a rider as well as the research his group has done.
Agriculture concerns
Tim Beck, who grazes his cattle on the Cedars, questioned the project’s potential impact on ranchers.
“I know the person who grazes on Sheep Mountain and Cottonwood,” he said, adding that he has had past conflicts with local hunters abusing walk-in privileges. “There’s a livestock-public interface conflict, and I would like to address it before we get too far down the road. If I’ve got calves out on the hill and I see conflict, (that’s my livelihood).”
When Nebel explained that the trail options being explored are likely to bar ATVs, Beck replied that the issue wasn’t motorized or non-motorized trails but gates potentially being left open. Kusiek noted that Wyoming Pathways has had previous experience with livestock, arranging meetings between local land managers and lessees to determine paths forward that benefit all parties involved.
“Gates is an issue we deal with in Lander all the time,” he said. “We can also look in areas that are better for non-motorized trails. (On previous projects) we purchased rollovers to eliminate the need for gates as part of our trail building plan. We’re right there with that: we’re a conservation group and we have the same Wyoming values that the ranchers and hunters and people who are anglers. (We want to) go about it the right way and do what works for folks.”
They also deploy social media, signage and other tools to increase awareness. Wyoming Parks agreed, pointing to a stewardship program being rolled out across the south end of the county with BBORC that teaches visitors to close gates or use caution.
“I’m in favor of the whole concept,” Beck explained when the mic returned to him. “But in the list of pros and cons, the one con that’s not listed is the ag guy that’s already there. Most ag guys are gonna look and say, ‘Not over my dead body,’ because they’re protecting their livelihood, and when you’re protecting your livelihood, as opposed to going out and having fun, the emphasis is a little bit different.”
“You’re not wrong to say it,” Nebel assured Beck. “You’re absolutely right. It usually is locals that are harder on the land than the people travelling into town, which is a shame and I’m sorry to say it.”
Rick Tryder, who represented the BLM in the meeting, further noted that there would be additional studies done to determine the paleontological, historic and environmental inventory of the areas where trails are ultimately to be placed and developed. He referenced similar work being done in the Cody area with the Outlaw trails and stated that BLM would be involved in trail design approvals, noting that most of the areas that were subject to study had already been approved for recreational use.
“Something to think about when you talk about signage,” added Forester Ashley Duke, “is to think about the right design. It’s been my experience that having more signs means you have a problem to correct, so if you design it right, you will eliminate many of the issues and help to guide it. By nature, humans are drawn toward the path of least resistance.”
Funding strategies
From conservation and land management politics, the conversation turned to the elephant in the room: upfront cost. Nebel noted that there would be need for outside funding, including grants, which Kusiek said he had experience in obtaining on projects through Wyoming Pathways. Nevertheless, Nebel said he expects the trail development to be an all-hands-on-deck effort with commissioners and others like Kusiek working together to obtain capital.
In response to a question about whether under-served communities saw growth in services and other opportunities in relation to development, Kusiek agreed. He pointed to Wyoming Pathways work on the Happy Jack and Vedauwoo trails in Southeastern Wyoming, as well as their work on T-Hill in Thermopolis, explaining that the trail systems increased tourism and sudden growth.
“Commissioner Ryan (of Thermopolis) is actively addressing this right now: How do we add more amenities? (They’re looking to add) more restaurants, more bars, more places to stay. We see it all the time. It’s the number one thing people look for after college: Can I walk and bike in town? Are there any trails nearby? We see it all the time.”
Annie McFarland of Pointe Strategies agreed and delved into her experience in communities nationwide, stating the development of outdoor recreational opportunities led to greater economic improvement and community welfare.
“In West Virginia, we built trail systems, and soon after, young people began returning to the area (when historically, they’d left for college and not returned),” she explained. “Once that happened, we saw cafes and breweries were being built around the trails, just fun things for people to do and other opportunities that naturally occur. It’s pretty universal.”
“I think it ultimately comes back to quality of life,” said Nebel. “There’s a mental health crisis in the state of Wyoming — how many people have just gone outside and just felt so much better? That’s my driving factor (in supporting this project) and also that I’m now a father, too.”
The science agrees. In the modern era, the average American spends 92% of their time indoors, but as little as 20-30 minutes of time outside daily has both mental and physical health benefits, according to the studies at the National Library of Medicine. Research has shown that outdoor recreation leads to lower cortisol levels, thus improving heart health and blood pressure levels; it also reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression and leads to better cognition, creativity and focus overall. Meanwhile, researchers found that people who lack time outdoors or spend all day staring at screens tend to experience greater levels of agitation, fatigue and sensory overload.
If mountain biking doesn’t appeal, Nebel understands. He and the town highlighted hunting, fishing, hiking, boating, mountain climbing and an array of other outdoor activities as potential opportunities for the community to grow and develop further, but he returned to his original pitch: they can’t do it alone and need the community’s help and support. He and others noted that the community stands to benefit the most from the economic impact of outdoor recreation but also that they are naturally more attached to the land and deserve to have a say in its future and how it will benefit the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts.
Beck pitched an idea for a bike path running parallel to the railroad and river through town, based off of a similar plan connecting Cody and Powell, which drew the attention of Wyoming Parks representatives in attendance and excitement from many in the room, including Nebel. “Let’s talk about that,” he said. “That’s great.”
“If we get a group going here in the north end, if we get active with BBORC, we can get studies going  on multiple outdoor activities,” Nebel concluded. “Like I said, it’s already here. If we can get deliverables for what we already know is here, I think we can develop something great.”
When the meeting drew to a close at last, it seemed that Nebel may have won the battle against apathy: Several guests asked when the next BBORC meeting would be and promised to stay in touch.