Popo Agie Wilderness | |
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IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)
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Pingora Peak rises above Lonesome Lake in the Cirque of the Towers in the Popo Agie Wilderness
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Location | Fremont / Sublette counties, Wyoming, USA |
Nearest city | Lander, WY |
Coordinates | 42°46′0″N 109°13′0″W / 42.76667°N 109.21667°WCoordinates: 42°46′0″N 109°13′0″W / 42.76667°N 109.21667°W |
Area | 101,870 acres (412.3 km2) |
Established | 1984 |
Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
Popo Agie Wilderness /poʊˈpoʊʒə/ is located within Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming, United States. The wilderness consists of 101,870 acres (41,230 ha; 159.17 sq mi) on the east side of the continental divide in the Wind River Range. Originally set aside as a primitive area in 1932, in 1984 the Wyoming Wilderness Act was passed securing a more permanent protection status for the wilderness. The wilderness is a part of the 20,000,000 acres (8,100,000 ha; 31,000 sq mi) Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
U.S. Wilderness Areas do not allow motorized or mechanized vehicles, including bicycles. Although camping and fishing are allowed with proper permit, no roads or buildings are constructed and there is also no logging or mining, in compliance with the 1964 Wilderness Act. Wilderness areas within National Forests and Bureau of Land Management areas also allow hunting in season.
The Popo Agie Wilderness is a primarily sub-alpine and alpine region with the minimum elevation of 8,400 feet (2,600 m). Twenty mountains exceed 12,000 feet (3,700 m), with the highest being Wind River Peak at 13,192 feet (4,021 m). Perhaps the most visited area within the wilderness and the entire Wind River Range is the Cirque of the Towers due to the impressive granitic mountains and sheer cliffs which attract climbers from all over the world. Overuse has led to camping restrictions within the wilderness, especially in the proximity of Lonesone Lake which is located in the Cirque of the Towers. The wilderness spans a 25 miles (40 km) section of the southern Wind River Range.