Wyoming Wilderness Act of 1984
PL 98-550 (S.543), enacted 10/30/1984

PUBLIC LAW 98-550—OCT. 30, 1984 
98 STAT. 2807 
Public Law 98-550 
98th Congress 
An Act 
To designate certain national forest system lands in the State of Wyoming for 
inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System, to release other forest 
lands for multiple use management, to withdraw designated wilderness areas in 
Wyoming from minerals activity, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, 
TITLE I—SHORT TITLE, FINDINGS AND PURPOSES 
SHORT TITLE 
SEC. 101. This Act may be cited as "The Wyoming Wilderness Act 
of 1984". 
DECLARATION OF FINDINGS AND PURPOSES 
SEC. 102. (a) The Congress finds that— 
(1) certain areas of undeveloped national forest lands in the 
State of Wyoming possess outstanding natural characteristics 
giving them high values as wilderness and will, if properly 
preserved, be an enduring resource of wilderness for the benefit 
of the American people; 
(2) review and evaluation of roadless and undeveloped lands 
in the National Forest System of Wyoming have identified those 
areas which, on the basis of their landform, ecosystem, associ-
ated wildlife, and location, will help to fulfill the National 
Forest System's share of a quality National Wilderness Preser-
vation System; and 
(3) review and evaluation of roadless and undeveloped lands 
in the National Forest System in Wyoming have also identified 
those areas which should be specially managed, deserve further 
study, or which should be available for multiple uses other than 
wilderness, subject to the Forest Service's land management 
planning process and the provisions of this Act. 
(b) The purposes of this Act are to— 
(1) designate certain National Forest System lands in Wyo-
ming for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation 
System in order to preserve the wilderness character of the land 
and to protect watersheds and wildlife habitat, preserve scenic 
and historic resources, and promote scientific research, primi-
tive recreation, solitude, physical and mental challenge, and 
inspiration for the benefit of all of the American people; and 
(2) insure that certain National Forest System lands in the 
State of Wyoming be made available for uses other than wilder-
ness in accordance with applicable national forest laws and 
planning procedures and the provisions of this Act. 
Oct. 30, 1984 
[S. 543] 
The Wyoming 
Wilderness Act 
of 1984. 
National 
Wilderness 
Preservation 
System. 
National Forest 
System. 
98 STAT. 2808 
PUBLIC LAW 98-550—OCT. 30, 1984 
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TITLE II—ADDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WILDERNESS 
PRESERVATION SYSTEM 
SEC. 20L (a) In furtherance of the purposes of the Wilderness Act 
(78 Stat. 890), the following National Forest System lands in the 
State of Wyoming, as generally depicted on maps appropriately 
referenced herein, are hereby designated as wilderness, and, there-
fore, as components of the National Wilderness Preservation 
System: 
(1) certain lands in the Bighorn National Forest, which com-
prise approximately one hundred ninety-five thousand five hun-
dred acres as generally depicted on a map entitled "Cloud Peak 
Wilderness Area—Proposed", dated September 1984, and which 
shall be known as the Cloud Peak Wilderness; 
(2) certain lands in the Shoshone National Forest, which 
comprise approximately one hundred and one thousand nine 
hundred and ninety-one acres, as generally depicted on a map 
entitled "Popo Agie Wilderness Area—Proposed", dated Sep-
tember 1982, and which shall be known as the Popo Agie 
Wilderness; 
(3) subject to valid existing rights and reasonable access to 
exercise such rights, certain lands in the Bridger-Teton 
National Forest, which comprise approximately two hundred 
eighty-seven thousand acres, as generally depicted on a map 
entitled "Gros Ventre Wilderness Area—Proposed", dated Sep-
tember 1984, and which shall be known as the Gros Ventre 
Wilderness; 
(4) certain lands in the Bridger-Teton National Forest, which 
comprise approximately fourteen thousand acres, as generally 
depicted on a map entitled, "Winegar Hole Wilderness Area— 
Proposed", dated September 1984, and which shall be known as 
the Winegar Hole Wilderness; 
(5) certain lands in the Targhee National Forest which com-
prise approximately one hundred sixteen thousand five hundred 
and thirty-five acres as generally depicted on a map entitled, 
"Jedediah Smith Wilderness Area—Proposed", dated Septem-
ber 1984, and which shall be known as the Jedediah Smith 
Wilderness; 
(6) subject to section 201(c) of this Act, certain lands in the 
Medicine Bow National Forest which comprise approximately 
thirty-one thousand three hundred acres as generally depicted 
on a map entitled, "Huston Park Wilderness Area—Proposed", 
dated September 1984, and which shall be known as the Huston 
Park Wilderness; 
(7) subject to section 201(c) of this Act, certain lands in the 
Medicine Bow National Forest which comprise approximately 
ten thousand four hundred acres as generally depicted on a map 
entitled, "Encampment River Wilderness Area—Proposed", 
dated September 1984, and which shall be known as the 
Encampment River Wilderness; 
(8) subject to section 201(c) of this Act, certain lands in the 
Medicine Bow and Routt National Forests of Wyoming and 
Colorado, which comprise approximately twenty-three thousand 
acres as generally depicted on a map entitled, "Platte River 
Wilderness Area—Proposed", dated September 1984, and which 
shall be known as the Platte River Wilderness; 
PUBLIC LAW 98-550—OCT. 30, 1984 
98 STAT. 2809 
(9) certain lands in the Bridger-Teton National Forest, which 
comprise approximately twenty-eight thousand one hundred 
and fifty-six acres as generally depicted on a map entitled, 
"Corridor Addition to the Teton Wilderness Area—Proposed", 
dated September 1982, and which are hereby incorporated in 
and which shall be deemed a part of the Teton Wilderness as 
designated by Public Law 88-577; 
(10) certain lands in the Bridger-Teton National Forest which 
comprise approximately thirty-six thousand acres as generally 
depicted on maps entitled, "Silver Creek Addition to the Bridger 
Wilderness—Proposed", and "Newfork Lake Addition to the 
Bridger Wilderness—Proposed", dated September 1984, and 
which are hereby incorporated in and which shall be deemed 
a part of the Bridger Wilderness as designated by Public 
Law 88-577; 
(11) certain lands in the Shoshone National Forest, which 
comprise approximately six thousand four hundred and ninety-
seven acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled, "Glacier 
Addition to the Fitzpatrick Wilderness—Area Proposed", dated 
September 1982, which are hereby incorporated in and which 
shall be deemed a part of the Fitzpatrick Wilderness as desig-
nated by Public Law 94-557 and Public Law 94-567: Provided, 
That within the area referred to in this subparagraph, occa-
sional motorized access for administrative purposes and related 
activities as determined necessary by the Secretary for habitat 
management, trapping, transporting and proper management 
of the area's bighorn sheep population may be allowed; 
(12) certain lands in the Shoshone National Forest, which 
comprise approximately ten thousand acres, as generally 
depicted on a map entitled, "South Fork Addition to the Washa-
kie Wilderness—Proposed", dated September 1984, and which 
are hereby incorporated in and which shall be deemed a part of 
the Washakie Wilderness as designated by Public Law 92-476; 
and 
(13) certain lands in the Shoshone National Forest, which 
comprise approximately twenty-three thousand seven hundred 
and fifty acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled, "High 
Lakes Addition 
to the Absaroka-Beartooth 
Wilderness— 
Proposed", dated September 1984, and which are hereby 
incorporated in and which shall be deemed a part of the Absaro-
ka-Beartooth Wilderness as designated by Public Law 95-249. 
Qo) The previous classification of each of the following is hereby 
abolished: the Cloud Peak Primitive Area, the Popo Agie Primitive 
Area, and the Glacier Primitive Area. 
(c) The designation and continued existence of the Huston Park, 
Encampment River, Platte River and Savage Run Wildernesses 
shall not, under any Federal law, in any way impair or affect any 
present or future water rights for, and shall not prevent, impair, or 
in any way affect construction, operation or maintenance of, the 
Stage II or Stage III water development projects as presently defined 
in Wyoming Statutes, section 41-2-204(a) (iii) and (iv) (1984 Cum. 
Supp.), (Wyoming Laws 1979, ch. 126, sec. 1), or any subsequent 
modification thereof, including the water rights required therefor, to 
the extent that such modification provides for the diversion and 
transportation of water in the Little Snake River Basin for storage 
or use in said basin or in Wyoming east of the Continental Divide. 
No term or condition shall be imposed on any permit, license, right-
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98 STAT. 2810 
PUBLIC LAW 98-550—OCT. 30, 1984 
Public 
availability. 
Effective date. 
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of-way or other authorization for said projects on the basis of any 
present or future wilderness characteristics, wilderness designa-
tions, or wilderness studies or evaluations of lands in the Medicine 
Bow National Forest or in Natrona, Sweetwater, or Carbon Counties 
in Wyoming. 
LEGAt. DESCRIPTION AND WILDERNESS BOUNDARIES 
SEC. 202. As soon as particable after the enactment of this Act, a 
map and a legal description of each area described in titles II and III 
shall be filed with the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 
of the United States Senate and the Committee on Interior and 
Insular Affairs of the House of Representatives, and each such map 
and description shall have the same force and effect as if included in 
this Act, except that correction of clerical and typographical errors 
in each such legal description and map may be made. Each such 
map and legal description shall be on file and available for public 
inspection in the Office of the Chief of the Forest Service, Depart-
ment of Agriculture. 
APPUCATION OF THE WILDERNESS ACT OF 1964 
SEC. 203. Subject to valid existing rights, each wilderness area 
designated by this Act shall be administered by the Secretary in 
accordance with the provisions of this Act and the Wilderness Act, 
except that any reference in the provisions of the Wilderness Act to 
the effective date of the Wilderness Act shall be deemed to be a 
reference to the effective date of this Act. 
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Reports. 
TITLE III—WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS 
SEC. 301. (a) In furtherance of the purposes of the Wilderness Act, 
the Secretary of Agriculture shall, upon revision of the initial land 
management plans for the Bridger-Teton, Targhee, and Shoshone 
National Forests required by the Forest and Rangeland Renewable 
Resources Planning Act of 1974, as amended by the National Forest 
Management Act of 1976, review the following lands as to their 
suitability for preservation as wilderness: 
(1) certain lands in the Bridger-Teton and Targhee National 
Forests of Wyoming, which comprise approximately one hun-
dred and thirty-five thousand eight hundred and forty acres, as 
generally depicted on a map entitled "Palisades Wilderness 
Study Area—Proposed", dated September 1984, and which shall 
be known as the Palisades Wilderness Study Area; 
(2) certain lands in the Bridger-Teton National Forest, which 
comprise approximately thirty thousand acres, as generally 
depicted on a map entitled "Shoal Creek Wilderness Study 
Area—Proposed", dated September 1984, and which shall be 
known as the Shoal Creek Wilderness Study Area; and 
(3) certain lands in the Shoshone National Forest of Wyo-
ming, which comprise approximately fourteen thousand seven 
hundred acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled "High 
Lakes Wilderness Study Area—Proposed", dated September 
1984, and which shall be known as the High Lakes Wilderness 
Study Area. 
Ot)) Subsequent to such review the Secretary shall submit his 
reports and findings to the President and the President shall submit 
PUBLIC LAW 98-550—OCT. 30, 1984 
98 STAT. 2811 
his recommendations to the Congress within three years of the date 
of receipt of the Secretary's report. 
(c) Subject to vaHd existing rights and reasonable access to exer-
cise such rights, until Congress determines otherwise, the Palisades, 
High Lakes and Shoal Creek Wilderness Study Areas shall be 
administered by the Secretary of Agriculture so as to maintain their 
presently existing wilderness character and potential for inclusion 
in the National Wilderness Preservation System: Provided, That— 
(1) with respect to oil and gas exploration and development 
activities, the Palisades Wilderness Study Area shall be admin-
istered under reasonable conditions to protect the environment 
according to the laws and regulations generally applicable to 
nonwilderness lands within the National Forest System; 
(2) subject to valid existing rights, the Palisades Wilderness 
Study Area as designated by this Act is hereby withdrawn from 
all forms of appropriation under the mining laws; 
(3) the provisions of section 308 of the Interior Department 
Appropriations Act for fiscal year 1984 (Public Law 98-146) or 
similar provisions which may hereafter be enacted concerning 
oil and gas leasing, exploration and development in further 
planning or wilderness study areas shall not apply to the Pali-
sades Wilderness Study Area; and 
(4) within the Palisades, High Lakes and Shoal Creek Wilder-
ness Study Areas, snowmobiling shall continue to be allowed in 
the same manner and degree as was occurring prior to the date 
of enactment of this Act. 
Petroleum and 
petroleum 
products. 
97 Stat. 951. 
TITLE IV-RELEASE OF LANDS FOR MULTIPLE USE 
MANAGEMENT 
ADMINISTRATIVE AND CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW OF ROADLESS AREAS 
SEC. 401. (a) The Congress finds that— 
(1) the Department of Agriculture has completed the second 
roadless area review and evaluation program (RARE II); and 
(2) the Congress has made its own review and examination of 
national forest roadless areas in Wyoming and the environmen-
tal impacts associated with alternative allocations of such areas. 
O
b
) On the basis of such review, the Congress hereby determines 
and directs that— 
(1) without passing on the question of the legal and factual 
sufficiency of the RARE II final environmental statement 
(dated January 1979) with respect to national forest lands in 
States other than Wyoming, such statement shall not be subject 
to judicial review with respect to National Forest System lands 
in the State of Wyoming; 
(2) with respect to the national forest lands in the State of 
Wyoming which were reviewed by the Department of Agricul-
ture in the second roadless area review and evaluation (RARE 
II) and those lands referred to in subsection (d) except those 
lands remaining in wilderness study upon enactment of this Act 
and subject to section 301, that review and evaluation or refer-
ence shall be deemed for the purposes of the initial land 
management plans required for such lands by the Forest and 
Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1976 (Public 
Law 94-588) to be an adequate consideration of the suitability of 
such lands for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preserva-
Conservation. 
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98 STAT. 2812 
PUBLIC LAW 98-550—OCT. 30, 1984 
tion System and the Department of Agriculture shall not be 
required to review the wilderness option prior to the revisions of 
the plans, but shall review the wilderness option when the plans 
are revised, which revisions will ordinarily occur on a ten-year 
cycle, or at least every fifteen years, unless, prior to such time, 
the Secretary finds that conditions in a unit have significantly 
changed; 
(3) areas in the State of Wyoming reviewed in such final 
environmental statement or referred to in subsection (d) and 
not designated wilderness or wilderness study upon enactment 
of this Act shall be managed for multiple use in accordance with 
land management plans pursuant to section 6 of the Forest and 
Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 as 
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amended by the National Forest Management Act of 1976: 
Provided, That such areas need not be managed for the purpose 
of protecting their suitability for wilderness designation prior to 
or during revision of the initial land management plans; 
(4) in the event that revised land management plans in the 
State of Wyoming are implemented pursuant to section 6 of the 
Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 
1974 as amended by the National Forest Management Act of 
1976, and other applicable law, areas not recommended for 
wilderness designation need not be managed for the purpose of 
protecting their suitability for wilderness designation prior to or 
during revision of such plans and areas recommended for 
wilderness designation shall be managed for the purpose of 
protecting their suitability for wilderness designation as may be 
required by the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources 
Planning Act of 1974 as amended by the National Forest Man-
agement Act of 1976, and other applicable law; and 
(5) unless expressly authorized by Congress, the Department 
of Agriculture shall not conduct any further statewide roadless 
area review and evaluation of National Forest System lands in 
the State of Wyoming for the purpose of determining their 
suitability for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preserva-
tion System. 
(c) As used in this section, and as provided in section 6 of the 
Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 
as amended by the National Forest Management Act of 1976, the 
term "revision" shall not include an "amendment" to a plan. 
(d) The provisions of this section shall also apply to: 
(1) National Forest System roadless areas or portions thereof 
in the State of Wyoming identified by unit plans listed at the 
end of this subparagraph, which are not designated as wilder-
ness by this Act: 
National Forest 
Unit Plan 
Bridger-Teton 
Union Pass 
Bridger-Teton 
Big Piney 
Bridger-Teton 
Spread Creek 
Bridger-Teton 
North Gros Ventre 
Targhee 
West Slope-Tetons 
Targhee 
Island Park 
Medicine Bow 
Huston Park 
Medicine Bow 
Savage Run 
Shoshone 
Beartooth Plateau 
PUBLIC LAW 98-550—OCT. 30, 1984 
98 STAT. 2813 
(2) that portion of the Beartooth-High Lakes Area not 
included in wilderness or wilderness study by this Act; and 
(3) national forest roadless lands'in the State of Wyoming 
which are less than five thousand acres in size. 
(e) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the area 
referred to in section 5 of Public Law 92-476 (86 Stat. 792) and 
generally known as the Dunoir Special Management Unit, which 
shall continue to be managed pursuant to Public Law 92-476. 
TITLE V—MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS 
GRAZING IN WILDERNESS AREAS 
SEC. 501. The Secretary of Agriculture is directed to review all 
policies, practices, and regulations of the Department of Agriculture 
regarding livestock grazing in national forest wilderness areas in 
the State of Wyoming in order to insure that such policies, practices, 
and regulations fully conform with and implement the intent of 
Congress regarding grazing in such areas, as such intent is 
expressed in the Wilderness Act, as interpreted by Public Law 98-
406. 
STATE WATER ALLOCATION AUTHORITY 
SEC. 502. As provided in section 4(d)(6) of the Wilderness Act, 
except as provided in section 201(c) of this Act, nothing in this Act 
shall constitute an express or implied claim or denial on the part of 
the Federal Government as to exemption from Wyoming water laws. 
STATE FISH AND WILDLIFE AUTHORITY 
SEC. 503. As provided in section 4(d)(7) of the Wilderness Act, 
nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting the jurisdiction or 
responsibilities of the State of Wyoming with respect to wildlife and 
fish in the national forests in Wyoming. 
PROHIBITION ON BUFFER ZONES 
SEC. 504. Congress does not intend that the designation of wilder-
ness areas in the State of Wyoming lead to the creation of protective 
perimeters or buffer zones around each wilderness area. The fact 
that nonwilderness activities or uses can be seen or heard from 
within any wilderness area shall not, of itself, preclude such activi-
ties or uses up to the boundary of the wilderness area. 
PROTECTION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES 
SEC. 505. (a) Within the areas described in sections 201 and 301, 
and within any previously-designated components of the National 
Wilderness Preservation System in the State of Wyoming, and in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Wilderness Act, section 6 of the 
National Forest Management Act, the Archaeological Resources and 
Protection Act, and the Historic Preservation Act, the Secretary 
shall cooperate with the Secretary of the Interior and with agencies 
and institutions of the State of Wyoming, in conducting a cultural 
resources management program. 
(b) Such program shall have as its purpose the protection of 
archaeological sites and interpretation of such sites for the public 
benefit and knowledge, and compliance with all Federal and State 
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Animals. 
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Ante, p. 1485. 
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98 STAT. 2814 
PUBLIC LAW 98-550—OCT. 30, 1984 
historic and cultural resource preservation statutes, regulations, 
guidelines, and standards, insofar as these activities are compatible 
with the purposes for which the affected lands were designated as 
wilderness or special management areas. 
Provisions held 
SEC. 506. If any provision of this Act or the application thereof is 
invalid. 
^gj^ invalid, the remainder of the Act and the application thereof 
shall not be affected thereby. 
Approved October 30, 1984. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 543: 
SENATE REPORT No. 98-54 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 129 (1983): Apr. 13, considered and passed Senate. 
Vol. 130 (1984): Oct. 2, considered and passed House, amended. 
Oct. 3, Senate concurred in House amendment.