Mapping the geographic landscape and surrounding protected wilderness connections
Examine the geographic distribution of protected areas and wild lands surrounding the Jedediah Smith Wilderness in Wyoming. Analyze regional landscape context and spatial relationships between these preserved alpine terrains and nearby federally designated sites.
A congressionally designated wilderness protecting the western slopes of the Teton Range within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
The Jedediah Smith Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area in Teton County, Wyoming, situated along the western slopes of the Teton Range. Established by Congress in 1984 and managed by the U.S. Forest Service, the wilderness occupies roughly 123,000 acres within the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and borders Grand Teton National Park to the east. The landscape is dominated by rugged alpine terrain shaped by glaciers, with high cirques, deep forested valleys, and remote basins that drain westward toward the Snake River plain. Its position inside the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem links it to one of the largest nearly intact temperate ecosystems remaining in the contiguous United States. Protection under the 1964 Wilderness Act keeps the area free of roads, mechanized travel, logging, and mining. The wilderness provides habitat for grizzly bears, elk, moose, mule deer, bighorn sheep, and a range of high-country bird species. Through its combination of strict federal protection, dramatic Teton scenery, and ecological connection to Yellowstone, the Jedediah Smith Wilderness stands as an important piece of the broader Teton and Yellowstone conservation landscape.
See the ranked park cluster in its geographic setting
Distance-ranked regional park geography and surrounding protected landscapes
Southeast
Explore the mapped terrain and regional park geography.
Grand Teton National Park, in United States of America. Landscapes: mountains, valleys, and cliffs.
Northeast
Explore mapped boundaries and regional natural landscape context.
Yellowstone National Park represents a significant protected landscape within Wyoming, designated as a US national park. This entry offers detailed insight into its geographic scope, mapped boundaries, and the unique natural terrain that defines it. Understand its role in regional geography and discover its protected-area identity through a structured atlas exploration, providing context for its conservation landscape.
Northeast
Rugged wilderness and glacial peaks in Wyoming
Discover the immense geographic scale of Shoshone National Forest, which protects a diverse landscape ranging from sagebrush valleys to 13,000-foot granite summits. This atlas overview details its role within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and its expansive, federally designated wilderness areas, offering a clear perspective on its volcanic and glacial terrain.
Northwest
High elevation marshes and protected water basins.
Red Rock Lakes Wilderness preserves an extensive high-elevation wetland complex in Beaverhead County, Montana. This nature reserve, characterized by shallow lake basins and forested mountain ridges, serves as a vital ecological corridor in the Northern Rockies. Its protected landscape offers a study in water-driven geography, where remote marshes and reflective lakes define the terrain's character.
North
Mapping rugged alpine terrain across four distinct mountainous units
Located in southwestern Montana, the Lee Metcalf Wilderness serves as a cornerstone of ecological connectivity within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Spanning over 250,000 acres, this protected area features a unique fragmented geography consisting of the Bear Trap Canyon, Spanish Peaks, Taylor-Hilgard, and Monument Mountains units. The landscape is defined by its roadless mountain ridges, forested slopes, and deep river corridors, providing essential sanctuary for large mammal populations.
Southeast
A core alpine environment within the Wind River Range.
Fitzpatrick Wilderness represents one of the most uncompromisingly wild segments of the Wind River Range, featuring persistent glaciers, dramatic U-shaped valleys, and high granite spires. This protected landscape offers a deep look into the alpine geography of Wyoming, preserved under the Wilderness Act to maintain its rugged character, remote glacial cirques, and intricate mountain ecosystems.
Southeast
High-altitude alpine terrain and glacial basins
The Popo Agie Wilderness in Wyoming encompasses a dramatic vertical landscape, ranging from forested valleys to alpine summits above 13,000 feet. This protected area features the iconic Cirque of the Towers, dense hydrological networks of glacial tarns, and expansive granite formations that anchor its identity within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Northwest
Extensive alpine ridges and wild river corridors
Spanning over 4.2 million acres, Salmon, Challis National Forest is a foundational protected landscape in Idaho. This area includes the highest peaks in the state, such as Borah Peak, and holds the majority of the Frank Church, River of No Return Wilderness. Utilize this atlas resource to examine the intricate mountain topography, expansive river systems, and the contiguous wild corridors that define this significant portion of the northern Rockies.
South
Alpine summits, forested ridges, and subalpine lake basins
Situated in the Bear River Range of northern Utah, Mount Naomi Wilderness stands as a protected corridor of rugged mountain terrain. This wilderness area preserves a diverse high-elevation environment, spanning from the steep western canyons of the Logan River to the prominent summits of Naomi Peak. It serves as a vital point of geographic interest for understanding the subalpine ecosystems and wilderness boundaries within the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.
Southwest
Mapped regional geography and rangeland conservation context
Located in southeastern Idaho, Curlew National Grassland offers an expansive view of the Intermountain sagebrush steppe. This protected area provides a historical example of Depression-era land restoration and currently functions as a vital habitat for sagebrush-associated wildlife, showcasing the unique, rolling plains and semi-arid terrain characteristic of the northern Great Basin.
West
Central Idaho mountain systems and wilderness corridors
Spanning over two million acres, Sawtooth National Forest defines the heart of the Rocky Mountains in Idaho. This protected landscape contains a complex network of glacial basins, alpine lakes, and varied ecosystems ranging from arid sagebrush foothills to high-altitude peaks. Explore the internal boundaries, drainage systems, and structural geography of this significant wilderness area.
Northeast
A reservoir-anchored protected area in the Montana high desert
Defined by its striking contrast between deep blue reservoir water and sheer canyon walls, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area protects an essential arid landscape in the Mountain West. This region encompasses portions of the Pryor Mountains and the historic Bad Pass Trail, offering a window into the intersection of vast high-desert plains and rugged mountain terrain.
South
Analyzing high-mountain terrain and watershed connectivity across the Intermountain West
Wasatch-Cache National Forest serves as a major ecological anchor in the United States. Its territory encompasses the iconic Wasatch Range, extensive designated wilderness zones, and alpine basins. The region provides critical watershed protection and supports diverse high-altitude ecosystems, from narrow, dissected ridges to broad, glaciated terrain throughout northern Utah and surrounding areas.
North
Montana wilderness spanning the Continental Divide
Spanning from the rolling eastern plains to the crest of the Northern Rockies, Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest serves as a massive protected landscape in central Montana. This forest system protects eight unique mountain ranges and critical wilderness corridors, offering a comprehensive look at the ecological transition zones of the American Mountain West.
West
Mapping central Idaho's remote mountain backcountry
Investigate the high-elevation wilderness geography of Jim McClure, Jerry Peak. This protected area in Custer County sits within the Salmon-Challis landscape, featuring a rugged mix of mountain peaks, dense coniferous forests, and remote drainages that define the character of the American West.
South
High desert geography and canyon terrain on the Wyoming and Utah border.
Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area features a complex geography where the Green River carves through vivid red sandstone cliffs. This protected area integrates large-scale reservoir management with mountain forest slopes and diverse river corridors, creating a unique mapped landscape that reflects the geologic character of the intermountain West.
West
A vast mountain wilderness of granite peaks and glacier-carved lakes.
The Sawtooth National Recreation Area encompasses a quintessential northern Rocky Mountain terrain defined by the dramatic Sawtooth, White Cloud, and Boulder ranges. This protected landscape preserves over 700,000 acres of high-elevation wilderness, ranging from jagged granite arêtes to the broad, U-shaped Sawtooth Valley, serving as a critical hydrologic anchor for the rivers of the American West.
West
Discover massive roadless geography and river-carved mountain terrain.
Spanning over 2.3 million acres in central Idaho, the Frank Church, River of No Return Wilderness represents one of the most significant intact roadless landscapes in the lower 48 states. This protected area features a complex mosaic of coniferous forests, high-altitude alpine ridges, and the steep, jagged canyons of the Salmon River, creating a unique geographic profile for regional exploration.
North
Explore Missouri River canyon boundaries and local terrain
Gain insight into the geological drama of Gates of the Mountains Wilderness, a protected reserve in Montana. This atlas entry focuses on the limestone canyon walls and historic river corridors that define the regional geography, offering a structured look at its protected boundaries and terrain.
West
Protected granite landscapes and glacial basin geography
Encompassing a vast portion of central Idaho, Payette National Forest represents a significant protected wilderness corridor. The forest geography transitions from granite-based alpine peaks and deep river gorges to dense coniferous slopes, providing essential habitat and extensive trail connectivity throughout the Northern Rockies.
Geographic measurements, not driving distances
Calculated between the nearest points of both park boundaries.
Estimated from one mapped park location to the nearest boundary of the other park.
Estimated between the mapped locations of both parks.
Continue your geographic research into the Jedediah Smith Wilderness through the MoriAtlas database. Gain insights into the glacial landforms, subalpine ecosystems, and wilderness boundaries that define this vital section of the Teton Range and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.