This interactive map and trail density table clearly demonstrate the greatest impacts to big game habitats and movement are associated with the larger urban areas, mountain resorts, and towns surrounding the GMUG that are experiencing the most widespread and intensive development. Associated with those population centers and resort communities are continually expanding networks of recreational trails on BLM and National Forest lands, particularly within areas mapped as elk and mule deer winter range, winter concentration areas, severe winter range, and the migration corridors and routes that are used to migrate to summer ranges. This trend in recreational trail development has further expanded into elk, mule deer, and bighorn sheep summer range, summer concentration and production areas on the GMUG and adjacent National Forests.
This map clearly captures the fragmentation of high priority habitat and the need for WMAs and the use of effective wildlife/recreation management objectives, guidelines, and standards to avoid and mitigate future impacts. Download link for our trail density table here.