Description
The Nature Conservancy’s Sweetwater River Preserve is a blend of natural and human history. The preserve offers habitat for a wealth of plants and wildlife, Native American cultural sites and the worn paths of western pioneers. Weathered ruts of the Oregon, California, Mormon and Pony Express trails can still be found by the sharp-eyed visitor.
Twenty-one miles of the free-flowing Sweetwater River, with some of Wyoming's most extensive and intact high desert streamside habitat, offer spots to dip a toe or cast a fishing line. Along the river, dense stands of native willow provide cover for birds and other wildlife. Dry grasslands populated with big sagebrush extend for miles upland of the river, providing places for greater sage-grouse to mate, nest and fledge their young.
The preserve encompasses 2,305 acres of Nature Conservancy land, including six miles of river. A 5,900-acre parcel, managed by the Bureau of Land Management, lies adjacent to the preserve, along with more than 2,300 acres of private land that are protected by conservation easements and deed restrictions. The area is critical habitat for sage-grouse. Through our partnerships with local ranchers and the agricultural community, TNC is maintaining quality brood-rearing habitat for sage-grouse across the preserve.