UPDATE : CHECK OUT PART 2!

We must find that final frontier, with or without Captain Kirk. Who doesn't dream about it? The outdoor industry is modeled around the idea of a final final frontier, pushing to the extreme, finding some place to put your feet where no one else has tread before. Isn't there something intoxicating about that idea? How many people in today's world have done that? Most people literally plod through life following the footsteps of those who went before, like a long line of robots on an assembly line, but not you. Adventure is the name of the game, exploring the untouched wilderness...finding the final frontier. Blast Off.

Ok, so enough dreaming about white capped peaks where no human has ever been. This is going to be Part 1 in a 10 part series exploring and finding remote untouched wilderness. There are two types of untouched wilderness I have in mind. There is the more obvious untouched wilderness where you could go to truly drop off the grid, say, Alaska, Amazon Jungle, Sahara Desert, China's remote mountains, and the list goes on. Then there is the "untouched wilderness" of say Oregon or Colorado, where you can drop off the grid, not see another human, but not have to mount a expedition to get there, with expedition prices.

For the sake of time lets pick one out and see what they have to offer. Where can you go to get away in the wilderness of North America, with the least amount of chance to run into someone? Where could you go backpacking and get away from those cursed roads and trails? Is it even possible? I am sad to say that from all my research it appears to be reported that the farthest distance you can get away from a road in the lower 48 states is 20 miles, give or take. How sad is that?
North American "Untouched" Wilderness

1. South-Central Yellowstone National Park Where is the most remote place in the lower 48, within in reach of the average person, without a road in site? Yellowstone National Park. I know when you think of Yellowstone you think of RV's and tons of screaming kids and tourists with cameras milling about, but hear me out. Believe it or not it appears to be the location where you get the farthest away from a road in the lower 48. Blah. Basically two days of hiking from the most remote location would get you back to a road.

I believe somewhere in the region of Two Ocean Plateau also called Two Ocean Pass, close to the Yellowstone and Plateau Creek valley is probably where you would have to venture too. Proof of this can be read in Mark Jenkin's article about his quest to stand on the most remote location in the lower 48. The lack of any other information and trip reports from this area probably makes the location very likely.

All that inhabits this region is wolves, bears, and other such wildlife. You had better know what you are doing before you wander off into this vast expanse of North American wilderness. Yes, the mighty Grizzly rules this land, so you should know how to travel and deal with them. Depending your your timing you may run into a lot of hunters and horse riders heading into this area, but after you are in, you are in. But, just because a location is remote does not mean you won't see another soul. The best bet is to find a location with low foot traffic during the time of year when most other people are indoors, this is a sure way to find some solitude.

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