Area 97 covers the country east of Lander including the eastern Wind River foothills, the Sweetwater Plateau, and the Beaver Rim country running south. Elevations run from about 5,500 feet on the lower benches to over 11,000 feet on the higher Wind River foothills. The country is a transition between the granite high peaks of the Winds and the sage-and-grass steppe of central Wyoming: the foothills carry mountain mahogany, aspen, limber pine, and scattered Douglas fir, the Sweetwater Plateau is sage-steppe with scattered juniper and limber pine outcrops, and the Beaver Rim escarpment provides a dramatic geographic edge—a 200-foot escarpment running east-west that's a recognizable landmark from highway and topo alike. The Sweetwater River cuts through with cottonwood ribbons and historic Oregon Trail crossings. BLM dominates the lower country, Shoshone NF covers the higher foothills, and the Wind River Reservation forms a boundary on the west—tribal permits for reservation lands. WY-28 (the South Pass Highway) frames the access; county roads thread the Sweetwater country. Lander is the full-service town. Cell service drops past town. Mixed-species hunting is the hallmark: elk in the foothill timber, mule deer in the mahogany breaks and aspen pockets, antelope on the open steppe. The Sweetwater Rocks granite outcrops in adjacent units add scenic interest to the country.