The West has 92 national forests, and the next president will decide what happens to their remaining pristine areas. Bush wants to require governors to petition the federal government to preserve them; Kerry supports the Clinton administration's protections for roadless areas.

"The future of the proper protection of Utah's wild public lands will be in large part determined by who wins the election," said Dave Alberswerth, public lands director for The Wilderness Society.

Brian Hawthorne, public lands director for The BlueRibbon Coalition, an Idaho-based group that defends motorized access to public lands, worries that if Kerry is elected he will eliminate snowmobile use in Yellowstone National Park.

Hawthorne, who dubs Idaho "fly-over country" for the candidates, said he wishes Bush and Kerry would visit and discuss public lands.

"Sadly, we are not on the whistle stop," he said.

Kerry did visit Idaho twice this year — but it was to his vacation home in Ketchum. He met briefly with supporters in August. But he was a no-show in March at a Ketchum gathering for volunteers. Campaign spokesmen said then it was unclear whether he'd received an invitation.

Living in the forgotten West does have its benefits. Unless they're watching national cable television, residents don't see campaign ads. While the Western states are electing governors, congressmen and legislators along with the rest of the country, it's hard to tell in some areas that a national election is even happening.

"Fed up with the rest of the country? Come to Wyoming," said Ken Wolfe, a chef at Cafe Wyoming in little Dubois, Wyo.

Wolfe catches glimpses of Cheney's airplane when the vice president visits his home in Jackson.

"It'd be nice to be recognized a little bit more, but it's also nice that people don't even know Wyoming is a state half the time," Wolfe said.

In St. George, Clauson Atkin, a 22-year-old food server, hopes Utah does something odd this election.

"I'd like to see us vote Democrat — just to throw 'em all for a loop," he said.