You would be better off trying your hand at the shorter and more direct WRHR, pioneered by AdventureAlan (link at the bottom). Considering taking on of the Wind River classics? Heres what to know before you get out on the trail: The Wind River Range is home to a variety of wildlife, including elk, deer, bighorn sheep, moose, bald eagles, wolverines and grizzly bears, making it an incredible location for viewing rarely seen animals in their natural habitat. Snow sticks around here pretty late, and the lake can be icy until then, too, so be sure to check trail conditions before heading out to avoid a snowy surprise. According to users from AllTrails.com, the best place to hike in Wind River Range is Washakie Pass Loop to Cirque of the Towers, which has a 4.5 star rating from 31 reviews. Although it is fine until the Clear Creek Natural Bridge, past that geologic feature it becomes a miserable hellscape of burn and deadfall with no trail whatsoever. From this lake, continue southwest past Lake Kagevah to 11,290 foot Kagevah Pass. A widely-used trail, this route offers the chance to take in the Wind River Range wilderness in a way thats palatable to beginner through intermediate backpackers with a taste for adventure. You can find directions easily from guidebooks. Hiking Smith Lake Basin in the Wind River Range : r/wyoming 2 yr. ago Posted by MeowingtonChaCha Hiking Smith Lake Basin in the Wind River Range Hello everyone, I'm sure someone over here is familiar with Wind River Range hikes and could point me in the right direction. The gold rush led to the establishment of booming mining communities, such as South Pass City and Atlantic City. Shooters must supply their own target holders, which must meet the approval of the shooting range attendant. Labeled Pinedales most popular day hike, this hike is a guaranteed winner if you can handle the distance. Joe Kelsey describes the first 5.5 miles of this trail as the Lizard Head Trail as follows: "Lizard Head Meadows are an opening along the North Popo Agie 2 miles below Lonesome Lake. About 500 of them are named, and most of them are fishable. " Blaine Myers OpenMapTiles OSM 14.1 Miles Point to Point 10,338' High 8,234' Low 2,896' Up 793' Down 5% Avg Grade (3) 28% Max Grade (15) Toolbox Plan in onX Backcountry Driving directions Take a virtual tour Download GPX File Know This Trail? For more information please visit The State of Wyoming's website. Make noise as youre hiking to avoid bear encounters, never hike alone, and bring bear spray or other protection. Wyeth then established Fort Hall on the Snake River and the Lees settled the Willamette Valley. You'll end up a mile down the road from the parking area for the Bears Ears Trail. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. If youre planning a Wind River Range backpacking trip at altitude, consider how hard youre trying to push yourself, and make sure you know how to tell if youre dehydrated or suffering from mild altitude sickness. The seven persons forming the party were Robert McClelland of Hagerstown, who, with the celebrated Captain Wells, was captain of spies under General Wayne in his famous Indian campaign, Joseph Miller of Baltimore, for several years an officer of the U.S. Army, Robert Stuart, a citizen of Detroit, Benjamin Jones, of Missouri, who acted as huntsman of the party, Francois LeClaire, a halfbreed, and Andr Vale, a Canadian voyageur, and Ramsay Crooks, who is the only survivor of this small band of adventurers. First, up near Forks Lakes, where we did some backcountry hiking, and most recently near Boulder Lake, where we finally got some good fishing, and an unexpected wildfire. According to the approximate route I traced on my phone, the total elevation gain is about 29,000 feet!! Camping along this trek can be found at Shadow Lake, and then in and around the Jackass Pass area later in the trip. A dazzling Wind River Range brook trout, courtesy of Finis Mitchell. Wagon ruts are still clearly visible at numerous sites within a few miles of the highway.[10]. Be sure to check area regulations prior to setting out, as campfires and campsites are restricted throughout the basin to help protect the wilderness area. Joe Kelsey says the following of this area, "Hall's Lake sits at 10,602 feet in the midst of a large area decreed trailless by the Forest Service. Many short hikes here will lead up to a lake, giving you the chance to bring the fishing pole along and enjoy a few hours of fishing before heading back to the trailhead. From chill beachside strolls to craggy peakbagging epics, this list has got you covered. We released them all, but it was quite a day. Matthew Dickerson July 18-25. I'm guessing it's called that for a good reason. We've spent the last week exploring the Wind River Range around Pinedale, WY. The best times to visit this trail are June through October. The trail to the lake, if done in one day, is long and tiring with lots of ups and downs. After about 1.2 miles, among a few small tarns above the basin floor, cut north to Split Mountain Pass. Includes correspondence, Harvey's writing drafts and notes for an unpublished book on the CUP, federal documents, project litigation materials, subject files, news clippings, newsletters, programs . Go instead a couple of miles farther to Lizard Head Meadows or a short ways up the Bear's Ears Trail (described in the next section). There is apparently a non-technical route that goes northwest from the pond that traverses the cliffs above Little Sandy Creek. You'll touch the east shore of Lonesome Lake, and follow the trail east to Lizard Head Meadows. Follow the top of the divide north for approximately 1.5 miles, then drop down west to the north shore of Baker Lake. Thumb Lake is just a mile or so above Island Lake, and its worth the extra effort to see it. Though it approaches a mile and a half high, South Pass is the lowest point on the Continental Divide between the Central and Southern Rocky Mountains. 2023WindRiverVisitorsCouncil. Abiqua Falls is a hidden treasure within the forested trenches of the western Cascades. Approximately 4 miles south of Dubois, on Hwy 26/287. It offers panoramic views and excellent backcountry camping without the heavy mileage of its longer cousin. by Joan Pendleton. The rest of the route is described in Nancy Palister's book, called the Goat-friendly High Route. Backpacking is popular from this trailhead and youll almost always find photographers at the lookout, so trail traffic will be heavier here than other areas. The range is home to many of the state's highest mountains including Fremont Peak at 13,745 and Wind River Peak at 13,192 feet. The Bear's Ears Trail continues down the stream's west bank (headed north) and climbs west and descends to Grave Lake. Continue climbing northeast, and ascend the south slopes of Atlantic Peak (class 2). If you're looking for day-hikes out of GRL, try Slide or even Valaite . Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 11 h 27 min to complete. After nearly 6 miles, turn right onto WY-352 for 25.3 miles. - Marcel Proust Escape to a Random Place Discover Luzon Lake in Sullivan County, United States and Hilderbrand Lake in Wisconsin, United States . Dogs are allowed on National Forest trails as long as they are on leash. says Kelsey. Make your way north past a myriad of small lakes to Crescent Lake. Drainages are intricate and minor obstacles abound, but by paying attention and consulting a map you can get where you're going without difficulty." [5]:7982, In 1834, Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth led the first Methodist missionaries Jason Lee, Daniel Lee, and Cyrus Shepard across the pass. Take a left onto Fish Hatchery Road. Trailhead Start: Elkhart Park If you're not comfortable traversing the Mammoth Glacier described in Pallister's book, an alternate route is to go over Knapsack Col and down to Peak Lake, over Cube Rock Pass, and join the Highline Trail near Trail Creek Park. I saw maybe five people on my way to the Cirque from the Big Sandy Lake (Big Sandy Trailhead to Big Sandy Lake is a different story). While hiking here, its imperative to follow Leave No Trace principles to create a minimal impact on this wild terrain. View Wind River Range Traverse Image Gallery - 1 Images. Island Lake is so named because theres an small island with trees on it in the middle. After looking at my map, the drive is through the wind river Indian reservation (the hike is entirely on national forrest land) and you may need a permit for moccasin lake road. 97. From Upper Silas. The large amount of elevation gain is absolutely worth the trek. --Eric C. The Deep Lake Cirque from Deep Lake, Wind River Range. Miller Lake Trail (#173) Pole Creek Trail (#119) DISTANCE: +/- 28.5 miles. Follow the plateau northwest all the way to Lake 10528 in Stough Creek Basin. I have crafted this route to be the boldest and most challenging trek ever proposed in the Wind Rivers. Temple Peak, the second-highest peak in the southern Wind River Range, is a class 3 scramble from the South Ridge route. SILAS CANYON (including Lower Silas Lake, Upper Silas Lake, Island Lake, and Thumb Lake), Trailhead: Christina Lake Trailhead, just past Fiddler Lake, when approaching from Lander, WY. Then to Fire Hole Lakes, to. Keep following the trail past Poison Lake, and finally to Coon Lake. East Fork Valley could be a great side trip. It is unfortunately missed by most traverses of the range. Considering taking a trip with your trail pup? Its a pretty mountain lake that we always seem to have to ourselves. It contains 40 peaks over 13,000 feet, the largest glacier in the American Rockies, and over 1300 named lakes. Stretching over 100 miles along the Continental Divide, the Wind River Range in Wyoming is an oft-missed treasure trove for backcountry exploration. Here begins the true crux of the route: getting down the Mammoth Glacier to Scott Lake. Nothing in fishing excites me as much as sight fishing mountain lakes with dry flies and the for the last 3 summers the Wind river range has been my go to place. Bear Lakes, although a short detour, look absolutely gorgeous. Vast views of the Wind River Ranges glaciers and towering peaks proudly give this lookout its name, where photographers come from all over the world to capture Wyomings iconic steep and jagged peaks. As you make your way under the gigantic shadow of Warbonnet Peak, there are many ups and downs and rocky sections to shift your gaze to your feet. That said, its also extremely important to be aware of your surroundings and to follow bear bag or canister protocols at all backcountry camping destinations. I have taken backpacking trips to the Cirque of the Towers and Temple Lake area, as well as the Titcomb Basin area; however, I have not completed the WRRT yet. The Dorothy Harvey papers (1902-2005) is a collection of materials focusing on the Central Utah Project (CUP), a water resource development program to use Utah's alloted share of the Colorado River. And even during my couple trips to those areas, it seemed absolutely deserted compared to my local trails in Colorado. Use caution when going off trail to look for campsites, and, above all, leave nothing behind throughout your journey. The biggest trout - in the 25- to 27-inch range were in relatively deep water near the outlet, but those were the wiliest . A river, that appears to drop into an unseen . This section was inspired by Matt Lemke's trip report "Gone with the Winds." The trails of the Wind River Range begin at a higher elevation than other ranges throughout the Mountain West. Wind River Backcountry Rock Location Wind River Range Season Summer - Fall Difficulty Moderate - Hard Duration 5 - 7 Days 1 2 Overview Jackson Hole Mountain Guides have been climbing in the Winds for decades, and have racked up an impressive list of ascents of many of their finest routes. Overall, pack more water than you think youll need, and take frequent breaks to prevent exhaustion and advanced altitude sickness. With little elevation change compared to most hikes in the Wind River Range, the Dickson Park to Middle Lake Hike is a perfect intermediate adventure. 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