UPPER SILAS LAKE: Its about 3 miles from the trailhead to Upper Silas Lake, 6 miles roundtrip. Pick up all dog waste as well as any human trash. Just continue north to shallow and picturesque Hay Pass. Perhaps the most beautiful section of the Traverse is the Northern section, so you would ascend back to the divide (and the Traverse) via Tourist Creek (this off-trail route is described in detail by Pallister and Kelsey). 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. I have hope, however, that the Mammoth has receded enough that there is a possible non-glacier route following the southern edge of the glacier. A Shoshone had told Stuart of "a shorter trace to the South than that by which Mr. Hunt had traversed the R. Mountains"[4][5] In 1856 Ramsay Crooks, one of the party, wrote a letter describing their journey: In 1811, the overland party of Mr. Astor's expedition, under the command of Mr. Wilson P. Hunt, of Trenton, New Jersey, although numbering sixty well armed men, found the Indians so very troublesome in the country of the Yellowstone River, that the party of seven persons who left Astoria toward the end of June, 1812, considering it dangerous to pass again by the route of 1811, turned toward the southeast as soon as they had crossed the main chain of the Rocky Mountains, and, after several days' journey, came through the celebrated 'South Pass' in the month of November, 1812. Elevation Gain: 2,200 feet over 6 miles (9,100 ft to 11,300 ft). You'll touch the east shore of Lonesome Lake, and follow the trail east to Lizard Head Meadows. The gold rush led to the establishment of booming mining communities, such as South Pass City and Atlantic City. Instead, the expedition followed a northerly route up the Missouri River, crossing the Rockies over difficult passes in the Bitterroot Range between present-day Montana and Idaho. The range is also home to some of North America's largest glaciers. . Smith Lake Lake Popular Destinations in Wyoming Cheyenne Casper Laramie Gillette The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. An extra day can be taken to climb Wind River Peak, the southernmost 13er in the range; definitely a worthy summit, with amazing views from what I've heard. Heres our take on the best day hikes in the Wind River Range. 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. Widely considered the best trail for seeing the wide range of geography and terrain in the range, Titcomb Basin is a 30-mile round-trip trek that offers panoramic views, campsites at alpine lakes and a possible visit to the highest point in the state of Wyoming, Gannett Peak. . The Wind River Range of Wyoming is a place that nearly every backcountry enthusiast dreams of visiting. . From chill beachside strolls to craggy peakbagging epics, this list has got you covered. The Wind River High Route was pioneered by Andrew Skurka and Buzz Burrell in the late 2000s. . Elevation Gain: 2,400 feet over 13 miles 9,100 ft to 11,500 ft). Only the off-trail option is doable as a day hike (shown on a map in Pallister's book). Sprawled in the shadow of 14,115-foot Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs is the type of city that boasts the best of all worlds. Wildlife, Create Recommended Route or And, for now anyways, theyre all permit-free. You can find her on Instagram at @aka_dmoney. First, I experienced some great fishing for Rainbows on Ross Lake (big rainbows)and cutties from Hidden Lake. From Baptiste Lake, head due east for approximately 1.5 miles, then north to the upper Grave Creek Cirque. Jedediah Smith's party, part of Ashley's Hundred, made the first crossing traveling east to west in Feb. 1824. Continue straight onto the Green River Lakes Road for 18.5 miles. Book a Tour. This picture is property of http://jessiestrails.blogspot.com, Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Adventure Traverse (GREAT), Images _Bonneville Basin can be reached by two different ways. "[5]:112124, Stephen W. Kearny led the first military expedition to South Pass in 1845. Continue north to the head of Tourist Creek, and ascend northeast above lake 10890 all the way to the divide near Point 12450. Take a left onto Fish Hatchery Road. Mileage: 23-24 miles RT "The ridge is most easily gained 0.5 miles from the summit; two couloirs nearer the summit are corniced early in summer and later filled with ice and loose rock. Day Hikes and backpacking routes are abundant throughout the Wind River Range, but the amount of use these trails see remains small compared to Wyomings better-known parks. The Wind River Range of Wyoming is a spectacular section of the Rocky Mountains. The Big Piney Ranger District hosts a wide variety of cultural and natural history, recreational opportunities, timber, range, mineral reserves, and wildlife. From the Upper Basin, about 1.5 miles past the north-most lake, ascend west to Knapsack Col. From the Col, travel west while staying above (north) of the Peak Lake drainage. 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. Weve spent Labor Day weekend here with the kids on a couple of occasions. I have just connected bits and pieces of their suggested routes into an alpine traverse of the entire range. She has had the privilege of working for Colorados most experienced climbing guide service as an Office & Marketing Manager and an Outdoor Climbing Guide. The only major areas I had to bypass are (from South to North) the Deep Creek Lakes and Ice Lakes, Smith Creek Lakes and Cathedral Lake, Bonneville Basin, Bald Mountain Basin and Cook Lakes, the Peak Lake Area (as described by Kelsey), and the Eastern drainages north of Gannet Peak, which are pretty much impassable due to rough terrain and massive glaciers. The route I'm presenting here is meant to be savored, and my recommended time for it is 20 days, including 2 days for weather-related issues. Additional Read: 11 Amazing Wyoming Cabin Rentals To Warm Your Soul. #2. Following is a very short list of my personal favorite day hikes in Wind River Country: Trailhead: Glacier Trail. " 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? We were on a tight schedule we had to make it back to Lander by 7pm to watch our middle sons baseball championship game. Drop down from the pass and round the south shore of Bewmark Lake, and descend the west slopes from the lake, while staying well above the north shore of Middle Fork Lake. Although the Wind River Range wilderness doesnt suffer from the overuse issues that the Sierras or Rockies do, its still important to exercise Leave No Trace principles, which include planning your trip ahead of time to make sure you understand the regulations related to garbage disposal, waste management and other matters. There is apparently a non-technical route that goes northwest from the pond that traverses the cliffs above Little Sandy Creek. Hiking plays a part in just about everything I do. And fishing. South Pass was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961. Weve caught a lot of brook trout here, nothing big, but the catching is pretty good in our experience. Abiqua Falls is a hidden treasure within the forested trenches of the western Cascades. The goal of the WRRT is to traverse the entirety of the Wind River Range in the most scenic and spectacular way possible. We hiked to Clear Lake in the Winds from the Green River Lakes TH. From Little Sandy Creek, You then continue to Temple Pass. [5]:114,128. It is a beautiful lake! 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). From Wykee Lake, travel 1 mile (on-trail) west to the south shore of Sonnicant Lake. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Lower Silas Lake: Its about 2 miles to Lower Silas Lake, 4 miles roundtrip. Scab Creek - Medium use 10. This is rated as class 2-3 by Pallister. Free Trail Guides. The Bear's Ears Trail continues down the stream's west bank (headed north) and climbs west and descends to Grave Lake. From Lake 10,542, travel northwest through the rugged valley containing Long Lake (Lake 10,683). An extra day is advised to explore the multitude of lakes around the Brown Cliffs here. The Big Sandy Trailhead is located in the southern Wind River Range next to the Big Sandy River. 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 region is considered to be one of the prime fishing destinations in the lower 48. Check out our in-depth review of Black Tree Resort, a luxury glamping experience that makes camping comfortable and enjoyable for the entire family. The first recorded crossing was made on 22 Oct. 1812 by Robert Stuart, and six companions from the Pacific Fur Company of John Jacob Astor. From here, there is a maintained trail all the way to Big Sandy Lake. 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. Cabin Rentals Areas. 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. These walls certainly contain some of the most demanding rock climbs in the lower 48 states. Beyond the upper lake a use-trail leads to an overlook above the south end of photogenic Wall Lake, set beneath the soaring granite slopes of an unnamed peak to the west. Overall, pack more water than you think youll need, and take frequent breaks to prevent exhaustion and advanced altitude sickness. USGS 7.5 minute Topographical Maps: Fremont Lake North, Bridger Lakes, Fayette Lake, Fremont Peak South. Snow usually doesnt melt until mid-May and returns in October, so its a relatively short hiking season around here. Slide Creek Falls is a unique waterfall thats not very known unless you look at a topo map. This article on Marfa camping is brought to you by OOFOS, whose womens footwear line is made with patented foam that enhances muscle recovery and, We recently asked our Facebook Campfire group for advice on camping with kids, and the responses flooded in with everything from let them help with, 2022 The Dyrt, Inc | All rights reserved, 4 Stunning Routes for Backpacking Through Wyomings Wind River Range, 6 Private Campgrounds to Book When Your Favorite National Parks are Full. _The Smith Creek Lakes and Cathedral Lake are accessed by either traveling directly east off-trail to Mendarrin Lake from the Lizard Head trail, or by wrapping east and north around the Lizard Head Plateau on trails from the Cirque of the Towers. Why is this hike so popular? Credit /u/chucksutherland for our awesome banner. Your jaw WILL drop (if it didn't already) when you reach the crest of Jackass Pass and overlook Lonesome Lake and the Cirque. Allrightsreserved. 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Read: 11 Amazing Wyoming Cabin Rentals to Warm Your Soul that camping... Elevation Gain: 2,200 feet over 6 miles roundtrip Lakes around the Brown cliffs here, Fremont Peak.! Hiked to Clear Lake in the Wind River Range of Wyoming is a section. More water than you think youll need, and ascend northeast above Lake all... Lower Silas Lake: Its about 2 miles to lower Silas Lake: about... First, I experienced some great fishing for Rainbows on Ross Lake ( Lake 10,683 ) Atlantic City to the. The stream 's west bank ( headed north ) and climbs west and descends to Grave.. The Trailhead to upper Silas Lake, travel northwest through the rugged valley containing Long Lake ( 10,683... Grave Creek Cirque, Stephen W. Kearny led the first crossing traveling to...
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