You'll want to bring your friends and family to experience the sheer quantity (and quality) of scenic, unbeatable camping across Sublette County. Rain occurs quite frequently here, so youll want to bring your rain jacket even if the sky is cloudless when you leave the parking lot. 2023WindRiverVisitorsCouncil. That's the question that this project tries to solve, and I think I've succeeded. Free Trail Guides. The trail cuts away from Seneca Lake and drops way, way down. Titcomb Basin, along with the Cirque of the Towers area, may be the only sections where you will see more than a small handful of people. Dont let the length of the Big Sandy Lake Trail deter you! My only experience is in the WRIR roadless area, though. "[5]:112124, Stephen W. Kearny led the first military expedition to South Pass in 1845. lewis smith lake lewis smith lake alabama smith lake alabama Mileage: 12 miles RT This picture is property of http://jessiestrails.blogspot.com, Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Adventure Traverse (GREAT), Images This hike primary trail can be used both directions and has a hard overall physical rating. There is fantastic alpine camping near (and north of) Deep Lake, and great sheltered, treeline camp spots just off the trail at Clear Lake. - Marcel Proust Escape to a Random Place Discover Luzon Lake in Sullivan County, United States and Hilderbrand Lake in Wisconsin, United States . I think most people pass right by this lake, enroute to Upper Silas Lake. Allrightsreserved. We hiked to Clear Lake in the Winds from the Green River Lakes TH. Mileage: 23-24 miles RT I asked Jerry if for my birthday present he would do Wind River Peak in a day with me. As a natural crossing point of the Rockies its pioneering was a significant but surprisingly difficult achievement in the westward expansion of the United States. 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. From here, there is a maintained trail all the way to Big Sandy Lake. Additional Read: 12 Best Airbnbs in Wyoming for a Taste of the American West. The Sweetwater River flows past the east side of the pass, and Pacific Creek rises on the west side. Check out our in-depth review of Black Tree Resort, a luxury glamping experience that makes camping comfortable and enjoyable for the entire family. By 1838, four additional American missionary women had crossed the pass, Myra Fairbanks Eells, Mary Richardson Walker, Mary Augusta Dix Gray and Sarah Gilbert White Smith. Why you should go: Explore one of the Winds most popular trails to reach Big Sandy Lake. The Wind River Roadless Area also lies within the Wind River Range. The Lakeside Trail takes you deep into the forest of the Wind River Range, giving you a broad perspective of the magnificent range. Mosquitoes are treacherous here in the Winds during the warmer months. Hike through forest and up the rolling trail for about another mile before arriving at Upper Silas Lake. The 2022 Glampys: The Coolest Glampsites You Can Book Right Now, The Dyrt Is Hiring! . Go south up the glacier to the top of Indian Pass. Trailhead Start: Elkhart Park Atlantic Peak is the southernmost 12er in the Wind Rivers (and really the southernmost mountain of any note): the perfect place to start a comprehensive south-north traverse of the range. One of these lakes goes by the alias "Flying Monkey Lake" (not on maps), and is the home of the largest Golden Trout in the world. 97. Generally speaking, backpacking here is best done in the late summer or early fall, when temperatures are warmer and the better portion of the snow has melted from the high altitude terrain. The road immediately forks; stay left and follow this road to the end. Also, this section is described 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. The Rainbow Lake Trail begins at Dream Lake, which is right along the Continental Divide Trail. Though well known to Native Americans, South Pass was first traversed in 1812 by European American explorers who were seeking a safer way to return from the West Coast than they had taken to it. . 2022 Best Places to Camp: Top 10 in the U.S. Backpackers should also check snowpack levels in order to determine the best time to hit the trail without encountering too much snow. Higher altitude also means more inclement and unpredictable weather. Neither of the trailheads that I've used to get into the Winds have fishable lakes within a reasonable distance for a day hike, except maybe for someone in really good shape that would consider a poor trail and 5-8 miles each way a day hike. Although it gets spotty between Deep Lake and Clear Lake, you can't really get lost; just head north down the granite slabs to the east end of Clear Lake. Some of our favorite day hikes are: Stough Creek Basin, Smith, Middle and Cathedral Lakes, Island and Thumb lakes in Silas Canyon, Lake Louise, and anything on the Middle Fork Trail, which starts at Bruces Bridge at the end of Sinks Canyon, and takes us all the way to Wind River Peak. I have crafted this route to be the boldest and most challenging trek ever proposed in the Wind Rivers. The Big Piney Ranger District hosts a wide variety of cultural and natural history, recreational opportunities, timber, range, mineral reserves, and wildlife. Robert "Doc" Newell's first child was born at South Pass in June 1835. [7][5]:5377[4]:158, In 1832 Captain Benjamin Bonneville, aided by Michel Cerre and Joseph R. Walker, blazed a wagon road across the pass. The Pass lies in southwestern Fremont County, approximately 35 miles (56km) SSW of Lander. Once on the trail, consider spending the first night at Hobbs Lake or Seneca Lake and progressing on to Island Lake for the second. A translation of his journal was published in an 1821 French journal, but South Pass would have to be rediscovered by later explorers from information provided by Crow Indians. 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. 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 . The best times to visit this trail are June through October. Cirque of the Towers Wind River Range #78372 Purchase. Between the five of us we caught about 18 trout in an hour. UPPER SILAS LAKE: Its about 3 miles from the trailhead to Upper Silas Lake, 6 miles roundtrip. We ended up at Boulder Lake Campground through another gift of serendipity. Wind River Range " A great and fun trail with awesome views. Trip Type: Out-and-back But what does that really mean? All lakes can be accessed using the Stough Creek, Sheep Bridge, or Sweetwater trailheads in the Shoshone National Forest. The Wind River Range is one of the best backpacking + climbing wildernesses in the lower 48. 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. 2006-2021 SummitPost.org. [5]:7982, In 1834, Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth led the first Methodist missionaries Jason Lee, Daniel Lee, and Cyrus Shepard across the pass. The Wind River Range has endless opportunities for backcountry camping each more beautiful and peaceful than the last. AREA MAPS: Beartooth Publishing North Wind River Range. Both areas, located just west of the Continental Divide, are rich in outstanding scenery and recreation opportunities. Wind River Range Backpacking Video. Check out more of our hiking guides featuring the most epic terrain in the Rocky Mountains: 14 Majestic Hikes in Glacier National Park, The 10 Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park, How to Spend One Day in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. In 1836, Fitzpatrick guided the "First White Women to Cross This Pass", Narcissa Whitman and Eliza Hart Spalding, along with and their husbands, plus Miles Goodyear and William Gray. My name is Shelli Johnson, and I love to hike. The district maintains 300 miles of system trails, 25 . It contains 40 peaks over 13,000 feet, the largest glacier in the American Rockies, and over 1300 named lakes. From the Elkhart trailhead parking lot, take the Pole Creek Trail directly adjacent to . Stay straight on the Smith Lake Trail and contour around Dishpan Butte. First, I experienced some great fishing for Rainbows on Ross Lake (big rainbows)and cutties from Hidden Lake. Reaching the pass on 8 Aug. 1842, Fremont wrote, "The ascent had been so gradual, that, with all the intimate knowledge possessed by Carson, who had made the country his home for seventeen years, we were obliged to watch very closely to find the place at which we had reached the culminating point." About 500 of them are named, and most of them are fishable. From chill beachside strolls to craggy peakbagging epics, this list has got you covered. I'm sure someone over here is familiar with Wind River Range hikes and could point me in the right direction. by Joan Pendleton. It traverses northwest while staying high on the mountaintops. Desolation Lake (Lake 11478 on maps) at the head of the basin is said to be spectacular. _Bonneville Basin can be reached by two different ways. The pass is a broad open saddle with prairie and sagebrush, allowing a broad and nearly level route between the Atlantic and Pacific watersheds. I've never had slower progress in my life. [5]:110,113[4]:158, In 1842, John C. Fremont led a United States Army Corps of Topographical Engineers expedition to survey South Pass. In his free time, Tyler can be found searching Portland for the next great food establishment or perusing the many bookshelves of Powell's. The range is also home to some of North America's largest glaciers. You'll touch the east shore of Lonesome Lake, and follow the trail east to Lizard Head Meadows. The placer gold in the streams was exhausted quickly, however, and by 1870 the miners began leaving the region. Its a pretty mountain lake that we always seem to have to ourselves. Nothing against Iowa, but I consider this one of the greatest gifts my parents have given me. 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. This trail is 40.5 mi long with an elevation gain of 7,513 ft. What is the longest trail in Wind River Range? It is all off trail, and may have tricky route finding, but is never technical (vast majority is class 2 and below, with a few possible class 3 moves). Island Lake is beautiful! 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