Following the partly maintained Christina Pass Trail starting east of the trailhead at Sweetwater Guard Station (not at the end of the 2-mile dirt road to the normal Sweetwater Gap TH), you hike approximately 3 miles to the intersection with the North Fork of Blair Creek. Desolation Lake (Lake 11478 on maps) at the head of the basin is said to be spectacular. Welcome to /r/wyoming! First, I experienced some great fishing for Rainbows on Ross Lake (big rainbows)and cutties from Hidden Lake. Visiting the Space Needle, exploring Pike Place Market, and touring the old underground city are staples on any Seattle trip, but youll need your hiking boots to discover the areas most majestic attractions. . 18.4 mi / 2280 ft gain The Wind River Range is one of the best backpacking + climbing wildernesses in the lower 48. Best reached from Pinedale, this trail goes by a few names. Keep following the trail past Poison Lake, and finally to Coon Lake. I'm sure someone over here is familiar with Wind River Range hikes and could point me in the right direction. 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 Bruce's Bridge at the end of Sinks Canyon, and takes us all the way to Wind River Peak. All of the areas I missed are accessible by reasonable day hikes off the WRRT, with the exception of the Northeast corner of the Range around Ross Lakes. Box 925 Once on the trail, consider spending the first night at Hobbs Lake or Seneca Lake and progressing on to Island Lake for the second. Slide Lake Trail is a wonderful, well-maintained trail thats the perfect addition to any adventure itinerary. To go to Lower Silas Lake, stay left and continue straight and down the trail toward Lower Silas Lake, which you should be able to see. The best times to visit this trail are June through October. I wouldn't advise camping in the Cirque (according to guidebooks). Its easy to reach the Lower Green River Lakeside Circuit from Dubois, and youll enjoy stellar views from start to finish on this scenic trail. As with Titcomb Basin, snowpack is often the determining factor in how early or late in the season you should aim to start your trip. We always see fish and big fish at that but were seldom able to trick them into biting our line. Earthwalk Press North Wind River Range. _Bald Mountain Basin and Cook Lakes are accessed by descending south on the Hay Pass trail, the heading northwest passing Timico Lake, then on trails west to Baldy Lakes and north to Bald Mountain Basin. Lonesome Lake was the first lake in the Wind Rivers to be deemed unsafe for drinking, and camping is strictly prohibited within 1/4 mile of the lake. In AdventureAlan's trip report of his long-distance Wind River Trip (linked below), he advises not to camp at the upper part of the basin containing Long Lake (the particular lake is Lake 10,555) due to poor campsites and unpleasant-tasting water. Though its neighbor, Colorado, takes up most of the outdoor attention in the central western United States, the Wind River Range offers a fair share of notable outdoor attractions in its own right. Explore the World. Scab Creek - Medium use 10. Additional Read: The 11 Best Airbnbs Near Grand Teton National Park. The Wind River Range has endless opportunities for backcountry camping each more beautiful and peaceful than the last. ), But I digress. Camping near Halls Lake or further along at the Golden Lakes (just north of Hay Pass in the next section) would be recommended. From the Pass, follow the Osborne Mountain Route as described by Pallister and Kelsey. 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. Miller Lake Trail (#173) Pole Creek Trail (#119) DISTANCE: +/- 28.5 miles. The trail leads around the north side of the lake and continues up to Deep Lake about 1.5 miles up the trail. Cirque of the Towers Wind River Range #78372 Purchase. In his 1843 expedition, Fremont was able to determine the elevation of the pass at 7,490 feet above sea level. Its worth sharing the trail with more hikers, though, as the dramatic peaks surrounding the Big Sandy Lake Trail will not disappoint! I'm guessing it's called that for a good reason. According to Joe Kelsey, "Above treeline, while the Forest Service doesn't maintain the trail shown on the Temple Peak quad, you shouldn't have trouble switchbacking to Temple Pass, the 11,480-foot saddle between Temple and East Temple Peaks.". By 1848, 18,487 Americans had crossed the pass, and over 300,000 by 1860. The ancient mountain range boasts the most extensive glacial network in the lower 48 states, featuring 130 glaciers and 1,300 pristine alpine lakes filled with trout. 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). " Joan Pendleton OpenMapTiles OSM 36.2 Miles Point to Point 11,075' High 7,641' Low 5,946' Up 5,973' Down 6% Avg Grade (4) 52% Max Grade (28) Toolbox Plan in onX Backcountry Snow usually doesnt melt until mid-May and returns in October, so its a relatively short hiking season around here. 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. 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 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. Prepare for your next adventure by downloading maps. The Lander Cutoff Route crosses the Continental Divide at the far northwest end of the broad South Pass region, about 25 miles (40km) to the northwest of the South Passes, at an elevation of 8,030 feet (2,450m). wildflowers, Big Sandy Lake, Wind River range, WY. 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. Why you should go: Dive deep into the Winds to gain views of its well-known high peaks and crystal alpine lakes. Continue north past the west side of Lake 11085 and weave your way through the multitude of lakes north and east of Mount Solitude. I think most people pass right by this lake, enroute to Upper Silas Lake. Bear Lakes, although a short detour, look absolutely gorgeous. This picture is property of http://jessiestrails.blogspot.com, Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Adventure Traverse (GREAT), Images Judging from a recent picture, it may go, but only in late summer. 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 Baptiste Lake, head due east for approximately 1.5 miles, then north to the upper Grave Creek Cirque. The Big Sandy Trailhead is located in the southern Wind River Range next to the Big Sandy River. You can learn more about our editorial policies here. Stay straight on the Smith Lake Trail and contour around Dishpan Butte. This trail is great for backpacking, birding, and camping, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. The rest of the route is described in Nancy Palister's book, called the Goat-friendly High Route. Traditionally Indigenous Territory Apsaalook (Crow) Eastern Shoshone Cheyenne More Stats for Smith Lake hike trail trail Altitude change 607 ft Altitude min 9,292 ft Tyler Wildeck is a writer with a passion for all things outdoors. If you only have time for a single day hike through the Wind River Range, follow the Pole Creek Trail to Photographers Point. The Pass lies in southwestern Fremont County, approximately 35 miles (56km) SSW of Lander. Gold mining was revived in nearby Rock Creek in the 1930s. The road immediately forks; stay left and follow this road to the end. Feb 6, 2017. We started at the St Lawerence ranger station and made our way to Twin Lakes for the first night. In 1884, Emile Granier, a French mining engineer, established a hydraulic mining operation that allowed gold mining to continue. For speedier backpackers, Big Sandy Lake is a popular camping spot just under 6 miles from the Big Sandy trailhead. The region is considered to be one of the prime fishing destinations in the lower 48. 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. The best route from Baker Lake to Bear Lake is described in Pallister's book, and also Matt Lemke's excellent trip report. Its conveniently situated right in the middle of the range, providing ample opportunities to stock up on food, water, and supplies in this beautiful part of the country. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. I noticed that most routes follow the lower highline trail, or skip the many magnificent areas including Stough Creek Lakes, Deep Lake Cirque, Grave Lake Cirque, North Fork Cirque (on the Wind River Indian Reservation), the Brown Cliffs, Scott Lake, and Bear Basin. Continue northwest up the basin towards Lake 10,756, which is directly south of Hay Pass. This hike primary trail can be used both directions and has a hard overall physical rating. . Trailhead Start: Big Sandy Trailhead The Dyrt PRO lets you download maps and campgrounds without cell service. 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. Thumb Lake is just a mile or so above Island Lake, and its worth the extra effort to see it. I wouldn't bet on it, however. The meadow before the trail drops to Ross lake so muddy that it stopped the horse packers, so I only saw 2 groups at Ross Lake the . From Big Sandy Lake, switchback north on the well-worn trail to Lonesome Lake in 3 miles. Boulder Lake-High use 9. Updated October 25, 2021. https://youtu.be/aeQ61IH9fv4A six day solo backpacking loop in Wyoming's Wind River Range starting at Boulder Canyon trail head. 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. Wagon ruts are still clearly visible at numerous sites within a few miles of the highway.[10]. Directions from Pinedale: From the intersection of Pine Street (US 191) and . 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