[5]:244248,261 The Sweetwater River flows past the east side of the pass, and Pacific Creek rises on the west side. The passes furnish a natural crossing point of the Rockies. Everest!! 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). 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. I have just connected bits and pieces of their suggested routes into an alpine traverse of the entire range. You can learn more about our editorial policies here. If UpperSilas Lake is your destination, you go right, and cross Silas Creek, then stay right again. On day 2 we started out from Twin lakes and bushwacked our . The trail begins at the Big Sandy Campground and offers a wide, well-marked walking path up to the lake. The trails of the Wind River Range begin at a higher elevation than other ranges throughout the Mountain West. Wyoming Highway 28 crosses the Continental Divide 2.5 miles (4.0km) to the northwest at elevation 7,550 feet (2,300m), and its crossing is also named South Pass. I wouldn't advise camping in the Cirque (according to guidebooks). Climber Orrin Bonney gave the area its current name in 1941 after his survey of the cirque. Also, this section is described in Pallister's book. _The Deep Creek Lakes and Ice Lakes are accessed by an 8-mile round trip dayhike from Tayo Park. _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. Best of all, nowhere else in the world do golden trout grow as big. The trail to the lake, if done in one day, is long and tiring with lots of ups and downs. The goal of the WRRT is to traverse the entirety of the Wind River Range in the most scenic and spectacular way possible. "Follow your dreams, You can reach your goals, I'm living proof! Among the best ways to explore the Wind River Range is to travel one of the spectacular trails through the region. From Upper Golden, head north up to Lake 10787, the east down the slopes, and then north to Camp Lake. The town of Pinedale is the gateway into many of the Wind River trailheads. Credit /u/chucksutherland for our awesome banner. The best times to visit this trail are June through October. First, I experienced some great fishing for Rainbows on Ross Lake (big rainbows)and cutties from Hidden Lake. The Wind River Range is located in western Wyoming, just south of the Tetons and Jackson Hole. When approaching from Temple Pass, avoid descending to Lake 10,839 by a messy traverse." Take a left onto Fish Hatchery Road. [5]:114,128. East Temple Peak is a class 2 stroll directly northeast from Temple Pass. 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. Only Island Lake and Titcomb Basin come close in popularity. Stretching over 100 miles along the Continental Divide, the Wind River Range in Wyoming is an oft-missed treasure trove for backcountry exploration. Why you should go: Start at 10,000 feet and explore Rainbow Lake on this easy-going trail. The range is also home to some of North America's largest glaciers. . Wind River High Route Trailheads & Transportation Thru-hiking East side The most logical termini for a Wind River High Route thru-hike are on the range's east side: Bruce Bridge, 15 miles west of Lander, entirely on pavement Trail Lakes, 10 miles west of Dubois, mostly on gravel At both trailheads, you will find only a parking lot and an outhouse. Backpackers should also check snowpack levels in order to determine the best time to hit the trail without encountering too much snow. To create a loop, youll just want to follow the Lakeside Trail back to the trailhead. Wind Rivers. The Lakeside Trail takes you deep into the forest of the Wind River Range, giving you a broad perspective of the magnificent range. 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). Labeled Pinedales most popular day hike, this hike is a guaranteed winner if you can handle the distance. The terrain and elevation of the Wind River Range make backpacking here a challenge, albeit a worthwhile one. If you're looking for day-hikes out of GRL, try Slide or even Valaite . 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. Feb 6, 2017. Trip Type: Out-and-back 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. Two years ago we came back and hiked to the Cirque of the Towers, so this year I thought it . 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. 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. Elevation Gain: 2,400 feet over 13 miles 9,100 ft to 11,500 ft). 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. The route traverses glaciers, boulderfields, alpine . From the main trail, you might not see Lower Silas Lake, unless youre looking for it. Composed mostly of National Forest land and the Wind River Reservation, the Winds are protected by three quarters of a million acres of public lands. The Rainbow Lake Trail begins at Dream Lake, which is right along the Continental Divide Trail. Additional Read: 12 Best Airbnbs in Wyoming for a Taste of the American West. From Hay Pass, drop south past the east of Dennis Lake, and past the west shores of Golden Lake, Lake Louise, and finally Upper Golden Lake. 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. From the Elkhart trailhead parking lot, take the Pole Creek Trail directly adjacent to the restroom. For the last five years the mythical Wind Rivers have eluded my presence. Prepare for your next adventure by downloading maps. Continue north past the west side of Lake 11085 and weave your way through the multitude of lakes north and east of Mount Solitude. Weve spent Labor Day weekend here with the kids on a couple of occasions. By 1848, 18,487 Americans had crossed the pass, and over 300,000 by 1860. 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. With alpine lakes above the timberline surrounded by nothing but dramatic mountain peaks, I dont know of another day hike that even comes close to New Fork Trail. Updated October 25, 2021. Wagon ruts are still clearly visible at numerous sites within a few miles of the highway.[10]. To reach Peak Lake, continue west down the valley after Knapsack Col. Due to the nature of the WRRT, this trip is best savored by taking your time. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. Call 307.438.970 or Email windrivershuttle@gmail.com to Book For point-to-point trips, we recommend we meet you at your take-out point and we shuttle you to your start location. They were trying to avoid Crow warriors further north, on their return to St. Louis, Missouri from Astoria, Oregon. The trail leads around the north side of the lake and continues up to Deep Lake about 1.5 miles up the trail. EXTREME WX CATEGORIES CITIES & VALUES: Temperature Dewpoint Heat Index Wind Wind Chill Pressure Pressure Change There is fantastic alpine camping near (and north of) Deep Lake, and great sheltered, treeline camp spots just off the trail at Clear Lake. Just continue north to shallow and picturesque Hay Pass. Snow usually doesnt melt until mid-May and returns in October, so its a relatively short hiking season around here. Bear Lakes, although a short detour, look absolutely gorgeous. His favorite place he's ever visited is Alaska, and his favorite activity might be fishing or reading, depending on the day. 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 Seneca Lake out-and-back trip is a modified version of the Wind River classic. On Lizard Head Plateau. But what does that really mean? I'm guessing it's called that for a good reason. 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). The Wind River Range Traverse (WRRT) is the finest non-technical alpine backpacking route in the lower 48 states. 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. (It takes about 45 minutes to drive from Lander, WY, up the switchbacks and to the Christina Lake Trailhead.). 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. About 500 of them are named, and most of them are fishable. Wind River Range is located in western Wyoming, just south of the highway. [ 10.! 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