Daniell is a freelance writer based out of Fort Collins, Colorado. From Baptiste Lake, head due east for approximately 1.5 miles, then north to the upper Grave Creek Cirque. GreenDay hikes; can be done as overnights. Thanks again dave. From Upper Golden, head north up to Lake 10787, the east down the slopes, and then north to Camp Lake. According to Pallister, the safest way down is on the Glacier, instead of traversing the surrounding cliffs. From here, there is a maintained trail all the way to Big Sandy Lake. There is apparently a non-technical route that goes northwest from the pond that traverses the cliffs above Little Sandy Creek. Over time it got fished out but now is slowly getting some fish back in itI guess from no name lake just before it. Continue northwest up the basin towards Lake 10,756, which is directly south of Hay Pass. Continue climbing northeast, and ascend the south slopes of Atlantic Peak (class 2). It contains 40 peaks over 13,000 feet, the largest glacier in the American Rockies, and over 1300 named lakes. From Hall's Lake, travel west under the shadow of Horseshoe Ridge and north of Medina Mountain to Lake 10,542 (EC Lake) in Europe Canyon. They liked my Red Devil spoon the best, but sadly one grabbed it, snapped the line, and spat out the lure! Enjoying your Wind River Range backpacking trip with these principles in mind will help maintain the Wind River Range for other visitors and hopeful backpackers for millennia to come. 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. With 130 glaciers, 1,300 alpine lakes, and 30 peaks over 13,000 feet, its no wonder the Winds have made their place on thousands of backpackers bucket lists. If traveling lightly and in peak physical condition, it could be possible to do this route in a little over a week. It avoids the creek whose drainage it shares in favor of sticking to the ugly pines. Elevation Gain: 2,400 feet over 13 miles 9,100 ft to 11,500 ft). Water feature? I'm guessing it's called that for a good reason. The trail along the edge of the lake was a bit vague, with people trying different paths around large boulders and other obstacles, but we had no extreme difficulty. Fremont Trail will take you back to the Big Sandy Trailhead. Cathedral Peak is a mountain located in the southern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Topo map. Sign up for Weekend Wanderer and join thousands of readers getting epic travel ideas weekly. Dusten, we both had Verizon but neither of us got any service there. It had 2# to 5# brooks in it. Backpacking without a stove is the easiest, leanest, and safest way to wander the wilderness. Jenny Lake is a popular area and . Snow will add another element to route-finding. The trails of the Winds are at higher elevation than other mountain ranges in the West, so weather is an important factor when camping and hiking here. 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. Summit Lake is accessed from the Spring Creek Park Trailhead, which is best reached from Pinedale. (My phone was pretty bad at the time!) Road Tripping. (Rough Draft, 05/02/2021 Revision), Review: Hiking Gorgeous Lost Twin Lakes, Cloud Peak Wilderness, Review: 12-Mile Day Hike to Slide Lake, Wind River Range, Rated R and 5 Stars: Septoplasty and More, The Pornography of Butterflies and Terry Crews, Resident Youth (15 thru 17 years old) $10. Faler Lake is 18 miles in, and the trail can be divided into however many days you prefer. Youll come across semi-established camp spots that are heavily used by thru-hikers. The trail is wide and a bit rocky as you climb through the heavily-wooded forest. There are 15 creek crossings along this trail! East Temple Peak is a class 2 stroll directly northeast from Temple Pass. It was ugly and filled with dead trees. Mom and I wanted to hike some of the reservation trails and didnt have too long to do it, so we picked Cathedral Lake. Its the ideal pack for a high-altitude trek through the Wind River Range. RedLong-duration hikes, typically 5+days. Cascade Canyon Trail. For the most part we followed the river, deviating from it when it was easier to do that. Sign up for our free email to join thousands of readers getting epic travel, hiking, camping and gear ideas every week. A lot of camping locations dont have tall trees for hanging bear bags, so bear canisters are your safest bet. Trip Type: Loop Three different trailheads form an approximately 9 mile long loop, running by beautiful lakes and scenic alpine vistas- all of which are within a day hike of the Beartooth Highway. Why you should go: Take the trail less traveled through the Roaring Fork Basin to reach some of the most isolated alpine lakes in the Wind River Range. From Wykee Lake, travel 1 mile (on-trail) west to the south shore of Sonnicant Lake. The Lake is more accessible and has a reputation for spectacular fishing than its surrounding lakes. Cathedral Lake Middle Lake Brookie Snake River Cut from the North Fork Popo Agie Me and Sweetie trying to stay dry. Day 1 totals: 6.4 miles, +1392/-783, 9296 min/9600 avg/9995 max. It traverses northwest while staying high on the mountaintops. We followed the trail past Cook Lake, but it wasnt pretty and I didnt get pictures of the lake itself. Do make sure that you take the left in the forest just past Bald Mountain, though, or youll end up at Moccasin Lake. Consult guidebooks on the safest way to ascend Indian Pass. From Coon Lake, you go around the south shore, and walk to a small pond just west of the lake, perched above cliffs. The rest of the route down to Scott Lake is also detailed in Pallister's Book. The trail is just a quick six miles in and out; so, you can focus on enjoying the outdoors. We only saw one group of campers down by the lake. The mosquitoes werent bad yet, so I got naked outside and cleaned off while mom cleaned inside the tent. I have just connected bits and pieces of their suggested routes into an alpine traverse of the entire range. From the northwest corner of Scott Lake, ascend northwest to "Smirnoff Pass" (unofficial name of the pass between Scott Lake and Lake 11085 to the north). The Big Sandy to North Fork Lake section hike is typically done point-to-point with help from others to shuttle or by thru-hikers of the CDT. They bring back a lot of fond memories Ive been doing this trip since I was 12 and Im 76 now so have seen a lot of changes to trail. Great review and photos. The end of Summit Lake Trail links up with a few other trails, and sections of the CDT. After that, its all downhill. Stretching over 100 miles along the Continental Divide, the Wind River Range in Wyoming is an oft-missed treasure trove for backcountry exploration. Follow it's north shore west to the unnamed pass between Native Lake and Faller Lake (maps show a trail from Native to Faler Lake, but reportedly it is unmaintained and almost non-existent. Yay, a day where everything was pretty much uneventful, meaning that I dont have too much to type. What if you could link nearly every major cirque and basin in the Winds with one non-technical route? Dads Lake is accessible from the Big Sandy Trailhead (the same as Cirque of the Towers Trail), and close to the Big Sandy Campground. 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). It would be 8.5 miles one-way to Bald Mountain Basin and Cook Lakes from Lake 10322 near Hay Pass, and to get back to the WRRT, you would travel over Timico Pass (north of Timico Lake) instead of backtracking to Hay Pass. The rest of the route is described in Nancy Palister's book, called the Goat-friendly High Route. . Highway 1; Highway 101; Highway 270; Highway 70; . Mileage: 29-30 miles RT Thank you for your beautiful pictures. Ha! Mid-June through September is the best time to attempt this summit. This is high elevation camping at its finest, showcasing the areas iconic rock and snow. Enter your email address to subscribe to this the content of this site, some of which, we hear, is worthwhile. The lakes were very pretty and it had the best fishing in the Winds! Length 13.3 miElevation gain 1,755 ftRoute type Out & back. Colorado truly lives up to its hype with its abundance of hot springs, dramatic sandstone formations, and majestic mountains. Before 8PM we had a huge fire going, and sadly the mosquitoes here were fairly aggressive. All in all, its a highly accessible backpackers dream. 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. Starting at the Big Sandy Trailhead, you can easily reach this point from Pinedale or Lander. Theres no better way to experience the natural beauty of the state than to stay in one of Montanas yurts. We decided to leave our tent and only use my pack, and to head up for Mendarrin Lake to the west, not knowing what wed find. Far north in the Wind Rivers, Gannett Peak is also viewable from this ridge line. According to the approximate route I traced on my phone, the total elevation gain is about 29,000 feet!! The pass south of Lee Lake is said to be difficult talus. Related Read:6 Epic Backpacking Routes in Glacier National Park, Montana. You still must be in good shape and an experienced backpacker, be able to hike up to 12-mile days with thousands of feet in elevation gain, and be able to handle up to class 3 rock scrambling. Rangers patrol this area frequently during this time and will ticket anyone camping too close to a water source or trail. The East face of Mt. Excellent photography and fishing opportunities. Once on the trail, consider spending the first night at Hobbs Lake or Seneca Lake and progressing on to Island Lake for the second. Between fields of wildflowers, rushing streams, dramatic mountain peaks, and world-class fly fishing, Titcomb Basin definitely deserves a spot on your Wyoming bucket list. About 1/4mile before the Smith lake/high meadows trail intersection the trail disappeared into another swamp. The nearest weather station for both precipitation and temperature measurements is LANDER AP which is approximately 21 miles away and has an elevation of 5,557 feet (4,397 feet lower than Cathedral Lake). Here begins the true crux of the route: getting down the Mammoth Glacier to Scott Lake. If youre hiking, camping or backpacking, you can minimize your impact on the environment with Leave No Trace principles and ensure everyone has a good time with basic trail etiquette tips. After rounding Cathedral Peak, this trail joins the Bear's Ears Trail, just before the latter's descent [west 1.5 miles] to Valentine Lake." The Wind River Range is protected by 750,000 acres of public land in western Wyoming. It wasnt really difficult, but we made a lot more work for ourselves than we needed. To create the usual loop, follow the Cirque of the Towers Trail until you reach the Cirque, then find the Fremont Trail by navigating through Texas Pass. Mileage: 17 miles RT 307-742-6608. stmattslaramie@gmail.com. An extra day is advised to explore the multitude of lakes around the Brown Cliffs here. About a mile from Photographers Point, you will reach Eklund Lake. Heart Lake Trail will connect you to Palmer Lake and Doubletop Trails, and a shorter loop can be made with Trapper Lake Trail as well. While the trip offers a number of different arrangements depending on how long you make it, the recommended path includes starting from the Elkhart Park Trailhead, which is located just a two-hour drive from Jackson. Related Read:Heres Why Leave No Trace Principles are So Damn Important. Why you should go: Wildflowers and shimmery lakes meet steep granite walls on this classic trip through the Wind River Range. When it comes to Wind River Range backpacking routes, there are a few premier trails to choose from, each varying in length, difficulty and terrain. Mileage: 23-24 miles RT says Kelsey. You wont! Mom lazed on a rock, snacking on jerky, while I caught a number of trout with ease! It is not terribly difficult, but consistency mixed with the . Thankfully we found a water source up there, because we were both thirsty from being in the hot sun with no breeze. Immediately by it is Twin Lakes Creek in a pretty meadow, though it was putting off tons of mosquitoes. While the Wind River Range receives barely half the traffic that its more popular counterparts do (think the Sierra Nevadas or the Rockies), the Cirque of the Towers loop remains one of the most popular trails in the region, both for short backpacking trips and dedicated climbers who set up base camps below the towering Cirque spires. The chapel was built to serve guests and employees of the dude ranches that stretched north of Jackson along the base of the Teton Range. Go south up the glacier to the top of Indian Pass. To connect with the Fremont Trail, you will have to maneuver through Texas Pass which has been traveled for years but is not a designated trail. Just continue north to shallow and picturesque Hay Pass. Im not sure why, since it really didnt have much going for it. However, for the most scenic, most direct and aesthetic route, walk on trail down Indian Basin and to Upper Titcomb Basin. 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, Yosemite Camping Reservations: Set Up Cancellation Text Notifications, 6 Private Campgrounds to Book When Your Favorite National Parks are Full. 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. It was also the first big wall climb outside of Yosemite to be rated at Grade VI, a very serious, multi-day rock climb with a long and arduous approach. North Fork Popo Agie Me and Sweetie trying to stay in one Montanas... Camping too close to a water source up there, because we were both thirsty from in! 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