Two nights is the minimum recommendation. _Bonneville Basin can be reached by two different ways. 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. This trail by itself is typically done between two to four days. Ive done this same hike on several occasions but its been over 20 years now. It offers panoramic views and excellent backcountry camping without the heavy mileage of its longer cousin. Partway up, a short trail branches left to Bear Lakes. The 63 glaciers of the range are more than in any other range of the American Rockies and surpassed in the continuous USA only by the Washington Cascades. According to Pallister, the safest way down is on the Glacier, instead of traversing the surrounding cliffs. Temple Peak, the second-highest peak in the southern Wind River Range, is a class 3 scramble from the South Ridge route. Why you should go: This two-day trek will take you deep into the Winds on an easy going, lake filled trail. The trail continued to be ugly, with only large boulders providing any scenery. The elevation gain doubles with this addition, so this is only suggested if you are looking for a more ambitious trail. Enjoy your time in this otherworldly wilderness Wyoming has to offer! East Fork Valley could be a great side trip. Prepare for your next adventure by downloading maps. Youll be heading off to the right basically 90 degrees and up a different drainage, which you will not have views of from above. There's a possible high camp (pictured) on the Lizard Head Plateau overlooking the Cirque. Yay, a day where everything was pretty much uneventful, meaning that I dont have too much to type. From what I can tell, they all still want the cred that comes with staking out Titcomb and the Cirque, though my last visit to the Cirque found it abandoned, even. Continue north to the head of Tourist Creek, and ascend northeast above lake 10890 all the way to the divide near Point 12450. The Jean Lakes are a long day hike from Titcomb Basin via the Highline Trail. You can find directions easily from guidebooks. The Cathedral Group Turnout is located along Jenny Lake Road which you can access while driving the Grand Teton Scenic Loop Drive. Not really. Trip Type: Loop I hope that we get to experience it for many years to come, and that she gets such great memories, as you have! The better the secret the longer it remains ours. No one was along this eastern area, and we couldnt see or hear anyone. I still havent had this one proofread (slowly getting around to them all). Only one section of road was sketchy, and even that wasnt too badjust some severe ruts from mud. This article was brought to you by Gregory. Day 2 totals: 4.2 miles, +969/-979, 9933 min/10161 avg/10613 max. Its quite beautiful and has some huge fish! Should this affect the validity of this most grand route I have prepared? Snow-capped peaks, jagged cirques, lovely meadows, alpine lakes, it's a view junkie's paradise. East Temple Peak is a class 2 stroll directly northeast from Temple Pass. Though the sun was setting directly behind the peak, a huge cumulus cloud behind me was so brightly lit by sunset light that the bounce light from the cloud illuminated the peak with an orange glow. My mom has hiked along the mountain itself with our engineering friends, Hank and Peggy, but Ive never had the chance. The Lake is more accessible and has a reputation for spectacular fishing than its surrounding lakes. The trail continues to Cook Lake, but we werent on it and didnt try to find it, instead heading toward a small granite knob that we could see. If you are not accustomed to being at higher elevation for extended periods of time, take it easy and learn to recognize signs of altitude sickness. The issue was the amount of snowpack. Near the Green River Lakes area, Roaring Fork is just one of many trails near here. While the map might not indicate more than 1,000 feet in elevation gain over the first 10.5 miles, the strenuousness of the hike shouldnt be underestimated. 13 Halloween Camping Activities, The Checklist Every First Time RVer Needs, Everything You Need To Know About Wifi For Your RV, 14 Wilderness Survival Tools You Should Have in The Backcountry, How Marfa Became the Art and Glamping Capital of Texas, 30+ Tips on Camping with Kids, From Parents Who Have Been There. Cathedral Peak (or technically an arm of Cathedral Peak) reflects in Cathedral Lake at sunset. From the cabin, simply follow trails for less than a mile, crossing west over the Green River bridge, to the Green River Lakes TH. A widely-used trail, this route offers the chance to take in the Wind River Range wilderness in a way thats palatable to beginner through intermediate backpackers with a taste for adventure. From Grave Lake by taking the Hailey Pass trail west to Pyramid Lake, then off-trail north up the East Fork Valley. To access trails, drive down the Teton Park Road and turn at South Jenny Lake. Your comment made my day! From Lake 10,542, travel northwest through the rugged valley containing Long Lake (Lake 10,683). Be sure to pick up all dog waste and keep them on leash so as to not disturb wildlife. View Wind River Range Traverse Image Gallery - 1 Images. Day 1 totals: 6.4 miles, +1392/-783, 9296 min/9600 avg/9995 max. Grab your next favorite hiking backpack from Gregorys website today! Elevation Gain: 3,100 feet over 10.5 miles (9,400 ft to 10,626 ft). The Beartooth Recreational Trail leads through some of the most scenic country in the Beartooth Mountains. The strenuous Lizard Head Trail leaves the North Fork Trail in these meadows and climbs nearly 2000 feet to the bare upper slopes of Windy Mountain. All are spread over three wilderness areas. We followed the trail past Cook Lake, but it wasnt pretty and I didnt get pictures of the lake itself. From Camp Lake, head northeast above Half-Fish Lake (Lake 9675) and continue above treeline up the slopes around 11,600 feet. Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. The route down the glacier is detailed in Pallister's book, and unless you are slightly crazy, you should plan to carry some form of light crampons and an ice axe. Keep following the trail past Poison Lake, and finally to Coon Lake. Dads Lake is accessible from the Big Sandy Trailhead (the same as Cirque of the Towers Trail), and close to the Big Sandy Campground. Backpackers should also check snowpack levels in order to determine the best time to hit the trail without encountering too much snow. Judging from a recent picture, it may go, but only in late summer. Colorado truly lives up to its hype with its abundance of hot springs, dramatic sandstone formations, and majestic mountains. I know that while backpacking its typically not advised to bring so many extra clothes, but since you will be camping at high altitude and in the cold, dry layers are necessary to prevent hypothermia. From Temple Pass, descend to the east shore of Temple Lake. Trailhead Start: Big Sandy Trailhead As you make your way under the gigantic shadow of Warbonnet Peak, there are many ups and downs and rocky sections to shift your gaze to your feet. Groups should stay under 15 people and spread out to camp. Every off-trail route, mountain pass, and glacier traverse along this route is detailed in the fine guidebooks I've had the pleasure of studying. A steady incline lies ahead of you until you reach Faler Lake. You must round Valentine Lake's north shore and descend to 10,000 feet and the Little Wind River's South Fork which may require a wade. The rest of the route down to Scott Lake is also detailed in Pallister's Book. After my excitement wore down, we had to find a place to camp. Hooker towers above Grave Lake, and is the largest vertical rock wall in Wyoming. Anyway, dont let the beautiful valley ahead trick you. The mosquitoes werent bad yet, so I got naked outside and cleaned off while mom cleaned inside the tent. Trip Type: Out-and-back Elevation Gain: 2,200 feet over 6 miles (9,100 ft to 11,300 ft) Located on the way up to the Cirque of the Towers, Dad's Lake is a pristine alpine setting that offers even the least experienced backpackers the chance to test their trail legs. Do make sure that you take the left in the forest just past Bald Mountain, though, or youll end up at Moccasin Lake. 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). And even during my couple trips to those areas, it seemed absolutely deserted compared to my local trails in Colorado. It was at this area that we crossed over since it seemed easier, and wed still found no trail on our side. Our feet were really dang numbed by the experience, though. Lakes such as Trapper Lake, Trail Lake, Gottfried Lakes, Borum Lake, and Summit Lake provide excellent campsite options and even better fishing! Historical Weather. Remember to Leave No Trace, come prepared, and have fun! Glacier Trail hides Gannett Peak until you are 18.5 miles into this amazing wilderness. Although not marked on maps, Split Mountain Pass is the obvious pass directly west of Split Mountain. Speaking of miserable, how about that creek crossing? 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. Mid-June through September is the best time to attempt this summit. From Tarns Camp to the peak of Gannett, you will be climbing for three miles. Youll come across semi-established camp spots that are heavily used by thru-hikers. Some icons at default view contain 5+ hikes when zoomed in. After the first 4.5 miles on Pole Creek Trail, you will pass a marker called Photographers Point. As far as camping, it sounds like you could potentially camp anywhere along this section. To cross you had to do the grass tuff to grass tuft hop. But day hikes of any reasonable length are hard to come by; the area is known as a backpacker's paradise because few destinations are less than 8 miles from a trailhead. 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. Bring bear protection, never hike alone, and make noise as youre navigating the backcountry. Interested in Wind River Range backpacking but not going the distance in the Titcomb Basin? The height of Mt. Its worth spending the extra day relaxing, fishing, and explore the area. Length 9.1 miElevation gain 1,102 ftRoute type Out & back. Continue climbing northeast, and ascend the south slopes of Atlantic Peak (class 2). Fremont Trail will take you back to the Big Sandy Trailhead. The trail is immensely ugly with only a couple of redeeming features, and those features are very large rocks. (No lake trout or mackinaw in it). 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. Started off MUCH worse got much better now is reverting to a seldom used trail. Photos (7) Directions. Here you can go straight and around the north side of Middle Lake (SmithMiddleCathedralsomeone wasnt creative), or take the branch trail toward Cook Lake. It is unfortunately missed by most traverses of the range. This initial climb will get your heart rate going. 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. I hear it can be pretty rough. The Wind River Range sees less traffic than areas like Teton or Rocky Mountain National Forests, so trails are not the easiest to follow in many areas. _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. At the western tip of Middle Lake, near the inlet, we stopped to fish. Nights will be cold year-round, sometimes reaching freezing temperatures even in the summer months. There are no trees or landmarks here, only large fields of wildflowers and sloping hills. My family tend to go in over July 4th about every 3 to 4 yrs. 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. Dads Lake is at a lower elevation than some of the longer backpacking trails in the area, so temperatures here will be a bit more manageable overnight. Considering taking on of the Wind River classics? Heres what to know before you get out on the trail: 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. A successful woman is one who can find such a man." The bridge across the swamp was not thereyou had to hike all the way around the north side. Depending on your experience and relative skill level, the Cirque of the Towers is another staple when it comes to Wind River Range backpacking. We also stopped for some pictures on the drive out! Its a short drive from Pinedale to the Big Sandy Trailhead, so you can spend more time on the trail and less in the car. Cathedral Lake, WY Latitude: 42.8213426 Longitude: -109.1445738 County: Fremont Area: Lizard Head Peak Elevation: 3034 meters - 9954 feet These walls certainly contain some of the most demanding rock climbs in the lower 48 states. Updated July 26, 2022. The connecting trail that completes the loop on the backside, near Texas Pass, is unmarked as an official trail, despite being well-trod for years, so navigating can occasionally become a bit tricky. 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. Once on the trail, consider spending the first night at Hobbs Lake or Seneca Lake and progressing on to Island Lake for the second. As we descended, we smelled cooking food, too, so I think that these folks had been resupplied by the outfitters. You can learn more about our editorial policies, 11 Backpacking Trips in the U.S. That Should be on Your Bucket List, The 11 Best Hikes in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 6 Epic Backpacking Routes in Glacier National Park, Montana, Crown Jewels: 14 Majestic Hikes in Glacier National Park, Heres Why Leave No Trace Principles are So Damn Important, 10 Awesome Things to Do in Denver with Kids, Backpacking Without a Stove: How to Go Sin Fuego, 10 Epic Things to Do in Rocky Mountain National Park, 9 Best Yurt Rentals in Montanas Wild & Rugged Big Sky Country, The 8 Best Hikes Near Fort Collins, Colorado, The 10 Best Hikes Near Telluride, Colorado, 12 Extraordinary Cabin Rentals in Colorado. 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