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. Indeed, the time where one can write a guidebook without ever leaving home is upon us! Jenny Lake is a popular area for hiking. We climbed the granite knob easily and got a nice view of the drainage, but if youre not in the view, you should just stick to the trail. Your comment made my day! About 1/4mile before the Smith lake/high meadows trail intersection the trail disappeared into another swamp. We soon found that we were indeed on the trailwhich had been hidden by snow. I'm transcribing these hikes in my own order, but if you'd like to see one moved to the top of the review list, just let me know. All in all, its a highly accessible backpackers dream. Immediately by it is Twin Lakes Creek in a pretty meadow, though it was putting off tons of mosquitoes. 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. _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. You can find her on Instagram at @aka_dmoney. From Grave Lake by taking the Hailey Pass trail west to Pyramid Lake, then off-trail north up the East Fork Valley. 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. Not really. Dusten, we both had Verizon but neither of us got any service there. True happiness in the Cirque of the Towers. 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. 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. This trail by itself is typically done between two to four days. And also from going south from New Fork Lake past Lee Lake. I wouldn't bet on it, however. The Wind River Range Traverse (WRRT) is the finest non-technical alpine backpacking route in the lower 48 states. Distance: 11.5 miles (with plenty of walking around the lakes) Elevation Gain: 1,732 ft. After the first 4.5 miles on Pole Creek Trail, you will pass a marker called Photographers Point. Due to the heavy incline of this trail, making this a four-day endeavor will leave everyone happy. The Beartooth Recreational Trail leads through some of the most scenic country in the Beartooth Mountains. 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. Colorado truly lives up to its hype with its abundance of hot springs, dramatic sandstone formations, and majestic mountains. Why you should go: Hike on an easy trail as you enter the Cirque of the Towers area and fly fish one of Wyomings favorite lakes. Anyway, dont let the beautiful valley ahead trick you. Elkhart Pass to Seneca Lake may be a short out and back trail, but its certainly not short on views. ), Rockhounding Locations in WY, MT; UT. I cant describe how much I loved it. The 2022 Glampys: The Coolest Glampsites You Can Book Right Now, Lets Get Spooky! (It was really, really not fun, if I havent made that clear!). This trail starts from the Pole Creek Trail, then connects with the Seneca Lake and Indian Pass trails. The Inn at Aspen 11 mi from Cathedral Lake Trailhead $153 per night Apr 12 - Apr 13 8.2/10 Very Good! It is located entirely in Wyoming and is the highest range in the Wyoming-Idaho-Montana group of ranges. We got water from it because it was still so dang hot, and then continued on, which was sadly another bump in elevation that we then lost right afterward. With 130 glaciers, 1,300 alpine lakes, and 30 peaks over 13,000 feet, it's no wonder the Winds have made their place on thousands of backpacker's bucket lists. Cascade Canyon Trail. Related Read:The 11 Best Hikes in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. GreenDay hikes; can be done as overnights. From what I could discern, going all the way to Cook Lake (as we did) and doing a small section of orienteering is probably the most scenic way to access those lakes. Explore the map. If you cross the land, you have to pay money. Mom got up with the sun, and I got up slightly after. I would love to return to this lake at a later time, because its truly quite gorgeous, though Cloverleaf was nothing to sneeze at, either! It lies 1.7 miles north of its more famous neighbor, Castle Peak (14,275 feet). You can buy yours online from them at this page so that you dont have to waste time when you get into townshow up and pick up. The height of Mt. This article on Wind River Range backpacking is brought to you by Gregory, whose lightweight backpack line is made from durable, rip-stop materials on an ultra-lightweight, durable aluminum frame. Only the off-trail option is doable as a day hike (shown on a map in Pallister's book). It follows the crest of the Wind River Range in Wyoming, both off-trail and on-trail, for approximately 135 miles, giving special emphasis on staying close to the Continental Divide in the most scenic alpine areas. Should this affect the validity of this most grand route I have prepared? Above treeline no trail has been worn, but you can follow cairns across the windswept plateau. 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). Although the Wind River Range is not quite as tall on average as the Rockies, altitude is still a major consideration for backpackers and hikers alike, particularly at elevations above 9,000 feet. The trail begins at the Big Sandy Campground and offers a wide, well-marked walking path up to the lake. It is non-technical, but may require technical gear in early-season. This is the only small section of the WRRT where these tools may be required. Thank you for your beautiful pictures. As we descended, we smelled cooking food, too, so I think that these folks had been resupplied by the outfitters. 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 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. 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. You can learn more about our editorial policies here. Less people is always a plus. A map and compass are necessary while on this trail since route-finding can be difficult over rocks and snow. We took the branch and came to the Middle Lake outlet almost immediately, and boy was it roaring. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. Compare 1,195 hotels close to Cathedral Lake Trailhead with room rates, reviews, and availability. Several trails leave from Jenny Lake ranging from easy to very strenuous. The solid granite outcroppings always put me into something of a trance, so I stared at them for a while, and then got to fishing. Located near Dubois, this trail is no joke. This also means its a nice and easy ride back to town for that post-trail burger meal. I have taken backpacking trips to the Cirque of the Towers and Temple Lake area, as well as the Titcomb Basin area; however, I have not completed the WRRT yet. Once on the trail, consider spending the first night at Hobbs Lake or Seneca Lake and progressing on to Island Lake for the second. The issue was the amount of snowpack. Im going to go back with something better than 10-lb test, which just wasnt enough for the trout in Cathedral or Middle Lakes. From Middle Fork Lake, it is approximately 2 trailless miles to Hall's Lake. Attempts to repair my Trail Scout werent fruitful, but it still provided some extra loft, and it wasnt a really bad experience, as Ive had when an inflatable pad has had a catastrophic failure in other scenarios. I also did some fishing, but released the critters as mom said she didnt feel like cleaning and cooking them. The Cirque of the Towers is a popular destination for climbers, anglers, and backpackers alike. The lake was much too cold for me to try and swim out and dive for it, so that was our sign to pack up and return at another time. We gave them big ol deer eyes and it worked. No one was along this eastern area, and we couldnt see or hear anyone. It attracts 775,000 visitors a year with its calm waters, beautiful beaches and desert weather with more than 300 sunny days a year. Follow the top of the divide north for approximately 1.5 miles, then drop down west to the north shore of Baker Lake. Cathedral, Hunter Hall Offices Room #102. 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. Something with a bit of a loop in it would be way nice. We followed the trail past Cook Lake, but it wasnt pretty and I didnt get pictures of the lake itself. Love your critique of the Smith Lake and Cathedral Trail trailheads appreciate the turn-offs for touri helps weed a few out. Ben, thank you for visiting this page. Arrangements can be made to rent "Porta Potties" in Laramie. The trail continued to be ugly, with only large boulders providing any scenery. 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. You will need a permit to camp at the lakes. His favorite place he's ever visited is Alaska, and his favorite activity might be fishing or reading, depending on the day. Travel here is high compared to other, harder to reach, trailheads of the Winds. 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. 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. After about 10 minutes, we made it across, but it was sketchy. Another classic of the Wind River Range, Titcomb Basin offers everything youd ever want to see on a multi-day trip. Below are weather averages from 1971 to 2000 according to data gathered from the nearest official weather station. Cathedral Peak is one of the Colorado Centennial 13ers meaning it's one of the highest 100 ranked peaks in Colorado. Trailhead Start: Elkhart Park Topo map. 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. Why you should go: Wildflowers and shimmery lakes meet steep granite walls on this classic trip through the Wind River Range. Make your way north past a myriad of small lakes to Crescent Lake. Do you know what it is? Thankfully there was an awesome bridge over the marsh. You'll touch the east shore of Lonesome Lake, and follow the trail east to Lizard Head Meadows. A wide, well-maintained trail offers great views and the ease of simply being outside. From Baptiste Lake, head due east for approximately 1.5 miles, then north to the upper Grave Creek Cirque. Do make sure that you take the left in the forest just past Bald Mountain, though, or youll end up at Moccasin Lake. 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