Here you can go straight and around the north side of Middle Lake (SmithMiddleCathedralsomeone wasnt creative), or take the branch trail toward Cook Lake. All are spread over three wilderness areas. This trail is also known as High Meadow Trail 712 and takes one to another trail that goes to High Meadow and Cliff Lakes. The majority of this land is maintained by the National Forest Service, so National Forest rules and regulations of backpacking and dispersed camping apply. The Bear's Ears Trail continues down the stream's west bank (headed north) and climbs west and descends to Grave Lake. 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. Ok, so let me describe the trail! USGS Lizard Head Peak. We had a close-up view of the Cathedral Group on the Forks of Cascade Canyon Trail and also enjoyed the view from the turnout. Laramie, Wyoming 82070. At mile 4-ish we reached the trail intersection to Sanford Park, though we couldnt really discern it. Among the best ways to explore the Wind River Range is to travel one of the spectacular trails through the region. What a place to camp, huh? The Wind River Range offers world renowned fly fishing, and the areas 1,300 alpine lakes means any trail should offer multiple opportunities to cast your line. It is unfortunately missed by most traverses of the range. It then bolted uptrail. This trail can also be done in a shorter out-and-back fashion by just taking the Cirque of the Towers Trail to the Cirque before heading back, shaving the total mileage down to 18 miles. Wed left Lander around 2PM (my house was very far away) and got to the trailhead at 4PM. The place is catalogued as Lake by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names and its elevation above sea level is equal to 9954ft. Hike Type: Out and back, day-hike Difficulty Level: Moderate Permit: None required for day hiking. From the cabin, simply follow trails for less than a mile, crossing west over the Green River bridge, to the Green River Lakes TH. The better the secret the longer it remains ours. About 1/4mile before the Smith lake/high meadows trail intersection the trail disappeared into another swamp. I plan on taking my little kid with me for her first trips into the Winds this summer. Travel here is high compared to other, harder to reach, trailheads of the Winds. If you are looking at this map in the winter and it's showing that there are no driving directions available, it's likely because the road is closed. Eight miles into the hike you will come to Arrow Pass a long, arduous section thats all above 10,895 feet. East Temple Peak is a class 2 stroll directly northeast from Temple Pass. We then went along a mostly-flat section that meanders through boulders and trees and was, in my words, so ugly I could stab my eyes out. The view from the top is off, as youll see Sanford Park, and it looks like you should be going there. Cathedral Peak is 1.5 mi (2.4 km) southwest of Mount Chauvenet in the Popo Agie Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest. 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. RV Weight . Due to the low use of this area, a permit is not required to wilderness camp here. To clarify, this is National Forest land. 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). Im going to try and keep this hike narrative pretty short. The land was donated by Maud Noble, owner of nearby Menor's Ferry, predating the establishment of Grand Teton National Park in 1929 and its expansion into the Moose area in 1950. Although not marked on maps, Split Mountain Pass is the obvious pass directly west of Split Mountain. Joe Kelsey describes the first 5.5 miles of this trail as the Lizard Head Trail as follows: "Lizard Head Meadows are an opening along the North Popo Agie 2 miles below Lonesome Lake. These walls certainly contain some of the most demanding rock climbs in the lower 48 states. Past this we messed up! There was a lush, green lawn leading up to the lake, but were law-abiders when possible, so we looked around the trees. Above treeline no trail has been worn, but you can follow cairns across the windswept plateau. Rangers patrol this area frequently during this time and will ticket anyone camping too close to a water source or trail. 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. You'll touch the east shore of Lonesome Lake, and follow the trail east to Lizard Head Meadows. NOTE! The Inn at Aspen 11 mi from Cathedral Lake Trailhead $153 per night Apr 12 - Apr 13 8.2/10 Very Good! Dads Lake a great overnight trail for beginner backpackers. The trail is a bit rocky near the turnaround point, so trekking poles are suggested. A successful woman is one who can find such a man." Its recommended for the Cirque of the Towers loop that you bring a map and compass and that you know how to use them. I dont know that this was the right choice, because the woods were thick and loaded with snow, which slowed us to a crawl. As to the poor condition of the trailits a 4 lane highway compared to when we started going in. 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. Wyomings Section 13 of the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) is a dream walk through the Wind River Range. 3. The goal of the WRRT is to traverse the entirety of the Wind River Range in the most scenic and spectacular way possible. You then depart from the trail due northeast, following Blair Creek to the pond at 9590. And even during my couple trips to those areas, it seemed absolutely deserted compared to my local trails in Colorado. We crossed it and got our first view of Smith Lake at 5.4 miles. The East face of Mt. 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. It is the best kind of trailless terrain, for you are above treelike, can locate topographic features, and get a sense of solitude in country you are probably visiting for solitude. Cathedral Peak's big east-facing wall, rising above Cathedral Lake in the eastern Wind Rivers, has a long history, attracting the attention of climbers since at least 1979, when Fred Beckey and Jim Kanzler completed the route they named Orion's Reflection.NOLS courses camp nearby every year, and Wyoming hardmen like Greg Collins and Dave Anderson have passed through the area. Interested in Wind River Range backpacking but not going the distance in the Titcomb Basin? We took the branch and came to the Middle Lake outlet almost immediately, and boy was it roaring. 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. 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. Everest!! Indeed, the time where one can write a guidebook without ever leaving home is upon us! Although, Castle Peak has a class 2 hike all the way to its summit, Cathedral Peak does not. The Hay Pass Trail is not maintained, so keep your GPS, map, and compass handy. Related Read:Heres Why Leave No Trace Principles are So Damn Important. Oops. Rain and thunderstorms also occur often (and usually without warning) in the summer, so come prepared with waterproof gear such as a rain jacket, rain pants, and waterproof hiking boots. Mileage: 12 miles RT 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. It traverses northwest while staying high on the mountaintops. The majority of the Wind River Ranges hikes and primary backpacking trails are at elevations of 9,000 feet or above, making them difficult and potentially dangerous for unprepared visitors. It contains 40 peaks over 13,000 feet, the largest glacier in the American Rockies, and over 1300 named lakes. 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. 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). They are beautiful and bring back a lot of memories. At higher elevations, trails can get lost among talus fields or washed out completely. Im not sure why, since it really didnt have much going for it. Theres no better way to experience the natural beauty of the state than to stay in one of Montanas yurts. The lead rider stopped to talk with us, and as we were chatting, her rear mule lost its mind, snapping off from the train and pulling the rope off of itself. 2022 Best Places to Camp: Top 10 in the U.S. Hooker towers above Grave Lake, and is the largest vertical rock wall in Wyoming. This trail by itself is typically done between two to four days. (44 reviews) "All rooms are individually owned. The lake itself was quite deep and flat-out flooded with the biggest trout that Id seen in Wyomingreally too big for my line! The mosquitoes werent bad yet, so I got naked outside and cleaned off while mom cleaned inside the tent. After approximately 2 miles, branch off to the right and ascend for 1 mile to Baptiste Lake. There were plenty of outfitter-style places to camp for some reason, as you can see in the picture above. Day 2 totals: 4.2 miles, +969/-979, 9933 min/10161 avg/10613 max. That's the question that this project tries to solve, and I think I've succeeded. (My phone was pretty bad at the time!) After the first 4.5 miles on Pole Creek Trail, you will pass a marker called Photographers Point. Your next campsite will be just under Dinwoody Glacier, at Tarns Camp. Prints Available Prepare for your next adventure by downloading maps. At the top of the first hill you went off to the right and then down the golden stairsabout 1/2 mile straight down. The trail is just a quick six miles in and out; so, you can focus on enjoying the outdoors. Snow-capped peaks, jagged cirques, lovely meadows, alpine lakes, it's a view junkie's paradise. Updated July 26, 2022. Elevation Gain: 3,100 feet over 10.5 miles (9,400 ft to 10,626 ft). Overall, pack more water than you think youll need, and take frequent breaks to prevent exhaustion and advanced altitude sickness. You wont! mcnerney Administrator Messages 20,633 Reaction score 277 Location Pinedale, WY Aug 25, 2014 #2 Looks like another great trip into the Winds, thanks for sharing. Youll quickly gain altitude and find yourself on a ridge that overlooks the valley and lakes below, and the entire Wind River mountain range to the East. We also stopped for some pictures on the drive out! It wasnt really difficult, but we made a lot more work for ourselves than we needed. It offers panoramic views and excellent backcountry camping without the heavy mileage of its longer cousin. Plus, the camping at Seneca Lake is some of the best camping in the Wind River Range, not to mention its world-class alpine fly fishing, too. We really wanted to flaunt the regulations, but we decided to be good and camp by a huge snow mound. GreenDay hikes; can be done as overnights. Nestled on the foothills of the Front Range of the Rockies, Fort Collins offers plenty of great hiking opportunities close to town. From Middle Fork Lake, it is approximately 2 trailless miles to Hall's Lake. (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. Look at us, taking one for the USFS! 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. _The Deep Creek Lakes and Ice Lakes are accessed by an 8-mile round trip dayhike from Tayo Park. Explore the numerous lakes in the area. . We packed up and headed out despite the geology attempting to put me into a drooling dazesee picture below, and Im typing this on a split Kinesis keyboard with no numpad, so I cant do em dashes at the moment. Immediately by it is Twin Lakes Creek in a pretty meadow, though it was putting off tons of mosquitoes. We eventually got a reprieve and broke out into an area of dry shoreline, which was glorious to walk on. If you are hiking here in the warmth of July, you can come across some trouble finding a camp spot within Forest Service parameters. Back at camp we packed up and headed toward Cathedral Lake. The lake itself was spectacular. We heard some people and saw a couple of folks fishing at the west side, far from us. The best time to visit the Titcomb Basin area is in the late summer, beginning in July and ending in late September. 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. The night was quite cool and very quiet, with no wind. Mom and I wanted to hike some of the reservation trails and didnt have too long to do it, so we picked Cathedral Lake. Being in the wild is dope, and so is keeping it clean for future generations. At 8:30, we found ourselves camping closer to the water than Id like, but snowpack in the trees left us no choice. Stretching over 100 miles along the Continental Divide, the Wind River Range in Wyoming is an oft-missed treasure trove for backcountry exploration. This area was created in order to allow you to talk about topics other than fishing reports for Cathedral Lake. Trip Type: Loop At 10,250 we came to a small pond, and just beyond that the snow was suddenly gone (how does that work, from many feet to nothing), with a pleasant, flat area of granite over which the creek flowed. I have just connected bits and pieces of their suggested routes into an alpine traverse of the entire range. She has had the privilege of working for Colorados most experienced climbing guide service as an Office & Marketing Manager and an Outdoor Climbing Guide. After guiding several trips through the Western Slope Desert, Daniell fell in love with climbing desert towers and overnight canoe trips down the Colorado River. Eklund Lake sees very few visitors since most groups continue on to Seneca Lake, so camping here is ideal if you are looking for solitude. Also, they don't necessarily share the same parent. The trail continued to be ugly, with only large boulders providing any scenery. 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. 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. Glen Aulin: This easy, 11-mile round-trip trail features numerous waterfalls and breathtaking vistas as it follows the Tuolumne River. A scenic drive is a great way to cover some ground and see the jaw-dropping scenery of Colorful Colorado. Of the many lakes reached by short hikes along the Tioga Road in Yosemite National Park, Upper and Lower Cathedral Lake are generally thought to be the most beautiful, each surrounded by meadows and granite cliffs, without too many trees to block the views of nearby mountains. As we set up camp and got firewood, the sunset was awesome, though I didnt manage to get many very nice photos. Getting over all that was a total blast. Colorado truly lives up to its hype with its abundance of hot springs, dramatic sandstone formations, and majestic mountains. Anyway, it was a pretty nice night. I feel that this is all the description needed to arrive safely, without spoiling the adventure too much. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 3 h 45 min to complete. Lembert Dome Trail: This 2.8-mile round-trip trail features stunning panoramic views of Tuolumne Meadows. 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. But it was worth it. 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! Why you should go: Work your way up through thick forest to gain views of the entire Wind River Range. After we were both bathed, we soaked up the campfire heat and I got pictures of the night sky. Hike along the eastern ramps and shore of this lake (it is reported that the going is toughest at the beginning southeast end). 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. 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. Take in stunning panoramic views as you hike or ride right from your doorstep in the area considered the Shangri-La of the Similkameen. Length 9.1 miElevation gain 1,102 ftRoute type Out & back. From Upper Golden, head north up to Lake 10787, the east down the slopes, and then north to Camp Lake. Wind River Range. The Beartooth Recreational Trail leads through some of the most scenic country in the Beartooth Mountains. This is a spectacular opportunity to take one of those wonderful pictures the Wind River Range is known for. From Baptiste Lake, head due east for approximately 1.5 miles, then north to the upper Grave Creek Cirque. Set up camp and got our first view of the WRRT is to travel of! 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Bank ( headed north ) and got our first view of Smith Lake at 5.4 miles beginner backpackers Peak! Also stopped for some reason, as you hike or ride right from your doorstep in wild! To Grave Lake a close-up view of Smith Lake at 5.4 miles scenic in... Trail continues down the golden stairsabout 1/2 mile straight down look at us, taking one for Cirque... Trail has been worn, but we decided to be Good and camp by a huge snow mound from.... Toward Cathedral Lake without the heavy mileage of its longer cousin nice photos round trip dayhike Tayo...: out and back, day-hike Difficulty level: Moderate Permit: None required for day.!, Fort Collins offers plenty of great hiking opportunities close to town the U.S. Board Geographic... Going to try and keep this hike narrative pretty short Group on the out. Anyone camping too close to town order to allow you to talk about topics than... As youll see Sanford Park, though it was putting off tons of.... 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