Wind River Range

This is a perfect hike for the family following a well-marked trail starting near Fiddler’s Lake at the Christina Lake Trailhead, which you reach by following the paved switch-backed road at the end of sinks Canyon. It’s about three miles to Upper Silas Lake and if that’s too far, rest and snack at Lower Silas Lake, which you pass on your way.

Wind River Peak is an easier non-technical peak that still gets you above 13,000-feet.

I love a good peak. There’s something so satisfying about standing on the summit and taking in the view. Wind River Peak provides a peak-bagging experience with no technical climbing experience required, although you will need to do a little boulder hopping. This trail starts at the Worthen Meadows Trail Head. Take the Sheep Bridge Trail across the bridge and up the Middle Fork. Follow along to the Pinto Lake Trail and take the Deep Creek Cutoff trail and then the Ice Lakes trail for the last half mile. There is good camping near the Deep Creek Lakes. From the lakes you’ll go up a featured called “the ramp,” obviously named. It’s a large grassy ramp sweeping uphill. The summit is about 15 miles from the trailhead, Tilden said.

The trail to the peak is comfortable and relatively easy terrain with good shade. As for the view from the summit: “It’s like ‘wow, there’s a lot of rock out there,’” Tilden said.

The Cirque of the Towers is a climber’s dream and perhaps the range’s most famous hike.

There is a reason the Cirque of the Towers is so popular: It’s incredible. The area draws climbers for the multitude of routes on the granite towers that make up the cirque. Even if you aren’t a climber, this is worth the trek. From Lander, plan about two hours to get to the trailhead. Drive to the Sweetwater Rest area on Highway 28 and turn at the Big Sandy sign. Stay to the right on the well maintained dirt road to a well -established parking lot. Big Sandy Lake is a fairly mellow six mile hike from the trailhead. There are designated campsites at the lake if you want to settle in for the evening. If you have a little more oomph, start up Jackass Pass. The next approximately four miles are a grunt, but well worth the views when you see the cirque. There’s camping in the Cirque of the Towers, amazing climbing and inspiring scenery.

Lander

Bruce’s Picnic Site, Sinks Canyon/Shoshone National Forest: The Middle Fork trail to the Popo Agie Falls begins here. That trail also continues deep into the Wind River Mountains, including Twin Lakes, Hudson Meadow, and Stough Creek.

Fiddlers Lake Campground, Shoshone National Forest: There are trails leading into the Popo Agie Wilderness and also south to nearby lakes. The Christina Lake Trailhead is nearby. Both access the Silas and Christina Lake trails.

Sinks Canyon Campground (Shoshone National Forest): Located between Bruce’s Parking Lot and Sinks Canyon State Park, this campground and parking area provide access to a network of trails in and beyond Sinks Canyon.

Sawmill & Popo Agie Campground (Sinks Canyon State Park): Both campgrounds, located in Sinks Canyon, provide immediate access to an entire trails network in the canyon.

Worthen Meadows Campground, Shoshone National Forest: This campground on the shores of Worthen Reservoir provides access to the Middle Fork trail and Stough Creek Trails in the Popo Agie Wilderness.

Fort Washakie

Dickinson Creek Campground, Shoshone National Forest: There are several trails that lead into the Popo Agie Wilderness and to many mountain lakes, the largest being Shoshone Lake. Nearby Wind River Indian Reservation lands are private; please be respectful of the private land boundaries and do not trespass. To cross tribal lands on your drive to Dickinson Park, you and everyone in your party must purchase tribal fishing licenses.

I was so busy watching my feet and trying to steady my ragged breathing and racing heart, it took me a second to look up when I reached the top of Jackass Pass.

I suddenly felt like I’d dropped into a science fiction movie. The green of the grass seemed saturated and popped against the rising peaks of granite.  I’m not sure if it was the light, or my brain after reaching the top of the pass, but those pillars of rock jutting ferociously into the skyline sparkled. I had just reached the Cirque of the Towers, one of the most famous areas in the Wind River Mountains.

Don’t get me wrong, the Tetons are incredible. And what’s awesome about those mountains is you don’t have to work very hard for stunning views. You can get them from the roadside, or a few miles in from a trailhead off a main road.

It’s their accessibility that has overshadowed the Wind River Mountains, but that’s OK. It’s left the mountains rugged and in many places quiet. There is a sense of adventure and exploration. Hiking deep into the Wind River Mountains is a bit like backcountry skiing where you have to earn your turns. To get deep into the Winds is hard work, but the payoff is incredible.

Many people mistakenly think the Grand Teton is Wyoming’s highest peak. It’s not. The Wind River’s Gannett Peak at 13,804 feet takes the title. The range is home to many of the state’s highest mountains including Fremont Peak at 13,745 and Wind River Peak at 13,192 feet. In fact, 19 of Wyoming’s 20 highest peaks are in the Wind River Range and there are more than 40-named peaks rising above 13,000 feet. The range is also home to some of North America’s largest glaciers.

A major contributor to the stunning views is the range’s geology. It is the granite that entices so many climbers to the area, and also gives the range its rugged feel.

I once interviewed Douglas Lorain, author of “Backpacking Wyoming” and several guide books to backpacking in other states. He’s backpacked all over the world, but if pressed to name his top three favorite spots, the Wind River Mountains makes the list, he told me.

Aside from the astounding beauty, the size of the range- 2.25 million acres stretching 110 miles- allows for a true wilderness experience. There are hundreds of lakes, meadows and peaks to explore and in certain areas you can go days without seeing other travelers. (This is not the case for the Cirque of the Towers described above. As one of the most popular spots in the range, you can expect to share the trail and views with lots of other people).

It is these mountains that bring adventure seekers to Wind River Country, whether they are hikers, backpackers, climbers or campers.  There’s a reason NOLS has been running courses in the mountains for decades. Students can learn a variety of outdoor skills in a truly isolated mountain setting.

Once you’ve gotten a taste of the Winds, nothing else compares. They are a mountain range that burrows into your soul and lures you back with promises of endless exploration and adventure. I usually come home slightly battered, legs aching, feet blistered and recover on the couch with a map and guide book planning my next trip. They are one of the rare places where you can still truly and fully experience the wildness of mountains.  It would take a lifetime to fully explore the Winds, but that’s a challenge I wouldn’t mind taking on.