Wind River Indian Reservation Trail

The Wind River Reservation Trail offers a cultural peek into the history of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes, who share the beautiful wide-open spaces northwest of Lander and Riverton.

You can also pick up a copy of the Wind River Reservation Self-Guided map at local chambers of commerce to discover even more.

 

Tour Options

FULL DAY, 70 MILES ROUNDTRIP

Wind River Indian Reservation

The 1.7+ million-acre Reservation is home to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes and was established in 1868 through the Bridger-Teton Treaty with the U.S. government. The Eastern Shoshone moved to what they call the “Warm Valley” from the Great Basin area and the Arapaho are originally from Colorado.

Fort Washakie, a former U.S. military outpost set up in 1870 as Camp Brown and renamed in 1878, is now the headquarters of the tribes’ government and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Wind River Agency and the center of community of life for the Shoshone people. This is your starting point.

Fort Washakie & Chief Washakie’s Grave

From the Shoshone Tribal Service Station on the corner of Hwy. 287 and North Fork Road, turn toward the mountains (west) on North Fork Road less than 1 block to the former military compound where some of the original buildings are still in use.

Continue on North Fork road for one-half mile to the Fort Washakie Cemetery on your right. The last chief of the Shoshone Tribe, Chief Washakie, is buried in the older section of the cemetery. A large headstone marks his grave.

Sacajawea’s Grave Site

Upon leaving Ft. Washakie Cemetery, turn right onto North Fork Road and travel for 2 blocks. Bear left onto South Fork Road and travel south 1.4 miles to Cemetery Lane. Take a left and you will see Sacajawea’s cemetery on the right.  A monument and a life-sized bronze statue honors the famous guide of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, who many believe is buried here.  Also on the grounds is the log building that housed the first school for Indians in 1878.

Continue down Cemetery Lane to Trout Creek Road and turn left. On the right you will see the Roberts Shoshone Episcopal Mission, founded by Reverend  John Roberts, pioneer missionary to the Shoshone people for 66 years.  In 1889, Chief Washakie gave Reverend Roberts 160 acres of land for the site of Mission and a boarding school for Shoshone girls.  A plaque at the entrance describes the history of the mission.

Travel east on Trout Creek Road for 2 miles and you will come to the intersection with Hwy. 287.  On the right is a grocery store, bank, and businesses that sell Native American arts and crafts.  To continue the tour, cross Hwy. 287 onto Ethete Road.

Eastern Shoshone Cultural Center

Drive one mile east on Ethete road and you will see Fort Washakie Elementary School on the left. At the east end of the school building in the Rupert Weeks Traditional Center, also called the Eastern Shoshone Culture Center. Featured are exhibits of tribal culture arts and crafts, and historical information and photos.

Ethete & St. Michael’s Mission

Follow Ethete Road for 3.4 miles to the heart of the Northern Arapaho community, Ethete, which means “good” in the Arapaho language. At the four-way intersection there is a stop light. If you take a right onto Hwy. 132/Blue Sky Highway, you will see (on the left) original buildings of St. Michael’s Mission, where many Arapaho children attended school at Faith Hallin the mid 1900s.

St. Stephen’s Mission

St. Stephen’s Mission, a Catholic mission founded in the early 1900s, can be found by going back out of St. Michael’s and turning left onto Hwy. 132/Blue Sky Hwy. In 2 miles, you will come to 17-mile Road/Hwy. 137, which may not be marked. Turn left, heading east for 17 miles. At the junction of highways 138 and 137/ Rendezvous Road veer left onto Rendezvous Road. You will see the St. Stephen’s Elementary School in the shape of a tepee.  Take a right on Mission road and follow the road past the school and left into the Mission.

The original buildings still exist and Mass is held in the historic remodeled church. There is a gift shop and Heritage Center where you will find historic photographs and arts and crafts.  Once you’ve toured the mission follow the same route to get back to Fort Washakie or take a right from Mission Road onto Rendezvous Road to the intersection with Hwy. 789. From here you can go right to Hudson and Lander or left to Riverton.

Northern Arapaho Experience Room

The Northern Arapaho Experience Culture Room is located in the Wind River Casino at 10269 Hwy. 789, just south of Riverton. You will learn about the past, present and future of the Northern Arapaho Tribe through exhibits and tribal artifacts.  A tribal elder is usually present to guide you through the small museum.  The casino also offers weekly Native American dance exhibitions in the summer.

HALF DAY, <30 MILES ROUNDTRIP

For a half-day tour, visit the Shoshone Tribal Cultural Center, the two cemeteries, the Shoshone Episcopal Mission and St. Michael’s Mission in Ethete. (See details in full-day itinerary).

Legend of the Shoshone Hot Springs

Long, long ago, a young chief and his maiden friend were walking in what white men now call Wind River Canyon. The legend says a strong wind picked an eagle feather from the Chief’s hair and wafted it down the canyon. Since the right to wear the feather had been won with much danger to his life in attacking an enemy, the young warrior and his sweetheart ran, following the feather. They found it beside a vent where steam issued from the earth. Knowing that the Great Spirit had led them, they were not afraid. They bathed in the warm springs and told their tribe about them. The tribe camped nearby, everyone bathed, aches of the old were cured and young warriors became even more strong and vigorous.

Restaurants

Arby’s

1140 W. Main
Riverton, WY

Atlantic City Mercantile

100 E. Main
Atlantic City, WY

Bar 10

114 S. Broadway
Riverton, WY

Breadboard

124 E. Washington
Riverton, WY

Breadboard

1350 W. Main
Lander, WY

Brown Sugar Coffee Roastery

303 E. Main
Riverton, WY

Buffalo Coffee

180 Red Wolf Place
Riverton, WY

Buffalo Grill

180 Red Wolf Place
Riverton, WY

Burger King

2150 N. Federal Blvd.
Riverton, WY

Carson’s Bar & Grill

592 Main St
Lander, WY

Cee nokuu Cafe, Wind River Casino

180 Red Wolf Place
Riverton, WY

China Garden

162 N. 6th Street
Lander, WY

Chopstix Asian Bistro

824 N. Federal Blvd
Riverton, WY

Cowboy Cafe

115 E. Ramshorn
Dubois, WY

Cowfish/Lander Brewing Co

148 Main Street
Lander, WY

Crooked Creek

76 Fir Road
Dubois, WY

Crux Coffee

300 Main St.
Lander, WY

Dairy Land Drive-In

977 Main Street
Lander, WY

Dairy Queen

819 N. Federal Blvd.
Riverton, WY

Daylight Donut & Ice Cream

622 E. Main Street
Riverton, WY

Deka-Guy Hee, Shoshone Rose Casino

5690 Hwy 287
Lander, WY

Domino’s Pizza

1188 W. Main
Riverton, WY

Domino’s Pizza

175 N. 4th
Lander, WY

El Jarro

1422 Warm Springs D.
Dubois, WY

El Sol De Mexico

453 Main Street
Lander, WY

El Sol De Mexico

711 E. Main
Riverton, WY

End Zone

692 Main St
Lander, WY

Flat Stick Bar & Grill

1 Golf Course Dr.
Lander, WY

Gannett Grill

126 Main St.
Lander, WY

Get Hooked

12 Boysen Marina Rd
Shoshoni,

Kai Espresso

109 Main St.
Hudson, WY

KFC

830 N. Federal
Riverton, WY

KT’s Grab N Grub

204 E. 2nd
Shoshoni, WY

Lander Bake Shop

259 Main St.
Lander, WY

Little Caesars

1104 N. Federal Blvd
Riverton, WY

Maverick Cafe

808 Main Street
Lander, WY

McDonald’s

813 N. Federal
Riverton, WY

McDonald’s

235 McFarlane Drive
Lander, WY

Middle Fork

351 Main St
Lander, WY

Miner’s Grubstake

150 Main St.
Atlantic City, WY

More Burgers and Shakes

122 S. 2nd
Riverton, WY

Morning Star, Little Wind Casino

800 Blue Sky Hwy
Ethete, WY

Mulino Italian Bistro

129 Main St.
Lander,

Noon Rock Pizza

112 E. Ramshorn
Dubois, WY

Oriental Palace

202 S. 3rd St.
Riverton, WY

Oxbow

170 E. Main St.
Lander, WY

Paintbrush Grill, Little Wind C-Store

693 Blue Sky Hwy
Ethete, WY

Perrett’s

519 W. Main
Riverton, WY

Phil’s Dog Shak

611 E. Main
Riverton, WY

Pizza Hut

215 N. Federal
Riverton, WY

Pizza Hut

670 E. Main Street
Lander, WY

QT’s Restaurant, Holiday Inn

900 E. Sunset
Riverton, WY

Red Willow Restaurant, Wind River Hotel & Casino

180 Red Wolf Place
Riverton, WY

Riverton Country Club

4275 Country Club Road
Riverton, WY

Roasted Bean & Cuisine

514 W. Main
Riverton, WY

Rusty Truck

400 N. Federal Blvd
Riverton, WY

Shoshone Tribal Service & Food Mart

3 N. Fork Road
Ft. Washakie, WY

Shoshoni Senior Center

214 E. 2nd
Shoshoni, WY

Smokehouse Burgers & Fries

116 N. 6th
Riverton, WY

Speedway Cafe

815 S. Federal
Riverton, WY

Split Rock Bar and Cafe

2297 Hwy 789
Jeffrey City, WY

Subway

900 W. Main
Riverton, WY

Subway

960 Main Street
Lander,

Subway Wal-Mart

1733 N. Federal
Riverton, WY

Sundowner Station Restaurant

1616 N. Federal
Riverton, WY

Svilar’s Bar & Steakhouse

173 S. Main St.
Hudson, WY

Sweet Surprises

221A E. Main
Riverton, WY

Taco Bell

1812 N. Federal
Riverton, WY

Taco Johns

623 W. Main
Riverton, WY

Taco Johns

870 W. Main St.
Lander, WY

Taylor Creek Sinclair, Deli & Pizza

1426 Warm Springs Dr.
Dubois, WY

Thai Chef

720 E. Main
Lander, WY

Thai Chef 2

712 E. Fremont Ave
Riverton, WY

The Cove Restaurant

301 E. Main St
Riverton, WY

The Depot

110 S. 1st
Riverton, WY

The Lone Buffalo Steakhouse

120 E. Ramshorn
Dubois, WY

The Lone Burrito

106 E. Ramshorn
Dubois, WY

The Lone Burrito

106 E. Ramshorn
Dubois, WY

The Moose Outpost

616 W. Ramshorn
Dubois, WY

The Perch Coffee House

132 E. Ramshorn
Dubois, WY

The Rise

228 Main St.
Lander, WY

The Summit Restaurant

260 Grandview
Lander, WY

Tony’s Pizza

637 Main St.
Lander, WY

Trailhead Restaurant

203 E. Main
Riverton, WY

Village Cafe

515 W. Ramshorn St.
Dubois, WY

Wendy’s

1800 N. Federal Blvd
Riverton, WY

Wilderness Boundary Restaurant, Lava Mountain Lodge

3577 US Hwy 26
Dubois, WY