Keith Drury’s

Summary Miles—Wind River Mountains CDT trail…

(about 70 miles…. Northbound from Big Sandy Trailhead to Green lakes Trailhead)

A nice one-week walk with superb views akin to those in the High Sierras on the John Muir Trail yet without much elevation over 10,000’ so altitude is not a significant challenge. Transportation can be a challenge given the distance of the two traiheads to ‘civilization.’ There is an outfitter in Pinedale (Great Outdoor shop) who will deliver you to the trailhead and dump your car at the other end for a price (remember how long it takes to cover these roads when you pay the bill). Hitching can be a challenge since hours can pass with no car at all on these “roads”.

TRAIL DATA—BIG SANDY TO GREEN RIVER LAKES

#17-Big Sandy trailhead To Scab Creek

17.6 miles, moderate difficulty Elevation gain=1840’ (first 10 miles easy climb to east Fork river then 700’ climb followed by gradual descent to Dream lake Directions to Big Sandy trailhead from Lander: Go sounth on US287 to intersection of WY 28 (Rawlings Junction) at mile 9.0. Follow paved WY 28 for 37.7 miles west ro “Road 446” (the “lander cutoff road” following the sign to “Sweetwater Gap Ranch” and “Big Sandy opening” . Turn right off WY28 onto gravel road 446 then drive 15.1 miles NW to the intersection with BLM 4105 at mile 58.8. Continue north for 21 miles to Big Sandy campground...a total of 78 miles—a normal car can sometimes only average 15-20 MPH on these Wyoming “roads.”)

#18-Scab Creek to North Fork lake

7.9 miles, moderate difficulty Elevation gain=436’ (First three miles almost level then steep 400’ climb up Halls Butte & the Europe canyon Trail) 10,200 then steady 400’ descent to NF lake)

#19-North Fork lake to Little Seneca Lake

13.6 miles, strenuous difficulty Elevation gain=3394’ (Whopping 1200’ climb to Hat Pas then up and down 300’ climbs and descents from lake to lake. Then 700’ descent to Pole creek then 100’ climb to Lester Pass followed by 800’ descent to LS lake—lots above the timberline just like JMT)

#20-Little Seneca Lake to Summit Lake

11.1 miles, strenuous difficulty Elevation gain=1125’ (up and down for 3 miles then long 4 mile-900’ climb followed by 4 mile 900’ descent then a 100’ “bump” up to pine lake)

#21-Summit lake to Green River Lakes Trailhead

16.7 miles, moderate difficulty Elevation gain=80’ (Just a tiny bump up to Green River pass then and endless 2500’ descent in less than 5 miles with virtually no campsites along the way to the Green River which is followed for the next 10 miles on almost level walking with Moose and meadows along the way. Green River Trail head is about 50 miles from Pinedale… directions to this trailhead from Pinedale = “ Drive 6 miles west of Pinedale on US 191 to intersection with WY 352 (green river lakes road). Turn and follow this road north passing small town of Cora at 10 miles. Pavement ends at 26.3 miles ..continue the next 19.4 miles on potholes to Green River campground.

BEST MAPS: Earthwalk press Tyvek “Hiking Map and Guide” Southern Wind River Range (ISBN 0-915749-21-1) and Northern Wind River Range (ISBN 0-915747-20-3)

BEST GUIDE: Wyoming’s Continental Divide Trail—the official Guide by Lora Davis (Most through hikers pooh-pooh this guide preferring the old James Wolf guides and updates, however I found it to be wholly accurate for this section of trail, though there is no guide that can accurate describe the confusing CDT elsewhere. Yogi’s CDT guide is helpful for through hikers but gives scant help for a Wind River hike alone. Actually the two maps are so excellent that the entire hike can be done without any guide and only with maps—however the CDT is only marked once in the WW range—and that is with penknife carved marking on a sign… in this range you navigate point-to-point.. from X lake to Y lake among scores of trails to get there. Plan on getting off the actual “CDT’ a few times unless you are wonderfully talented with a map and compass.

http://www.drurywriting.com/keith/wind.river.trail.data.htm