What the Wyoming Range doesn’t have may be the best thing about it—and that’s crowds. With fewer visitors than some of the other mountains in the state, the Wyoming Range is perfect for people who want a quieter and more secluded time in the wild.
Mountain adventures like hiking and camping, fishing and snow sports are abundant in this range on the western edge of the state.
Hiking and Wildlife Viewing
Much of the hiking in the Wyoming Range can be described as rugged and remote on backcountry trails. The Wyoming Range National Recreation Trail is a 70-mile trail that follows the ridge of the range and gains 9,000 feet in elevation. The highest point of the trail is Wyoming Peak at 11,383 feet. Parts of the trail are faint and seem more suited to wildlife than day-trippers, but that makes for more opportunities for sighting animals like mule deer, elk, moose, antelope, bears and the elusive wolverine and lynx. Click here for more information about other favorite hiking trails.
Snow Sports
With well over 300 miles of groomed trails crossing the wild and free Wyoming Range, snow sports lovers will have plenty of room to roam. Deep snow, pristine alpine beauty and few crowds are waiting for snow machine lovers. Visitors can rent snowmobiles in Alpine, Thayne and Pinedale. For experienced cross-country skiers and snowshoe aficionados, the Wyoming Range offers a great place to enjoy the crisp winter air off track or on logging roads.
Camping
When nothing but a sky full of stars and a belly full of fresh-caught trout will do, camping at the Sacajawea Campground just east of Middle Piney Lake is great. The campground has toilets, water and trash service, and typically has a campground host throughout the summer. Dispersed camping—when campers camp outside of a maintained campsite—is also a great option in the region’s Bridger-Teton National Forest.
Pioneer History
Pioneering history buffs will enjoy traversing the Lander Cut-off, which Oregon and Mormon Trail wagon trains used to make their trip across western Wyoming shorter and safer. Wagon ruts and emigrant grave markers are still visible and accessible through forest service roads and trails. Visitors can take a peek into the past, imagining what it would have been like to travel the mostly unchanged landscape in a covered wagon. Brochures about the trail are available at Forest Service offices, like the Big Piney Ranger District office (10418 South US Highway 189, Big Piney).
Lodging
The Forest Service Snyder Guard Station is an unusual place to stay and is near the wagon ruts of the Lander Cut-off. The guard station is a cabin in the Snyder Basin and is a great jumping-off point for hiking, fishing, mountain biking or horseback riding. In the winter it is only accessible by snowmobile, cross country skiing or snowshoeing a ten-mile track. Find more information here.
Big Piney and Marbleton, are neighboring small towns and serve as a gateway to the Wyoming Range. They showcase small town charm, including several places to stay, such as the Marbleton Inn and the Big Piney Motel. They also offer a chance to gas up your tank and fill your belly before heading out into the wild and serene Wyoming Range.
