Set along the Cloud Peak Wilderness Area and the Bighorn National Forest, Washakie County offers mountains of opportunities for getting outside year-round. Whether you’re a casual paddler exploring tranquil waters or an experienced backpacker getting out in Wyoming’s remote backcountry, Bighorn Mountain Country offers unrivaled recreational opportunities. Check out all the ways to enjoy this outdoor playground.
1. Spend a Day on the Water
Bighorn Mountain Country is a dream destination for watersports enthusiasts and anglers alike because of its dozens of high-country lakes and miles of alpine streams. Paddle across the mirror-like surfaces of the West Tensleep Lake or Meadowlark Lake while embracing the peaceful solitude of the surrounding spruce and lodgepole forests. Shorelines offer many nooks and crannies to explore or observe local wildlife from a safe distance, while calm waters provide excellent trout-fishing opportunities from kayaks, canoes and small boats — or from land. At Meadowlark Lake, open year-round, anglers can cast a line for brook, rainbow and cutthroat trout, while West Tensleep Lake boasts brook, brown and rainbow trout.
As the weather warms and winter ice melts, many of the area’s cascading creeks and rushing streams become prime spots for spincasting and fly-fishing. Try Tensleep Creek for glistening rainbow, brown and brook trout. Avid anglers should also visit the Ten Sleep Fish Hatchery — where more than 2 million rainbow, cutthroat, brook and splake trout are bred to stock Wyoming rivers and lakes.
2. Sleep Beneath the Stars
When it comes to relaxing in the great outdoors, there’s nothing quite like a camping trip with family and friends. Roasting marshmallows, telling spooky stories around a crackling fire, witnessing golden sunsets and counting the sparkling stars are just a few of the many amazing moments you can look forward to. Thankfully, Bighorn Mountain Country boasts numerous campgrounds, so you’re sure to find the perfect spot. Find up-to-date information about fire safety for the region from the Bureau of Land Management’s Wyoming Office and Bighorn National Forest.
Embrace classic camping vibes at West Tensleep Lake Campground with tent-only and small-camper sites offering dedicated firepits and spectacular views of the shimmering lake. For larger groups, choose Willow Park for its vast alpine meadow and basic amenities, like running water and picnic tables, so you can focus on reconnecting with nature and each other. If you prefer more creature comforts, indulge yourself at locations like Lake View Campground on Meadowlark Lake. Here, campers can find additional services like kayak rentals and Meadowlark Lake Resort’s nearby restaurant. Rather go glamping? Ten Sleep Rock Ranch and Ten Sleep RV Park both feature comfy-cozy log cabins with all the trappings of home — like electricity, Wi-Fi access and convenient bathhouses.
3. Pedal for Beautiful Panoramas
If you’re a cyclist seeking rewarding routes with incredible vistas, you’ll relish riding through Bighorn Mountain Country’s dramatic landscapes. Setting off from the town of Ten Sleep, seasoned road bikers can travel along the glorious Cloud Peak Skyway Scenic Byway — a two-lane highway known for its breathtaking views of snowcapped Cloud Peak, the Cloud Peak Wilderness and Bighorn National Forest.
Close to Cloud Peak Skyway, mountain bikers can explore miles of adventurous singletrack — like the off-the-beaten-path Pasture Park Trail #410. If you follow this nearly 5-mile route south, you’ll have a fast, mainly downhill trek complete with woods and striking backcountry vistas. For another challenging journey, experienced riders can try the rocky East Tensleep Lake #068 Trail, which ties into the Highline Trail #067.
Prefer the rev of your engine? Skip the pedaling and motorcycle along the seventh leg of Wyoming’s portion of the Backcountry Discovery Route for 116 miles of varied terrain, rugged landscapes and picture-perfect overlooks. This stretch of trail is only for seasoned riders looking for a once-in-a-lifetime touring experience. Expect to meander through thick forests, across verdant, rocky grasslands and alongside expansive canyons.
Whether you’re chasing high-mountain landscapes, testing your limits or simply seeking to disconnect from daily life, you’ll be blown away by the area’s natural splendor. Close to Ten Sleep, you’ll find some of the best hiking in Wyoming with local trails like the Salt Lick Creek Loop or James T. Saban Lookout. Here, steep ascents reward you with sights of distant sapphire waters, pine-peppered rock walls and vast green meadows reaching into the distance.
For adventurers who embrace roughing it in the backcountry, an overnight journey into the Cloud Peak Wilderness Area — accessible only by foot or horseback — offers stunning alpine vistas and blissful solitude. Immerse yourself in nature with more than 100 miles of trails traveling along narrow mountain streams, grassy glades, reflective lakes and wetlands lined with spruce and pine. For an unbeatable experience, backpackers can summit the Bighorn National Forest’s tallest peak, Cloud Peak (13,167 feet), and visit the range’s last remaining glacier. Hikers must register to camp in this area and special regulations apply.
Seeking more thrills? Venture to Tensleep Canyon — a rock climber’s paradise — where you can scale miles of craggy stone walls with grades ranging from 5.6 to 5.14. Here, novice climbers to seasoned experts can defy the laws of gravity on more than 800 climbing routes, making the canyon one of the nation’s top climbing destinations. Plus, with the region’s long, sunny days and mild temperatures in summer, you’ll have hours to conquer the steep cliff faces and limestone spires on routes like Slightly Toasted Cracker or Burl Ives is Dead.
In winter, snow falls across the rugged Bighorn Mountains — more than 200 inches a year on average — creating an ideal playland for powder seekers. Skiers and snowboarders flock to Meadowlark Ski Lodge for its mix of beginner, intermediate and advanced runs across 300 skiable acres. Plus, you’ll love warming up around the lodge’s roaring fireplace with a steaming mug of cocoa.
On Ten Sleep’s Willow Park Nordic Trails, the annual Sweet 16 Snowfest welcomes cross-country skiers and snowshoers alike to travel across groomed trails, enjoy delicious bowls of chili around a fire and win prizes. Nearby, avid snowmobilers can race over snowy terrain or along miles of groomed, pine-laden trails. Bring your own machine to ride or rent a sled in Buffalo, a nearby Wyoming town.
6. Attend an Outdoor Festival
Washakie County offers outdoor activities year-round, but its popularity soars June–August with events like Ten Sleep Climbing Festival, the Fourth of July Rodeo and two unique music festivals.
Festivities kick off in late June with the Ten Sleep Climbing Festival, which draws more than 600 visitors for climbing, community and fun. Spend your day scrambling up rocky Tensleep Canyon walls, then head into Ten Sleep for an evening of family-friendly activities, live music, refreshing brews, delicious food and entertaining raffles. Past events featured musical artists like DJ Just Beef and raffle prizes included climbing equipment, coolers and apparel.
Or feel the West come alive with Ten Sleep’s Fourth of July Rodeo as true cowboys and cowgirls compete for cash purses in events like saddle bronc, bull riding and barrel racing. After each day’s events, stick around town as the streets transform into a large evening dance party.
At the Nowoodstock Music Festival in Ten Sleep, during the second weekend in August, talented musicians from across the country grace Vista Park’s stage for three days of rock, country and Americana. Shop local arts-and-crafts vendors for memorable handmade keepsakes or savor food-truck delicacies while you’re there.
One week later in Worland, enjoy the soulful lyrics and fancy fiddling of bluegrass and tender, fall-off-the-bone barbecue at the annual Pepsi Wyoming State Championship BBQ & Bluegrass Festival. Watch as more then 30 chefs compete in this Kansas City Barbeque Society-sanctioned event featuring two days of bluegrass, plus a car show.
From music festivals to year-round recreation, Bighorn Mountain Country’s Washakie County is the perfect place for outdoor adventures. Discover more about its incredible natural spaces and start planning your visit.
Want to Learn More About Bighorn Mountain Country?
