Best Hiking Trails in Southwest Wyoming 

For both locals and visitors, here is advice on the top five, relatively unknown hiking trails in Southwestern Wyoming that will take you into an enchanted wilderness that you will have all to your own.

When most people think of hiking in Wyoming, the first thing that comes to mind is Yellowstone National Park and perhaps the Grand Tetons as well. While these two spots are certainly worth a visit if you have never been, there is so much more to explore around the great state of Wyoming. Much of the eastern part of the state is made up of desert, while the southwestern part of the state is a unique land of mountains and rivers.

In Sweetwater and Sublette County especially, the Wind River Mountain range winds its way through a magical landscape of deep wilderness where some of the best hikes in the country can be found. The best part of exploring southwest Wyoming is that you will be able to enjoy the towering mountains, breathtaking panoramic views, and abundant wildlife without having to deal with crowds of thousands of people.

If you live near the southwestern Wyoming region, unless you are an avid hiker and backpacker chances are that you haven’t even explored the thousands of miles of trails crisscrossing the Wind River mountains. Even if you do regularly get out to explore the region where you live, there are always areas waiting to be explored.

For folks who are planning a visit to some of the more famous Wyoming attractions such as Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Tetons or Jackson Hole, you might consider taking a side trip for a long weekend down to Sweetwater or Sublette Counties. If you need help planning out a trip to Yellowstone, check out the great national park site Live Once Live Wild.
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Killpecker Sand Dunes

 
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If your kids are all tired out of hiking after spending a few days in Yellowstone, they will be sure to love a side trip to the Killpecker Sand Dunes located just north of Rock Springs in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. These massive sand dunes invite both children and adults alike to enjoy playing in one of nature´s largest sand boxes. While many people use these dunes for motor biking and ATV-ing, if you head to the dunes during a weekday, chances are that you and your family will have a huge expanse of sandy dunes to explore.

These dunes are great for a game of Frisbee and makeshift sand sledding. While there are no marked trails through the dunes, you can pretty much chart your own course and easily spend several hours exploring the sandy valleys and peaks. If you are lucky, you might even be able to spot the rare desert elk herds that are known to roam the region. It’s best to head out there in late afternoon so as to avoid the worst heat. Make sure to find a high area to enjoy a sunset that you won’t easily forget.
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Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge

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Watching for wildlife is something that everyone loves to do while on the trail. However, hiking through bear country can be a little disconcerting. At the Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge also in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, you’ll be able to enjoy over 25,000 acres of wilderness where animal sightings are a common occurrence. One of the biggest attractions of hiking through this wildlife refuge is the hundreds of species of birds, both native and migratory, that make this place their home.

With a little bit of patience and a good pair of binoculars, you will easily be able to spot prairie falcons, peregrine falcons, owls, hawks, Canadian geese, bald and golden eagles, and several other rare and endangered species of birds. Smaller mammals such as deer are also common as many people head out here in the fall for some world class hunting.

Green River Lakes

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In the nearby Sublette County, a little known national recreation site offers some alpine hiking that rivals that of other more well-known places such as Yosemite and the Rocky Mountains National Park. Located about 50 miles straight north of Pinedale, the Green River Lakes region has a great campground with trail access that allows you to chart your own course to explore the beauties of the Bridger River Wilderness and the Wind River mountains.

Located at 8,000 feet, this campground opens rather late in the year around mid-June. Once the snow is gone, however, you will have a great base camp to explore some of the most beautiful yet unknown mountain prairies filled with blooming wildflowers, abundant rivers and streams, and quintessential mountain lakes placed between snow capped peaks.

New Fork Lakes
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Also in Sublette County in the Bridger Teton National Forest reserve, is the New Fork Lakes region, which offers some quality hiking that will require a good pair of boots. This high alpine region can get snow at any time of the year and the snow melt runs pretty much all through the year. While this means that you will most likely get your feet pretty wet while crossing muddy rivers, it also means that during the summer months you’ll be able to explore huge expanses of wilderness brimming with lush greenery and crystal clear mountain streams.

Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area

 
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In the extreme southwestern part of Wyoming, an arid, desert-like ecosystem ripe for exploring awaits you. The Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area in the southern part of Sweetwater County is a large area that extends into nearby Utah. This region boasts over 360 miles of river shoreline meaning that you can set up a great hiking route along the beautiful meandering mountain rivers. You can also set up a great canoeing and hiking hybrid trip; stopping at several beaches to explore the nearby mountains and desert landscapes that contrast with the greenery around the rivers edges.

Enjoy Southwestern Wyoming
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While a trip to Yellowstone is an almost obligatory part of a visit to Wyoming, it is important to remember that you are only a half day drive away from a huge area of lesser known wilderness and natural area that is beckoning to be explored. The protected areas around Sublette and Sweetwater counties in southwestern Wyoming are filled with quaint towns, quality campgrounds, and hundreds of miles of hiking trails for you to explore and enjoy.