camping advice wanted - Wind River Range area Wyoming

[ARKANSASHUNTER]

The wife and I are wanting to spend a few days fishing, day hiking and wildlife viewing in the Wind River mountains area in August. We have a F250 4x4 with a slide in camper so we can go places a big rv or trailer might have trouble. We have solar panels and can boondock for several days at a time and we plan to stay during the week so hopefully it won't be crowded (we prefer solitude when possible). We have a 2 person inflatable boat with electric trolling motor and we will be spin cast fishing. My research suggests the Green River Lakes area is highly recommended. It appears it's $35 per night to stay there and there's no electric hookups so that seems pretty pricey but I don't mind paying that if the fishing and hiking is worth it. That being said maybe some locals or others who are familiar with the area can suggest some other possibilities for us or confirm that the Green River lakes are the place to be and worth every penny of the $35/night?

Thanks
Brad

 

[Werty]

Check the regulations, but if i remember correctly you can camp on blm and forrest service land for free "for 14 +or - days". I would also check into state land. I'm not much help in where to go in that area, but you'll have fun no matter where you go in that country. Good luck!

 

[wseidel]

Last fall we boondocked every night for free during a 14 day trip out west from Minnesota to Yellowstone in our 28 foot RV (yes, even in Jackson Hole). We stayed in church parking lots (with permission), Walmart, County Parks (on a lake), wayside rests (along a stream), and up in the mountains north of Gardiner...among other sites. Also, don't forget Cabela's along the way as they also allow parking for RVs overnight. Check out the website: freecampsites.net as this was a big help to us in our travels. Hope this helps and have a safe trip.

 

[2rocky]

Green river lakes is a nice campground and may require reservations. Because of high traffic, you may not be able to boondock at undeveloped campsites near there. It is the prettiest Wind River campground for sure.

What kind of fishing do you want to do? Streambank, wade, float, lake, river? How far you want to hike to the fishing? Want to overnight in the Wilderness?

Either GRL or Big Sandy on the South Side will give you access to the most cool places close to the campground that is why they are busy. The "middle trailheads" will have less traffic but you are going to have to hike in 6-10 miles to the CDT corridor to get to the lakes and streams that Finis Mitchell stocked with trout from a milk can.

If you are coming all the way from the SE I wouldn't let campsite fees deter me from staying where you want. You are going to have trade offs anywhere you go in the Winds. You will have company though until you get 5 mies in to the wilderness and off the main CDT.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

2rocky is right on the money.

 

[mdunc8]

Spent a couple nights at the head of the Green a few years ago with the family. Beautiful spot and fewer people than I was expecting. Good fishing for smallish fish (at least that’s all we caught) below the lake.

 

[ARKANSASHUNTER]

Green river lakes is a nice campground and may require reservations. Because of high traffic, you may not be able to boondock at undeveloped campsites near there. It is the prettiest Wind River campground for sure.

What kind of fishing do you want to do? Streambank, wade, float, lake, river? How far you want to hike to the fishing? Want to overnight in the Wilderness?

Either GRL or Big Sandy on the South Side will give you access to the most cool places close to the campground that is why they are busy. The "middle trailheads" will have less traffic but you are going to have to hike in 6-10 miles to the CDT corridor to get to the lakes and streams that Finis Mitchell stocked with trout from a milk can.

If you are coming all the way from the SE I wouldn't let campsite fees deter me from staying where you want. You are going to have trade offs anywhere you go in the Winds. You will have company though until you get 5 mies in to the wilderness and off the main CDT.

Thanks for the input guys!
Since this trip is vacation with the wife it will be just day hikes and nights will be spent in the slide in truck camper. Fishing will be from stream bank or in a lake with our 2 person inflatable boat (electric trolling motor). We are very simple when it comes to fishing, light spin cast setups and usually still fishing with nightcrawlers or a casting a panther martin etc. Size of fish isn't that important. Our favorite trout fishing here at home is a river with mostly 10-14 inch rainbows and the occasional brown. I have been doing more investigation and I think the $35 fee is for the group sites and I think they are the only ones that can be reserved. I think the single sites are $12/night. Mostly I want to introduce my wife to the mountain experience with just enough civilization for her to be comfortable but enough remoteness to stretch her comfort level and hopefully leave her hungry for more. I know, asking for a lot Beautiful scenery and a few trout for the evening meal would be nice. Seeing a bear or hearing wolves howl at night would be killer.
Thanks again
Brad

 

[Alaskajim]

The wife and I are wanting to spend a few days fishing, day hiking and wildlife viewing in the Wind River mountains area in August. We have a F250 4x4 with a slide in camper so we can go places a big rv or trailer might have trouble. We have solar panels and can boondock for several days at a time and we plan to stay during the week so hopefully it won't be crowded (we prefer solitude when possible). We have a 2 person inflatable boat with electric trolling motor and we will be spin cast fishing. My research suggests the Green River Lakes area is highly recommended. It appears it's $35 per night to stay there and there's no electric hookups so that seems pretty pricey but I don't mind paying that if the fishing and hiking is worth it. That being said maybe some locals or others who are familiar with the area can suggest some other possibilities for us or confirm that the Green River lakes are the place to be and worth every penny of the $35/night?

Thanks
Brad

North of Dubois WY, Double Cabin FS campground. Fish Wiggins creek for cutthroats and mountain whitefish.

 

[westernslopehunter]

I stayed at New Fork Lake at the Narrows Campground when I went up. It was not busy at all, very secluded, and the fishing was very good on New Fork Lake itself (not so much on the river). That being said, the scenery at Green River Lakes blew our campsite out of the water.

 

[Sandpounder]

I agree with the above stuff. 2rocky was pretty right on I think. You should at least drive up to Green River Lakes even if you stay somewhere else. There are quite a few other lakes in the area. I like Willow, Half Moon, and Boulder Lake also, especially with a little boat deal. You might ask about Soda Lake, sometimes it is really good, sometimes it has a random fish kill or something and they put on restrictions. Seeskeedee is quite a ways south of Pinedale, but it is also a neat area on the Green. There are some public access areas south, but not a lot I guess.