You’ve heard of Yellowstone. You’ve seen the Grand Teton postcards. Now it’s time to find it Wyoming Most tourists never do this – where the trails are empty and all the peaks are yours.
Wyoming Nearby is the least visited state in America – which, when you consider what’s here, makes it the country’s best-kept secret. And those who travel tend to go to the same predictable places.
But, apart from that small north-western corner, Wyoming Completely open, a place where you will be completely alone in pristine wilderness, surrounded by cirques carved by glaciers, Caribbean-colored alpine lakes, waterfalls that roar in granite gorges, and ridgelines where wind-twisted trees grow unexpectedly from the rock.
These 10 trails – spanning three of Wyoming’s wildest mountain ranges – prove that the state’s best hiking is in places you’ve never heard of.
Wind River Range
1. Green River Lakes Loop, 6.3-mile loop
When you see the towering granite face of Square Top Mountain perfectly reflected in Lower Green River Lake, you have to check twice to confirm which way is up. The terrain remains largely flat as this 6.3-mile course loops around the lake.
So, you can spend more time taking in the views and less time breaking a sweat – ideal for families, photographers with heavy packs, or anyone who wants the real Wind River experience without the 6-day backcountry commitment. This is the rare hike that offers extremes on the easy end of the difficulty spectrum.
2. Holy Rim Trail, 3.4-mile out-and-back
Want maximum Wyoming with minimum mileage? With an elevation of only 557 feet, the Sacred Rim offers a panoramic view of the Wind River peaks and a cluster of alpine lakes sparkling like a handful of coins dropped below.
The rocky shore itself has the drama of a much more remote destination: wind-scorched stone, a sudden drop into the valley below, and the feeling that you’re standing at the edge of the world because, well, you are. This is one of the finest viewpoints in the entire range, and most people have never heard of it.
3. Photographer’s Point via Pole Creek Trail, 9.5-mile out-and-back
The name is apt: The view from above resembles a painted backdrop from an old western. Pole Creek winds through meadows of lupine and paintbrush wild flowers before climbing to a viewpoint where several alpine lakes lie beneath a jagged Wind River ridgeline.
The 9.5-mile round-trip is a real workout for mileage alone, but the climb is mostly moderate. Visit on a weekday, and there’s every chance you’ll have a thorough approach, a strange and wonderful feeling to one of the most spectacular places in the range.
4. Lake Louise Trail, 4.8-mile out-and-back
We’re not sure which lake Lewis Lake was first named for – this lake or the lake in British Columbia – but when you’re looking at a turquoise glacier-fed lake surrounded by peaks, you won’t care. The Fitzpatrick Wilderness Trail up to the lake passes through a canyon where a towering waterfall tumbles with solemn intent, the mist cool and mineral-smelling even on a hot afternoon.
At just under 5 miles with manageable elevation gain, this is one of the best family hikes in Wind River. Bring lunch and plan to stay a while.
Bighorn Mountains
5. Mirror Lake and the Lost Twin Trail, 11.1-mile out-and-back
The Bighorns are Wyoming’s great secret – big, wild, and forever underestimated. And this trail is the crown jewel of the range: two stunning alpine lakes, continuous rocky cliffs that command your full attention, and sweeping mountain views that don’t appear in travel brochures because no one has been there to photograph them.
This is the top-rated hike in the Bighorns on AllTrails, but on a Tuesday afternoon it still sees a fraction of Yellowstone’s traffic. Prepare your quad. Reward them accordingly.
6. Mistymoon Trail, 13.6-mile out-and-back
Mistymoon is located at the base of Cloud Peak – the highest peak in the Bighorns at 13,171 feet – and the trail to reach it is spectacular. There are waterfalls along the way, the lake itself is cool and impossibly clear, and if you camp here, you’ll wake up with Cloud Peak directly above. Day hikers who walk the entire 13.6 miles should get an early start.
7. Shell Falls Interpretive Trail, 0.4-mile loop
Half a mile is enough. Shell Creek drops 120 feet into a granite canyon, and the sound alone – a roar you feel before you hear – is worth the stop. This trail is completely wheelchair-accessible, and you get to an absolutely spectacular waterfall that asks almost nothing of you. The best hikes don’t have to be difficult.
Medicine Bow/Snowy Range
8. Libby Creek Trail, 4.2-mile loop
While the lakes just off the highway see some traffic, Libby Creek runs quietly through fragrant lodgepole pines, largely undisturbed. The loop follows the creek for most of its length – the sound of moving water is constant – passing small waterfalls, clearings of wild flowers and the occasional moose. Dogs are welcome, and the trail can be accessed from the Green Rock parking area.
9. Medicine Bow Peak and Lakes Trail Loop, 7-mile loop
Medicine Bow Peak, at 12,013 feet, is the highest point in southern Wyoming, and the loop to its summit passes through some of the most concentrated alpine beauty in the state: multiple lakes that catch the sky, rocky tundra that looms beneath feet, and 360-degree views at the top that stretch from Colorado to the Snowy Range. The loop means every mile is new terrain. Go in early summer to catch the most dangerous wild flowers.
10. Lewis Lake, South Gap Lake and Snowy Mountain Trail, 2.9-mile out-and-back
The Snowy Range, just 45 minutes from Laramie, packs an unreasonable amount of alpine scenery into a very short distance. Lake Louise is immediately visible, its surface a flat silver mirror against the surrounding peaks. The trail winds through rocky terrain and fields of wild flowers to South Gap Lake, and the adventurous can continue for a 1.5-mile scenic hike to North Gap Lake. Start early on the weekend and you’ll have the first miles.
Wyoming Does not demand your attention. It is not needed. The 10 trails here were chosen because they reward the people who actually show up, who drive the extra hour past the turnoff everyone else does, who shoulder a pack on a Tuesday, who follow a trail marker to an intersection with no gift shop at the end. Go find your peace and solace.
This article is sponsored by Wyoming Tourism Office.
