Trekking the Wind River High Route, Wyoming: A Practical Guide

The Wind River High Route is one of North America’s great off-trail backpacking challenges: roughly 95 to 100 miles through Wyoming’s Wind River Range, about two-thirds of it cross-country, crossing nine high passes and two glaciers and topping two 13,000-foot peaks. Popularized by long-distance hiker Andrew Skurka, the classic variant runs from Bruce’s Bridge near Lander to the Trail Lake trailhead — a 7- to 10-day journey through some of the most spectacular and least-visited alpine country in the Lower 48. This is expert terrain: route-finding, weather, and self-reliance are entirely on you.

The classic route at a glance

Skurka’s line starts at Bruce’s Bridge on the range’s southern end and finishes at Trail Lake in the north, threading the high country between the great trail corridors. Highlights along commonly followed variants include the Alpine Lakes basin, Europe Canyon, the Knapsack Col area above the Cirque of the Towers, and high passes such as Jackass, Texas, Raid Peak, and Photo passes — exact passes vary by variant, so pick one established line and study it thoroughly. Expect around 60,000 feet of total elevation change: the route is never technically harder than Class 3 scrambling, but the cumulative effort at altitude, off-trail, is what makes it “extremely difficult” in every trip report.

Alternative: the west-side high loop

If the full point-to-point logistics feel daunting, the Pinedale side offers a popular alternative: start at Big Sandy trailhead and arrange a shuttle or car spot with Elkhart Park, creating an 80- to 90-mile loop that samples long high-route sections with easier logistics. This still demands off-trail travel through the same demanding basins, but the trailhead access and resupply math are friendlier. Whichever variant you choose, plan your water, your bailouts, and your escape routes before you leave — some sections are more than a day from the nearest trail.

Permits and logistics

The Bridger Wilderness, managed by the Bridger-Teton National Forest, is widely reported to have no quota or reservation system — the standard practice is a free self-issued registration at the trailhead. That said, regulations can change, so confirm current requirements on the forest’s site before you go. The range is also grizzly country, increasingly so in the northern half: carry bear spray, and plan food storage carefully, because much of the route sits above treeline where hanging is impossible — hikers typically use bear canisters or Ursacks and stash them on rock ledges away from camp.

Best window: late July to September

Late July through September is the standard season, but it is a narrow and fickle one. Early in the window, snowfields can still cover high passes and complicate route-finding; by September, days shorten and early snowstorms have stranded parties — a real and repeatedly reported hazard. August is generally the sweet spot for snow-free passes and (relatively) stable weather, but afternoon thunderstorms are a daily feature all season: be off high ridges and passes by early afternoon, and carry a shelter and warm layers rated for below-freezing nights even in August.

Skills you actually need

Do not attempt the high route as your first off-trail trip. You should be comfortable reading contour lines, navigating by map and compass when the GPS dies, crossing snowfields with an ice axe, and judging weather in exposed terrain. Fitness matters as much as skill: consecutive 10- to 15-mile days at 11,000-plus feet, off-trail, with a full pack, will humble strong trail hikers. Build up on shorter Wind River trips first — the Cirque of the Towers and Titcomb Basin are superb shakedown objectives — and be honest about whether you are ready for nine passes with no trail.