The wind river winding through the badlands of Dubois Wyoming during a brilliant autumn
A hiker takes in the beauty of the Braccia Cliffs ofthe Absaroka Range west of Dubois
The Wind River Valley a is where ancient geology meets today’s adventurer, where an adventurous day of moving cattle from horseback, can be followed by an evening of fine dining and fine art. Wide expanses of country enrich the senses, from sage on the morning air, or the cry of an eagle, to the sight of majestic snow-covered mountain peaks. The vivid landscape is rich with the juxtaposition of a festival of the color, sounds, and sights of breathtaking wonder. The Red Desert’s Badlands stand starkly against the stark contrast of the magnificent Absaroka and Wind River Mountains that serrate the skyline in the background. The deep curve of the Wind River Valley is shaped by the snowcapped Wind River Range to the West and the Absaroka and Owl Creek ranges on the east, forming a cottonwood-lined bottom that many consider one of the most beautiful areas in Wyoming.
From the highest peak in the state (Gannett Peak, at 13,785 feet), down through a valley laced with1850’s wagon train routes, still showing signs of deeply rutted wagon tracks, and on across the authentic cultural sites of the starkly beautiful Wind River Indian Reservation,
A spring creek reflects the glory of the badlands of Dubois Wyoming
The west is alive and well in the Wind River Valley, a traveler may find a highway briefly blocked with a cattle drive, right through town. When you experience firsthand the vast array of terrain and geological wonders, it’ll become clear why so many activities center on our great outdoors. The Wind River Valley hosts a couple thousand miles of great fishing streams, plenty of trails for riding or hiking, and It is home to two state parks and two national forests for even more recreational opportunities! Vacation highlights that range from rodeos and Powwows to sled dog races, jazz festivals, a mountain man rendezvous and hot air balloon rally! And with pronghorn antelope numbering nearly as high as the human population, you’ll find there’s plenty of elbowroom during any season, to enjoy your vacation. The only thing Wind River Country doesn’t have is the crowds of its famous neighbors, Jackson Hole and Yellowstone.
A sizable portion of the valley belongs to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Indian tribes of the Wind River Indian Reservation, a place of productive ranches and spectacular wilderness reaching up to the Continental Divide. The Wind River Indian Reservation hosts a couple of casinos and some great, permit only, trout water.
The beautiful Towgotte Trail, hwy 191 winds its way through the Absoraka Mountains on its way to Jackson Hole and Yellowstone over Towgotte Pass.
The largest towns of the Wind River Valley are Riverton is a thriving community of 10,000 people located in the heart of Wyoming’s Wind River Country. Lander, which is nestled against the foothills of the Wind River Mountains on the banks of the Popo Agie River where Fremont County history began. Lander saw the first white trappers in 1811 became a small military post in 1869 and now borders the Wind River Indian Reservation. Dubois is an authentic old west town with historic buildings and the mighty Wind River running through. Majestic high mountains surround the area and down town has boardwalks that you can stroll and become acquainted with the variety of stores and wares. Then there are the smaller communities like Shoshone, Fort Washakie, and the historical gold-mining town of Atlantic City.
The Togwotee Trail, US highway 26-287, west of Dubois is one of the West's most beautiful and diverse regions, abundant wildlife, geographic wonders and a rich history makes it one of the most popular routes to Yellowstone National Park; some stay and never travel any farther.
Backpackers and hikers to the Wind River Mountains can choose from nearly 800 miles of trails in the range's vast, stunning beauty. Over 150 glaciers work the Winds, calling out to hikers and climbers alike. Naturally, the Winds are studded with lakes and creeks, themselves teeming with rainbow, cutthroat, golden, brook, German brown, and Mackinaw trout. Being part of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem visitors often see the prodigious wildlife this eco-system is host to.
One of the world's most magnificent big game animals, the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, is showcased in the Dubois area, both indoors and outdoors. The Whiskey Mountain Wildlife Habitat Area, just minutes from town, is home to North America's largest wintering herd of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. And the National Bighorn Sheep Interpretive Center, in downtown Dubois, provides an awe-inspiring venue for the country's most impressive display of these majestic creatures.
Hunters will find remote wilderness elk like Teddy Roosevelt did when he hunted Wyoming in the late 1800's. The Wind River Valley also has top quality Antelope, Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep, and Moose hunts.
There is never a shortage of magnificent views and adventures to match in the Wind River country.
Ramshorn Peak, Dubois Wyoming
Dunior Valley
Bighorn Sheep, Whisky Mountain just south of Dubois Wyoming
Dogsledding up Horse Creek, outside of Dubois WY in the Absoraka Mountain Range
Sinks Canyon, Wind River Mountains, Lander Wyoming
Old Town, Lander Wyoming
You can visit a Sue the Bull Elk at the Antler Gallery on the North side of Dubois Wyoming
Greater Yellowstone News
Will This Law Eliminate NPS Film Permits?
Attention videographers;
Those who would like to send a message to their elected representatives in the House and the Senate can now visit the Democracy IO link below, which provides a quick, painless method by which you can find and message your reps in a matter of seconds. Just go to the link below, as well as the Google Doc linked below that, copy the FLREA Letter to Reps in Google Docs, then paste that into the comment section in the Democracy IO link. This takes less than two minutes, and you'll rest well, knowing that you took action to affect change for the benefit of future generations of our people. Democracy.io: https://democracy.io/#!/
Backpacking The Thorofare in Yellowstone – The Most Remote Place in the US Lower 48 ~
The logistics of planning a backpacking trip in Yellowstone are a bit tricky but manageable. The biggest challenge is the lack of commercial airline service in Wyoming. Cody, West Yellowstone, and Jackson Hole airports are all extremely expensive, offer few options, and almost always require a connection. Rental car availability and price can also be a challenge in those markets. I have opted for Salt Lake City for all my Yellowstone trips as the logistics, aside from a long drive, are easier to manage at a fraction of the price. ........ Rest of the story
Fire is good;
Yellowstone has long been shaped by fire and not just the cool, creeping ground fires often described as "good" for grass production. The natural history of fire in the park includes large-scale conflagrations sweeping across the park's vast volcanic plateaus. Most Americans steeped in Smokey the Bear's "Only you can prevent forest fires!" mantra, the very thought that forest fires might have a positive side seemed preposterous. We all learned this as children and it is damned hard to change, as our indoctrination to this policy was total. ...... Learn More
A forest reborn
The Greater Yellowstone Bald Eagle:
Bald Eagles are again a common site along the rivers and lakes of the Greater Yellowstone Region, and they always bring a thrill to Yellowstone visitors when they set their eyes on one of these magnificent birds. The thrill of seeing our national bird soar above never fails to awe a spectator........ read more
Is social media ruining our nature excursions?
Social media, the curse and blessing of the twenty-first century. A focus on the evolution of the problem inflicted on nature, ways of to mitigate how it affects our beautiful places, our wildlife, our experience. Dichotomies and conundrums to ponder. Since the advent of the digital photography and its ease of use and economy after initial investment, America and the world have hit the road and the road comes back to us on our social media. .................... rest of article Addendum, this is getting worse than ever.
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Study: More elk killed by cougars than by wolves in Idaho:More elk are being killed by cougars than by wolves in Idaho, a study by the state Department of Fish and Game has found.The study found that wolves accounted for 32% of adult female elk deaths and 28% of elk calf deaths, while cougars accounted for 35% of adult female elk deaths and 45% of elk calf deaths. The study also found ............ rest of story
Return of the Yellowstone cutthroat trout by Kelsey Dayton
The water in Atlantic Creek in the remote Thorofare region of Yellowstone National Park was clear. So clear that Dave Sweet could see the fish before he even cast. They were everywhere: dozens of beautiful trout with distinctive red slashes under their jaws. Sweet had journeyed for two days on horseback to the major spawning tributaries of Yellowstone Lake for those fish. Over the next few days he and his daughter would see thousands of Yellowstone cutthroat trout and catch some as long as 25 inches. But just as exciting were the younger, smaller fish. They, Sweet realized, mark a turning point in a battle to save a species..................... Rest Of Story
Huge Yellowstone Cutthroat trout
The Resort Town Curse by Daryl L. Hunter
In 1962 as a child my family went through Carmel California, and after my exclaimation how beautiful the place was, my mother explained to me that it was against the law to cut down a tree in the town and it was so beautiful. I wondered why every town didn't do that. A few years later my hometown, San Luis Obispo, did enact all kinds of restricted zoning like Carmel's as a part of an urban renewal plan, and now I couldn't afford to move back there if I wanted to. This town is now populated with what they call "Grey Gold", rich retired people that ran up the property values so high that native born could no longer afford to live there. I have lived in many resort towns since, and I have noticed a trend. I am attracted to them when they are still little, quaint and undiscovered, but it usually isn't long before word spreads about the next great place. .............. Rest of story
A Protective Firewall For Grizzlies By Daryl L. Hunter
The delisting of the Yellowstone Grizzly Bear is imminent and this we should celebrate (''''dancing''''). Now that our happy dance is complete, we must ensure the grizzlies' recovery is permanent. To ensure "continuity of achievement," the grizzlies need a firewall to protect the success of this achievement from human foible.
The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee was formed in 1983 to help ensure recovery of viable grizzly bear populations and their habitat in the lower 48 states through interagency coordination of policy, planning, management, and research. Many people have been working on this recovery for decades, for some; it has been most of their career. I can understand why the delisting of the grizzly before their retirement is their goal. A metaphorical gold watch if you will.
Many will argue differently,................. Rest of Article
Grizzly 399 and her quadruplets doing their part in Grizzly Recovery in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
The Grand Teton Photo and Field Guide is an encapsulation of the flora, fauna, and photography of Jackson Hole Wyoming and Grand Teton National Park. Also included are thumbnails of the history and geology of the valley. This book is for all visitors with a desire to seek out wildlife, photograph the landscape, or merely learn about the history, geology, and lay of the land of Grand Teton National Park. The author provides general overviews including hot links with more in-depth descriptions of subjects of individual interest.
In the “Lay of the Land” section, includes the obvious highlights along the loop through Grand Teton Park. Hot links to side roads will give you more in-depth description of side roads and feeder roads and their highlights. Also included are descriptions of all two-rut roads that are legal to travel on in Grand Teton Park. GPS links to Google Maps are provided throughout.
As a field guide, profiles of most of animals and birds in the area are described. Jackson Hole is full of wildlife but there are places where animals are, and there are places where they are not. It is a waste of time to scrutinize a landscape devoid of what you are looking for, so this guide narrows options down to the hot spots. I provide maps of the likeliest places to find the popular critters of Grand Teton National Park. I also touch on trees, shrubs, and wildflowers with minimal explanations.
Huge Bull Moose, dwarfed by the giant peaks of hte Grand Tetons.
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The grandeur of Grand Teton Park has made it one of the most photographed places in the world. The opportunity to harness multiple juxtapositional elements has drawn photographers for over a century since William Henry Jackson took the first photos here in 1878. Grand Teton Park’s plethora of famous vistas are profiled as well as many which are less clichéd that can bring new perspectives of a well-documented landscape. Grand Tetons’ iconic landscape photo opportunities are described in detail; however, they barely scratch the surface of opportunities as it takes a photographer with an artist’s eye to unveil as they follow their own intuition and vision. The author who shies away from clichéd landscapes provides a chapter of his favorite places that aren’t landscape clichés.
In the photography section the author includes chapters on composition, exposure basics, when to shoot and why. Daryl has summarized what he teaches in his, half day, Grand Teton workshops in a simple concise way.
If you are only in Grand Teton Park for a day there is a chapter called the “Portfolio Packer Morning Trip,” that does just that, all the icons and several favorite places in a five our blitz. But it is better to spend more time and dig deep into the embarrassment of riches of Grand Teton National Park................. More Info
