08/04/05 Slide Lake Trail (11 miles round trip):
Got here yesterday along a really rough, washer board road. Checked out Lower Green River Lake and got a beautiful view of Square Top Mountain and some other peaks at the south end of the lake.
Woke up this morning about 6am to a lot of fog rising up off the Green River and watched it come and go in the valley for the next hour. The mountain tops and ridges were basking in bright sunlight while I was socked in with heavy fog. It was obviously going to burn off so off I went, even though I could only see about 30 feet in front of me.
Slide Lake Trail looked to be the most difficult of the trails I planned to do here so I wanted to get it out of the way first. The Highline Trail and the Green River Lake Trail (which turns into the Porcupine Trail) both leave from the same area of the parking lot.
The Highline Trail dips down to Lower Green River Lake, across a bridge along the east side of the lake. The fog wasn't so bad here and soon cleared up completely. I watched a bald eagle fly directly overhead but that was the end of the wildlife for the day.
Lower Green River Lake is 2 miles long and I picked up the Clear Creek Trail at the end of the lake and followed it 1 mile to the Slide Lake Trail junction. I crossed a large meadow with huge jagged peaks in Clear Creek Canyon rising from it way off to the east.
On the other side of the meadow I had to cross Slide Creek. A partially submerged log looked kinda slippery so I went upstream a few yards where several small logs had been laid across the creek. They looked kinda flimsy so I went upstream a few more yards where a good sized tree fell across the creek. It would have been ideal but the root system prevented me from getting near the trunk. So, back to the submerged log. It was slippery but my walking stick helped me stay upright. On the other side I could look downstream 50 yards and saw a real nice stable log bridge I used on the way back.
The trail had been easy to this point but on the other side of the creek it rises 800 feet in a mile or so. It then levels off for a mile or so. I found a cell phone on the trail and when I saw 4 horses tethered near some woods decided to see if it was theirs. Nobody was there, no gear, no saddles, no nothing. I figured they were up at Slide Lake and brought the horses back down to graze so I took the cell phone with me.
The trail turns steep shortly past there for a couple hundred yards. Eventually Slide Lake appears surrounded by the usual great walls and peaks... very pretty. Sure enough people were camped there. The saddles were there but not the people. They were off somewhere so I left the cell phone and a note where they'd find it and left.
Down below I saw 3 of the 4 horses were missing. Nothing I could do so I continued down the trail. 1/2 mile farther I found the 3 horses. What to do now? One had a halter (mom?) and 2 didn't (kids that would follow her?). Anyway, I tried to grab the rope but she didn't want me near her. Rather than chase and spook her, I went back to the horse still tethered and left another note. I met a family heading for the lake and asked them to tell the people up there about loose horses. Hope things worked out for them.
08/06/05 Clear Creek Natural Bridge (8.8 miles round trip):
More fog today but not as bad as yesterday.
The first 3 miles of this hike are the same as for Slide Lake (above). Walking along Lower Green River Lake I got the attention of an osprey who kept circling way overhead and cheeping at me. Dunno if it was trying to get me away from a nearby nest or what.
After passing the Slide Lake junction, the trail continues along the east side of the meadow with a burn area on the left. It follows the meadow to the end and then around to the other side. Here, it follows Clear Creek to the natural bridge.
The creek has bored a hole through solid rock about 50ft high and 30ft deep creating a cave through which the creek flows. The upstream entry to the cave is 40ft wide by 15 ft high and the exit is about 20 ft wide and only 4ft high.
Clear Lake is another 1.5 miles upstream. The trail disappears into 2 ft tall grass and I sank in mud up to my ankle. Lots of criss-crossed downed logs made me turn back. I tried to go up a steep hill but downed logs criss-crossed everywhere, a continuation of the burn area from 30 years ago.
08/07/05 Highline Trail (16.8 miles one way):
Today I planned on hiking out the Highline Trail as far as I wanted and then returning. Not as much fog as on previous days as I followed the same route as before. You can't see it from the lower lake but Upper Green River Lake is 1/2 mile farther on and just as pretty with an almost identical view of Square Top Mountain and the other peaks.
It was my hope to follow the trail up into the canyon with all those great peaks. When I got to the end of the upper lake I could see the Green River twisting and turning into the distance. It occurred to me that if I could paddle up through the fast moving waters between the lakes and get into the upper lake I could camp at the far end of the upper lake and use it as a jumping off point to get up into the canyon. With that thought in mind I only went a little farther the trail.
08/08/05 Green River Lakes (4.5 miles round trip):
Fog wasn't bad this morning. As I was having breakfast I watched a female moose come trotting up from the Green River, across a meadow and up into the woods. I double checked my paddling/camping gear last night and got everything ready to head out this morning.
I unloaded everything at the dirt boat launch between the campground and trailhead and then parked at the trailhead, No wind and partly sunny as I took almost an hour to paddle the two miles to the top of Lower Green River Lake. The only noise was water dripping off my paddle. The word serene comes to mind when I think back on that trip.
Popped into the mouth of the Green River and right away the current proved too much for me. So off came the pants and I started wading in 12" water wearing sandals and a bathing suit. Warm water and temperatures in the 70's, so it wasn't bad but also didn't last long. I had to get up on the bank and long grass with a bazillion mosquitoes. I had 15-20 of the little buggers on one leg just sucking away at my blood so on went the pants again. I didn't bother rolling them up, just waded back in when I had to.
I guess it was about 1/2-3/4 miles of twisting, winding river through meadows between lower and upper lakes, took over an hour. Once I got my bearings on the upper lake I headed for a beautiful camp site on the bottom of the upper lake with a wonderful view of Square Top Mountain at the far end of the narrow lake.
I had enough time to lay my pants and socks out to dry and set up camp before the wind and the dark clouds and the rains came. They didn't last long and the sun was soon out again, I took a short walk and came across two mink scampering over logs, into the water and back up on rocks. I sat and watched them for 10 minutes before the disappeared.
08/09/05 Highline Trail (miles 4-10):
This morning I paddled one mile to the top of Upper Green River Lake. As I neared the end I spotted a young bull moose out in the meadow grazing. I watched him for 10 minutes before he was spooked by a passing backpacker and took off for the trees.
I pulled the canoe up on shore, strapped on my butt pack and camera and off I went on the Highline Trail. It passes by Square Top Mountain and other peaks on the right and giant walls on the left. The trail is through the trees so I only had the occasional view.
08/11/05: Porcupine Trail(12 miles one way):
Porcupine Trail picks up from the Lakeside Trail at the top of Lower Green River Lake. Lakeside Trail starts in the campground between campsites 10 and 11. There are a few ups and downs along the lake. At 2.7 miles the junction to complete the lake loop is reached.
I had intended going out 6.5 miles to some great views on Porcupine Trail today and doing Twin Lakes/Shirley Lake in a day or two. I also expected to see Porcupine Falls 1/2 mile up the trail. But... I lost the trail after making the first ford of Porcupine Creek. I followed the trail which led me into some sopping wet meadows. That trail continued about 1/4 mile through wet, 2.5 foot grass and then disappeared. I guess it was an animal trail but I didn't find anything else.
That was pretty much the story for the 6 miles I went along the trail. No steep grades and mostly through the trees. I passed several large groups on the way back.
08/12/05 New Fork Lakes (about 4 miles round trip):
New Fork Lakes (lower & upper) are about 30 miles from Green River Lakes. I moved down here for the New Fork Lakes Trailhead and found two very nice lakes. Unlike Green River Lakes these are separated by a narrow section rather than a river.
I don't know when the last time I had the sea kayak in the water but I got it wet this morning. I put in mid-way up the lower lake, the larger of the two. Both of them are surrounded by forest for the most part except for the New Fork River Canyon at the far end of the upper lake.
I paddled a mile or so to the narrows and into the upper lake where I watched a couple of osprey soar and dive after fish. The canyon walls rise up close to 1000 feet and make for a great view on the way up. I didn't have to worry about views on the way back because a 5-10 mile wind was blowing in my face. Just what I needed on my first time out after so long and no muscles. I just kept up a short, steady stroke and made it back to the put in with no problems.
08/13/05 New Fork Trailhead (14 miles round trip to New Fork Park):
The area peaks were surrounded by heavy clouds and fog when I hit the trailhead this morning. Since the Wyoming clouds have yielded little rain this summer I continued on. The trail leads 1.5 miles along the slope above the upper lake, gradually dropping down to lakeside.
It then crosses an open area and comes to the Lowline Trail at 2 miles. New Fork Canyon is visible most of the way to make things interesting. Fog and sunlight were both pouring into the canyon but none of those pictures took.
Another mile later some pretty ponds and a great blue heron appeared and shortly after I entered the Bridger Wilderness. Big walls, peaks and crags rising 2000 feet could be seen through the trees with frequent open views of them.
New Fork River was very active along this section of the trail with small tumbling falls and pools. Above them at mile 5.6 is a narrow crossing with another .7 miles farther. A short climb and there was New Fork Park.
1.5 miles long a couple hundred yards wide of wooded meadow with 360 degrees of views. Elevation gain was only 750 feet.
08/15/05 Willow Lake:
I tried to get to the Spring Creek Trailhead but the last 2.5 miles of single lane road was too deeply eroded for me to continue. I had driven out Willow Lake Road to the Bridger National Forest and Willow Lake was only a mile farther so I went to check it out.
The lake is 5 or 6 miles long and 3/4 of a mile wide or so. It's surrounded by hills, mostly semi-rid covered with sagebrush. One side is covered with pine trees. The far end of the lake begins to get interesting with small, rounded mountains merging together.
A free campground with a couple empty sites drew me in and I launched the sea kayak and spent a couple hours paddling up to the far end and back.
08/16/05 Pole Creek Trail (9 miles round trip to Photographer's Point):
I got an early start and left Willow Lake about 7am, wanting to get to the Elkhart Trailhead in time for a decent hike. I had been here a couple of years ago and did remember hiking into Photographer's Point.
The sky was completely overcast this morning and for the entire day. More like a bleak November day on the east coast, no clouds, just gray. The Pole Creek Trail leads out of a large parking lot with more than 50 cars. The first few miles are up a gentle incline through forest.
I got to the White Pine Trail junction at 1.25 miles or so, the Photographer's Point junction at 2.8 miles and the Miller's Lake junction at 3.3 miles. No views so far, just forest.
Photographer's Point is a different story. The deep, Fremont Creek Canyon lies far, far below. Beyond this knobby rock cliffs rise up turning into jagged crags as far as the eye can see.
I was going to continue another mile to Elkhund Lake but got turned around somehow and was halfway back to the trailhead before I realized it. Coming back through a patch of woods I heard a strange roaring nearby that had the hairs on my neck standing up.
At first I heard something that was similar to a chain saw but was much deeper and only lasted a second or two at a time. Then I heard what might have been two barkless trees rubbing together. Then I heard what I'm sure was the roar of a grizzly bear. These noises were interspersed for close to a minute.
I stopped and listened and then started to go back up the trail and then decided to continue on. I got the pepper spray out and had that in my hand until I got to and crossed an open meadow. I didn't see anything at all and maybe I imagined some stuff but it sure got my adrenalin flowing.
08/19/05:
It's been raining and the forecast is for more rain so I'm outta here.