Wind River Indian Reservation August 2021

During the first week of August 2021 I made a 6-day backpacking trip to the Wind River Range, my fourth trip to the range over five years.  This year I entered in the southeast portion the range located on the Wind River Indian Reservation.  I entered via the St. Laurance Guard Station, and I trekked through the Wilson Creek, Sonnicant and Heebeecheeche lakes areas.

The area is big, remote and less visited than other portions of the range.  I saw fewer people than the previous year at Big Sandy, but the trails were clear and perhaps better maintained than I expected.  The sheer number of alpine lakes and their size especially Sonnnicant and Heebeecheeche is boggling and a bit intimidating for the fly fisherman.  However, all, including the smaller and “no-name” lakes are filled with generous cutthroat trout.

I will be back.   

Backpacking and flyfishing the Wind River Indian Reservation