Top Backpacking Trails in Wyoming
20 routes. Each page shows when we last checked it. Updated October 2026.
The Wyoming trips on this site fall into four mountain regions. In the northwest, Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks hold routes like the Teton Crest Trail, the Bechler River Trail past waterfalls and hot springs, and the Thorofare Trail along Yellowstone Lake, with Alaska Basin and the Beartooth Plateau on neighboring national forest land. The Wind River Range has granite cirques and lake basins such as the Cirque of the Towers and Titcomb Basin. The Bighorn Mountains hold the Cloud Peak Wilderness and the Solitude Loop, and southern Wyoming adds the Snowy Range and the lower, warmer Platte River Wilderness.
Many trips reach lakes and passes between about 9,000 and 11,000 feet, and snow can linger on high trails into July; Grand Teton says August and September are typically more enjoyable. Expect afternoon thunderstorms, cold nights, creek fords, and early snow in fall. Access roads close for winter: the Beartooth Highway is already closed for the season, and Yellowstone says most park roads close to regular vehicles in early November.
The national parks require backcountry permits and assign designated sites or camping zones, while the national forest trips here mostly need no permit for individuals; the Cloud Peak Wilderness requires a free self-issued registration. Grizzlies live across much of the northwest and the Wind River Range, so carry bear spray and follow each agency’s food storage rules, including Grand Teton’s canister requirement.
Quick picks
- Easier overnight: Slough Creek Trail (First and Second Meadows)
- High-pass traverse: Teton Crest Trail (Granite Canyon or the tram to String Lake)
- Waterfalls and hot springs: Bechler River Trail (Lone Star Geyser to Bechler Ranger Station)
- Multi-day loop: Solitude Loop (Solitude Trail #038)
- Longest trip: Thorofare Trail (Nine Mile Trailhead to the Thorofare Ranger Station)
Bighorn Mountains
- Lost Twin Lakes from West Tensleep Cloud Peak Wilderness, Bighorn National Forest (West Tensleep Trailhead north of Ten Sleep) 12 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping; free self-issued registration required
- Mistymoon Lake and Cloud Peak from West Tensleep Cloud Peak Wilderness, Bighorn National Forest (West Tensleep Trailhead north of Ten Sleep) 23 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping; free self-issued registration required
- Seven Brothers Lakes Cloud Peak Wilderness, Bighorn National Forest (east side, west of Buffalo) 11.2 miles Moderate Dispersed wilderness camping; free self-issued registration required
- Solitude Loop (Solitude Trail #038) Cloud Peak Wilderness, Bighorn National Forest (west of Buffalo and east of Ten Sleep) 59 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping; free self-issued registration required
Grand Teton
- Marion Lake and Granite Canyon (Teton Village tram to Granite Canyon) Grand Teton National Park (Teton Village and Granite Canyon Trailhead, south end of the park) 15 miles Hard Grand Teton backcountry camping zones; permit required
- Paintbrush Canyon and Cascade Canyon Loop (Paintbrush Divide and Lake Solitude) Grand Teton National Park (String Lake Trailhead) 19 miles Hard Grand Teton backcountry camping zones and Holly Lake sites; permit required
- Teton Crest Trail (Granite Canyon or the tram to String Lake) Grand Teton National Park, Jedediah Smith Wilderness (Caribou-Targhee National Forest) and Bridger-Teton National Forest (Teton Pass, Granite Canyon or Teton Village to String Lake) 39 miles Hard Grand Teton backcountry camping zones (permit required); no permit on national forest land in Alaska Basin
Northwest Wyoming
- Alaska Basin via Teton Canyon (Basin Lakes and Sunset Lake) Jedediah Smith Wilderness, Caribou-Targhee National Forest (Teton Canyon Trailhead near Alta, west side of the Tetons) 16.6 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping; no permit reported on national forest land
- Beartooth High Lakes: Island Lake to Night, Beauty and Native Lakes Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness area, Shoshone National Forest (Island Lake Trailhead on the Beartooth Highway, US 212) 6.3 miles Moderate Dispersed backcountry camping; no permit reported
Southern Wyoming
- Platte River Wilderness: Douglas Creek Trail Platte River Wilderness, Medicine Bow National Forest (Pelton Creek and Douglas Creek trailheads, south of Laramie near Foxpark) 9.5 miles Moderate Dispersed wilderness camping; 100 feet from water and trails
- Snowy Range Gap Lakes and Medicine Bow Peak Loop Snowy Range, Medicine Bow National Forest (Brooklyn Lake area west of Laramie and Centennial) 15.6 miles Hard Dispersed camping on national forest land; no camping within 500 feet of Highway 130 outside campgrounds
Wind River Range
- Cirque of the Towers via Big Sandy and Jackass Pass Bridger Wilderness (Bridger-Teton National Forest) and Popo Agie Wilderness (Shoshone National Forest), Big Sandy Trailhead south of Pinedale 18 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping; no camping within a quarter mile of Lonesome Lake
- Glacier Trail to Phillips and Double Lakes Fitzpatrick Wilderness, Shoshone National Forest (Trail Lake Trailhead near Dubois) 22 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping; no permit reported
- Stough Creek Lakes from Worthen Meadows Popo Agie Wilderness, Shoshone National Forest (Worthen Meadows Reservoir near Lander) 20.1 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping; no permit reported
- Titcomb Basin via Elkhart Park and Island Lake Bridger Wilderness, Bridger-Teton National Forest (Elkhart Park Trailhead near Pinedale) 29 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping; no campfires at Island Lake and above
Yellowstone
- Bechler River Trail (Lone Star Geyser to Bechler Ranger Station) Yellowstone National Park, southwest corner (Lone Star Geyser Trailhead near Old Faithful to the Bechler Ranger Station and Cave Falls area) 30 miles Hard Designated Yellowstone backcountry campsites; permit required
- Heart Lake and Mount Sheridan Yellowstone National Park (Heart Lake Trailhead, South Entrance area) 23.7 miles Hard Designated Yellowstone backcountry campsites; permit required
- Shoshone Lake and Shoshone Geyser Basin (DeLacy Creek to Lone Star Geyser) Yellowstone National Park (DeLacy Creek and Lone Star Geyser trailheads, Old Faithful to West Thumb road) 21.2 miles Moderate Designated Yellowstone backcountry campsites; permit required
- Slough Creek Trail (First and Second Meadows) Yellowstone National Park, northern range (Slough Creek Trailhead near Slough Creek Campground, Tower area) 8.6 miles Moderate Designated Yellowstone backcountry campsites; permit required
- Thorofare Trail (Nine Mile Trailhead to the Thorofare Ranger Station) Yellowstone National Park, Yellowstone Lake east shore and the upper Yellowstone River (Nine Mile Trailhead on the East Entrance Road) 66.2 miles Hard Designated Yellowstone backcountry campsites; permit required
Backpacking in Wyoming: common questions
Do you need a permit to backpack in Wyoming?
It depends on who manages the land. Yellowstone requires a backcountry permit for every overnight stay and lets you reserve about 75% of its sites on Recreation.gov, while Grand Teton requires a permit for every night and offers one-third of its sites, plus all group sites, for reservation starting January 10, with the rest given out in person no more than a day ahead. On the national forest trips on this site, such as the Wind River Range, Alaska Basin, and the Snowy Range, no permit was found for individual backpackers, but the Cloud Peak Wilderness in the Bighorns requires a free, self-issued registration at the trailhead. Rules vary by managing agency, so check with the park or ranger district before you go.
Do you need a bear canister in Wyoming?
In Grand Teton, yes: the park requires IGBC-approved bear canisters, bans hanging food, and loans canisters free with your permit. Yellowstone provides a food pole or box at every backcountry site and says to bring your own rope of 35 feet or more for the poles. On the Bridger-Teton (order 04-03-23-201) and Shoshone (order SHO-23-002) national forests, food storage orders in effect from March 1 to December 1 require food and other attractants to be attended, hung at least 10 feet up and 4 feet from a tree or pole, or kept in an IGBC-certified container. Grizzlies range across the northwest and the Wind River Range, so carry bear spray and check the current order for your area.
When is the best time to backpack in Wyoming?
Late summer is the usual season. Grand Teton says snow can cover high trails into July and that backpacking there is typically more enjoyable in August and September, and the Heart Lake Trail in Yellowstone is closed April 1 through June 30 for bear activity. Fall brings early snow, and many access roads close: the Beartooth Highway is closed for the season, Yellowstone says most park roads close to regular vehicles in early November, and WYO 130 over the Snowy Range closes each November. Check road status and the forecast before a late-season trip.
Can you camp anywhere in Wyoming's backcountry?
Not in the national parks. Yellowstone allows camping only at designated sites, with stays of 1 to 3 nights, and Grand Teton assigns camping zones where you can camp anywhere within the zone but can't build campfires in mountain zones. On national forest land, dispersed camping is common but setbacks apply, such as 200 feet from lakes and designated trails and 100 feet from streams in the Bridger Wilderness, and 100 feet from water in the Cloud Peak Wilderness, where only chemical stoves are allowed above 9,200 feet. Check the rules for the wilderness or park you're visiting.
Are there closures or fire restrictions in Wyoming right now?
As of mid-October 2026, Grand Teton lists the Death Canyon Road and Trailhead as closed to all use into June 2027 and the Moose-Wilson Road between the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve and Moose closed through November 15, with Granite Canyon and the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort tram named as other ways into the area. Stage 1 fire restrictions began July 22, 2026 in Grand Teton and on the Bridger-Teton, and on July 24 on the Medicine Bow National Forest under an order that runs through December 31, 2026 unless rescinded; we couldn't confirm whether either has been lifted. Check the park's road construction page and the forest's alerts page before you go.
Can you bring a dog backpacking in Wyoming?
Not in the national parks: pets aren't allowed in Grand Teton's backcountry or on Yellowstone's trails. Some national forest trips allow dogs: in Alaska Basin they're allowed on the forest but can't go past Buck Mountain Pass into Grand Teton, and Hiking Project lists Forest Service guidance for the Popo Agie Wilderness to keep dogs leashed or under control. Rules vary by managing agency, so check before you bring a dog, especially in grizzly country.
Where this comes from
- National Park Service: Yellowstone backcountry hiking and permits
- National Park Service: Yellowstone park roads (Oct. 13, 2026)
- National Park Service: Grand Teton backcountry know before you go
- National Park Service: Grand Teton road construction
- Recreation.gov: Grand Teton National Park backcountry permits
- U.S. Forest Service: Bridger-Teton food storage order 04-03-23-201
- U.S. Forest Service: Shoshone NF camping, food and attractant storage restrictions
- U.S. Forest Service: Cloud Peak Wilderness order 02-02-26-01
- U.S. Forest Service: Medicine Bow NF Stage 1 fire prohibitions order 02-06-00-26-205
- Teton Interagency Fire: Stage 1 fire restrictions from July 22, 2026