Stough Creek Lakes from Worthen Meadows

Popo Agie Wilderness, Shoshone National Forest (Worthen Meadows Reservoir near Lander)

Stough Creek Lakes fill a high basin below Roaring Fork Mountain in the Popo Agie Wilderness, the southeastern corner of the Wind River Range above Lander. The Forest Service says the Popo Agie Wilderness holds more than 300 lakes and ponds and more than 20 summits over 12,000 feet, topped by Wind River Peak at 13,225 feet.

The trip starts at Worthen Meadows Reservoir, crosses a 10,550-foot pass, and drops into a basin of lakes between about 10,500 and 11,300 feet, according to one trip report. Hiking Project lists the basin out-and-back at 20.1 miles.

The hike

From Lander, the drive climbs through Sinks Canyon to Worthen Meadows at about 8,800 feet. Landscape Imagery’s 2006 trip report gives the route as Sinks Canyon Road to Louis Lake Road (FR 300) and then FR 302.

The first stretch is easy. A Backcountry Post trip report from 2012 says the Stough Creek trail climbs gently for about half a mile to Roaring Fork Lake. Past the lake, Hiking Project says the trail splits: left toward Leg Lake, right toward Stough Creek, which requires wading Roaring Fork Creek because there is no footbridge. TrailGroove’s June 2012 trip described the ford at the lake outlet as “thigh-high” and “numbing cold.” Hiking Project also mentions crude planks over a muddy stream near the lake.

The trail then climbs about 1,700 feet. TrailGroove passed a boardwalk across a marsh near 9,500 feet about 2 miles in and reached an open meadow at the 10,550-foot pass, with a view of Wind River Peak, about 5 miles in. Landscape Imagery reports that the first major lake, at 10,484 feet, is about a mile south of the Stough Creek trail junction.

The basin is the destination. Hiking Project describes “many lakes” and says the larger ones offer good camping and fishing, but warns that the network of connecting trails calls for a map and compass. A 2020 High Sierra Topix report says many Stough Creek lakes are overpopulated with brook trout and fish sizes are declining. Landscape Imagery caught brook and cutthroat trout in 2006, including a 14-inch cutthroat.

Hiking Project offers two longer options from the same trailhead: a 15.3-mile loop that returns over a rough saddle from Leg Lake, with “waist-high bushwhacking” and talus, and a 32.3-mile Stough Creek-Pinto Park loop with views toward the Cirque of the Towers.

For the Cirque itself, see Cirque of the Towers via Big Sandy.

Tips

Bring ford shoes for Roaring Fork Creek, especially before late summer.
Hang food well or use a canister. Forum replies describe a bear raiding a poorly hung camp here.
Carry a map and compass for the trail network in the basin.
Expect afternoon storms. Trip reports from 2006 and 2012 both describe storms, rain, and hail.
Plan for mosquitoes. TrailGroove says they persist into late summer.

Camping

TrailGroove says “no permits are needed” for the area. Hiking Project lists Forest Service guidance to camp 200 feet from trails and water, keep dogs leashed or under control, and suspend food 10 feet up and 4 feet out or use a bear-resistant container. The Shoshone National Forest’s food and attractant storage order (SHO-23-002) applies March 1 to December 1. We couldn’t read the forest’s full wilderness rules, so confirm group size and campfire limits with the Washakie Ranger District.

Inside Intel: Landscape Imagery’s author camped on a hill west of the first major lake (10,484 feet), in a pine grove, choosing a spot away from natural depressions because of rain. The 2012 Backcountry Post group camped in the middle of the basin and later at a lake beyond the “8”-shaped lake, and called the basin a good fallback: “Worst case, we spend a few relaxing days in Stough Creek.”

Trail facts

Distance: 20.1 miles round trip to explore the basin (Hiking Project); trail #702 is about 8.6-8.7 miles one way
Route type: Out and back (loop options to Leg Lake or Pinto Park)
Difficulty: Moderately strenuous
High point: About 10,550 feet at the pass
Campsites: Dispersed in Stough Creek Basin
Water: Lakes and streams; treat it
Permits: None reported
Fords: Roaring Fork Creek near the start
Bears: Food storage order March 1-December 1
Trailhead: Worthen Meadows Reservoir, above Sinks Canyon near Lander
Last verified: October 12, 2026

The Lowdown

A thigh-high ford of Roaring Fork Creek:

The way to Stough Creek Lakes requires wading Roaring Fork Creek, with no footbridge; one June trip found it thigh-high and numbing cold. Five tips for that crossing.

See the water-crossing tips →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.