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In plain English
The Wind River Range is a long chain of granite peaks, glaciers and lakes in Wyoming. There are no lodges out there. You carry your tent and food, and you walk from one lake basin to the next. Towns like Pinedale and Lander are where you sleep in a real bed before and after, buy food and arrange rides.
Two forests share the range. The Forest Service says the Bridger Wilderness stretches about 80 miles along the Continental Divide, and that the Fitzpatrick Wilderness on the Shoshone side has 44 active glaciers and peaks above 13,000 feet.1,4 Each forest has its own rules, and the Forest Service warns that regulations change when you cross the Divide.1
This is bear country, so how you store food is a rule, not just a suggestion. A canister, a proper hang or another approved container decides how big your pack has to be. Because the mountains are high and remote, a pack that carries several days of food, a warm sleeping bag and a bear-safe food system is the whole point of the trip.
The Continental Divide Trail through Wyoming's Wind River Range is one of the trail's most remote and rugged high-alpine stretches, crossing the Bridger-Teton and Shoshone National Forests among granite peaks, glaciers, and basins strung with lakes. There are no lodges out here — every night on this section means wilderness camping, so the real planning question isn't which hotel to book but how self-sufficient you can be between resupplies.
Why hike here
What draws hikers into the Winds is the sheer concentration of alpine scenery packed into one stretch of the Divide — sharp granite spires rising straight out of basins full of lakes, a scattering of small glaciers clinging to north faces, and passes that put you above treeline for miles at a stretch. Many hikers detour off the main CDT line to take in the Cirque of the Towers, a horseshoe of jagged peaks that's become one of the range's signature sights, then rejoin the trail further along. Days here alternate between exposed granite benches and basins thick with wildflowers and tarns, and because the range sees far fewer people than the trail's more famous sections, the solitude is part of the draw as much as the rock itself.
Getting there
The two towns hikers use to reach this stretch of the Winds are Pinedale and Lander, both in Wyoming, with hotels, motels, and outfitters that serve as resupply points before and after the high country. Most people fly into a regional airport with connections from a larger hub, then finish the trip by road, since the trailheads themselves sit well outside either town down forest roads maintained by the Bridger-Teton and Shoshone National Forests. Because access points are spread out and services thin, it's worth arranging your shuttle or vehicle logistics between Pinedale, Lander, and your chosen trailhead before you set out.
Where to stay
The realistic options, closest-to-the-trail first. Book through the official links — we don't list prices or availability because they change all the time.
For example: Established backcountry sites among the granite peaks, lakes and basins
Thru-hikers and backpackers — the Winds are pure wilderness camping.
Check current permit and camping rules with the Forest Service; food storage in bear country is a legal requirement on the Bridger-Teton.
Wilderness camping (Forest Service rules)For example: Hotels and motels in the gateway towns used for resupply
Hikers coming off-trail to resupply and rest.
Pinedale and Lander are the classic Wind River resupply and access towns.
Nearby-town lodging
Permits & rules
Permit and registration rules differ by wilderness and national forest, so check with the Forest Service before you go. Food storage in bear country is a legal requirement (Forest Order) on the Bridger-Teton National Forest, not just advice, and you must be fully self-sufficient. The Winds are remote and high — many hikers take the rugged Cirque of the Towers high-route variant — so carry proper gear, watch the afternoon storms, and know your bailout options.
Gear you'll want for this trip
Matched to the terrain and conditions here. Real products — check current price on Amazon.
Two forests, two rulebooks
The Bridger Wilderness rests within the Wind River Mountains and extends 80 miles along the Continental Divide, holding the headwaters of the Green River, with about 600 miles of trails and elevations above 13,000 feet, according to the Forest Service.1 Across the Divide, the Fitzpatrick Wilderness on the Shoshone National Forest covers 198,525 acres and is bounded to the west by the Divide and to the east by the Wind River Indian Reservation.4 A hiker moving along the Divide can step from one forest to the other, and the Bridger page tells visitors to be aware of changing regulations when crossing the Continental Divide into the Shoshone.1
Some guides say no permit is generally required for these wildernesses. The official pages read for this section do not state permit requirements either way, so treat that statement as unconfirmed. Ask the Pinedale Ranger District, whose contact details are on the Bridger Wilderness page, and the Shoshone National Forest about permits, group-size limits and any seasonal restrictions before you leave.1
Dispersed camping in this region has its own baseline. The Forest Service's Intermountain Region says dispersed camping has no services or facilities, asks campers to stay at least 200 feet from water, and gives the standard cathole guidance of 6 to 8 inches deep and 200 feet from water, camp and trails.5 Forest-specific orders can add to that, so read the order for the forest you are in.
Bear-safe food storage and what it means for your pack
A Bridger-Teton Forest Order requires people across most of the forest to store food, garbage and animal carcasses in bear-safe ways, and the alert lists the Pinedale Ranger District among the affected districts.2 The order's approved methods include keeping food attended by an awake person within 100 feet and in line of sight, suspending it at least 10 feet off the ground and at least four feet from any supporting tree or pole, using a container on the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee's certified list, or storing it in a closed, solid vehicle or building.2
That hang rule is not universal. The Idaho Panhandle National Forests, for example, also give a 10 foot up and 4 foot out standard, while the Inyo National Forest in California uses different distances, and hanging is allowed only where containers are not mandatory.6,7 Above treeline, in the granite basins this trail crosses, there may be no tree that fits the rule, so a certified container is the reliable choice. The IGBC also notes that certification means a product met minimum standards, not that it can never be breached.8
For packing, a hard container takes real space and does not compress, so choose a pack with enough internal volume and plan resupply so you are not carrying more days of food than necessary. The National Park Service adds that bear-resistant containers only work when closed and locked.9 Keep bear spray accessible, not buried; the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee says most bear sprays reach 20 to 30 feet.10
High camps, thin air and using the towns
The CDC says any unacclimatized person sleeping at 8,000 feet or higher is at risk of altitude illness, and it advises against going higher to sleep while having symptoms.3 The Bridger Wilderness includes elevations above 13,000 feet, and the Forest Service notes that winter weather is always close.1 If you develop symptoms, descend and get medical help.
This is where the gateway towns earn their place in the plan. A night or two in Pinedale or Lander before you go up lets you sort gear, finalize food and start acclimatizing at a moderate elevation, and they are the natural places to rest and resupply afterward. Between them, the trailheads sit down forest roads maintained by the Forest Service, so arrange your shuttle or vehicle logistics ahead of time.
Forest road work and seasonal closures can also affect access, so check each forest's alerts and conditions pages before you drive to a trailhead.1 Confirm current rules, closures and fire restrictions with the named forests before you go.
Common questions
Do I need a permit to camp in the Wind River Range?
The official pages we checked do not state permit requirements either way, so ask the Pinedale Ranger District (Bridger-Teton) and the Shoshone National Forest about permits for your route. Food storage is a legal requirement, not just advice: a Bridger-Teton Forest Order requires food, garbage and other attractants to be stored in approved bear-safe ways across most of the forest, including the Pinedale Ranger District, and you're expected to be fully self-sufficient. That means carrying all the gear, food-storage equipment, and navigation skills you need, since help and services are far away once you're in the high country.
When is the best time to hike the Wind River Range?
Most hikers plan for July through September, when snow has cleared from the high passes and the weather is most settled. Even then, afternoon thunderstorms are common in the alpine zone, so it's worth starting early each day and knowing your bailout routes off exposed ridges and passes before a storm rolls in.
Are there any lodges or huts along this stretch of trail?
No — this section is wilderness camping only, with established backcountry campsites scattered among the peaks and lakes rather than any staffed huts or lodges. The nearest hotels and motels are in the gateway towns of Pinedale and Lander, both reached by leaving the trail rather than along the route itself.
Complete gearsets for this trip
Full curated kits built for exactly this kind of hike — what to bring, why, and links to similar gear.
Lodging details are compiled from official parks, refuge associations and reservation systems and can change without notice. We publish no prices, availability or ratings — always confirm current information on the official site before booking or setting out. Product links and the accommodation map are affiliate links: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you; product prices and availability are shown on Amazon, and accommodation prices on the booking site. See our affiliate disclosure.