Wind River High Route itinerary
Every published mile marker on the Wind River High Route route, in order, with the distance and elevation change between each one — and which permit each stretch needs. To watch dates and set alerts, go to the Wind River High Route permit page.
Which permit covers this route
The Wind River High Route. One reservation is a trailhead or zone plus an entry date; you roam after that, issued by walk-up.
The permit is issued for a named entry point. Green River Lakes Trailhead and Big Sandy Trailhead are the ones on this list.
- Stops mapped
- 10
- Across the markers
- 80.0 mi
- Published route length
- 80 mi
- Published ascent
- 20,000 ft
How long it takes: 6-8 days. That is the figure the permit publishes — this page does not divide the route into days, because no source records which stop you sleep at.
The stops below are the route's published mile markers, in order, with the elevations recorded against each one.
Distance and elevation change on each leg are the difference between the two published figures either side of it, so the legs are arithmetic on the markers and nothing more.
Adding up only the climbs between markers gives 6,959 ft, which is a floor rather than the total: anything that rises and falls between two markers is invisible to it.
The Wind River High Route route, stop by stop
Mile 0.0
8,058 ft
Green River Lakes Trailhead
Entry point — the permit is issued for this trailhead
Northern terminus at 8,000 ft. Last reliable water before high country.
8.0 miles · 2,071 ft up to Vista Pass
Mile 8.0
10,129 ft
Vista Pass
First major pass at 10,129 ft. Views of the Winds' northern ramparts.
8.0 miles · 2,122 ft up to Knapsack Col
Mile 16.0
12,251 ft
Knapsack Col
Iconic 12,200 ft pass. Steep talus and possible snow. Gateway to Titcomb Basin.
2.0 miles · 1,661 ft down to Titcomb Basin
Mile 18.0
10,590 ft
Titcomb Basin
Massive granite basin with turquoise lakes beneath Gannett Peak region.
17.0 miles · 1,543 ft up to Indian Pass
Mile 35.0
12,133 ft
Indian Pass
12,100 ft crossing into remote Indian Basin.
10.0 miles · 1,297 ft down to Bonneville Lakes
Mile 45.0
10,836 ft
Bonneville Lakes
Remote lakes in the heart of the range. True wilderness solitude.
10.0 miles · 593 ft up to Texas Pass
Mile 55.0
11,429 ft
Texas Pass
11,429 ft entry to the Cirque of the Towers.
5.0 miles · 1,269 ft down to Cirque of the Towers
Mile 60.0
10,160 ft
Cirque of the Towers
World-famous granite spires. Lonesome Lake visible below.
10.0 miles · 630 ft up to Jackass Pass
Mile 70.0
10,790 ft
Jackass Pass
Final high pass. Steep descent to Big Sandy drainage.
10.0 miles · 1,694 ft down to Big Sandy Trailhead
Mile 80.0
9,096 ft
Big Sandy Trailhead
Entry point — the permit is issued for this trailhead
Southern terminus at 9,100 ft. Long dirt road to Pinedale.
Getting a Wind River High Route for the dates you want
Planning the route is the easy half. Wind River High Route dates go fast, and the ones that come back are cancellations — they return to the booking system without warning and are gone again quickly. PermitSnag watches Wind River High Route around the clock and alerts you the moment a date opens.