Curt Gowdy State Park

A recreational gem sits in the lumpy, rolling Laramie Range of southern Wyoming.  Curt Gowdy State Park has something for everybody: hiking, mountain biking, wildlife, boating, and even waterside camping!  The state park has become quite popular among Wyoming residents and Coloradoans exploring beyond the state's borders.  For stand-up paddleboarders, the park has three different lakes with their own personalities.  The most interesting paddling is in the lakes' inlets, which meander through the granite outcrops and mid-elevation pine forests that typify the region.  

Granite Springs Reservoir

Even though Curt Gowdy is in a different state, it's a surprisingly quick trip from Denver.  The route to Gowdy follows Wyoming State Highway 210 (Happy Jack Road), exit 10D from Interstate 25.  The exit is about 1.5 miles past Interstate 80, and the route to the park is clearly signed from this point onward.  The main entrance to the park is about 24 miles west of Interstate 25, for a total travel time from Denver of around 2 hours (without traffic).  If you're traveling from Colorado (or any other state), the non-resident fees are $12 for day use and $32.34 for camping.  

Vicinity Map

    Location Info: [key]

    (Granite Springs / Crystal / 

        Upper North Crow)

    Scenery: 4 / 4 / 3
    Shoreline Interest: 4 / 4 / 3
    Use: Moderate / Low-moderate / Low
    Fee: $12/veh day use (non-res)
    Access: Paved/Gravel
    Full elev: 7200 / 6990 / 7500
    Rec info 
    Rec map
    Weather 

Grand Teton National Park

Jackson Hole is one of the world's grandest landscapes, featuring the lazily meandering Snake River contrasted against the jagged peaks of the Teton Range 7,000 vertical feet above.  Although many fine water bodies exist in the Snake River Valley, this post focuses on two that are especially inviting and quite spectacular.  Meandering String Lake is easily accessible and perfect for paddleboards in almost every way.  Neighboring Leigh Lake is a worthwhile side trip with its vast waters with epic scenery.

String Lake and the Teton Range

Grand Teton is one of the nation's most popular parks, regularly hosting more than 3 million annual visits.  The park's busiest months--July and August--also feature the most accommodating stand-up-paddling conditions.  The best advice is to start early.  According to the park's website, the String Lake parking area tends to get busy around 8 am, becoming "very busy" by 10 am.  All three parking lots in the String and Leigh Lake area are clustered together and fill up around the same time.  Parking on the roads outside of the parking areas is prohibited, so it's a good idea to allow a 30 to 60 minute cushion before 8 am to be confident in finding a space.    

Vicinity Map

    Location Info: [key]

 
    Scenery: 5 
    Shoreline Interest: 

    5 (String), 4 (Leigh)

    Use: High
    Fee: $35/veh + $17/SUP
    Access: Paved
    Full elev: 

    6860 (String), 6877(Leigh); 

    minimal variation; natural
    Rec info 
    Weather 

Green River Lakes

The Green River Lakes form the headwaters of the Green River--the same Green River that flows through Flaming Gorge, Dinosaur and Canyonlands National Park.  Lower Green River Lake with the backdrop of Squaretop Mountain forms one on the most photogenic vistas in the state of Wyoming.  Located at the northwest corner of the reclusive Wind River Range--outside of any national park boundary--the Green River Lakes are far less known and less visited than the more familiar scenes of the Tetons and Yellowstone.  From the Cirque of the Towers in the south to Titcomb Basin in the north, the 80-mile long Wind River Range features some of the most remote, wild and dramatic terrain of the lower 48 states.  The Green River Lakes are no exception.  

Lower Green River Lake with Squaretop Mountain beyond

The western flank of the Wind Rivers is home to several large, natural, glacially formed lakes--the largest of which (Fremont Lake) is 12 miles long and up to 600 feet deep.  Lower Green River Lake, significantly smaller, is better proportioned for human-powered paddle craft.  The Green River Lakes Recreation Site is 50 miles north of Pinedale, WY along mostly unpaved road.  Despite the distance, the road is in decent condition and the miles pass surprisingly smoothly.  The northern half of the road is public land and has many pleasant and scenic dispersed camping sites in the rolling meadows between the Wind River Range foothills and the meandering Green River.  There is also a forest service campground at the lake.  Bears inhabit this area, so camp responsibly.

 

Vicinity Map

    Location Info: [key]

    Scenery: 5
    Shoreline Interest: 2
    Use: Low-moderate
    Fee: None for day use
    Access: Gravel
    Full elev: 7975; minimal variation; natural

    Rec info

    Weather