Visit Pinedale WY Summer Backpacking Dinner Winds

Island Lake

Overview

Island Lake is found in the Wind Riv­er Moun­tain Range in the Bridger Wilder­ness just below Fre­mont Peak. The lake and sur­round­ing area offer an excel­lent place for folks to camp, hike, fish, and enjoy the views.

To access Island Lake, the hike is about 10 miles. Most hik­ers should be able to reach the lake in a day, but it’s more often done in 2 days, allow­ing hik­ers to take their time. Seneca Lake offers great camp­ing and is an ide­al mid-way rest­ing point while en route to Island Lake.

Island Lake is most eas­i­ly accessed from the Elkhart Park trail­head, around 15 miles North of Pinedale. A USFS Camp­ground is also con­ve­nient­ly locat­ed at the trail­head. Elkhart Park, at near­ly 9,100 feet, is the high­est trail­head in the Wind Riv­er Moun­tain Range.

Popular Activities

Visit Pinedale WY Island Lake Camping
Island Lake Sunset Visit Pinedale WY

CAMP­ING AT ISLAND LAKE

Island Lake is an excel­lent place to set up camp. You’ll be able to fish, hike, and climb all from your base here. ‑Island Lake is a fair­ly high use area so you can expect com­pa­ny. Remem­ber to be respect­ful to your neigh­bors and give them their space. Due to the fact that you are above tim­ber­line, camp­fires are not allowed.

Island Lake Visit Pinedale Backpacking 1

DAY HIKE OPPOR­TU­NI­TIES FROM ISLAND LAKE

Tit­comb Basin is an easy and extreme­ly scenic hike from Island Lake. It should take the aver­age hik­er no more than 30 min­utes to reach the mouth of the basin. 

Indi­an Basin is anoth­er easy day hike from Island Lake. Indi­an Pass is one of the eas­i­est routes over the divide in this part of the Wind Riv­er Range. How­ev­er, if you do choose to cross the divide here it is rec­om­mend­ed to have prop­er glac­i­er trav­el gear and knowl­edge as a large per­cent­age of this area is glaciated.

Visit Pinedale WY Island Lake Preparedness
Fremont peak and jackson peak

FISH­ING IN AND AROUND ISLAND LAKE

While you may not be catch­ing lunk­ers in the high moun­tain lakes and streams, if you pos­sess any skill in angling, you will like­ly be bring­ing home din­ner. Cut­throat and Brook­ies are what you’ll see most, but you might see a Brown or a Rain­bow, even though they’re not native at this alti­tude. This is one of the few places in the nation that you’ll find Gold­en Trout, so make a trip to Elbow Lake to see if you can hook one or two.

Climbing Visit Pinedale WY

CLIMB­ING OPPOR­TU­NI­TIES FROM ISLAND LAKE

Island Lake is an excel­lent place to stage an assault on Fre­mont Peak. For the eas­i­est and most tra­di­tion­al route up Fre­mont. One will be in clear view of the peak the whole dur­ing the entire approach. Expect a min­i­mum of an hour of steep scram­bling to sum­mit from the saddle.

LOCA­TION

Looking for Something Different?

Island Lake Visit Pinedale Backpacking 2

BEFORE YOU GO

ISLAND LAKE PREPAREDNESS

  • Island Lake is a fairly high use area so you can expect company. Remember to be respectful to your neighbors and give them others space.
  • Due to the fact that you are above timberline, campfires are not allowed.
  • Be sure you are camped at least 200 feet from the lake and trails in order to be in compliance with the Bridger Wilderness regulations.
  • Please be sure to have all reccomended food, gear, and water. This is NOT a simple day trip.
  • This is grizzly bear country; practice safe food storage techniques.