CO / WY Recommendations, 4-5 days

The Cirque of Towers area gets a ton of traffic, and for good reason. The trails back there are dead easy to follow.

I'd look at a loop in the Weminuche or San Juans.

+1 to Dave's suggestion on the Weminuche. I did some of that a couple of years ago with my 16 year old son and really enjoyed it. There are some really nice 14er climbs in the Chicago Basin of the Weminuche too. You can use the train as a shuttle if your trip works out that way too.

I plan on doing the 4 pass loop in the Elks, near Aspen this summer too. You could extend that area out to a 4 day loop by adding extra trails or summiting a peak.

Some beautiful, crowd-free alternatives for your consideration:

The Winds: Indian Basin (Elkhart Park TH near Pinedale)

The San Juan: Noname Basin (Needleton TH via the train). Also the Elk Park/Needleton Loop, though you may not have enough time for that.

Have fun!

In the Wind River Mtns. the Worthen Reservoir trailheads offer several possible loops. The *best* scenery in that area IMO is in the Stough Basin and the Ice Lakes to Deep Creek Lakes area. Mountain Sheep Lake is also nice. The Stough area is worth at least two nights if you can afford the time; there is a lot of easy off-trail hiking in the Basin. The Deep Creek Lakes may be a little too far depending on the mileage you wish to crank out and how you are adjusting to the altitude. If you choose to do the big loop including the Deep Creek area, exiting via trails #708, 700, 701 you will find pleasant but not spectacular scenery on the last day. There is good camping in Stough, Tayo Park, Ice Lakes (edit: Boot to Jug Lakes area to be clearer), Deep Creek Lakes, Three Forks Park. I have not walked the north-south connector trails 703 and part of 700 but they would seem to offer additional loop opportunities.

Opinion time again, but my feeling is that the WR's are not particularly well signed. Don't count on all junctions being marked and realize that there are many "usage" trails that are in excellent condition and look like "real" trails. Last year on the other side of the continental divide I followed an excellent non-trail "trail" for about 1/4 mile before I realized I was headed in the wrong direction. Remain aware of your location, look at the map. This is not meant to be a deterrent, just an awareness situation.

+1 on the Indian Basin. Superb. Other side of the mountains, though, and adds to your driving time.

Here are a few trail signs that can be found between the Big Sandy TH and The Cirque as of August, 2009. I wonder how that last sign is faring?

Hey Cole
I also live in the Omaha Area. I can also recommend the Winds. I did a 5 nighter a few years back in August on a somewhat well used route. – Elkhark park/ Jean lakes/ Peak Lake/ Knapsack col/ Titcomb Basin and out. It was awesome and the fishing in certain lakes were red hot if any of you are interested in that.

I also can give you some info on a 4-5 day trip in the Holy Cross wilderness or Gore range that I have done recently. Both had great fishing and mostly on trail hiking.

Scenery on all these routes were great with the edge going to the Wind River trip for shear ruggedness.

Let me know if you want any more specifics.

Ben