Washakie: E. Dunoir Creek - Shoshone Pass Info

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scoags

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Hey Everyone

I am planning a trip into the Washakie Wilderness, and was hoping to access the South Fork Shoshone via Shoshone Pass and East DuNoir Creek just NW of Dubois. The topo maps indicate a 4WD road up to Trail Lake, with access to Trail #809, but I haven't been able to find much information online about this access point to the wilderness area. Does anyone have any experience with this area? The roads appear to be public, but there are several ranches in the area, so I am wondering about access issues as well as just general information.

For reference, Trail Lake is located approximately at: 43.7305, -109.8098

Many Thanks!
 
I believe that @Absarokanaut is familiar with that particular area. I'd bet he could weigh in.

I haven't seen him around here for a bit, but I'll tag him here just in case he does pop in soon.
 
scoags said:
Hey Everyone

I am planning a trip into the Washakie Wilderness, and was hoping to access the South Fork Shoshone via Shoshone Pass and East DuNoir Creek just NW of Dubois. The topo maps indicate a 4WD road up to Trail Lake, with access to Trail #809, but I haven't been able to find much information online about this access point to the wilderness area. Does anyone have any experience with this area? The roads appear to be public, but there are several ranches in the area, so I am wondering about access issues as well as just general information.

For reference, Trail Lake is located approximately at: 43.7305, -109.8098

Many Thanks!
Click to expand...
Sounds like a pretty epic trip, that’s definitely some wild and untouched country out there. I’ll be heading near there myself in about 12 days.

Have you considered starting at Brooks Lake and heading over Bonneville Pass to the Buffalo Plateau where you could catch the Bliss creek trail to the South Fork of the Shoshone? Just a thought and you’d get to see some incredible scenery along the way.

I also looked at Trail lake and it does seem doable, like you though my concern would be how traversable is the road even with 4x4.
 
scoags said:
Hey Everyone

I am planning a trip into the Washakie Wilderness, and was hoping to access the South Fork Shoshone via Shoshone Pass and East DuNoir Creek just NW of Dubois. The topo maps indicate a 4WD road up to Trail Lake, with access to Trail #809, but I haven't been able to find much information online about this access point to the wilderness area. Does anyone have any experience with this area? The roads appear to be public, but there are several ranches in the area, so I am wondering about access issues as well as just general information.

For reference, Trail Lake is located approximately at: 43.7305, -109.8098

Many Thanks!
Click to expand...
Sounds like a pretty epic trip, that’s definitely some wild and untouched country out there. I’ll be heading near there myself in about 12 days.

Have you considered starting at Brooks Lake and heading over Bonneville Pass to the Buffalo Plateau
scoags said:
Hey Everyone

I am planning a trip into the Washakie Wilderness, and was hoping to access the South Fork Shoshone via Shoshone Pass and East DuNoir Creek just NW of Dubois. The topo maps indicate a 4WD road up to Trail Lake, with access to Trail #809, but I haven't been able to find much information online about this access point to the wilderness area. Does anyone have any experience with this area? The roads appear to be public, but there are several ranches in the area, so I am wondering about access issues as well as just general information.

For reference, Trail Lake is located approximately at: 43.7305, -109.8098

Many Thanks!
Click to expand...
I also just looked on google earth and you do seem good to as far as driving back to Trail Lake, there are some really good images of the road and you will travel through some ranches, but that shouldn’t be an issue as it’s a public road.
 
scoags said:
Hey Everyone

I am planning a trip into the Washakie Wilderness, and was hoping to access the South Fork Shoshone via Shoshone Pass and East DuNoir Creek just NW of Dubois. The topo maps indicate a 4WD road up to Trail Lake, with access to Trail #809, but I haven't been able to find much information online about this access point to the wilderness area. Does anyone have any experience with this area? The roads appear to be public, but there are several ranches in the area, so I am wondering about access issues as well as just general information.

For reference, Trail Lake is located approximately at: 43.7305, -109.8098

Many Thanks!
Click to expand...
Sounds like a pretty epic trip, that’s definitely some wild and untouched country out there. I’ll be heading near there myself in about 12 days.

Have you considered starting at Brooks Lake and heading over Bonneville Pass to the Buffalo Plateau
scoags said:
Hey Everyone

I am planning a trip into the Washakie Wilderness, and was hoping to access the South Fork Shoshone via Shoshone Pass and East DuNoir Creek just NW of Dubois. The topo maps indicate a 4WD road up to Trail Lake, with access to Trail #809, but I haven't been able to find much information online about this access point to the wilderness area. Does anyone have any experience with this area? The roads appear to be public, but there are several ranches in the area, so I am wondering about access issues as well as just general information.

For reference, Trail Lake is located approximately at: 43.7305, -109.8098

Many Thanks!
Click to expand...
Sorry in my previous reply I mentioned Bliss Creek to the South Fork, you’d want Crescent Creek trail.
 
TeamJenkins17 said:
Sounds like a pretty epic trip, that’s definitely some wild and untouched country out there. I’ll be heading near there myself in about 12 days.

Have you considered starting at Brooks Lake and heading over Bonneville Pass to the Buffalo Plateau where you could catch the Bliss creek trail to the South Fork of the Shoshone? Just a thought and you’d get to see some incredible scenery along the way.

I also looked at Trail lake and it does seem doable, like you though my concern would be how traversable is the road even with 4x4.
Click to expand...

Yeah great suggestion. I have looked at Brooks Lake as well and it is basically my backup plan if I cant get in via Trail Lake. My full route is to get to Bliss Creek Meadows and head up to the Plateau via either Bliss Creek (apparently not in good shape) or up Marston Creek (seems to be in better shape), and go over to Younts and eventually the Thorofare. If I started at Brooks I'd probably skip the South Fork and just stay on the Plateau, but I was hoping to get into Bliss Creek Meadows and check that area out first, cause it seems nice and kinda back in there.

I couldn't find the images of the road there, at least on street view. Where were you able to find them? That's good news that they look in decent shape.

Thanks for all the advice, and I hope you have a great trip.
 
scoags said:
Yeah great suggestion. I have looked at Brooks Lake as well and it is basically my backup plan if I cant get in via Trail Lake. My full route is to get to Bliss Creek Meadows and head up to the Plateau via either Bliss Creek (apparently not in good shape) or up Marston Creek (seems to be in better shape), and go over to Younts and eventually the Thorofare. If I started at Brooks I'd probably skip the South Fork and just stay on the Plateau, but I was hoping to get into Bliss Creek Meadows and check that area out first, cause it seems nice and kinda back in there.

I couldn't find the images of the road there, at least on street view. Where were you able to find them? That's good news that they look in decent shape.

Thanks for all the advice, and I hope you have a great trip.
Click to expand...
Your trip sounds very similar to mine, it’s going to be absolutely amazing. I used the google earth mobile app with 3D and just searched trail lake, you see everything it’s pretty awesome, you can see it all pretty clear. I also have heard the same about Bliss Creek, but from what I did see it was pretty incredible in there.
 
TeamJenkins17 said:
Your trip sounds very similar to mine, it’s going to be absolutely amazing. I used the google earth mobile app with 3D and just searched trail lake, you see everything it’s pretty awesome, you can see it all pretty clear. I also have heard the same about Bliss Creek, but from what I did see it was pretty incredible in there.
Click to expand...
 

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Excellent thank you for this. If you haven't seen it yet @Joey has a little bit of video of the Bliss creek trail, it is sometime after this timestamp, although i didnt find it exactly.


Let us know how the trip goes! and thanks again.
 
In the Shoshone NF Motor Vehicle Use Map for that area, the road to Trail Lake is not shown or listed as access to NF lands. I'd call the District Office in Dubois and ask them about it.

Wind River Ranger District

1403 West Ramshorn
Dubois, WY 82513
Phone 307.455.2466
 
scoags said:
Excellent thank you for this. If you haven't seen it yet @Joey has a little bit of video of the Bliss creek trail, it is sometime after this timestamp, although i didnt find it exactly.


Let us know how the trip goes! and thanks again.
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I’ve watched this one about 100 times now haha, absolutely incredible video!!
 
Outdoor_Fool said:
In the Shoshone NF Motor Vehicle Use Map for that area, the road to Trail Lake is not shown or listed as access to NF lands. I'd call the District Office in Dubois and ask them about it.

Wind River Ranger District

1403 West Ramshorn
Dubois, WY 82513
Phone 307.455.2466
Click to expand...

Thanks @Outdoor_Fool. I looked at the map, and it says that FS 654 is recommended high clearance, and the actual forest service road is probably not even a mile long, so I'm wondering if that's why its not on the MVUM. Thanks for the contact info I'll try to get a hold of someone out there.

Edit: I was actually looking at the wrong map; you are right, 654 isn't at all in the MVUM for that area. Hmmm
 
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Where the road to Trail Lake starts at US Hwy 26/287 there is a huge sign saying something to the effect of "Private Property: Do Not Enter". Whether it is a private road or a public road through private property, I do not know. It does not appear, however, that you would receive a warm welcome up there.

If you talk to someone who knows the story, please let us know.
 
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