I just returned from another great trip in the the Washakie and Teton Wilderness Areas. I will post trip reports eventually, but for now, I want to share some information in case anyone is planning a trip there in the next couple of months:
- The South Fork Shoshone River, Deer Creek, and other streams in the area recently had some significant flooding.
- Southfork Road along the Shoshone River has a couple of mudslides across it. I drove through them 4 times between 7/18 and 7/27 in a Toyota Corolla rental. They were passable, but the road floods again every time it rains. In two spots there are narrow but deep gullies running across the road. The last time I went through I banged the front of the car, but there wasn't any damage to it. Still, I was glad I didn't have to go back, as those gullies get a little deeper each time it rains.
- Hunter Creek Road on the other side of the river also has flood damage. It was passable on 7/18. When I drove through there I passed a bunch of construction equipment, so that road could be closed at any time if they are working on it. There is also a sign at the beginning of the road that says "local traffic only". That didn't make any sense to me - Hunter Creek Road runs a few miles and dead ends, so isn't all traffic local?
- The National Forest Service South Fork Work Center has been decommissioned.
- Deer Creek was flooding when I hiked up it on 7/19. The water was high and muddy. The first crossing was at least thigh deep with a powerful current. I had to scramble upstream to where the creek is braided to cross safely, but it was still a deep wade with a powerful current. Maybe a mile upstream from there part of the creek overflowed and was running down the trail. It left behind some incredible mud that I got mired in going up on 7/19 and returning on 7/26. It is the closest thing to quicksand that I have ever experienced. Just upstream from there, the trail used to traverse a hillside above the creek. That hillside and the trail are gone. You have to cross the creek two extra times to get around. I was able to rock hop the first one by going downstream where the creek was braided. However, upstream was a problem. There is a deep muddy pool blocking the obvious route. On my way up I had to bushwhack upstream to avoid it. I found a place to wade across, but it was a pretty spicy crossing. After that, more bushwhacking was necessary to get back to the trail. Fortunately, the trail is fine above that area. Water levels were lower and it was a little less muddy on my return, but those crossings still required wading.
- I heard from an outfitter that there is a washout on the South Fork Trail. I'm not sure where exactly, but it sounded like it was downstream from where Fall Creek joins the river. He said that you could probably get through on foot. I don't have any first hand knowledge on that one.
Stay safe!
- The South Fork Shoshone River, Deer Creek, and other streams in the area recently had some significant flooding.
- Southfork Road along the Shoshone River has a couple of mudslides across it. I drove through them 4 times between 7/18 and 7/27 in a Toyota Corolla rental. They were passable, but the road floods again every time it rains. In two spots there are narrow but deep gullies running across the road. The last time I went through I banged the front of the car, but there wasn't any damage to it. Still, I was glad I didn't have to go back, as those gullies get a little deeper each time it rains.
- Hunter Creek Road on the other side of the river also has flood damage. It was passable on 7/18. When I drove through there I passed a bunch of construction equipment, so that road could be closed at any time if they are working on it. There is also a sign at the beginning of the road that says "local traffic only". That didn't make any sense to me - Hunter Creek Road runs a few miles and dead ends, so isn't all traffic local?
- The National Forest Service South Fork Work Center has been decommissioned.
- Deer Creek was flooding when I hiked up it on 7/19. The water was high and muddy. The first crossing was at least thigh deep with a powerful current. I had to scramble upstream to where the creek is braided to cross safely, but it was still a deep wade with a powerful current. Maybe a mile upstream from there part of the creek overflowed and was running down the trail. It left behind some incredible mud that I got mired in going up on 7/19 and returning on 7/26. It is the closest thing to quicksand that I have ever experienced. Just upstream from there, the trail used to traverse a hillside above the creek. That hillside and the trail are gone. You have to cross the creek two extra times to get around. I was able to rock hop the first one by going downstream where the creek was braided. However, upstream was a problem. There is a deep muddy pool blocking the obvious route. On my way up I had to bushwhack upstream to avoid it. I found a place to wade across, but it was a pretty spicy crossing. After that, more bushwhacking was necessary to get back to the trail. Fortunately, the trail is fine above that area. Water levels were lower and it was a little less muddy on my return, but those crossings still required wading.
- I heard from an outfitter that there is a washout on the South Fork Trail. I'm not sure where exactly, but it sounded like it was downstream from where Fall Creek joins the river. He said that you could probably get through on foot. I don't have any first hand knowledge on that one.
Stay safe!