Wyoming's Best Horse Packing Trails: A Working Rider's Shortlist

Wyoming is serious horse country, and the people who ride it for a living will tell you the same thing: there is more good trail here than any one rider can cover in a working life. The four ranges below cover the bulk of what serious backcountry packers actually use. None are easy. All are worth the trip.

The practical season runs mid-July through late September across most of these ranges. High passes in the Winds and Absarokas hold snow into July in heavy years and start collecting it again by late September; spring trips above 8,500 feet are usually a non-starter. Hunting outfitters push into October and November on the lower-elevation trails, past when most summer pack trips have wrapped up.

If you are coming from out of state, plan three full weeks before you make a wilderness commitment, one for permits, conditioning, and pre-trip work, two on the ground.

Wind River Range, the long ride country

The Wind Rivers are the headliner. Granite, alpine lakes, the Continental Divide running 100 miles north-south, and trail networks that let you ride for ten days without crossing a road. The west slope drops into the Bridger Wilderness (about 428,000 acres) on the Bridger-Teton National Forest; the east slope is the Fitzpatrick and Popo Agie Wildernesses on the Shoshone. Combined wilderness acreage exceeds 700,000.

Best multi-day routes. The classic west-slope trip is Big Sandy to Lonesome Lake in the Cirque of the Towers, about 9 miles in over Jackass Pass from the Big Sandy trailhead. From the east slope, the Glacier Trail out of Trail Lake into Dinwoody and the foot of Gannett Peak is one of the most dramatic multi-day routes in the range, with long stretches above timberline. The Highline Trail runs much of the west slope for parties willing to commit to a long trip.

What the rangers will tell you. The popular Bridger lakes see heavy stock and foot use, and the rules reflect it. Organized groups and overnight stock parties need a Bridger Wilderness permit; groups are capped at 15 people and 25 head of stock; and stock can’t be hitched, tethered or picketed within 200 feet of a lake or 100 feet of a stream. Move the picket line every night.

Outfitters. West-slope trips run out of Pinedale and the Green River valley, east-slope trips out of Lander and Dubois. Use the Wyoming Outfitters and Guides Association directory to find operators, and confirm each one’s state license and Forest Service permit for the area you want before you book.

Absaroka Range, Yellowstone’s wild edge

The Absarokas are the wall on the east and southeast of Yellowstone, and they hold some of the most remote country left in the lower forty-eight. The Washakie Wilderness alone is about 704,000 acres, with the Teton Wilderness to its west and the North Absaroka to its north. Together with the Park, this is one of the largest roadless blocks south of Alaska.

The trail network. Volcanic geology, deep valleys with side canyons that stack twenty deep, and big elk and grizzly populations. The South Fork of the Shoshone is the standard access from the east, with trailheads at Ishawooa and Cabin Creek. From the south, the Brooks Lake area and the Buffalo Fork drainage out of Turpin Meadow give onto the Teton Wilderness and connect to the Park’s southeast trails. From the north, Sunlight Basin and the Crandall trailheads open the Absaroka-Beartooth.

The grizzly factor. The Absarokas are core grizzly habitat. Stock will react to grizzly sign, fresh scat, beds, tree marks, sometimes from a quarter mile out. Pack with the assumption you will see bear and probably ride past one. Food-storage orders require bear-resistant storage across much of the Greater Yellowstone national forests, and many outfitters carry portable electric fence for nighttime camp protection. If you have not horsepacked in grizzly country before, do your first trip with an outfitter, not solo.

Outfitters. South Fork and Washakie trips run out of Cody and Dubois, Teton Wilderness trips out of Moran and Jackson. Several hunting outfitters take summer trail clients when their hunting calendar is open; call in May or June for the upcoming season, and check licenses first.

Bighorn Mountains, the underrated range

The Bighorns get less press than the Winds or the Absarokas, which is exactly why they remain the easiest serious horse country in Wyoming to plan a trip into. The Cloud Peak Wilderness, about 190,000 acres in the heart of the Bighorn National Forest, has trail mileage that punches well above its size.

Best multi-day rides. West Ten Sleep Lake to Mistymoon Lake (about 6.5 miles) and on toward Florence Pass, three to five days round trip, takes you under Cloud Peak itself (13,167 feet, the highest in the range). The Solitude Trail, which circles the high country, links lakes and passes for longer trips. Hunter Mesa on the east side and the Paint Rock Lakes on the west are quieter still.

Why it works for first-time Wyoming packers. Lower elevations than the Winds (most trails 8,500-11,000 feet), shorter approach drives, and no established grizzly population (black bears yes). Know the rules before you go: every party registers, groups are capped at 10 people and 15 head of stock, and no wood stoves or fires other than self-contained chemical stoves are allowed above 9,200 feet. The trail surface is mostly granite and decomposed granite, hard on stock if you push too long, but consistent and easy to read.

Outfitters. Bighorn trips run out of Sheridan, Buffalo and Ten Sleep; find operators in the WYOGA directory and confirm licenses and permits. Day-ride and overnight options are common for parties not ready to commit to a full multi-day trip.

Teton Wilderness, the Yellowstone gateway

The Teton Wilderness sits on the south boundary of Yellowstone and the north end of the Bridger-Teton National Forest. It is about 585,000 acres of high meadows, river valleys, and conifer forest that run up to the Park’s roadless southeast corner. It is the long southern approach to Yellowstone’s backcountry; crossing into the Park itself still takes a Park backcountry permit and follows Park stock rules.

The Buffalo Fork country. The Turpin Meadow trailhead is the standard entry. From there, riders can pick up the Buffalo Fork drainages, push north toward Two Ocean Pass (where the Continental Divide actually splits a single creek into Atlantic-bound and Pacific-bound flow), and either loop back or push into Yellowstone via the Thorofare. The Thorofare country in Yellowstone’s southeast corner holds the spot the U.S. Geological Survey calls the farthest from a road in the lower 48, about 20 miles from the nearest one.

What to expect. Thick lodgepole pine on the approach, opening into broad alpine meadows once you cross 9,000 feet. The Buffalo Fork drainage is benign country in good weather and serious country in bad, afternoon thunderstorms above timberline are routine, and riders need to be off exposed ridges by early afternoon in summer. Late-September trips can hit early snow that closes passes overnight.

Outfitters. Several Moran, Dubois and Jackson-area operators run Teton Wilderness trips. The Thorofare is a flagship destination and books early. Groups there are capped at 20 people and 25 head of stock.

What to bring that most packers forget

After the obvious, saddle, breast collar, breeching, panniers, manty tarps, lash ropes, hobbles, picket line, halter, lead, hoof pick, easy boot, current Coggins paperwork, the things that get left at the trailhead and missed by mile ten:

• Certified weed-free pellets or cubes, enough for every head for every day out. Pellets travel better and pack denser than hay.
• Stock-grade insect repellent and a fly mask per horse. July and August in any of these ranges, deer flies and horseflies wear animals down if you are not protected.
• A backup hoof pad or boot for every horse. A thrown shoe four days into a trip is a problem; a thrown shoe with no boot is a trip-ender. The EasyBoot Trail is a common choice, sold individually in hoof sizes, so measure before you buy.
• A folding bow saw, not just an axe. Blowdown across trails after spring runoff is consistent in all four ranges; without a saw you will lead horses around dozens of obstructions per day.
• Water filter rated for protozoa. Giardia is endemic in Wyoming surface water. Boiling works; filtration is faster on a riding day. The Sawyer Squeeze weighs a few ounces and is rated by Sawyer to remove 99.9999% of protozoa.
• Spare cinch latigo and a length of saddle string. Both fail at the worst possible moment.

Permit and party-size rules differ by wilderness. The Bridger requires a permit for organized groups and overnight stock parties and caps groups at 15 people and 25 head; the Teton Wilderness allows 20 people and 25 head; the Washakie, Fitzpatrick and Popo Agie allow 30 head; and the Cloud Peak requires every party to register and caps groups at 10 people and 15 head. Outfitted trips are different: the outfitter needs a Forest Service special-use permit and a Wyoming state license, so check any operator against the WYOGA directory and the state licensing board. Confirm current numbers with the relevant ranger district before you commit to a route.

If you’re trailering in from out of state, that Coggins paperwork needs to be current: Wyoming requires a certificate of veterinary inspection and a negative Coggins (EIA) test from within the previous 12 months for horses brought into the state. If the horse is moving into Wyoming permanently or being sold here, add a brand inspection to the list.

Resources for trip planning

Forest Service ranger districts publish annual trail condition reports usually by mid-June. The contacts that matter:

• Bridger-Teton National Forest, Pinedale Ranger District for the Bridger Wilderness (Wind Rivers west slope).
• Shoshone National Forest, Washakie Ranger District (Lander) for the Popo Agie, and the Wind River Ranger District (Dubois) for the Fitzpatrick.
• Bighorn National Forest, Powder River Ranger District (Buffalo) for the south side of the Cloud Peak.
• Bridger-Teton National Forest, Buffalo Ranger District for the Teton Wilderness.

Back Country Horsemen chapters in Wyoming run trail-clearing volunteer projects in summer. New riders to the state get a faster education in two weekends with a crew like that than they will in any guidebook.

The single most useful book for anyone planning a Wyoming pack trip is Smoke Elser and Bill Brown’s Packin’ In on Mules and Horses (Mountain Press, 1980). Elser outfitted out of Missoula for decades; the book covers stock selection, loading, the diamond hitch, camp management, and trail hazards as clearly as anything in print. Read it before you go.

Wyoming horse country is open. It rewards riders who do the work of planning, and it is unforgiving of riders who don’t. The country has not changed much since the first stock outfits rode it; the maps are better, the boots are better, and the Forest Service is friendlier than the U.S. Cavalry was. Past that, it is still the same long ride.

Tack and gear for Wyoming packing trails

• Neoprene horse cinch, multi-day wet conditions are normal in July and August at altitude
• Weaver 40-ft cotton lash rope, for the diamond hitch over a loaded Decker
• Pure neatsfoot oil, condition the pack saddle leather before the season starts and after it ends
• Kinco 1927KW work gloves, for morning stock handling at 20°F

Related reading on this site

• The Wyoming regional outfitter directory
• Wyoming outfitters offering horseback hunting trips
• The Wyoming Trading Post guide to horseback camping
• How to pack for a four-day horse camp trip in the Bighorns
• A buyer’s guide to heritage camping bedrolls in 2026
• Wyoming horse breeds: what works in mountain country
• Cody, Wyoming: a local’s guide to the East Gate of Yellowstone
• Sheridan, Wyoming: home of King’s Saddlery
• Lander, Wyoming: NOLS, Sinks Canyon, and the East Slope of the Wind Rivers
• Pinedale, Wyoming: the Bridger Wilderness gateway and Mountain Man capital
• Jackson, Wyoming: an honest guide to Tetons, Yellowstone, and the town
• Chief Washakie: the Eastern Shoshone leader who shaped Wyoming
• Wyoming hot springs you can actually soak in: fees, seasons, access