Wyoming: Flat Tires and Cutthroats (Updating!)

After my annual backpacking trip the Cottonwood Lakes, I explored and fished Southwestern Wyoming, in search of three species of Cutthroat trout. I drove about 2700 miles, 300 or more was FS dirt roads, fished several rivers, and saw some absolutely beautiful territory. Also got to help out with flat tires on 3 different vehicles, none of which was mine!

Left Horseshoe Meadows campground, stopped in Big Pine for breakfast and do laundry. After that, I took Hwy 6 across Nevada to the 93 in Ely. What a beautiful drive, definitely the way to go. 75 MPH all day with absolutely no traffic and gorgeous basins interspersed with mountain ranges. I continued up to Wendover, UT, where I spent the night on BLM land adjacent to the famous Bonneville Salt Flats. Hit one of the casinos for dinner, I needed a salad after eating backpacking food for the last 5 days.

Not much to say about the salt flats, that's pretty much all there is to see. I am pretty lazy about taking pictures, I should have got one of the sunrise over the salt flats, it was a pretty cool sight with the mountains around it. Oh well, I was on a mission to go fishin'.

Took I-80 east across Utah, climbed the Parson's Pass east of Salt Lake City. Very steep road and very beautiful terrain, I think Park City is the area I passed through. Had lunch in Evanston, WY, then on to Kemmerer. Stopped in Kemmerer for beer, ice, and my WY license ($115). Headed up the road to Ham's Fork campground, about 40 miles away. Soon after, I encountered my first flat tire!

Stopped at a public fishing access area along the Ham's Fork to check out the conditions, it was hot and windy. There were 3 guys with a lifted Dodge Ram that had a flat tire. They were just about to send someone back down the road to get cell service and call for help. Luckily, I carry a tire plug kit, compressor, jack, and tools. This one was easy, the hole was at the 9 o'clock position so it was super easy to put a rope plug in, hook up my compressor, and they were soon on their way. They were so happy, and I was pretty glad to see my preparations for road emergencies paid off. I was really hoping this good dead would come back through fishing success.

Not exactly. I fished a couple public access areas the next day, with nothing to show for it. The Ham's Fork has two reservoirs above Kemmerer, so the water was pretty slow moving and few fish to be seen. I stopped at a private piece of land between the reservoirs, and helped out a guy fixing a gate post. I guess someone drove over a cable and pulled the posts loose in the ground. He told me they charge $10 to fish the property, but since I helped him out, I was free to come back and fish the next morning! Came back the next day, saw a lot of nice sized fish, but only had one rise to my fly, and nothing else seemed interested. Since there was a lot of grass in the parking area, I used it as a good place to set up my Sun Shower for a well needed shampoo and scrub.

Ham's Fork River, great looking water, but on private land. A lot of private ranches until you get to the national forest boundary:

Ranger Cabin on Ham's Fork, just inside the NF boundary:


Upstream on Ham's Fork, pretty thick willows along here! This is public land but tough fishing with willows choking both banks.


The next day, I headed further up the FS road with a destination of Cokeville, and then backttrack up to Hobble Creek campground. I was hoping to contact a fellow flyfisherman from one of my fishing forums. I also realized that no one back home had any idea where I was, except "Wyoming." A beautiful drive, all through the backcountry. Cokeville is a tiny town, but they have a great restaurant, the Gold Bucket. Ate there twice over the next few days.

Big Springs, along the road from Ham's Fork campground to Cokeville:


Nice beaver dam along Coal Creek:


On my way back up the road to Hobble Creek campground, I stopped to take a picture of some flowers. A truck stopped and a couple locals asked me what I was doing. I told them I was just a goofy Californian taking pictures of flowers, but looking to go fishing. As it happens, the driver was the foreman of the ranch I was driving by, and said I was free to fish his land. I told him thanks, and I would hopefully be back to take him up on the offer if I happened back that way. The Smith's fork was beautiful, but running quite high and was a heck of a lot more water than I am used to fishing. I really hope to get back that way next year. I did stop at his ranch on the way out of Hobble Creek to thank him and tell him I would hopefully come back to fish his land.

Smith's Fork River Valley, so many beautiful valleys like this in Wyoming:


On to Hobble Creek, and my first chance at a Bonneville Cutthroat, one of three species I was hoping to catch.

La Barge Meadow, where the pioneers gathered for the Lander Cutoff to the Oregon Trail.

Forty miles of dirt road got me here, with only 65 more miles of dirt to go (to Alpine, WY).

Found a stream to my liking, the Little Grey's River, way down the Grey's River road:





The Gros Ventre River valley:

Granite Creek Falls:

Confluence of Crystal Creek and the Gros Ventre River

Downstream view:

Gratuitous shot of the Grand Tetons:

My typical Camp Snoopy:




[Edited on 8-5-2019 by John Harper]

Quote: Originally posted by advrider

OMG! AWESOME pictures..... Was that fish caught on a fly or spinner? Keep the pictures coming, that area is on the to visit list already..

Great stuff! Where`s the flat tire pics??

In Wyoming too!
Pinedale, Willow Lake.

Here's what happens when you only have Baja lures to drag behind your kayak...

Quote: Originally posted by chuckie

Pinedale area is one of my favorite hangouts..Lots of good fishing, and late season Elk hunting is always good....