Gros Ventre Slide, River and Lakes

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Gros Ventre Area

The Gros Ventre Wilderness offers thousands of acres of pristine forests and wildlife without the crowds. The Wilderness is also home to the Gros Ventre Slide, a must see natural attraction.

  • Located east of Jackson, WY and Grand Teton National Park
  • Activities include fishing, hiking, cross country skiing and hunting
  • Home to bear, bison, elk, moose, mountain lions and more
  • Includes information and viewing points for the Gros Ventre Slide, the largest documented landslide in the United States

Overview
The Gros Ventre Wilderness is over 200,000 acres filled with incredible backcountry experiences including the Gros Ventre River Slide, pristine lakes and hundreds of miles of trails. Compared to the surrounding national parks, these mountains are empty. Few visitors and only a handful of locals venture into this area, meaning for those who do, untouched beauty awaits. 

Location
The Gros Ventre Wilderness is located just north-east of Jackson, Wyoming. It's a fantastic area to spot wildlife as it is home to big horn sheep, elk, deer, moose, mountain lions and both black and grizzly bear.  The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has stated that the Gros Ventre Wilderness is "perhaps the finest remaining unprotected wildlife habitat in Wyoming".

Seasons
Visitors can access the wilderness and the Gros Ventre Slide in all seasons. Many access roads aren't plowed in the winter but travel by snowshoe, cross country skis and backcountry skis is allowed. Spring, Summer and fall offer many more miles of dirt roads with small designated campgrounds located throughout the wilderness. Take precautions in all seasons as weather can change quickly and help may be many hours away. 

Activities

Hiking
Hundreds of miles of hiking trails run through the Gros Ventre Wildnerness. Backpacking trips are common among locals and maps can be purchased at lcoal outdoor shops. Be prepared by bringing bear spray and wearing orange during hunting season. Listed below are some popular hiking trails n the area.

  • Gros Ventre Slide WY Interpretive Trail: This trail is .8 miles long and includes kiosks with information along the way. Signs teach about the geology and fauna in this area. From the trail you can view the largest documented natural landslide in North American history, the Gros Ventre Slide. 
  • Goodwin Lake: Goodwin Lake is one of the closest trails in Gros Ventre Wilderness to Jackson, WY. The trail to Goodwin Lake is approximately 6 miles roundtrip, and another 2 miles or so if you want to reach Jackson Peak. The trail wanders through open forests and along a narrow ridge leading you to the base of Jackson Peak. Camping is only allowed in designated spots around Goodwin Lake. Expect to encounter snow on the trail into June. 
Fishing
There are plenty of lakes and streams plus the Gros Ventre river to try your hand at fly fishing. Fishing seasons may change so please check local information before casting your line. Popular fishing areas include:
  • The Gros Ventre River/Lower Slide Lake 
  • Turquoise Lake
  • Lunch Lake. 

Other Gros Ventre Area Resources

Shoshone Forest

Explore one of the most spectacular forest areas in the United States.