BROOKS LAKE AREA SATURDAY JUNE 18, 2022. Shoshone NF Wyoming

The Absaroka Range is my favorite "place" on Earth. Yesterday I took a drive from Jackson up through the Eastern portion of Grand Teton National Park, between the Blackrock and Jackson Ranger Districts of the Bridger-Teton National Forest, and then across the Continental Divide over Togwotee Pass and into the Wind River Ranger District of your first National Forest, the Shoshone. Without stops the drive takes about an hour and a half and in addition to magnificent views of the Tetons all the way to the overlook just above Togwotee Mountain Lodge we are treated to great views of the Southern Absaroka Front and the Leidy Highlands as we head East up Togwotee Pass.

There is not a lot of snow left on Togwotee at all, mainly just shaded patches as you get close to the 9,659’ crossing of the Continental Divide about 55 miles Northeast of Jackson. Wind River Lake just East of the Pass remains pretty wintery. The Barbours Point Road is still snowed in on both ends so I had to go a few miles East on the highway to the main road into Brooks Lake. After a 5 mile drive up the road I checked out the Pinnacles Campground and found it about half full. Although there was a trailer in the Brooks Lake Campground Host spot that campground remained gated shut. The dispersed camping area above the Brooks Lake Campground had one solitary camp set up and there was a snowdrift that forced me to turn around and go out the way I came in but all sites were accessible.

There was just a little bit of ice on Brooks Lake. The precipitous drop of the Continental Divide, The Pinnacle Buttes, and marvelous meadow were all as spectacular as ever. I walked just a bit near the Lake and along the road. I decided not to try to hike to Upper Jade Lake knowing the snow would be deep in the timber above the Falls about halfway there. I saw a fox and moose. After leaving the Lake I went by the Falls of Brooks Lake Creek near The Falls Campground. In addition to the wonderful falls I got a great view into the Northern Wind Rivers. On my way home I took the “back way” down to Turpin Meadow Ranch and enjoyed a rest on the Buffalo before driving out on the Buffalo Valley Road and back to the highway.

Here are the Pinnacle Buttes.






The Cliffs of the Continental Divide.







Treacherous Sublette Peak on the left and what was once known on the map as Mt. Sublette on the Right. Mt. Sublette's 11,040'+ summit is right on the Divide and one of my favorite hikes. 



More of the Continental Divide north of Mt. Sublette.



Mt. Sublette and the Divide.



The Pinnacle Buttes.





The Cub Creek Plateau to the North across the Divide in the Bridger-Teton National Forest's Teton Wilderness. 





Union Peak, the Northern terminus of The Wind River Range from just beyond Brooks Lake Creek Falls.



Brooks Lake Creek Falls with Yellow stone and the Pinnacle Buttes behind.