Lakes, Cirques and Towers
Jackson, WY
5.0 (14 reviews)Trip Highlights
- 7-Day Adventure
- Remote Mountain Cirques & Lakes
- Pristine, Remote Campsites
- Abundant Wildlife Habitat
- Views of Cirque of the Towers
- Rejuvenating Solitude & Scenery
- Fantastically Vivid Night Skies
Description
Our Lakes, Cirques and Towers llama trek travels through one of the most stunning parts of the Wind River Range. The regions we hike through are characterized by one fantastically picturesque valley after another. Since the last ice age, the glacial activity left these cirques ringed by massive granite walls and towers.
We approach the Continental Divide from the west, passing serene mountain lakes and rivers, and many towering peaks, enroute. On Day 3 we hike to Texas Pass (11,450 feet on the Divide) for one of the best vantage points from which to really see the impressive nature of the Cirque of the Towers, one of the most famous spots in The Winds. We’ll be able to see all the major peaks and some of the glaciers, as well as the mountain lakes that occupy the bottom of the cirque.
We then continue on through more breathtaking country, paralleling the Continental Divide the whole way. On Day 5 we have the potential for an exciting summit attempt on Pyramid Peak (12,030 feet), the views from which are indescribeable.
The Wildland Trekking Company operates under a permit issued by the Bridger-Teton National Forest, and is an equal opportunity employer.
$2785 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 3
Our difficulty ratings are based on a scale of 1-5, tours with a rating of 1 being least difficult, tours with a rating of 5 being most difficult
- Backpack Weight:
- 10 pounds
- Daily Hiking Distances:
- 5-7 miles
- Most Elevation Loss:
- 1830 feet
- Most Elevation Gain:
- 1830 feet
- Quality of Trails:
- Maintained trails and off trail
- Additional:
- We’ll be traveling on and off trails. The off-trail sections are in meadows, forests and across talus-covered ground.
Participants should:
- be active and healthy
- exercise several times per week
- be comfortable hiking 6-8 miles per day in hilly or mountainous terrain
SOLITUDE LEVEL 3
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Wind River Llama Trek a solitude 3. You can expect to have hours of solitude at a time, while seeing several other groups of hikers per day.
TRAVEL TO JACKSON
All Beyond Yellowstone trips begin and end in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Jackson Hole has an airport served by United, Delta, and American Airlines. One can also fly into Salt Lake City and drive to Jackson Hole. It is a 4.5-hour drive from Salt Lake City to Jackson Hole on good roads.
Shuttle from Jackson Airport to Town
A Black Car Service (307-413-2572) provides private airport transportation. Advance reservations are recommended.
Shuttle from Salt Lake to Jackson
Salt Lake Express (800-356-9796 or 208-656-8824) and Alltrans (800-652-9510) offer daily vans from Salt Lake City to Jackson Hole. Advance reservations required.
Private Trips
Travel in perfect company by booking a private trip exclusively for your group!
Our sliding scale for private trips is based on the final number of guests in your group. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax, national park fees or guide gratuity. The final rate is based on the actual number of guests on the trip and may adjust based on cancellations or additions.
Please Note: you can also enjoy a private trip at our normal scheduled rates by filling any empty tour to capacity. However, if group members drop from the tour those spots will automatically become available on our website for instant booking. By purchasing a private trip at the rates listed below, your trip will remain exclusive to your group regardless of cancellations.Â
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2.5
- 3 People: Rate x 1.75
- 4 People: Rate x 1.25
- 5+ People: Rate x 1.15
*all rates are per person
Learn About Our Private Trips
View Private TripsITINERARY
Day 1
- Shuttle to Trailhead: 3 hours
- Hiking Mileage: 7.5 miles
- Elevation Gain: 900 feet
This Wind River Range Llama Trek begins in Jackson Hole, Wyoming where we’ll pick you up at your hotel for transport to the trailhead. Our hike starts along one of the Wind River Range’s major rivers, the Big Sandy, for a couple miles before we break off into a chain of wildflower-laden meadows rimmed by aspen and fir forests. From the meadows we’ll get our first real glimpses of the high country peaks, our destination on this trip. Our camp is on the shores of Mirror Lake, a majestic mountain lake that offers good fishing. We’ll set up camp and settle in for a cozy campfire and hearty dinner.
Day 2
- Hiking Mileage: 4 miles
- Elevation Gain: 250 feet
With the massive peaks of the Continental Divide framing our view to the east, we hike past a series of mountain lakes including Dad’s Lake and Marms Lake, to a majestic, fast-flowing creek. More impressive peaks including Pylon Peak, Shark’s Nose, and Overhanging Tower (all over 12,000 feet) begin to take shape and dominate the eastern skyline. We’ll continue hiking to our camp at Shadow Lake, which lies beneath the Overhanging Tower and Bollinger Peak. At this point we are far into the wilderness and the solitude is inspiring. The afternoon is free for relaxation, fishing or light hiking around Shadow Lake.
Day 3
- Hiking Mileage: 5+ miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 1200 feet
Today’s hike takes us onto the spine of the Continental Divide for one of the best views in the Rocky Mountains: a look at Cirque of the Towers from Texas Pass! We’ll get a relatively early start to make the most of our day, which is an unforgettable one. We’ll hike directly up the Divide to Texas Lake, a beautiful high mountain lake tucked beneath massive granite peaks. From the lake we’ll climb up to Texas Pass for an unparalleled view down the east side of the Divide and the Cirque of the Towers. Glaciers, soaring peaks, alpine lakes, and endless granite walls combine to make this one of the most picture-worthy views in America, so be sure and remember your camera!
Day 4
- Hiking Mileage: 5 miles
- Elevation Loss: 200 feet
- Elevation Gain: 300 feet
As amazing as Day 3 is, this trip is in some ways just getting started! Day 4 takes us past more mountain lakes and past more impressive Rocky Mountain peaks to our camp at Mae’s Lake. Some of today’s highlights include lunch at Skull Lake, views of Bernard Peak and Mount Washakie, and a myriad of majestic creeks and meadows that provide fantastic opportunities to relish in the wonder of wilderness. Once at camp, we’ll relax in preparation for tomorrow’s big climb up Pyramid Peak.
Day 5
- Hiking Mileage: 6+ miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 1500 feet
Today is another major gem of this trip! We’ll have a quick breakfast and get an early start to beat potential afternoon thunderstorms, as we’re heading high onto the exposed slopes of Pyramid Peak (12,030 feet). We first hike to Pyramid Lake, an alpine lake hemmed in between Midsummer Dome and Pyramid Peak, two impressive summits. We’ll continue west below Midsummer Dome and work our way up the scree slopes of Pyramid Peak to its summit. The views from up here extend across the entire mountain range. We’re also able to see Gannett Peak, which is the tallest peak in Wyoming.
After we summit we’ll return to camp and have a relaxing evening, hearty dinner and roaring campfire in celebration of our amazing day!
Day 6
- Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
- Elevation Loss: 600 feet
Today begins our loop hike back to our starting point. We’ll hike down the East Fork Valley, which is a broad valley characterized by big meadows and beautiful aspen forests. We’ll cut over to Marms Lake, where we’ll camp for the evening. Marms Lake provides another great opportunity for any guests interested in fishing.
Day 7
- Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
- Elevation Loss: 650 feet
- Shuttle to Jackson Hole: 3 hours
Our final day takes us back to the Big Sandy River and our starting point. We’ll keep our eyes out for moose, as the meadows and wetlands of this area are great moose habitat! A final shuttle ride back to Jackson Hole provides a wonderful opportunity to relax, take in the scenery on this amazing drive, and contemplate the life-changing adventure you’ve just completed.
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes.
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
AVAILABLE TO BOOK
This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!
GOING FAST
This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.
REQUEST A RESERVATION
This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
What's Included
- Pack llamas to transport the majority of gear and food and a dedicated llama handler
- One or more professional, knowledgeable, certified Wind River hiking guides (max guest to guide ratio is 6:1, not including the llama handler)
- Top-of-the-line tent, backcountry sleeping pad and multi-day backpack
- High quality, synthetic sleeping bag (professionally laundered after every use) – or bring your own.
- Use of trekking poles
- All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
- Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Jackson, Wyoming to the trailhead and back
- Bear safety equipment including bear spray cannisters and food-hanging gear
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and satellite phone
- You will receive a Lifetime Hiking Membership entitling you, your spouse and your kids to a lifetime discount of 10% off any Wildland Trekking hiking trip after your first one!
What's Not Included
- Clothes, raingear, and footwear (Oboz hiking shoes and boots recommended)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Waterbottles and a headlamp or flashlight
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-15% of trip cost)
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.
Meals: What To Expect
All of our hiking and backpacking tours include a diversity of tasty meals packed full of critical carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We carry foods that travel well in the backcountry – rice, pastas, lentils, beans, couscous, packaged meats, nuts, breads, oatmeal, granola, and more.
For optimal taste and energy, we supplement all our meals with spices, herbs, oils, cheeses, butter, sugar, and fruits and vegetables (fresh and dried). In addition, we provide you with with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your own discretion.
We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.
Gear We Provide
We provide all group gear which includes the following:
- Deuter or Osprey backpacks
- Sierra Designs or Mountain Hardware tents
- Sierra Designs, Kelty, Big Agnes and Mountain Hardware synthetic-fill sleeping bags (or bring your own)
- Thermarest or Big Agnes sleeping pads
- Leki trekking poles
- Mountain Safety Research cooking stoves
- Mountain Safety Research cookware
- Bear spray cannisters and food-hanging gear
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device(s)
What Gear To Bring
We ask that you supply a couple of gear items on your hiking tour. These items are two 1-liter waterbottles per person, either a headlamp or flashlight per person, and a lightweight waterproof stuff sac for your clothes and belongings. Basic items like sunscreen, bug repellent (where and when applicable), lip balm, and toiletries are also important.
Additionally, some guests choose to bring their own sleeping bag. We supply high quality, synthetic fill bags that are professionally laundered after every trip. Synthetic fill is non-allergenic, insulates when damp and stands up well to repeated washings, but is heavier and bulkier than down. If you’re able to bring your own down sleeping bag, there are multiple benefits. If not, we’ve got you covered!
What Clothes to Bring
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with detailed guidance about what clothes to pack (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, and our recommended clothing system. A minimum of three pairs of wool or synthetic hiking socks are also required.
Trip Logistics
Where Do We Meet?
Your guide will conduct a virtual orientation meeting (via conference call) at 5:00 PM the evening before your trip begins to review the packing list, communicate the first day’s logistics and answer any last minute questions you have. Your guide will give you the phone number for this call during the pre-trip contact approximately 10 days before your trip start date.
Early on the morning of Day 1 your guide will pick you up from your accommodations in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Driggs, Idaho; or Victor, Idaho.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Start/End Times
You can expect the first day’s pick-up time to be between 5 and 7 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day no later than 7 PM.
Safety Considerations
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional Wyoming hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. We’ve developed comprehensive risk management protocols that our guides adhere to in case of an emergency, and most tours carry a satellite phone. If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Guides
Your tour will be led by a trained, experienced professional with solid guiding backgrounds, years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, training in llama-handling, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. Check out our Meet Our Team page for staff bios.
Group Size
The standard ratio of guests to guides on llama trips is 1 guide for 1-4 guests; 2 guides for 5-8 guests; and 3 guides for 9-10 guests. Private trips can have can have up to 12 guests. If you have more questions about group size, please give us a call at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) and we’ll answer all your questions.
Hiking with Llamas
Ideally you desire to be on a trip with llamas, by this we mean that a trip with stock animals is different than a backpacking trip in many ways. One big difference is that it takes time for your guide to get all the animals loaded and ready to go in the morning and to unload gear and care for them once we arrive in camp. Also the pace of a llama trip can be a bit slower than you would walk without a pack and you’ll be expected to hike with the group.
On a llama trip the animals tend to take on a focus of the trip. These trips are most rewarding when the clients want to interact with and help out with caring for the llamas. The tradeoff for not having to carry a large backpack is that llamas do require extra work from their guide/handlers. If you are choosing a llama trip solely on the basis of not having to carry a backpack and do not wish to interact with a llama, you need to speak honestly with your Adventure Consultant about this and potentially add another Wildland Guide to your trip to cover the extra workload of caring for the llamas.
Weather Around Yellowstone
Being a Northern mountain environment, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is prone to sudden temperature and weather shifts. This is an exciting aspect of being in Wyoming’s mountains. On trips in June, snow is a slight possibility, and the rest of the summer you’re likely to get rained on at least once during your trip. To be fully prepared, please follow the recommended clothing list closely (this list comes as part of your trip packet when you register). See below for average summer temperatures around Yellowstone:
Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit)
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| June | 70° | 42° |
| July | 80° | 47° |
| August | 78° | 45° |
| September | 68° | 37° |
Accommodations
BACKCOUNTRY SLEEPING
Tent Camping
Sleeping on this trip is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and synthetic-fill sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
BACKCOUNTRY CUISINE
Fresh & Delicious
Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your guide. We never use dehydrated backpacking meals, instead serving freshly prepared, delicious backcountry cuisine made with a variety of common and specialty ingredients that travel well in the wilderness.
AMAZING CAMPSITES
In the Action
Of course campsites vary tremendously by destination, trip and even by the individual day of a trip. However, you can expect to camp in beautiful areas that put you right in the action to make the most of your backpacking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Reviews
- SORT BY:
- Most recent
- LOW - HIGH
- HIGH - LOW
Jim T
Llamas!
I will never do a multi-day hike without llamas again. Take a load off of my back and put on theirs.
Vicki H
The trip was fabulous
The trip was fabulous, Casey and Jerry were awesome guides, going above and beyond to take care of us. I have a wierd diet and Casey worked hard to fix food that I could eat, and it was delicious!! I enjoyed the llamas SO much, they were awesome, too! Had a wonderful time and saw incredibly beautiful sights!
Diane C.
Wonderful Experience
We went on Wildland’s 7-day llama trek into the Wind River Range in Wyoming. It was a wonderful experience from pre-trip through the last day when we hiked out. Wildland’s customer service answered questions quickly and they provided clear information packets before the trip. Our guide, Alexi, was in touch a few days before the trip. Alexi was an amazing guide with tons of knowledge about the Winds, great at handling llamas, a skilled story-teller about his experiences, and a wonderful backcountry cook. Wildland provided excellent gear including easy-to-assemble tents and very warm sleeping bags (it gets cold at night at 10,000 ft in September!). We were very happy with Wildland Trekking and wouldn’t hesitate to go on another one of their trips.
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