Spring Creek to Green River Trek
Jackson, WY
5.0 (6 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Green River Headwaters
- Mountain Solitude
- Point to Point Thru-hike
- Stunning Mountain Views
- Lush Meadows, Lakes & Forests
- Pristine Campsites
- Dramatic Night Skies
- Guides Choice Trip
Description
This trip follows a classic thru-hike route that can be done as either a 4-day trip (difficulty level 4) or 5-day trip (difficulty level 3). Either way it’s exceptional and features stunning Wyoming high country, pristine camps, breathtaking views (especially of Squaretop Mountain and the Green River Valley), and lots of opportunities to fish for those interested.
Our trip begins in Jackson Hole, where we pick you up at your hotel for a 2-hour shuttle to the trailhead. The first two days of our hike take us through forests, across meadows, past lakes, and finally into the subalpine forests of the higher mountains. We’ll have incredible views of the Continental Divide and towering peaks like Sky Pilot Peak, Glover Peak, and Mount Oeneis. On Day 3 we’ll ascend into the high country and cross Green River Pass (10,400 feet). We’ll be literally at the headwaters of the Green River, which is the chief tributary to the Colorado River and runs 730 miles before meeting the Colorado River in Utah. We’ll also enjoy fantastic views of Squaretop Mountain, one of the most distinguished peaks in Wyoming. We’ll descend into the Green River Valley, where we’ll hike through dense forests and vast meadows before finally reaching Green River Lakes, our ending point.
The Wildland Trekking Company operates under a permit issued by the Bridger-Teton National Forest, and is an equal opportunity service provider.
$1675 Per Person
$1910 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 4
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
This trip’s difficulties mostly come from rugged wilderness trail conditions, river crossings, high elevation, and fairly significant elevation change every day. The final day’s hike is almost 10 miles, and because it’s a 5-day trip the backpack weights are significant.
Hiking Distances:
5-10 mi
Backpack Weight:
35-45 lbs
Terrain:
Moderately Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
1600 ft
Heights Exposure:
Moderate
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 35-45 lb backpack for 6-8 hours
- Maintaining balance and footing on moderately rugged terrain
- Hiking with occasional, moderate heights exposure
- Crossing rivers and creeks, some of which require wading and/or walking on slick river rocks
SOLITUDE LEVEL 3
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Wind River backpacking trip a solitude 3. You can expect to have hours of solitude at a time, and to see several other groups of hikers per day.
MINIMUM OF 2 GUESTS
If a trip does not reach the minimum number of guests, you may choose to transfer to another trip date or another trip, be refunded your payments in full, or you may have the choice to pay a supplemental fee to run the trip with fewer guests. We make the final determination for these trips 4-6 weeks before the departure date, and notify guests of changes and options immediately.
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.
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
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ITINERARY
Day 1
- Shuttle to Trailhead: 2 hours
- Hiking Mileage: 8 miles
- Elevation Loss: 500 feet
- Elevation Gain: 2000 feet
For this iconic Wind River Range backpacking trip, we’ll pick you up at your hotel in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Our 2-hour drive to the trailhead is much more than idle time, as we’ll be driving through beautiful mountain country, eating breakfast, and discussing the details of the trip. View of Fremont Lake shortly after leaving the trailhead.
Once at the trailhead we’ll do a final pack fitting and start hiking! Today’s hike is a beautiful one as we’ll climb a short ways from the trailhead to a ridge overlooking Fremont Lake, one of the largest natural lakes in Wyoming. From here it is a gradual ascent into the mountains and we’ll be in and out of meadows filled with sagebrush and wildflowers, as well as aspen and conifer forests. We’ll set up camp on the shores of Trapper Lake, after which you’ll have a couple hours to relax, fish, or explore before dinner and our evening campfire.
Day 2
- Hiking Mileage: 4 miles
- Elevation Gain: 900 feet
- Elevation Loss: 400 feet
Today is a diverse day of hiking that takes us higher into the mountains. We’ll hike through forests, along creeks, next to rocky bluffs, and past several lakes including Trail Lake and Gottfried Lake. Our destination is Borum Lake, which is near treeline looking up at a family of alpine peaks including Sky Pilot Peak (12,129 feet) and Glover Peak (12,068 feet).
Day 3
- Hiking Mileage: 5 miles
- Elevation Gain: 500 feet
- Elevation Loss: 1300 feet
Today is one of the gems of this trip! We’ll have a big breakfast before breaking camp and hitting the trail. Our route takes us over Green River Pass, a low spot along an alpine ridge with incredible views of the Continental Divide. We’ll be surrounded by large peaks including Vista Peak (11,840 feet) and Mount Oeneis (12,232 feet). At the pass, we officially enter the headwaters of the Green River, which is a very special treat. The Green River, which is the most significant tributary to the Colorado River, exits these mountains and flows 730 miles southwest where it combines with the Colorado River. Then together these two mighty rivers (now combined as the Colorado) flow through the Grand Canyon.
We’ll enjoy lunch on Green River Pass, with views of Squaretop Mountain, one of the Wind River Range’s most distinct peaks. Then we’ll descend into the Green River Valley and set up camp near the confluence of two side creeks to the Green River: Trail Creek and Clark Creek.
Day 4
- Hiking Mileage: 5 miles
- Elevation Gain: 400 feet
- Elevation Loss: 1600 feet
We’ll have a leisurely morning today, as our hiking is relatively easy and the nature of our surroundings begs us to take our time and soak up the natural beauty. We’ll follow Trail Creek down to the Green River, then we’ll follow the Green River downstream through majestic meadow systems and lush forests.
Day 5
- Hiking Mileage: 10 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1300 feet
- Elevation Loss: 1400 feet
- Shuttle to Jackson Hole: 2 hours
We’ll have another relaxing morning before packing up camp for the last time. We continue downstream along the Green River, with Squaretop Mountain dominating our views to the west, to Green River Lakes. Then we’ll hike around the shores of the lakes to our ending trailhead. A 2-hour shuttle back to Jackson Hole gives us time to reflect on the incredible journey we’ve just completed, and hopefully start thinking about what the next one might be!
4-day Variation
On the 4-day variation, which is Difficulty 4, we’ll increase the hiking each day, so we cover approximately 8 miles per day. You will see all the same country but with longer days of hiking.
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. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
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
- 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
- Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
- Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Jackson Hole, WY; Victor, ID or Driggs, ID
- Bear safety equipment including bear spray cannisters and food-hanging gear
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device (InReach Explorer or satellite phone)
What's Not Included
- Clothes, raingear, and footwear (see recommendations)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% 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, Kelty or Big Agnes tents
- Sierra Designs, Big Agnes and Mountain Hardware synthetic-fill sleeping bags (or bring your own)
- Thermarest or Big Agnes sleeping pads
- Leki trekking poles
- Cooking stoves and cookware
- Bear spray cannisters and food-hanging gear
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device(s)
Guest Packing List
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with a detailed packing list specific to this trip (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, a recommended clothing system, a headlamp or flashlight, a hydration system (water bottles and/or bladder) and other items specific to each trip.
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!
Trip Logistics
How do I Register?
Reserve your spot today! In the Trip Dates & Booking section of this page, the green and red dates are bookable online by simply clicking on the date, and blue dates must be booked through our customer service team for a variety of possible reasons. To email our customer service team, you can click here to get the ball rolling. Our adventure consultants will confirm availability, and if you’re ready to register we’ll email you a link to a registration profile. You’ll have 72 hours to complete your profile (and that of any dependents) and pay the deposit.
Feel free to call us for more info – we’re here 7 days a week!
Where Do We Meet?
At 5:00 PM the evening before Day 1, your guide will conduct a virtual orientation meeting (via conference call) at 5:00 PM 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.
Travel to Jackson, WY
This trip begins and ends in Jackson, WY, with pick-up also available in Driggs and Victor, ID.
You can fly into:
- Jackson Hole – some hotels and several transportation companies provide airport shuttles.
- Idaho Falls – small, more affordable airport; Salt Lake Express (208-656-8824) offers 2 daily shuttles between Idaho Falls and Jackson.
- Salt Lake City – Salt Lake Express (208-656-8824) and Alltrans (800-652-9510) offer daily shuttles (4.5 hours). Advance reservations required.
Pre and Post-trip On Request Lodging
We secure limited amounts of pre and post trip lodging in Jackson, Wyoming as an optional add-on for guests of this trip. This lodging is on request, and is available on a first come, first serve basis. If interested, please reach out directly to our team to check availability.
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 Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Essential Eligibility Criteria
Essential Eligibility Criteria (“EEC”) have been specifically identified to help you understand the skills and abilities necessary to participate on each Wildland trip, and they apply uniformly to all potential trip participants, irrespective of the presence or absence of any disability.
Once you identify a trip in which you may be interested, please carefully review the EEC and itinerary details. If after reviewing the EEC that apply to your desired trip, you determine you need an accommodation in order to meet the EEC, please contact us prior to registering to discuss your requested accommodation.
The EEC exist for your own safety and the safety and enjoyment of all participants. If you are unable to meet the EEC for the trip, with or without an accommodation, you are not eligible for that trip. If you register and arrive for a trip for which you do not meet the EEC, you will be disqualified from participation on the trip and will be dismissed or evacuated from the trip without a refund.
Guide Working Parameters
Guides are required to take 8 hours off each 24-hour period to sleep, recuperate, take personal/down time…etc. In addition, as part of the 8 hours off they must sleep/rest or be in their tents/rooms uninterrupted for a minimum of 5 hours each night. We ask guests to respect these requirements and to not interrupt guides’ off time and sleep time unless there is a true emergency.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
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 backpacking trips 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
Campsites vary 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 trekking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Reviews
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Tiphaine A
A Great Trip
A great trip and overall experience. The guides made it so easy and confortable. The itinerary was amazing, stunning. Everyday was very different in terms of landscape, such a pleasure! Meals and snacks were perfect. A big thank to our guides that made it so good. I'm French and will leave the US with wonderful memories in mind.
Marion F.
Excellent Trip
The trip was perfectly paced, the food was awesome, the guides were wonderful to interact with! Packing tips were very helpful and so was the planning meeting.
Margaret P.
Spectacular Scenery & Contagious Enthusiasm
This area in the Wind River Range is worth visiting for it's spectacular scenery. Wild Land Trekking have competent, processional guides whose enthusiasm is contagious.
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