Island Lake Photoset • FOTG • 2020-07-10 • HikeArizona.COM

Island Lake, WY

	2020-07-10
	15 by FOTG

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Island Lake, WY

Backpack	26.22 Miles

Backpack	26.22 Miles	2 Days

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Linked

linked

Titcomb Basin

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After our Haystack climb, Katie and I packed up camp and headed to the Pole Creek Trailhead for a backpack into Island Lake. I would have loved to get Katie into Titcomb, but we were a little beat and not feeling the extra miles.

We camped at Seneca Lake and then day hiked to Island Lake. Our campsite on Seneca was amazing, but the mosquitoes were relentless. We had to retreat to our tent for most of our stay there. In fact, we even ate dinner in the tent. Yes we chose dinner in the tent in bear country over sitting outside with the mosquitoes. The hike to Island Lake was as amazing as I had remembered. We stopped and took an extended break on some slab over looking Island Lake. The lake blew me away again and Katie was equally as impressed.

On our hike out we made the worthy detour to the Sweeny Lakes and Miller Lake. We then opted for a longer return via the Sweeny Lakes Trail and finished at the Elkpark Information center.

A visually stunning backpack as was expected, but the bugs were bad. If I could quantify it, I would say twice as bad if not more than last year. The trailhead was not as packed as I thought it would be, but its still a little early in the year for some of the backcountry destinations in this area. This area simply has some of the most stunning views I have ever seen. The beauty and settings of some of these lakes can elicit emotional responses when you view them. I have tremendous feelings of calmness and contentedness out here. I have no problem admitting it almost feels spiritual to me. No range in the contiguous U.S. compares to this place.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Bridger Wilderness Island Lake Miller Lake Seneca Lake Wind River Range

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