Wind River Canyon Trail

The Wind River Canyon Trail enters one of America's most geologically significant gorges, where the Wind River has cut through Precambrian granite to expose some of the oldest rock found anywhere in Wyoming, dating back more than 2.7 billion years. The canyon walls tower hundreds of feet above the river in places, with exposed strata representing an astonishing compressed record of geological time that geologists travel from around the world to study.

The trail follows the canyon floor along the river, passing outcrops of ancient granite, gneiss, and schist that shimmer with mineral crystals in the sunlight. Interpretive signs along the route identify the major rock formations and explain their ages and formation processes in accessible terms. The canyon is a National Natural Landmark, recognized for its extraordinary geological importance and the dramatic beauty of its near-vertical walls.

Despite the canyon's remote feeling, the Union Pacific Railroad runs through on the opposite bank, and freight trains passing through the narrow gorge add a dramatic industrial element to the wilderness experience. Bighorn sheep are regularly spotted on the canyon walls, and peregrine falcons nest in the vertical rock faces. The Wind River itself offers excellent fishing for brown and rainbow trout, and the deep turquoise color of the water against the ancient dark rock creates a visual contrast of extraordinary beauty throughout the hiking season.