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Backpacker Magazine – May 2012
America's Best Campsites
Park your tent in one of these 10 spots, and you'll be happy in the morning. Guaranteed.
Photo by BP0512CAMP_Lanza_Sahale_445x260.jpg
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Tags:
- Feature Stories |
- Camping |
- North Cascades |
- Washington |
- Great Sand Dunes |
- Colorado |
- Maine |
- Grand Canyon |
- Arizona |
- Oregon |
- Arkansas |
- Wyoming |
- Glacier Bay |
- Alaska |
- Glen Canyon |
- Utah |
Cirque of the Towers
Wind River Range, WY
Many a backpacker, rock climber, and fly-fisherman has crested Jackass Pass, at 10,800 feet, gained their first view of the Cirque—a semi-circle of 12,000-foot granite spires—and uttered words that we cannot print here. The rest were too slack-jawed to speak. And it only gets better: continue about a mile beyond the pass and pitch your tent at this campsite on soft ground in the meadows at mile 8.7, nearly surrounded by a horseshoe of toothy, sheer granite towers with names like Warbonnet, Wolf’s Head, Shark’s Nose, and Warrior. No matter how much time you’ve allotted, you’ll wish you had more for the wealth of climbing, fishing, and on- and off-trail exploring. The best side trips include Cirque Lake and Lonesome Lake below the soaring face of Pingora Peak, and Texas Pass above Secluded Lake. Spend two nights here on a 17.4-mile out-and-back hike, or take advantage of numerous possibilities for longer treks. From Big Sandy trailhead (camping $8/night), hike a flat 5.2 miles to Big Sandy Lake, then take the trail climbing to Jackass Pass—steeply for the last mile. Bring a rod for catching cutthroat trout in Lonesome Lake. The climber and mosquito numbers thin by late summer.
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READERS COMMENTS
Just there this week - it is County Rd 7 and is easily accesible to 2wd cars and is reasonably well signposted. Yankee Boy Basin has nothing to do with it(unless and until you hike to Blue Lakes Pass that is). The trail to the pass is in poor condition in places and i was glad i did not have a full pack. Incredible place!! And if you do Sneffels consider the SW ridge route - more fun that the standard.
Heads up for all the eastcoasters thinking they can just drive to the trailhead. You will need a 4w drive vehicle to access the trail.
I cant believe theres not a top ten place for camping in california?????????????????
Not true about the Dallas Creek trailhead. I hiked up to the Blue Lakes from there in 2010. The road name and number may be incorrect, but the lakes are certainly accessible from the north. Just take Rt. 62 five miles west of Ridgway and turn left. Google Maps has it labeled as County Road 7.
That said, the Dallas Creek trail is wooded and, not counting some waterfalls, not as scenic as the Yankee Boy Basin approach (which starts about 2000' higher).
This is spectacular country. I was really happy to see it on this list.
Regarding Mt Sneffels. The phone number does not work and forest rd 851 (Dallas Creek Rd) does not exist. The trail is at the end of forest rd 853.1B (Yankee Boy Rd).
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