Pinedale, Wyoming

The only RV park we have ever stayed at that you can have a rental spa delivered to your site

Day 1 - 3 moose

Green River Rendezvous

Sixteen Rendezvous were held during the years 1824-1840, the height of the  Rocky Mountain Fur Trade when the beaver top hat was an essential part of every respectable urban man's wardrobe. Of those 16 gatherings, six were located at the Green River Rendezvous site, eight miles west of Pinedale near Daniel, Wyoming. It was at this site where famous mountain men like Jim Bridger, Kit Carson, Thomas Fitzpatrick carved their legends and opened the way for settlement of the West and supplied lustrous beaver pelts for the fashion industries of Europe and the eastern United States. Trappers, travelers and Native American Indians all gathered to barter, sell and gamble away the pelts and skins they'd gathered through the winter from hard, dangerous labor. Guns, jewelry, supplies and other trade goods were also swapped. These original Rendezvous were the best opportunity to lay in supplies for the coming winter, renew acquaintances, tell tall tales, drink, laugh and get rowdy.

Osprey

We are amazed at how many birds of prey we have seen in this area

Sand Hill Cranes 

Bald eagle and Magpie

Day 2

On our morning walk, I was commenting about how nice this house looked when we noticed the yard ornament.

Three houses away we find another bull moose.  He had been busy trimming the tree.

3rd moose on day 2

Pine Creek

As we circle back on our walk we wonder if the moose will still be there.  We find the lazy moose.

The Lander Cutoff Trail was a shortcut for those traveling the Oregon Trail to the Pacific Northwest. It is the only wagon road of the Oregon Trail system to ever be subsidized and constructed by the federal government.

Following along the Lander Cutoff Trail

Prairie Dog

The place where this road crosses the Big Sandy River, known as Buckskin Crossing has been a campsite and river ford for hundreds if not thousands of years.

Buckskin Crossing of the Big Sandy River

In all this wildness we found a baby horny toad

Love it.  Someone has a great sense of humor.

Sand Springs

From homesteading in the 1880's until use of the automobile in the 1920's, Sand Springs remained an important watering hole for travelers and stock.

Until the coming of the railroad in 1869, up to 300 wagons and thousands of cattle, horses and mules may have passed here in a day.  These trail ruts are a reminder of thoses times.

This big guy hiding behind the bushes was our 4th moose on day 3.

Sir William Drummond Stewart of Scotland can be called Wyoming's first tourist. Stewart attended every summer rendezvous from 1833 to 1838, during the heyday of the mountain man fur trade.

Although the last rendezvous was held in 1840, Stewart and mountain man William Sublette returned one more time in 1843. They camped here for 10 days in August, visited old Shoshone Indian and trapper friends, and raced horses on a flat to the west near the New Fork River. Stewart and a small party floated to the head of the lake in an India-rubber boat brought especially for that purpose. At that time this lake was called both Stewart's Lake.  The year before, in 1842, explorer John C. Fremont had made his first trip west, and guided by Kit Carson, climbed what he thought was the highest summit in the Wind River Mountains. This peak, which towers over the lake, was later named Fremont's Peak. Long after, not knowing that the lake had already been named in honor of Stewart, Fremont supporters named it Fremont Lake even though John C. Fremont had never actually been there.  At 9 miles long, 1 mile wide and 600 feet deep, Fremont Lake is the second largest natural lake in Wyoming.

Fremont Lake

Wind River Range

North end of Fremont Lake

I think I need one of these 

We didn't think this sign was referring to the Forest Service road we were on, but we decided to stir clear of the entire area

Sylvan Bay 

Fremont Lake Dam

Gros Ventre Lodge

One of the earliest dude ranches in Wyoming, was built on the hill in 1897 and operated until 1906.  It was named for the Little Gros Ventre and was known locally as "Dog Ranch" because of the foxhounds on hand for hunting.

Lunch time over looking the Green River.

Green River Lake

The complete beauty of this area is hidden by the smoke this year.

Old ranger horse stable

Love the markings and horns on #170

Bald Eagle

Museum of the Mountain Man

Jim Bridger's gun

The Pinedale Camp Fire Girls received their charter in 1935. That same year, Madge McHugh became the guardian and remained in this position for 62 years.  Madge’s Cabin," home to long-time Camp Fire Girls leader Madge McHugh Funk. The cabin was moved from downtown Pinedale to the museum grounds after Madge passed away in 1997.

Old Sheep herder trailer

Pronghorns

West side of Fremont Lake

Willow Lake