Popo Agie Wilderness Area

The Popo Agie Wilderness was first established as a primitive area on March 2s, 1932. The area, containing 101,991 acres, was classified as wilderness by the Wyoming Wilderness Act of 1984. It is bounded by the Wind River Indian Reservation on the north, and the Bridger Wilderness on the Bridger-Teton National Forest on the west.

The Popo Agie Wilderness is within the boundaries of the Shoshone National Forest in western Wyoming. It lies immediately east of the Continental Divide, 18 miles west of Lander, 135 miles west of Casper, and 80 miles north of Rock Springs, Wyoming. It is accessible via trailheads which may be reached by US Highway 287, Wyoming Highway 131 and secondary roads.

The topography of the Popo Agie is very rough, consisting of high jagged peaks separating many beautiful stream courses in deep, narrow valleys and canyons along a 25-mile stretch of the southern Wind River Range. Sheer granite walls are prevalent. There are several permanent snowfields along the Continental Divide.

Wind River Peak, 13,255 feet in elevation is the highest peak associated with the Popo Agie. It is on the western boundary which is common with the Bridger Wilderness on the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Over twenty summits above 12,000 feet in elevation are present within the Popo Agie Wilderness. The lowest elevation, 8,400 feet, is at the point where the eastern boundary crosses the Middle Fork Popo Agie River.

Over 300 lakes and ponds are dispersed throughout the area. Headwaters of the Middle Fork Popo Agie, North Fork Popo Agie, and South Fork Little Wind Rivers originate here. All are tributaries of the Wind River.

The montane, subalpine, and alpine vegetative life zones are represented within the wilderness.

The maximum summer temperatures in June, July and August rarely exceed 80 degrees. Winter minimums may reach so to 40 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. There is no frost free period and snow can be expected during any month.

Average annual precipitation is between 25 and 30 inches and occurs chiefly in the form of snow. Occasional heavy rains occur during the summer and light thunderstorms are common during the afternoons.