Gros Ventre River Trail

Difficulty:  Intermediate    Trail Use:   Light

Length:     17.9 miles from Horn Ranch and at of Gros Ventre Road to upper junction with Crystal Cr Trail #4021, ~ 6 miles from jct with  Dry Fork Trail to jct with Grizzly Basin Trail, ~10 miles from jct with Dry Fork Trail to jct with Shoal Fals Trail

Elevation:  8220 ft at jct with Dry Fork Trail, 7220 ft at jct with Horn Ranch, 8647 ft at jct with Jagg Cr Trail, 8780 ft at jct with Grizzly Basin Trail, 10,550 ft at jct with Crystal Cr Trail  

Open to:  Hikers, Equestrian

Trail Highlights:

• This trail description does not include the section from Horn Ranch at the end of the Gros Ventre Road to Darwin Ranch.  This section of trail is not maintained and has experienced several landslides making it difficult to navigate. 
• At the Dry Fork Trail junction, the Gros Ventre River Trail begins by skirting the edge of the meadow, making its way through pine forest over to the Gros Ventre River where it crosses.
• Past the crossing you’ll reach a junction with the trail that goes to Darwin Ranch.  This is private property and should not be used without permission from the ranch.  The Gros Ventre River Trail heads up the river through pine forest for many miles until reaching Ouzel Falls.  
• Past the falls the trail continues to climb slightly alongside the river until reaching a series of large open meadows.  Here the trail continues between the forest edge and the willows, fairly gentle grade with awesome views of Blacks Peak and Darwin Peak.  At the end of this large meadow is Upper Falls, a large waterfall with excellent camping spots nearby.  The junction to head up the Jagg Cr Trail towards Cowboy Camp is also here.
• The trail climbs above the falls to another large open meadow, where you’ll see a large outfitter camp in the summer months and you’ll also reach the junction for the Grizzly Basin Trail by Chateau Lakes.
• Past Chateau Lakes, the trail continues to climb through open meadows alongside the river, eventually climbing into the alpine and up to a high saddle underneath Blacks Peak. The trail can be faint up in these areas but there is a signed junction at the saddle so just keep climbing up the drainage and you can’t miss it. 

Options:

• From this trail, you can connect to the Jagg Cr Trail, Big Cow Cr Trail, and Goosewing Cr Trail from Cowboy Camp.  Take the junction just below Upper Falls to climb up to Cowboy Camp.
• Above the falls you can connect to the Grizzly Basin trail which starts over by Chateau Lakes.  This trail will take you up and over to Brewster Lake.  
• From the headwaters you can head down Crystal Cr Trail back to the Gros Ventre Road, or head down Swift Cr Trail or Shoal Falls Trail to the Granite Cr Road.

Important Information

• This trail is located within the Gros Ventre Wilderness.  See restrictions link below for more info.
• This trail is on the USGS quad map for Ouzel Falls and Darwin Peak.
• Always check the posted information at the kiosks for maps, updated material on forest regulations and closures.

At a Glance