Pole Creek Trail is located in the Bridger Wilderness near Pinedale, Wyoming. It is the main starting point for popular backpacking loops in the wilderness. As a result, there is a huge parking area, pit toilets, and a basic campground at the trailhead.
After two days of consistent rain, I wondered if hiking the Pole Creek Trail to Elklund Lake was worth it with the collection of people in the trailhead. It might have been the most people I had seen preparing to hike during the entire month I have spent in Wyoming. That said, it is not like a Colorado 14er or any other popular hikes near Denver when you can’t even find a parking space after 7am.
Additionally, I got a later start than usual and I hiked on the weekend…two things I avoid to enjoy the solitude of nature. Anyway, most people in the parking area were loaded down with heavy packs and were definitely prepping for a backpacking trip. Donning just a day pack for a long day hike to Elklund Lake, I was able to stay ahead of the traffic.
HAPPY HIKING!