Looking to make a 7 day trip to do some camping, hiking and fishing. Most likely will be a solo trip. Will be using a tent and prefer dispersed camping just so I can move around and not have to worry so much about reservations.

Looking for any info on sites, hikes (5-9 mile day hikes), fishing spots (exact GPS coordinates preferred of course ) and general info.

My parents use to spend a lot of time in the Brooklyn Lake area so I would like to go there a day or two for nostalgia sake for them, as they cannot make the trip anymore.

TIA

I used to live in southern Wyoming and spent a lot of time in the Snowies. Here's a thought. There's a trailhead just north of the campground at Big Brooklyn Lake (that's the second one after you turn off the Centinnial/Saratoga highway). From the trailhead there is FS trail no. 389 which goes north as far as you would want to go, but it also loops into trail no. 296 which goes to the west then back to the south and comes out at Lake Marie which I think is one of the prettiest places in Wyoming, but doing the loop will require a shuttle.

I've never made the loop but have hiked both trails. You'll be near the tree line but not above it in most places. If you haven't been to the Snowies in a long time be prepared for an unpleasant surprise. The pine bark beetles have devasted the pine forests and you'll see brown trees for miles, but last time I was at the Brooklyn Lakes it hadn't been affected by that yet.

Sometimes the snow doesn't melt up there until late July and mosquitoes can be ferocious when it does, so take than into consideration when planning your trip.

Ask and you shall receive! This board … man. Good stuff!

I carried that same map when I went! I used to park at the Gap lakes trail head and go up that way. It wasn't very far but I'd meander about and hit all the little lakes along the way. I think I would camp near Deep Lake and then come back. I'm not a great fisherman, but would catch in most of those lakes on the way in.

Agree about the bugs certain years. I remember getting them up my nose and in my eyes hiking out one time!

Can yall elaborate on the camping? Most if not all sites are first come first serve. It is only 3 hours from my work to the North part of the national forest. My idea is maybe make a few weekend trips up there before a week long trip once i find 1 or 2 areas i like and want to explore more. I could leave work around 1 PM but I'm afraid of driving around for hours trying to find a campsite.

The FS site only lists 4 disperse areas to camp and many campgrounds. Just getting some ideas going to prepare for when this snow melts. First trip would be mid July depending on snow of course.

My intel is at least 15 years old but it was never terribly crowded when I went. Once I got a couple of miles from the trail head, I never saw many people. I never used or reserved a campsite. I wasn't familiar with the term "dispersed camping" until I googled it just now. I didn't realized there were only certain areas where camping was allowed. Maybe that's new or I never paid attention. I packed in, pumped water and set up camp wherever I wanted. I'd stay a day or 2 and move somewhere else. At least 3 times there was a warden on the trail near the gap checking fishing licenses, but it was never a big deal

You won't have trouble finding a place to camp. There are designated campsites but their only advantage, if you call it that, are pit toilets. They'll have water spigots but you can use those whether you use the campgrounds or not. If you don't want to backpack you could park your car and find a place out of site from a road to set your tent. Or just a few miles east of the Brooklyn Lakes towards Centennial is Sheep Mtn Road (forest road 101) that goes to the north. It's a very popular place for dispersed camping, my wife and I would take our camper up there and just find a level spot. You can just find a place along the road to camp. It can get almost crowded during hunting season.

A few miles up that road is Trail Creek Trail (that's really what it's called) that takes off to the west. Very scenic but there's an old dilapidated cabin that my dog found a porcupine in. FYI there's a vet in Laramie that has weekend emergency services.

I camped in the Medicine Bow area several times and climbed Medicine Bow Peak once. It is beautiful! Never seemed to be many people around which was excellent. Medicine Bow Peak is a relatively easy climb.

I've camped outside Encampment and in the French Creek area (maybe FS225). The past three summers that I have been up to the Snowies, the established campgrounds have been full which is fine because I prefer dispersed camping anyways.

As already mentioned, the Medicine Bow Peak is an awesome hike (do the loop) but my favorite is the Lost Lakes Trail which starts in the Brooklyn Lake area- I think you hike by 6-7 lakes. There is a forest service station on the west side of the Snowies before you get to Ryan Park.

Any dispersed spots you like? email is in profile if you prefer that.

See my post above. Forest Rd. 101 ( also called either Sheep Mtn or Sheep Lake road) is a popular dispersed camping area. You're allowed to camp anywhere but finding good level spots is the challenge. That road branches off Hwy 130 to the north, about 5 miles west of Cenntenial. There are wide level areas next to a creek.