A high Rocky Mountain wilderness of glaciers, alpine lakes, and rugged ridgelines in Wyoming's Wind River Range.
Fitzpatrick Wilderness
The Fitzpatrick Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area in western Wyoming, set within the Shoshone National Forest and forming the central and northern heart of the dramatic Wind River Range. Spanning a substantial portion of high terrain in Fremont and Sublette counties, the wilderness preserves one of the most rugged and glacially shaped landscapes in the Greater Rockies.
The area is characterized by towering granite peaks, deep cirques, remnant glaciers, alpine meadows, and a network of clear mountain lakes and streams. Its elevation range, remoteness, and lack of roads or developed infrastructure place it firmly among the most serious backcountry environments in the continental United States, attracting experienced backpackers, climbers, and anglers.
Originally managed as the Glacier Primitive Area, the landscape was redesignated under the Wilderness Act framework in 1976 and is now administered by the U.S. Forest Service. The Fitzpatrick Wilderness embodies the highest ideals of American wilderness preservation: a place where natural processes, ecosystems, and solitude are protected from motorized intrusion and large-scale resource extraction.
