Riding the trails in southwestern Wyoming

Mud, dirt, sand, snow, rock, and ice.

Wait a week and the outdoor conditions will change. Trail riding is one of my favorite things to do, and the trails around Green River have hundreds of miles and places to ride. With an ORV sticker, and license plate I can drive just about anywhere. There are trails, and two-tracker roads for any level of ability of riding. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Pilot Butte, the ice caves, and natural horse corral. I’ve also have been on Little, Black, and Cedar Mountains. With all this riding, I always take a camera, the photo opportunities are endless. One of my best trail rides was riding south of Little America in the late spring and coming upon thousands of cactus in bloom. The sight was outstanding. On an early morning ride this summer riding east from our shooting range, to the Rock Springs shooting range I stopped and watched a bobcat with her kit.

For safety, I prefer to ride with another rider. It only takes a few moments to get miles away from town or your ATV trailer and if you have a breakdown, it is a long walk back. To carry my safety equipment, I have a large tool box mounted to the back of each of my ATVs. I carry a small tool bag, a short and long tow strap, winch pulley, bathroom tissues, wet ones, folding hand saw, tire repair kit and a small air compressor. On the side I have a 1 ½ gal gas can mounted, and a winch. And I also carry a folding chair, and a small soft cooler strapped to the front with cool drinks and maybe a lunch.

For hunting, fishing, and camping in the remote, I built a small tilt-trailer from an old three-wheeler frame and axle. I also built a rack on the front to hold my folding game hauler.

Last year while bow hunting up in the mountains east of Baggs with a friend, we came upon a cowboy with a pick-up full of fence poles stuck in the mud in an aspen grove. Using the winches, cable pulleys (a pulley can double the pounds your winch can pull), and tow straps (I use a small one to wrap around a tree and cause no damage to it) from our ATVs, we were able to get him out. With handshakes, and slaps on the back we had to ask if he had a hidey-hole chucked full of game, but he didn’t.

So on your next trail ride, slow down, leave a small foot print by staying on the trail, and take a camera. Besides exploring the history of the area, the fantastic views, you will see more wildlife.

That’s all for now, have fun and be safe!