McDougal Gap: Crossing the Wyoming Range

There are three ways to bypass/cross the Wyoming Mountain Range. One is to head north to Alpine Wyoming and then drive up the Snake River Canyon. From Hoback Junction you can head south to Big Piney. Another way is to take the Smith Fork Road, (four-wheel drive for a bit), and then take the TriCounty road, again to Big Piney. The third way is to go to Alpine and then drive up the Greys River road till you reach Sheep Creek. There you take the McDougal Gap road to Daniel, Wyoming.

We have always wanted to drive to McDougal Gap and our son Matt told us that he had driven across the Gap on his off-road bike. He told us it was a good road and that we would have no problems driving the road.

Still we have been hesitant as unknown gravel mountain roads can often turn into muddy/rocky messes and are no place to break down. Our concern was unwarranted! Loading up the truck, (Renita did not want to take the new car we could have taken the car), we drove to Alpine and headed up the Greys.

Of course, the road was its usual washboard self and we bumped and bounced up the wide but rough gravel road. It was thirty-one mules from Alpine and the road did finally get better. Reaching Forest service road 10125, the McDougal Gap Road, we turned up it. It was only about nine miles up the road to the pass and while the road did narrow down a bit it still remained a good gravel road.

As we neared the Gap we drove between huge cliffs and reached a series of switchbacks. More rocks and less gravel caused us some concern, but it was still an easy but steep drive. Reaching the McDougal Gap, we passed through it and stopped at McDougal Pass. Mt McDougal stood to the north.

The Wildflowers were blooming, and we stopped to take some images before continuing down the east side of the pass.

A sign said that the distance to Daniel was only thirty-three miles and even though it would be longer we decided to continue.

A small steam appeared. The North Fork of Cottonwood Creek, and as it grew larger, we stopped to see if there were any fish. Of course, I had brought my fly rod, one should never travel without a fishing pole and I tied on my favorite dry fly. I climbed down to the stream and carefully avoiding beaver runs, (holes dug by beavers to break fly fisherman’s legs and ankles) I made several casts before a nice fish hit the fly.

Trying to set the hook, I missed the fish and then another. The fish were pretty small, and I continued to miss more fish until a larger fish hooked itself. Fighting in the fish I saw it was a cutthroat trout and after snapping several images, I safely released the fish. It quickly swam back to its hiding place.

Now I needed a Colorado Cutthroat Trout for my Wyoming Cut Slam application and we were in the Green River drainage so I hoped it would turn out to be a Colorado Cutthroat. Continuing to miss more hits, I finally set the hook on another fish but this time it was a small brook trout. The brook trout here are an invasive species that have displaced the cutthroats and so I considered myself lucky to catch a cut.

As we had no cell service I couldn’t check online to see if it was a Colorado Cut until we got back home and it turned out it was. So now I have my third fish of the award. Renita meanwhile had been taking more flower and scenery images and returning to the truck we headed further down the road.

As we reached the Red Desert, the ditches of the road were filled with purple lupines. We passed herds of antelopes and spotted the largest buck antelope we have ever seen. The antelope ran before I could get the camera ready and so we didn’t get a great image. The antelope had better keep running as hunting season is fast approaching and with its massive horns it will be lucky to survive this fall.

Reaching Daniel, Wyoming we looked for the walk-in fishing area on the Green River, but we couldn’t see the signs. It was too bad as we had hoped Renita could fish a bit and perhaps catch her third fish of the cut award, (the area where I had fished was solid willows and not an east place to fly fish).

After eating lunch on the Green River, we decided to head back home. It was an uneventful drive back with the only excitement being seeing the landslides that had closed the Snake River Canyon.

They had happened last week after a heavy rain and hailstorm and had even trapped cars but luckily no one was injured.

Today is a good day to rest as tomorrow its off to the periodontist…… Clear skies