Fitzpatrick Wilderness
Originally called the Glacier Primitive Area, this Wilderness holds 44 active glaciers (one spanning 1,220 acres) and many ragged mountain peaks in the northern half of the Wind River Mountain Range. Situated...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Wyoming |
| Size | 198,906 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1976, by Congress |
| Center point | 43.2726, -109.5808 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 23) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 3 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
20 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 102 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Glacier Trail ↗ | 23.9 | |
| Simpson Lake ↗ | 12.3 | |
| Ink Wells ↗ | 8.3 | |
| Dry Creek ↗ | 8.2 | |
| Whiskey Mountain ↗ | 6.5 | |
| Dinwoody ↗ | 6.4 | |
| Ross Lake ↗ | 5.6 | |
| Old Glacier Trail ↗ | 5 | |
| Sandra Lake ↗ | 4.5 | |
| Salt Barrels ATV Trail | 3.9 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas, refreshed September 18, 2026. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- WildfireTelephone
29 mi from the center point · 23 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 2.9 miWelty's General Store ↗Dubois, WY
- 2.9 miTwin Pines Lodge and Cabin Camp ↗Dubois, WY
- 2.9 miAmoretti, Welty, Helmer & Co Bank ↗Dubois, WY
- 4.3 miEls Bridge over Big Wind River ↗Dubois, WY
- 5.2 miUnion Pass ↗Unknown, WY
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Fitzpatrick Wilderness?
198,906 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Fitzpatrick Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Fitzpatrick Wilderness in?
Wyoming.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Fitzpatrick Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1976.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Fitzpatrick Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Green River Lake Lodge, 6.2 miles out. 3 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Fitzpatrick Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 43.273, -109.581. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Fitzpatrick Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Telephone at 29 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Fitzpatrick Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 23 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near Fitzpatrick Wilderness?
5 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Welty's General Store and Twin Pines Lodge and Cabin Camp.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.