August 31-September 1 , 2018 Pinedale, Wyoming

We explored downtown Pinedale, Wyoming today.

Sign coming into town says All the Civilization you need , statue of a mountain man. Another All the civilization you need showing attractions around town. A fish on top of the grocery store and a mural of cows from the side of a building. 

We stopped at the Wind River Brewery for lunch. John in the Wind River brewing chair wearing the WR cowboy hat. Next to the famous chair is a western take on the woman's leg lamp. We sat by a woman at the bar who was having a drink in her own mug-you can buy them at the bar and they keep them there, and then another beer in her late husbands mug. He had just passed away so she was having one for him. And she toasted the two glasses.  We also went to the Museum of the Mountain Men. Here is a scene of Hugh Glass getting attacked by a grizzly bear. He survived and many of the famous mtn man stories and movies you see are about him.

An exhibit explaining that this area of the road are major wildlife migration routes. So they put wildlife fences along the highway, tunnels underneath for deer to cross and these huge bridges for the antelope to cross, they don't like tunnels. It has stopped 100's of wildlife car accidents and wildlife deaths.  Sunset tonight.

Today we hiked around Green River Lake. It is near the headwaters of the Green River that runs into the Colorado river in Utah. The lake is in the Wind River Mountains. John crossing a bridge that has a rut worn into it in the middle from feet and horse hooves. Part of the trail around the north side of the lake. It was a gorgeous low 70's sunny day. 

Welcome to Green River lakes, this is part of the Continental Divide Trail, some aspen that have turned already. We are in the Bridger Wilderness, ox eye daisy, yarrow and buckwheat. 

John still on the trail. Paintbrush, harebell, asters and a picturesque dead tree.  

The end of the lake with Square mountain in the valley. John on another bridge. No horse on this one. 

The Green river with a young couple canoeing up to camp. John on a beach on the south side of the lake.   

The south side of the lake is wooded, shady, cooler and lusher. Blue gentian, yellow hawk bills, amber waves of waist high grass in the meadow and current berries.  

Green gentian seed heads, cinquifoil blossoms, and an autumn leaf. A small mossy waterfall coming down the mountain.  

The Green river below the lake on our way out. It was a beautiful valley. 

Fall strawberry leaf, red berries, one of many small steams coming down the south side of the lake and one of the moose we saw in the Green River Valley.