Popo Agie Wilderness
This rough land features high, jagged peaks; deep, narrow valleys and canyons; sheer granite walls; cirque basins; talus slopes; and perennial snowfields. This area abuts the Continental Divide and encompasses 25 square miles of the southern Wind River Mountain Range. Along the western boundary, which the Popo Agie (pronounced "po-po-zsha") Wilderness shares with the Bridger Wilderness, stands Wind River Peak, at 13,255 feet the highest point in the area. More than 20 other summits rise above 12,000 feet. The lowest elevation in the Popo Agie is the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie River at 8,400 feet on the eastern boundary.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Wyoming |
| Size | 102,620 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 42.75° N, 109.09° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 18) |
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.
Where to camp
None of the 10 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
31 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 150 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Bear'S Ears ↗ | 19.7 | |
| Middle Fork ↗ | 16 | |
| North Fork ↗ | 15 | |
| Big Sandy ↗ | 7.4 | |
| Stough Creek Lakes Trail ↗ | 7.1 | |
| Ice Lakes ↗ | 6.8 | |
| Pinto Park ↗ | 6.7 | |
| Smith Lake ↗ | 6.6 | |
| Sweetwater Gap ↗ | 5.9 | |
| Hailey Pass ↗ | 5.8 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 12.1 miSt. Andrew's Episcopal Church ↗Atlantic City, WY
- 12.1 miCarpenter Hotel Historic District ↗Atlantic City, WY
- 12.4 miAtlantic City Mercantile ↗Atlantic City, WY
- 13.7 mi
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Wyoming
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Popo Agie Wilderness?
102,620 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Popo Agie Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Popo Agie Wilderness in?
Wyoming.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Popo Agie Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Popo Agie Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Popo Agie Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 42.748° N, 109.092° W. California National Historic Trail is 18 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near Popo Agie Wilderness?
California National Historic Trail (18 mi) and Pony Express National Historic Trail (29 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Popo Agie Wilderness?
The National Register has 4 listings within 15 miles, including St. Andrew's Episcopal Church and Carpenter Hotel Historic District.
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.