Granite Hot Springs and Campground are located at the end of this road. To contact them about hours and prices, call 307-734-7400.
|
|
Wildflowers Everywhere on Granite Creek
by Clint Gilchrist
June 27, 2004
The 10-mile dirty road up Granite Creek starts in Hoback Canyon and ends in the heart of the Gros Ventre Mountain Range at Granite Hot Springs. This is a favorite destination for the locals, but not well know to the rest of the world. Even on a cloudy rainy day like Sunday June 27, 2004, the June wildflowers and high rugged peaks towering over the creek make for a stunning trip.
The road is rough as most backcountry roads around here, but clearance is not a problem and can be traveled by any vehicle. You just need to take it slow. Of course that shouldn’t be a problem. You will have to stop only a couple miles in for pictures of the first patch of flowers with at least 8 different flowers and colors. Seems like the view around every turn after that is more amazing than the previous one and you will probably want to take frequent pictures. The road is narrow and has sharp drop offs in places. There are plenty of places for two cars to pass, but look for pullouts because parts of the road are only wide enough for one vehicle at a time especially if you meet a camper coming the other way.
Seems like about every kind and color of wildflower are blooming right now. The frequent rain showers we are having should help them stay around for a while longer, but don’t wait too long. This is a perfect time to make the trip. The road ends at Granite Hot Springs. The Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) built a pool in the 1930s to trap the natural hot spring and is now open to the public. Temperatures in the pool are 93 degrees in the summer and 112 degrees in the winter. The pool is open from 10am to 8pm. Just before you reach the pool, you will pass Granite Falls. It is a short hike down to the base and well worth the trip. Just down the road from the falls is the Granite campground. There are bathrooms, picnic tables and fire pits, but no running water. The trailhead providing access to the Gros Ventre Wilderness has plenty of parking room for cars and horse trailers, but there are no corrals.
|
