Wyoming | Wind River Range / Pinedale

Green River Lakes

Green River Lakes Campground carry-down launch to Lower Green River Lake shoreline and return

Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.

Route location

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DistanceAbout 8 lake miles out and back (planning line)
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAbout 3–6 hours depending on wind and carry
ShuttleCar shuttle
Upper Green River Lake and Squaretop Mountain in Wyoming.
River contextGreen River Lakes and Squaretop Mountain; route-area context, not current launch conditions river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Bridger-Teton National Forest via Wikimedia Commons

Need to know

Why this call
This route is documented for planning, but does not receive a Paddle Today score.
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Gauge history and hourly forecast

Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.

Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view

Recent trend

Checking preferred range.

Checking trend.

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Hourly forecast

Checking weather.

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Short-route forecast

Checking the next several hours.

Checking the best short-route window.
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Quick facts and what's next

Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.

DifficultymoderatePublished difficulty is a planning classification, not a safety guarantee. Scout current hazards and keep a conservative turnaround rule.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow current Bridger-Teton NF campground/parking rules, Wyoming AIS/PFD requirements, fire restrictions, and any wilderness permit rules for overnight travel.
CampingOptions nearbyEndpoint campground camping is available only under current Recreation.gov/Forest Service status. Backcountry camping in the adjacent Bridger Wilderness requires the applicable Forest Service rules and permits; do not camp at an informal shoreline.
SeasonMay-SepPlan for late spring through early fall only after checking the live gauge, weather, water temperature, wind, debris, and land-manager notices. Shoulder-season ice, snow, and cold water can make a nominally open launch unsafe.

Upcoming outlook

These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

Waiting on forecast.

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Access and shuttle

A high-elevation canoe and kayak day trip from the Bridger-Teton National Forest campground launch along Lower Green River Lake toward Squaretop Mountain.

Plan a shorter segmentOptional

Pick a shorter segment

This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.

On-water distanceAbout 8 lake miles out and back (planning line)Lake to creek
On-water timeAbout 5 to 7 hrFull route option
ShuttleSelf-shuttleChoose a shorter in/out pair for a shorter day.

Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.

Take the plan with you

Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.

Start

Put-in

Green River Lakes Campground carry-down launch
Open map

Use only the named public or land-manager access; a nearby shoreline is not proof of a legal launch.

Finish

Take-out

Green River Lakes Campground carry-down launch
Open map

Confirm seasonal gates, parking, fees, permits, AIS inspection, carry path, and take-out status immediately before the trip.

Plan this segment

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

End of map
Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • Use only the named public or land-manager access; a nearby shoreline is not proof of a legal launch.
  • Confirm seasonal gates, parking, fees, permits, AIS inspection, carry path, and take-out status immediately before the trip.
  • Private banks and easements may constrain landing, scouting, camping, or portage; remain within the authorized corridor.

Watch for

  • cold water, wind, lightning, and high-elevation weather
  • road reconstruction, fire impacts, and primitive carry access
  • wilderness boundary, wildlife, and no informal shoreline camping

Data and sources

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.

Read quality
Checking live inputs.

Pulling the latest gauge and weather. Usually under 10 seconds.

Gauge inputChecking

Waiting on the gauge read.

Weather inputChecking

Waiting on weather.

Next stepChecking

Waiting on enough data to give the next step.

Today's evidence strength is checking

Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.

  • Checking evidence-strength notes.
Gauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge siteGreen River at Warren Bridge near Daniel, WY (proxy)
DischargeChecking
Gauge heightChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Ideal rangeNeeds paddler reports
Known low-water floorNot calibrated yet
High thresholdNot calibrated yet
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial and local sources
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreBridger-Teton NF Green River Lakes boating and access guidance
Gauge sourceChecking
Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
What to know before you go

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • Official route corridorGreen River Lakes Campground carry-down launch to Lower Green River Lake shoreline and return; About 8 lake miles out and back (planning line)

    Bridger-Teton National Forest Green River Lakes campground identifies the access pair and operational character.

    Source

  • Defensible proxy gaugeUSGS 09188500 — Green River at Warren Bridge near Daniel, WY (proxy)

    Gauge is upstream or downstream in the same regulated river system; it cannot substitute for a local scout or dam-release notice.

    Source

  • Threshold postureMinimum-only planning model with no numeric cutoff

    No live scoring is justified from the available route-specific evidence; the model is intentionally planning-only.

    Source

  • Public access controlGreen River Lakes Campground carry-down launch to Green River Lakes Campground carry-down launch

    Named agency/park access points are retained, including any intentional parking or campground offset from the shoreline.

    Source

  • Safety and land managementPFD, AIS, water temperature, current hazards, and current closures govern the decision

    Review current agency rules, dam/release notices, wind, debris, and private-bank restrictions before launching.

    Source

  • Camping classificationendpoint_campground

    Endpoint campground camping is available only under current Recreation.gov/Forest Service status. Backcountry camping in the adjacent Bridger Wilderness requires the applicable Forest Service rules and permits; do not camp at an informal shoreline.

    Source

  • Image decisionUSFS Green River Lakes route-context photograph

    Approved same-watershed context image; it is not presented as a photograph of this exact reach.

    Source

  • Overlap decisionRetained as a distinct access-to-access card

    Adjacent cards have different launch/take-out pairs, operational boundaries, difficulty, or trip length; no duplicate corridor was found in the Wyoming baseline.

    Source

Check the source links

Paddler reports

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Photos

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Green River Lakes paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Green River Lakes?

Paddle Today watches Green River at Warren Bridge near Daniel, WY (proxy) and uses Not calibrated yet as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.

Where does this Green River Lakes route start and end?

This route starts at Green River Lakes Campground carry-down launch and ends at Green River Lakes Campground carry-down launch, about About 8 lake miles out and back (planning line) on the water.

Is this Green River Lakes route good for beginners?

This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.

See something outdated?

Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.