DESTINATION DUBOIS

HEAD TO WYOMING TO EXPLORE A HIDDEN GEM SANDWICHED BETWEEN TWO MOUNTAIN RANGES AND WILDERNESS AREAS.

- KENT AND CHARLENE KRONE

Whether you plan to bring your own horses and your living quarters to explore mountains and wilderness on your own or prefer to be pampered at a local guest ranch where you can enjoy a variety of horse-related activities, there’s something for everyone in Dubois, Wyoming.

GETTING THERE

We traveled with our living-quarters trailer and our two geldings, Cody and Jake, to check out the riding opportunities around Dubois. One place that was high on our list to experience was the Double Cabin Campground in Shoshone National Forest. We heard this was as close as you could get to a real wilderness adventure without having to pack into one.

The Krone’s rig and horses at Double Cabin Campground.

From the town of Dubois, it’s 24 miles of dirt roads on mountainous terrain to the campsite and trailhead at Double Cabin. Before you head to Double Cabin, though, make sure to grab any fuel or supplies in Dubois as that’s the last outpost of civilization before you reach your destination. Note: Because you travel on dirt roads in the mountains to get to the trailhead, we recommend calling the United States Forest Service, [phone], in advance to ensure the road conditions are safe. We were fortunate, the road had just been graded when we hauled our living quarters there. But even with that, it took 1 1/2 hours, pulling our living-quarters trailer, to drive the 24 miles to camp. And yes, there are some hairpin turns!

Entering Double Cabin Campground, perfect camping location set at 8,000-feet elevation and surrounded by mountains.

To get there from town, you’ll want to take Horse Creek Road and travel north. Pavement ends in about 5 miles, and the road then becomes forest service road 285. Follow this route into the enveloping tranquility of the southern Absaroka Mountains.