Mountain Man Country

Alpine, Afton and Star Valley

If you turn left at Hoback Junction (US Hwy 29/89) you will follow the Snake River down into Star Valley, a collection of small towns on the west side of the Wyoming Range. The northern town of Alpine has become a bedroom community for Jackson as availability of affordable housing in that town disappears. All the towns offer great access to the National Forest and friendly services.

Afton boasts the “World’s Largest Elk Antler Arch” which spans Main Street and contains over 3,000 antlers. The Periodic Spring just outside of town is North America’s only cold water geyser and the largest of three fluctuation springs in the world. Fall is the best time to view the spring’s activity, which turns on and shuts off every 12-20 minutes. Thayne is the small community where “cutter racing” first started. Local ranchers still compete on snow covered tracks throughout the region to see whose team of horses is fastest. More area info is at http://www.starvalley.com/.

You can turn south onto Grey’s River Road (Forest Service Rd #10138) in Alpine and make your way south up the river to the LaBarge Creek Road which follows a portion of the original Lander Cut-off of the Oregon Trail. Head west back to Smoot (FR #10072) at the lower end of Star Valley, or turn east and end up in LaBarge (FR #10138) or Big Piney (FR #10128). Imagine the hardships the early travelers encountered bringing their heavy wagons over these hills. Another option is to turn east half way up the Grey’s River and come back to Sublette County via McDougal Gap (FR #10125). This pretty drive brings you along the ranching lands of North Cottonwood and Horse Creeks back to Daniel Junction on CR#354.