I'll be honest, I’d never even heard of the Bighorns until chatting with the folks at Visit Sheridan. But that’s part of the charm. Unlike the Tetons or the Winds, the Bighorns aren’t splashed across postcards or Instagram feeds. Tucked away in northern Wyoming, just beyond the historic western town of Sheridan, they exist in a kind of beautiful anonymity...an untamed corner of the Rockies that somehow dodged the spotlight.

Post-trip, I tried to count how many lakes we visited in three days and two nights. I think it was 12 or 13—Geneva, Crystal, Robin, Rainbow, Elsa, Crater, Cliff, Eunice, Sheepherder, Granite, and a handful of unnamed gems. We saw one other person the entire time.

Our rough plan was to start at Coffeen Park, head over Geneva Pass and set up a base camp at Robin Lake in order to explore Sheepherders Basin. The driving approach definitely isn't easy, requiring true AWD or 4WD. It's about an hour and a half on dirt roads from Sheridan, and you don't want to be walking the extra mileage to the trailhead. Our hiking approach was uneventful, winding through woods and passing Geneva and Crystal lakes before we began the steep (but reasonable) approach to the pass. As hikes go, it wasn't the most brutal I've ever been on, but the payoff was excellent.

We pitched camp at Robin Lake, nestled into a rocky outcrop with a view of Black Tusk in the distance. Sunset lit the ridgeline like fire. It was one of those rare evenings where you just sit and stare.

The next morning, we took it pretty easy. No strict itinerary here, just exploring for the day. Too often, I spend my time in the backcountry moving fast, never stopping for long. It was nice to move a bit slower and not be worried about crack-of-dawn alarms or schedules. We got up with the sun and warmth to get coffee started and then took on the day from there.

Our original goal was to hike the Cliff Lake Loop, which hits many of the main lakes in Sheepherder Basin. After perusing the topo map we decided to diverge from that plan and check out a few lakes off-trail. That turned out to be an excellent idea. After starting for half a mile or so on the loop, we jumped over some small ridges and headed for Rainbow Lake, enjoying views down into the basin from above -- and eventually the wild, aquamarine colors of Rainbow Lake itself. Yes, I jumped in, obviously.

From there, we wandered down to Elsa for lunch, then up to Lower Crater Lake via what I’ll generously call a “direct” route—steep, scrambly, and a little Type II fun. Another dip. Another nap. Zero regrets.

Eventually we looped back through the basin, rejoined the trail near Cliff Lake, and made it back to our camp at Robin Lake just in time for golden hour. A dinner of backpacking meals was followed with hot chocolate and sunset conversations until the stars came out.

The next morning, it was (unfortunately) time to head back to town. It's rare that I get to explore a place so close to home that not only have I never explored, but I'd never even heard of. In the age of social media where we're seemingly inundated with photos of the same hikes and lakes and mountain views over and over again, it's refreshing to find places that are still relatively unknown.

So, if you're one of those disillusioned folks tired of crowds, maybe it's time to take a look at the Bighorns -- it's not getting crowded anytime soon.

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