Seasons
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Naturally, you can’t go hiking and fishing in areas that vary from 8 to over 10,000 feet year round, so what is the best time to go?
I’d divide the seasons into winter, spring, mosquito season, and fall. Best time to fish is spring and fall.
When spring begins in the high country varies from year to year. Some years, the snow is mostly gone and the roads/trails clear in May. Other years, that does not happen until July, sometimes late July. It all depends on how much snow has fallen in the winter, and how warm the spring has been. After a hard winter and cool spring, the roads may stay closed for a while, and the streams may be difficult to cross all season.
Think I’m kidding about mosquito season? Come, forget your DEET, and hike the high country during the first really warm days of summer, and you’ll see.
Or better yet, bring your DEET, and bring a tent if you’re camping. A head net and long pants are in order sometimes, particularly when visiting swampy areas like First Dinkey Lake or Nelson Lake. For some reason, there seem to be fewer mosquitoes in the Jenny Lakes area, more in the Dinkey Lakes area.
By the time the mountains dry out and there have been a couple of frosty nights, mosquitoes are mostly gone. That might happen as early as July, or as late as the first part of October, depending on the snow year.
October is a great month to day hike and fish if you check the weather forecast and are aware of any early winter storms. If you camp, be prepared for frosty nights. Luckily for you, you don’t live during the time the Donner Party attempted a late season crossing. You have access to accurate weather reports. I’ve gone on some great day hikes as late as November, but you can’t count on the weather then, so be prepared with warm clothes and rain/snow gear. Bring chains for your vehicle just in case.
