Annual Meeting and Wildflower Weekend
2026 Annual Meeting and Wildflower Weekend
Flaming Gorge
May 29-31
Resources:
We reserved camping sites at the Firehole Canyon Campground (Ashley National Forest) to ensure space. The Campground is 30 miles south of Rock Springs (~40 min travel time). All events start at the Campground. This information is also available on our homepage (www.wynps.org ).
We have reserved eight campsites in Firehole Canyon Campground. Each campsite has a firepit, table and shelter, and can accommodate one camper (35’ max.) and multiple tents. The cost to use these as SHARED sites is included in the registration fee. There are additional fees for more than one car per site that are not included. Bring your federal land passes to waive these fees or be prepared to pay on site. The campground has flush toilets, showers, and potable water. No hookups or kitchen facilities. Participants can register for 2- or 3-nights of camping. (If you do not pre-register for camping, there are additional first-come-first-use sites but we cannot guarantee their availability or you may reserve your own campsite through recreation.gov.
Nearest motel options in Rock Springs are at: https://business.rockspringschamber.com/list/category/lodging-84 .
All hikes require advance registration online, via mail, or on Thurs-Fri or Saturday 7:30-8:30 am.
FRIDAY—Solvay Trona Mine Tour (pre-registration ONLINE ONLY required) 6:30 am from Campground
SATURDAY—Firehole Canyon Panorama Hikes (easy, 2WD) 8:30 am–12:00 pm
SATURDAY—Razorback Overlook Hike (easy, 2WD) 1:30–5:00 pm
SUNDAY—Green River Greenthread Hikes (moderate, 4WD) 8:30 am from Campground
Registration is $25 to cover the shared campsite and tours. There is an optional catered dinner on Saturday for a $12 add on during registration.
There is a limit of one vehicle and one camper per campsite (8 group sites total, multiple tents per site), so additional vehicles per campsite will need to pay the $8 fee/day. Please expect to pay this fee onsite unless you have a federal land pass.
If a private campsite is preferred, attendees will need to reserve their own site via recreation.gov and the cost is $33/night plus an additional $8 fee for advance online reservations. There are additional first-come, first-serve campsites at $33/night that can be paid for on site.
Once again we are seeking items to include in our silent auction at the annual meeting. Please consider donating items made by you or people you know, including books, photos, fine art, woodwork, fiber art, etc. All proceeds will go to the scholarship fund. Bring your items to the meeting with your minimum bid. Bidding will start Friday and end Saturday evening. If in doubt as to the appropriateness of a donation, please contact wynps@wynps.org. (Remember this is an outdoor event- so nothing fragile or perishable.)
Schedule at a Glance
Thursday, May 28
Participants attending a Trona tour option will need to arrive on Thursday. Advance registration is required and online only. Group size is limited to 9 persons, so register early!
Friday, May 29
6:30 am—Leave from Campground to drive to tour meeting location (TBA). Tour starts @ 7:30 am and it expected to finish about noon (1 pm at the latest).
3:00-6:00 pm—On-site registration, silent auction bidding opens
6:00-7:00 pm—Dinner on your own
7:00-7:30 pm—WELCOME, Allen Huber, Plant Ecologist, Ashley National Forest (includes Flaming Gorge NRA). He and our Saturday speaker co-authored Uinta Flora: A Guide to the Vascular Plants of the Uinta Basin and Uinta Mountains.
Saturday, May 30
7:00-8:30 am—On-site registration
8:30-5:00 pm—Two local hikes will be offered in both am and pm by different leader teams:
- Firehole Canyon panorama
- Razorback above Gorge
6:00-7:00 pm—Catered dinner, in Campground, by Madi’s Tasty Creations, Rock Springs
7:00-8:30 pm—Unique Flora of Flaming Gorge, Sherel Goodrich, U.S. Forest Service, ret.
Silent auction winners announced
Sunday, May 31
7:00-8:00 am—Annual business meeting with continental breakfast
8:30 am-12:00 pm—Two Green River Greenthread visits (Campsites must be vacated by 11 am)
DETAILED SCHEDULE
THURSDAY
Participants attending the Friday trona tour will need to arrive on Thursday. Advance online registration is required and group size is limited to 9 people. Campers staying at the Firehole Canyon Campground can arrive as early as 2:00 pm. Sites 5 and 6 are reserved for our use Thursday night.
FRIDAY
Solvay Trona Mine Tour will depart shortly before 6:30 am from the Campground to see trona mining 1600 ft below ground, the same geology that we’ll see the rest of the weekend adorned with plants. People and vehicle numbers are limited to 9 people. We will meet at the Solvay Minerals headquarters at 7:30 am, located at 400 Co. Rd. 85, Green River, app. 30 min west of Green River (town), south of I-80. Tour will finish 12-1 pm. Advance online registration is required here. Attendees must also be registered for the Wildflower Weekend to attend this tour.
Wildflower Weekend Registration runs from 3:00-6:00 pm in the Firehole Canyon Campground—look for the WYNPS banner at the reserved campsites. Silent auction bidding begins.
6:00-7:00 pm—Dinner on your own
7:00-7:30 pm—Welcome to Ashley Naional Forest, Allen Huber, Plant Ecologist
SATURDAY
Registration at 7:30-8:30 am. Half-day hikes leave from the Campground:
Firehole Canyon Panorama Hikes
A series of short hikes off the Firehole Canyon Road (BLM Rd 33), with additional stops at the head (a pullout along Hwy 191), and at the head of Little Firehole Canyon. Est. 25 mi roundtrip. We will see colorful cushion plant displays, state and regional endemics, and Great Basin plants at northern limits.
Difficulty: Series of short hikes from car
Required: 2wd conditions. Bring good hiking boots, sunscreen, and water.
Razorback Overlook Hike
Explore the early-season flora along the rim of a high bench overlooking Flaming Gorge.
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: Park and walk
Elevation change: Level terrain on top
Required: 2wd vehicle unless wet. Bring good hiking boots, sunscreen, and water.
8:30 am-12:00 pm—First Firehole area hike
12:00-1:30 pm—Lunch at Campground on your own
1:30-5:00 pm—Second Firehole area hike
6:00 pm—Catered Dinner, in Campground, by Madi’s Tasty Creations, Rock Springs. Bring your own dishes, please.
7:00-8:30 pm—Unique Flora of Flaming Gorge, Sherel Goodrich, U.S. Forest Service, ret.
SUNDAY
Annual business meeting at 7:00-8:00 am, continental breakfast provided.
8:30 am—depart for hikes. Note: All campers must be checked out of the campground by 11 am.
Green River Greenthread Hikes
Two morning stops, leaving by 8:30 am from Campground to Green River (town). Estimated distance between Campground and Green River is 33 mi (one-way). We’ll consolidate carpooling in Green River and hikes will finish by noon.
Green River greenthread is a state endemic known only from the vicinity of Green River (town). It grows in highly exposed rocky habitat. We will visit two of its three populations in the world!
Distance: The first stop has less than 0.5 mi hiking. The second stop is park and walk.
Required: The 2nd stop is 4wd and good clearance. Bring good hiking boots, sunscreen, and water.
Look for an article on Green River greenthread in the May issue of Castilleja!