Cream Puff Peak

Date: May 7, 2026

Location: Gros Ventre Wilderness, Wyoming, USA

Team: Solo

Field Notes: The West Ridge is the most direct path to the summit and a solid trail can be found the whole way. Park at Poison Creek and head directly east onto the obvious spur. Continue on this spur heading north where one should be on the obvious trail.

Beaver Mountain (left) and the Wyoming Range from Cream Puff Peak

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I had always wanted to do a trip up Cream Puff Peak ever since picking up Thomas Turiano’s skiing bible. Ideally, I wanted to ski it, but this was not going to be the spring for that.

A few weeks earlier, Deanna and I had driven through Hoback Canyon to check out the campgrounds. I also wanted to see how much snow remained in the area.

Not much.

We still had a ways to go before summer, but this seemed like a great pre-season hike and an opportunity to get some solid vertical in.

The unmarked trail on the spur east of Poison Creek. Cream Puff Peak is at the top right.

I didn’t want to take the Cow Creek Trail, as it looked long and wandery. After looking over the maps, I figured there had to be some sort of trail from Poison Creek since it appeared to be the most direct option. I confirmed this by spotting a faint trail on Google Earth and decided to go for it.

I parked at Poison Creek and headed up the obvious spur to the east. Sure enough, there was a solid trail the entire way — so solid it looked intentionally cut.

And this trail is steep.

You gain roughly 3,500 feet in just three miles, so for anyone looking for a direct and efficient climb, this is a fantastic option.

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  Looking towards Granite Creek and the Gros Ventre Mountains from Cream Puff Peak

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  Ramshorn Peak and Beaver Mountain from Cream Puff Peak

I didn’t see a single person all day, nor did I see any wildlife, which honestly surprised me. At the summit, I checked the register and didn’t find a single entry for 2026. I expected this to be a more popular outing considering how accessible it is — right off the road and directly across from a campground.

I brought along my small binoculars and spent time scouting ski lines in the Gros Ventres for the future. Beaver Mountain, in particular, looked incredibly appealing — though access looked tricky.

We are incredibly lucky to live in a place with such an abundance of mountain objectives.

While on the summit, the wind began to pick up and the sky turned hazy, signaling it was time to head down. I made my way back to the truck for lunch.

Happy days...

Unnamed Peak at the head of Poison Creek