North Platte River, Wyoming

The North Platte River in south-central Wyoming encompasses two of the finest and most distinctive trout fishing experiences in the Rocky Mountain West. The "Miracle Mile" — a tailwater section below Pathfinder Reservoir near Alcova — and the Encampment area near the Colorado border offer dramatically different fishing characters that reward anglers who explore beyond the more-famous Wyoming waters.

The Miracle Mile earned its name from the legendary fishing productivity of the tailwater below Pathfinder Reservoir. This is high-desert tailwater fishing in an austere sage-and-canyon landscape, with large brown and rainbow trout in exceptional numbers fed by consistent cold releases from the reservoir. The 5-mile section is walk-wade only, accessible via a rough dirt road, and consistently produces fish in the 18–24 inch range for anglers who invest the time and effort to fish it properly.

The Encampment section in the Sierra Madre Mountains near Encampment, Wyoming represents a completely different experience — a high-elevation freestone river running through lodgepole forest with wild brown trout and exceptional Salmonfly and Golden Stone hatches. This area sees genuinely low fishing pressure for a Blue Ribbon designated water, primarily due to its remote location 150 miles from Casper and 200 miles from Denver.

Both sections represent Wyoming fly fishing at its most authentic — vast landscapes, sparse crowds, and trout that know nothing of competitive pressure.