The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is one of the largest and most important intact ecosystems in North America. The heart of that ecosystem is the Thorofare region. Straddling the southern boundary of Yellowstone National Park and the Teton Wilderness, the Thorofare is further protected by Grand Teton National Park to the west and the Washakie Wilderness to the east. To put it simply, the Thorofare is the furthest point from a road in the lower 48 states. It is also the backdrop for one of the greatest conservation stories of our lifetime. The endemic Yellowstone Cutthroat trout population in Yellowstone Lake return to this area annually to spawn. Bears, eagles, otters, ... the entire ecosystem counted upon the spawn. The same Yellowstone Cutthroat trout populations were decimated by the introduction of Lake Trout, then hit even harder by the 1988 Yellowstone fires, and the entire system felt the hit. Through aggressive conservation efforts, Yellowstone Cutthroat continue to make a comeback, and with them come a handful of only the most adventurous anglers. A boat ride across Yellowstone Lake and two days of hiking will bring us to our basecamp at the headwaters of the Yellowstone River. For 5 days we will explore the Yellowstone, Thorofare, and other small tributaries fishing dries for eager post-spawn cutthroat. Walking into a wilderness this vast is like stepping back in time. Historic ranger cabins are the only sign of human development and wildlife encounters are more common than those with humans. Chances are you will never be in a place this wild again.