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Old 06-30-2009, 07:38 AM   #1
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Bighorn Mountains - Campground Recommendations

We are planning an August trip to the Bighorns in Wyoming in August. They have 32 Forest Service campgrounds there and I am looking for some recommendations. We dry camp and like wilderness seclusion and ready access to lots of hiking...to the extent we can with a 25-footer.

We have only driven through the southern half without stopping on a return from Yellowstone. Any thoughts or recommendations are welcome...
Jace
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Old 06-30-2009, 07:48 AM   #2
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Big Horns

Jace,
I used to work Trail Crew for the Forestry Dept. in the Big Horns.. My location was out of Hyattville. Since I was there they have developed some camp sites etc. If you want hiking and solitude this may be it. I had camps...only my tent and no people...at Tee pee pole flats, Lake Solitude and Cloud Peak. The Ranger up there is helpful. It snowed on me in August....
Have fun.
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Old 06-30-2009, 09:00 AM   #3
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Love the Big Horns

Most people are in such a hurry to get to Yellowstone (or coming back from it) that they miss the Big Horns, which is a shame. The Big Horns are one of my favorite places to camp.

You asked about FS campgrounds. I have had good luck with all of the ones I have stayed at throughout the forest. Having said that, the Big Horns offer tremendous boondocking opportunities both on the lower section and up in the heart of the forest. So, being a boondocker, I suggest that. If you go with boondocking, make sure and get a forest service map as they do enforce the dispursed camping regulations fairly strictly.

On the south end, there is a lot of nice territory around Crazy Woman Creek and the Cashe River. Some real nice boondocking can be found off of the hwy (Pole Creek rd maybe?, I will have to check my notes on the road). In the middle, there is tons of hiking and Burgess falls. You are going to have a great time.
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Old 06-30-2009, 10:49 AM   #4
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We stayed at "Sitting Bull" Campground near Meadowlark Lake last summer and really enjoyed it. It's at 8,600 feet and has no hookups. I'm pasting some information from the US Forest Service site below.

RESERVATIONS: 1-877-444-6777 or make on-line reservation

DIRECTIONS:
From Ten Sleep, WY, take US Rt. 16 east 19.9 miles to campground
sign (Forest Rt. 432). Turn left at sign onto Rt. 432 (dirt) and
go about a mile to campground.

GENERAL COMMENTS:
The elevation is 8,600 ft.

The campground is located in the treeline edge of an expansive
mountain meadow. The nearby Meadowlark Lake offers boating and
fishing opportunities. The campground is composed of a spur
along the meadow's edge and a loop nestled back in a thick stand
of Lodgepole pines. Each site has a lantern post. This is an
attractive campground that will accommodate almost any size RV.
Wildlife viewing is likely from this campground.

Gas, limited groceries, boat, bike rentals, boat ramp (no fee)
and restaurant are available at the nearby Meadowlark Lake
Resort.

SEASONS
Open Seasonal: Yes
Open All Year: No

Seasonal Comment:
Open June 5 through September 20

RATE AND MAXIMUM STAY PERMITTED
Rate: $14 per day - single
Maximum Stay Permitted (days): 14

CAMPGROUND SITE CONFIGURATION
No. RV Sites: 0
No. Tent Sites: 0
No. Combined Sites (Tent or RV): 42

Total Sites: 42

Tent Pads: No
Group Tent Sites: Yes
Open Sites: No
Wooded Sites: Yes

No. Tables on Sites: 42
No. Grilles on Sites: 42

RV INFORMATION
Hookups: None
Group RV Sites: No
No. RV Pull Throughs: 0
Waste Station: No
Average Parking Apron Size: 16.5' X 63'

Comments:
The parking aprons are gravel. An RV waste station, with potable water
and no fee, is located at Leigh Creek, 8.6 miles east of campground on
US Rt. 16 (mile marker 53).

FACILITIES
Vaults: Yes
Flush Toilets: No
Hot Showers: No
Wheelchair Friendly Toilets: Yes

Public Phone: No
Playground: No
No. Water Spigots (non-site): 5
No. Threaded: 0

Comments:
The wheelchair friendly toilet is located between sites 4 and 5.

WATER SPORTS - None

Comments:
Nearby Meadowlark Lake provides boating opportunities.

HIKING
Nature Trail

FISHING - No

Comments:
Fishing is possible at nearby Meadowlark Lake.
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Old 07-19-2009, 04:25 PM   #5
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Thanks to all...
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Old 07-19-2009, 07:17 PM   #6
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Jace,

I just returned two weeks ago from running around Wyoming and Montana. One of my two regrets is I did not bring the trailer with me when I went up 14A from Lovell and back down 14 to Greybull. Some of the best scenery I saw on my entire trip. I stopped into the Bald Mt CG in the Medicine Wheel area, met the CG host - real nice folks. I definately will be going back, if for nothing more to camp in the Big Horns.

The other regret is I did not bring my fly rod
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Old 08-11-2009, 06:30 AM   #7
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big horns

We too past through the Big horns in route to Yellowstone and could not believe that we did not set these as a destination. This place is too cool. We saw lots of people boondocking and it's not busy. We stopped half way through and had a nice lunch at one of the many pull-off spots. The road out on the Westside is spectacular. Just make sure your brakes are up to snuff. Have fun,
Dean
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Old 08-11-2009, 07:37 AM   #8
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Greetings from the Florida Panhandle

We have visited Bighorn National Forest every year for the past four years. We always stay at a campground in Ranchester, Wyoming, as we require internet access for our business. We have visited the majority of the Forest Service Camp Grounds.

Sibley Lake is the only one that has electric at the sites. Water is avaiable at most of the CG's. Prune Creek has sites right on the creek. Tie Flume and Dead Swede are about 5 miles in from the paved road, but the gravel road is pretty good. Both of these are pretty nice. Owen creek is pretty nice and only about a quarter mile off the paved road. Shell creek is very nice, but it is 2 miles in on a somewhat scary cliff-side gravel road.

The only public RV dump site is at Burgess Creek. It is very nice and has about six separate lanes.

Also be aware that the Forest Service allows cattle grazing in Bighorn during the summer. This somewhat limits the wildlife viewing opportunities.

Here are a few pictures of some of the Forest's residents this past June.

Brian
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Old 08-12-2009, 08:05 AM   #9
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A friend just got back from the Bighorns, and said that some of the area is pretty ravaged by pine-beetles, which means lots of standing dead trees. Anyone else notice this? Many parts of the Colorado forest are now dead, the Grand Lake area being hit particularly hard.
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Old 08-13-2009, 03:11 PM   #10
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pine beetle

We saw damage from pine beetles in SD and Wyoming. The Big Horns, Custer, Yellowstone and Grand Tetons all had varying degrees of infestations. Here's a pic at Yellowstone.
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