Conditions
updated July, 2010
This
page includes known conditions across Wyoming including closures, openings,
and events that may impact outdoor recreation. For road construction information,
check out this WYDOT page: http://map.wyoroad.info/construction/index.html
NORTH-NORTHEAST
REGION
New
Fees for the Black Hills
A bit of an oddity, the Forest Service campgrounds in the Black Hills
National Forest are now charging $2 per pet, per night.
Bighorn Lake (Horseshoe
Bend Campground) Update
Abundant precipitation has helped refill depleted Bighorn Lake in
northern Wyoming. The marina was open last year as was as a tour boat
service operated by Hidden Treasure Tours that allows visitors to experience
the deep canyons that make this area incredible. The campground at Horseshoe
Bend has also been renovated and now offers better parking spurs with
water, electric, and windbreaks. Go check it out!
Bighorn National
Forest Campgrounds
In the northern Bighorns, beautiful Dead Swede Campground is open for
the 2010 season after being renovated. Upper Paintrock Lake is closed,
possibly for good--not a big loss considering there are two other camps
right next to it. In the southern Bighorns, Boulder Park, the popular
RV camp at the top of Tensleep Canyon is open again after being renovated.
Nearby Bull Creek (near Meadowlark Reservoir) has been permanently closed
due to dangerous timber conditions. South Fork (near Crazy Woman Canyon)
is closed for the 2010 season for renovations.
NORTHWEST
REGION
Yellowstone
Road Construction
Road construction in Yellowstone continues... check out the park's
website: http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/roadclosures.htm
Togwotee Pass
Road Construction
The 10-year construction project on HWY 26/287 between Moran and Dubois
is well underway... expect up to an hour or more delay when driving along
this stretch this summer.
Showshone
National Forest Campgrounds
The Shoshone
National Forest reports that they renovated the Island Park Campground
in the Beartooths during the 2009 season and that it's now open for 2010.
Further south, Dead Indian Campground is temporarily closed due to a blowdown.
Also, Three Mile Campground (three miles east of Yellowstone's east entrance)
remains closed for construction. Dickinson Creek Campground (in the Wind
Rivers) is temporarily closed this season..
Big Game Campground,
a Forest Service camp west of Cody, has been renovated and now offers
electric service at some sites. Fox
Creek Campground has also received a massive overhaul. It now includes
34 long parking spurs and electric hookups. All this comes with a fee
increase: $20.
Bridger-Teton
National Forest Campgrounds
The Forest
Service reports that Boulder Lake Campground (northeast of Pinedale) is
closed now due to beetle-killed trees. The group site at New Fork Lake
Campground also has had beetle problems, but is expected to be open for
2010.
Grand Teton National
Park Additions
The new Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center is open in Moose (near
Jackson). If you're anywhere near GTNP, be sure to stop by this gem. Also,
a grand new aerial tram at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is also now operating
- go take a ride!

CENTRAL
REGION
Campground changes for Glendo State Park
The Wyoming Division of State Parks and Historic Sites has made changes
to the wildly popular Sandy Beach area. In short, there are now 80 developed
sites, new group camping and picnic areas, water hydrants, two new restrooms,
and ATV restrictions on the beach.
Changes
to Guernsey State Park
Spring Creek Cove campground is permanently closed and Sitting Bull
Campground has been converted to a day use-only area.
SOUTH-SOUTHEAST
REGION
Curt
Gowdy State Park Campgrounds
Tumbleweeds campground, along the north shore of Granite Reservoir,
is a new trailer-friendly camp with paved parking spurs and water hydrants
at each site.
Sugarloaf
Campground sees improvements
The highest campground in the state, found in southeast Wyoming's Snowy
Range has been renovated to accomodate longer camping units. The parking
spurs had been best suited for the shortest of camping units, but can
now accomodate modest-sized trailers or RVs. These sites can now be reserved
on www.recreation.gov.
Tie City Campground
Open in Medicine Bow National Forest
The campground located on Pole Mountain between Cheyenne and Laramie is
open again after a couple of seasons being closed.
Medicine Bow/Sierra
Madre Campground Closures
The campgrounds in the Medicine Bow National forest have suffered
from extensive bark beetle damage and the trees are now prone to falling
or blowing over. The Forest Service response is to either clear out the
trees or just permanently close the camp altogether. Silver Lake Campground,
Boswell Creek, and Haskins Creek Campground have all been permanently
closed. Camps that are closed now (July 2010) but may open again include
Bobbie Thompson, Miller Lake, and Hog Park (day use still allowed). Camps
that are now open and have already been cleared (of all trees) or thinned
include North Fork, Ryan Park, Bottle Creek, and Rob Roy Reservoir (a
dozen sites open).

Hazardous tree thinning at North Fork Campground, July
2010
Correction (First
Edition only): The driving directions for Silver Lake (now closed),
Ryan Park, Brush Creek, and Lincoln Park Campgrounds (pages 353-356) falsely
state to drive west on HWY 130 from Saratoga. The directions should read
"east."
|