Conditions shown for 2011; will resume in spring 2012

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

STATEWIDE
We're coming off a winter that brought above average snowpack. For this camping season, expect high reservoirs and streams, and hopefully, low fire conditions. The wet weather has really brought out the wildflowers this season and the hills are greener than usual.

Choose a specific region in Wyoming:

Northwest

Southwest

Central

North
Northeast

South
Southeast

NORTHWEST REGION
Yellowstone Road Construction
Road construction in Yellowstone continues... check out the park's website: http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/roadclosures.htm

New Visitor Center at Old Faithful
A new visitor center at Old Faithful in Yellowstone is now open and you have to check it out. Here's a link in case you can't get there in person: http://mms.nps.gov/yell/ofvec/index.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.

Shoshone National Forest Campgrounds (North Unit)
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.

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!

SOUTHWEST REGION
Shoshone National Forest Campgrounds (South Unit)
Some of the camps in the Shoshone National Forest (as well as the BLM camps between Pinedale and Lander) are being effected by the pine bark beetle. You'll find that the forests have been thinned (or will be thinned). Fortunately, many of these camps have a diverse forest of aspen, spruce, and fir, so they shade can still be found. One closure this season is Big Sandy Campground north of Farson; the popular trailhead is still open, however. Nearby Scab Creek Campground/Trailhead (toward Pinedale) is a good alternative.

CENTRAL REGION
Plenty of water at Glendo State Park
The Wyoming Division of State Parks and Historic Sites has set up temporary campsites around Glendo to help mitigate anticipated flooding of existing campgrounds this summer. The area has received record snowfall and the North Platte River is running nearly 175% of average.

Campground flooding at Dugway Campground
This BLM camp between Seminoe Reservoir/Miracle Mile and Rawlins usually sits right along the North Platte River. Unfortunately, as of early July, it was the river. Pretty impressive sight. A BLM ranger predicted that it would be opened by the end of July. Watch for rattlers!

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.

Changes to Seminoe State Park
Some motorized restrictions have been put in place in recent years to help mitigate out-of-control ATV and dirt bike use, though there is still plenty of good sand riding just outside of the park. Looking for more places where you can ride? Check out our new WYOMING BACKROADS book, which has 145 backcountry drives, 4WD routes, and ATV trails.

Laramie Range
The Laramie Range has been especially beautiful this summer and with all the snow up in the Snowy Range, campers have been coming here instead. Here's a photo of Esterbrook Campground (a great family camp) this season:

Louis Lake Road near Lander
The steep switchbacks above Sinks Canyon State Park outside of Lander have been paved to the turnoff to Worthen Meadows Campground. It's now easier than ever to get up into the eastern/southern portions of the Wind Rivers. Here's a picture taken this month from the Louis Lake Road:

NORTH-NORTHEAST REGION
New Guidebook for the Black Hills
One thing learned over the years is that a lot of Wyoming campers incorporate the Black Hills into their trip. We now have an all new 180-page guidebook that focuses on the dozens of public campgrounds in northeastern Wyoming and western South Dakota. While a lot of free Black Hills campground info can be found on the web, you'll discover that it's incomplete, inaccurate, and just spotty. This new book is an answer to that. http://www.campingblackhills.com

Campground flooding at Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site
The archaeological site west of the Bighorns, near Hyattville, is currently flooded and closed.

Bighorn Lake (Horseshoe Bend Campground) Update
Abundant precipitation has helped refill depleted Bighorn Lake in northern Wyoming. The marina has been open the last two years as well as a tour boat service operated by Hidden Treasure Charters 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, 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, Bull Creek (near Meadowlark Reservoir) has been permanently closed due to dangerous timber conditions. South Fork (near Crazy Woman Canyon) should be open in 2011 following renovations last year.

SOUTH-SOUTHEAST REGION
Washouts in the Medicine Bow National Forest
During heavy rains on July 19, South Brush Creek washed out these three roads on the Saratoga side of the Medicine Bow Mountains (near Ryan Park): Forest Road 100, 225, and HWY 130 (Snowy Range Scnenic Byway). The highway is now open again with a single-lane bridge.

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.

Medicine Bow National Forest Visitor Center Closure
The small visitor center just west of Centennial is closed this season and next while they build a larger one. This was a popular place for hikers to buy our Medicine Bow hiking book, so if you need to get a copy when you're there, stop by the JN Mercantile on the edge of Centennial. The Brush Creek Visitor Center (on the west side of the mountain range) will still be open this year - and the Forest Service says they'll have their Laramie heardquarters office open on Saturdays to help offset the closure.

Sugarloaf Campground is improved
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. However, the group site on Pole Mountain appears to be closed in 2011.

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 (2011) but may open again include Bobbie Thompson, Miller Lake, and Hog Park (day use still allowed). Camps that 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."