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."