Camping in Wyoming - Big Horns, Medicine Bow

[excello]

My Brother and I are planning a trip from Iowa to the Big Horns and Medicine Bow for some camping. Would be arriving Labor Day and staying for 5-6 days there after. Sounds like some of the high elevation campgrounds close after that and some of the hunting seasons open about then also. Would prefer not to interfere with hunters and would prefer not to be hiking around during big game season so will try to be out of there before then.

Talked to a guy at Forest Service office in Sheridan - said we could bring handguns and open carry while hiking. Didnt seem overly enthusiastic about bringing in firearms, but it is totally legal. Said temps can get down to freezing at night and it could snow. The camper is a good late model school bus conversion, so will be well covered there I think.

Any other bits of advice from Wyoming campers or residents ?

Thanks !

excello

[powderburnerr]

throw in a pair of chains and a good snow shovel.

[excello]

sounds like good advice, powderburnerr. Will pass that along to my Brother, who owns the buss. Thanks ! Oh yes - I like '74 Sharps also. I have an original in 45-70.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

In the late 1980's I hauled a trail bike to the Big Horns for some tent camping and trail riding. I had "bondock" camped near a creek below Black Mountain lookout before, and planned on camping there on that trip. It was mid sept and there were two guys (also from MN), camping and bow hunting Elk. They advised me NOT to be trail riding on this side of the mountain. So I spent one night camping next to them and left the next morning, to go riding on the "dry" side of the big horns. Instead of bondock camping, I put up my tent at a archaeological site camp grounds. That week had temps mostly in the 80s during the day. The two hunters had told me that they came out to this same spot(Black Mountain lookout), the same week, the previous year and there was 2 feet of snow on the ground.

[waksupi]

This year, keep up to date on areas you plan to go to. The west is on fire.


http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/closures/

Click on "Incidents" for current fire status.

[runfiverun]

they were NOT kidding about snow and cold being a possibility.
we have had a lot of rain out here this year and things are just now starting to dry up.
the fire issue will be a huge possibility with tall grass and such turning brown mid September.

I have seen some snow storms in sept. in Wyoming that were pretty brutal, and then it turned to mud the next morning which was worse than the snow.

right now night time temps are getting into the mid-high 40's, and we had some snow squalls on the mountains and over in Jackson hole 2 weeks ago.
the higher elevations 7,000+ feet are seeing colder temps at night.

[doc1876]

you are looking at 4500 to 6000 ft. so take extra everything, especially food and fuel. Also make sure someone knows where you are, cel phones don't always work out there, may be you want a shortwave or a cb, they are not that expensive, and you are after all playing with your life.
I have seen 3 ft of snow just west of there in JULY!!!!

oh yea, I am jealous of your pending trip

[EDK]

Love it out there, especially Kaycee and the Hole In The Wall. Parked at the public access awhile and enjoyed. Started to walk in...ruts in road are three feet deep!..and realized no cell phone service, no one knew where I was specifically, and I'm on more medication than grandma. Walked back to the car and headed out after enjoying the solitude.

I'd pack an emergency over night kit as well as the emergency hand gun ANY TIME I went hiking. A coat is a given. Froze my a** off at the Quigley shoot on Fathers Day week end on a couple of occasions. 40 degrees and wind gusts to 45 mph. Bad joke is that you go out of town on the wrong week end and miss the summer.

Hey Dean. Missed seeing you guys at the Q because of the divorce. Starting to get back on my feet. It's a PITA starting over a month before you turn 66.

[reloader28]

Make sure you have a back up plan. Theres a fire in the Bighorns right now so you might be in the smoke.

Be prepared for any kind of weather and LOTS of people. I think half the state goes up there on Labor Day weekend.
Memorial Day and Labor Day we usually go to town. Front door parking anywhere you go because all the town people are crammed into the campgrounds.
The nice thing is, you dont have to camp in a campground. Find a spot along a creek somewhere and watch out for moose. Alotta them over there.

[runfiverun]

by half the state he means like 200 people

seriously some of the popular places can get crowded.
places that you might not see someone over a weeks time turn into a 20 car err muffler less truck traffic jam.

[reloader28]

It sounds more impressive when you say half the state.

[doc1876]

there are more people in the city of St. Louis than in the whole state of Wyoming.

[runfiverun]

the antelope herd in western Wyoming is bigger than the population of the state.
still too many people in my opinion.
it sucks to be out there fiddle farting around and see a cloud of dust coming your way.
sucks here too, but I probably know who it is by the time I can make out the truck.

[MaryB]

Friend of mine went hunting in WY in Sept... he ended up staying in an abandoned farmhouse with his friends for 7 days until the snow melted enough they could drive out. They had packed for a 2 week emergency so had food on the trucks.

[excello]

I want to thank everyone for their input. Gives us a better idea of how to prepare. I talked to a lady at the State Fish and Game office in Sheridan today. She was very friendly and helpful. She said there would be lots of people up in the Bighorns on the weekend , but a lot of them should be cleared out after Labor Day. Starting to get excited about this trip - havent been out that way for probably 15-18 years.

excello

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Another thing to consider is, southwest of the Big horns, starting at Thermopolis, is a splendid drive through the Wind River Canyon, on US 20. I don't know the current road conditions, but it is one of the most scenic/beautiful drives I have ever driven...and a great campground at the bottom of the canyon.

[runfiverun]

thermopolis is close to cody.
the drive through the canyon is nice [especially the two little tunnels] but you come out in desert again and it's boringly flat and sagebrushy from there to lander or riverton.

oh if you go through there the highway patrol is on that canyon like mice on cheese an the week-ends, watch the speed limit signs.

[rondog]

Food, fuel, water, warm clothes, firewood, etc. Gather as much as you think you'll need, then triple it. As long as you're not carrying it on your back, take as much as you can.

[reloader28]

We left here Friday and went to Gillette for the fireworks show. It was 100-103* all the way from Billings to almost Gillette and it cooled down to about 95+*.
Coming back today we went over the Bighorns between Dayton down to Lovell and it was 53* up on top, 75* on the flatlands.
The smoke wasnt too bad up there, but then again its pretty smokey over the whole Bighorn Basin.

[minmax]

I lived in Sheridan for two and a half years, late 1998 on. I never had a chance to go camping. Or much traveling at all for that mater. I still have a few friends and hope to make it back up there. I sure you will have a memorable time.