Medicine Bow National Forest

Encampment River on Medicine Bow National Forest
Encampment River on Medicine Bow National Forest
Vedauwoo Outcrops

Medicine Bow National Forest is 1,096,891 acres of some of the most beautiful countryside on Earth. Located in southern and central Wyoming, Medicine Bow National Forest contains portions of the Medicine Bow, Sierra Madre and Laramie Mountains. Elevations vary from about 5,500' to the summit of Medicine Bow Peak at 12,013'. The climate here ranges from windy, semi-arid in the lower reaches of the forest to cold and humid at the higher elevations. This is an area where it can snow on any day of the year. This area also regularly experiences high winds. This is also a landscape with great recreational opportunities.

The name "Medicine Bow" is translated from several Native American tongues. Tribes would come to these mountains in search of large pieces of mountain mahogany because the wood was excellent for making bows from. At the same time, they would perform sacred rituals (good medicine) to cure diseases among their people.

 
Wilderness Areas on
Medicine Bow National Forest

That part of the forest north of Interstate 80 contains the Vedauwoo outcrops. The Vedauwoo outcrops are composed of 1.4-billion-year-old Sherman Granite. This granite is very hard and doesn't erode nearly as easily as the formations that once overlaid the granite. The granite became exposed during the uplift of the Laramie Mountains about 65 million years ago (during the Laramide Orogeny). The Vedauwoos are very popular with rock climbers and picnickers. Access to the property is free but there are fees associated with parking and camping. At the main parking area is a kiosk with information, including a notice that the area was used as a military testing ground up until 1961... So if you come across any unexploded ordnance in your explorations, don't disturb it, report it to the authorities.

The Snowy Range (south on Interstate 80) is heavily forested and contains many good fishing lakes and streams. It also earns that name (Snowy Range) every winter. The Snowy Range is crossed east/west by the Snowy Range Scenic Byway, a paved road that is usually closed in winter due to heavy snowfall. On the eastern side of the range is the Snowy Range Ski Area. There are local ranger offices in Saratoga and Laramie.

Medicine Bow National Forest
Medicine Bow National Forest
US Forest Service
2468 Jackson Street, Laramie, WY 82070
307-745-2300
Latitude: 41.500052°N Longitude: 106.298093°W
In the Snowy Range
Medicine Bow Peak
Campgrounds on Medicine Bow National Forest

Every campground that offers any form of services beyond having vault toilets is most likely a concessionaire-operated fee area.

Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District
Campground # of Sites Max RV Length Altitude Camping restroom drinking water fishing boat launch accessibility parking trail head hiking picnic area motor boat horse back riding boat-rowing mountain biking ATV
Battle Creek 4 20' 7,800' X X X X         X            
Bottle Creek 12 45' 8,800' X X X           X X          
Bow River 13 32' 8,600' X X X X         X X          
Deep Creek 12 22' 10,200' X X X X         X X          
French Creek 11 20' 8,000' X X X X         X X          
Haskins Creek 10 20' 9,000' X X X X         X X          
Jack Creek 16 40' 8,500' X X X X         X X          
Hog Park 50 50' 8,400' X X X X X   X   X X X        
Lincoln Park 12 40' 7,800' X X X X   X     X X          
Lost Creek 13 40' 8,800' X X X X         X X          
Ryan Park 48 30' 8,000' X X X X   X     X X          
Silver Lake 16 32' 10,400' X X X X       X X X          
Six Mile Gap 9 40' 8,000' X X X X       X X X     X    
South Brush Creek 20 32' 7,900' X X X X         X X       X  
 
Douglas Ranger District
Campground # of Sites Max RV Length Altitude Camping restroom drinking water fishing boat launch accessibilty parking trail head hiking picnic area motor boat horse back riding boat-rowing mountain biking ATV
Campbell Creek 8 22' 8,200' X X             X         X X
Curtis Gulch 6 22' 6,600' X X   X       X X     X   X X
Esterbrook 12 22' 6,500' X X X X       X X     X   X X
Friend Park 11 22' 7,400' X X X X     X X X   X X   X X
 
Laramie Ranger District
Campground # of Sites Max RV Length Altitude Camping restroom drinking water fishing boat launch accessibilty parking trail head hiking picnic area motor boat horse back riding boat-rowing mountain biking ATV
Bobbie Thomson 10 25' 8,800' X X X X                      
Boswell Creek 9 25' 8,900' X X   X                      
Brooklyn Lake 19 30' 10,500' X X X X         X     X X    
Holmes 11 22' 9,700'   X   X                      
Lake Owen 35 25' 9,000' X X X X X           X   X    
Libby Creek/Aspen 8 30' 8,600' X X   X         X            
Libby Creek/Pine 6 25' 8,600' X X X X         X            
Libby Creek/Spruce 8 25' 8,600' X X X X         X            
Libby Creek/Willow 16 30' 8,600' X X X X         X            
Miller Lake 7 25' 9,100' X X X X                 X    
Nash Fork 27 30' 10,200' X X X X                      
North Fork 60 30' 8,600' X X X X         X     X      
Pelton Creek 15 30' 8,100' X X X X         X     X      
Pickeroon - No Services 8 25' 7,800' X X   X         X     X      
Pike Pole - No Services 6 25' 7,800' X X   X         X     X      
Pole Creek Group Camp 6 25' 7,800' X X             X            
Rob Roy 65 30' 9,500' X X X X X         X X   X    
Sugar Loaf 16 25' 10,700' X X X X         X            
Vedauwoo 11 30' 8,200' X X X           X         X  
Yellow Pine 19 30' 8,400' X X X                        
 
Fisherman in Medicine Bow National Forest
Fishing Spots on Medicine Bow National Forest
Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District
Name of Lake or Stream Acres or Miles Maximum Depth Elevation Brook Trout Rainbow Trout Golden Trout Cutthrout Trout Brown Trout Splake No Fish
Arastre Lake 12 25' 10,180' X            
Arrowhead Lake 10 10' 10,770' X            
East Banner Lake 8 14' 10,050' X            
North Banner Lake 9 22' 9,930' X            
South Banner Lake 4 19' 9,950'   X          
Barber Lake 2 19' 8,760'   X          
Bellamy Lake 1 5' 10,660' X            
Blackjack Lake 4 4' 10,580' X            
Campbell Lake 14 35' 10,020' X            
Cascade Lake 8 45' 10,090' X            
Crater Lake 10 65' 10,560' X            
Crescent Lake 8 8' 10,770' X            
Cutthroat Lake 6 19' 10,670' X            
Deep Lake 25 29' 10,500' X            
Dipper Lake 28 32' 10,692'       X      
Driller Lake 2 3' 10,090' X            
Edwards Lake 4 28' 10,270' X            
North Gap Lake 32 67' 10,850' X            
Garden Lake 6 3' 10,650' X            
Hanging Lake 4 5' 9,060'   X          
Hatchet Lake 3 3' 10,660' X            
Heart Lake 12 45' 10,740' X            
Hwy. 130 Lake 5 4' 10,470'             X
Jeff Lake 7 5' 10,630'             X
East Klondyke Lake 1 12' 10,785' X         X  
North Klondyke Lake 7 20' 10,780' X         X  
West Klondyke Lake 24 20' 10,750' X     X   X  
Libby Flats Lake 3 4' 10,225' X            
Libby Lake 26 40' 10,750' X     X   X  
Long Lake 31 42' 8,910'             X
Little Long Lake 5 6' 10,590' X            
Middle Long Lake 6 10' 10,620' X            
Upper Long Lake 4 15' 10,780'             X
Lookout Lake 35 87' 10,630' X            
Magnolia Lake 4 15' 10,185'             X
Lake Marie 26 40' 10,500' X X          
North Meadow Lake 5 13' 10,570' X            
South Meadow Lake 11 10' 10,610' X            
Mill Pond Lake 3 3' 10,300' X            
Mirror Lake 26 50' 10,600' X X          
Lower Missouri Lake 3 5' 10,150' X            
Upper Missouri Lake 6 11' 10,180'             X
Moerke Lake 10 3' 8,880'             X
Mutt Lake 16 7' 10,630'             X
Phantom Lake 12 16' 10,040' X            
Quealy Lake 9 4' 10,330' X            
Quealy Lake #1 2 5' 10,325' X            
Rat Lake 2 4' 9,590' X            
Reservoir Lake 29 82' 10,770' X            
Sand Lake 92 15' 10,131' X X       X  
Scott Lake 2 21' 11,030'             X
Sevenmile Lake 2 3' 9,490'             X
Sheep Lake 19 4' 10,770' X            
Shelf Lake #1 3 29' 10,970'     X        
Shelf Lake #2 6 18' 10,970'     X        
Shelf Lake #4 3 11' 10,870' X            
Shelf Lake #5 1 6' 10,870' X            
Silver Lake 17 25' 10,250' X            
Snowbank Lake 2 8' 10,610'             X
Stamp Mill Lake 3 13' 9,990'             X
Sucker Lake 13 8' 10,350' X     X      
Towner Lake 9 6' 10,705' X            
Turpin Reservoir 99 22' 9,397' X            
North Twin Lake (Carbon Co.) 8 44' 10,360' X            
South Twin Lake (Carbon Co.) 27 68' 10,282'           X  
Vagner Lake 11 6' 10,450' X            
Vosseller Lake 2 5' 10,590' X            
Deep Creek 6     X X       X  
Gold Run Creek 4     X            
Medicine Bow River 13     X X     X    
East Fork Medicine Bow River 7     X X     X    
Nash Fork Creek 7     X X     X    
North Brush Creek 11     X X     X    
North Fork Little Laramie River 8     X X     X    
East Fork Pass Creek 5     X X     X    
Rock Creek 15     X X     X    
Middle Fork Rock Creek 2     X     X      
North Fork Rock Creek 7     X            
South Fork Rock Creek 5     X            
Silver Run Creek 3     X            
Trail Creek 5     X            
Turpin Creek 9     X            
 
Laramie Ranger District
Name of Lake or Stream Acres or Miles Maximum Depth Elevation Brook Trout Rainbow Trout Golden Trout Cutthrout Trout Brown Trout Splake No Fish
Bear Lake 17 41' 10,100'   X          
Big Brooklyn Lake 36 38' 10,526' X     X   X  
Little Brooklyn Lake 8 6' 10,353' X         X  
Fire Box Lake 4 4' 9,590'             X
South Gap Lake 44 70' 10,950' X X   X      
East Glacier Lake 7 25' 10,790' X     X      
West Glacier Lake 8 28' 10,780' X            
Golden Lake 5 16' 10,470' X     X      
Grassy Lake 3 3' 10,670' X            
Hourglass Lake 8 4 10,500'             X
Lewis Lake 19 33' 10,730' X     X X X  
Lost Lakes 17 82' 10,950' X            
East Lost Lakes 8 3' 10,170'             X
Silver Run Lake 14 14' 10,050' X            
Swastika Lake 12 3' 10,060'             X
Big Telephone Lake 25 10' 10,705' X            
Little Telephone Lake 8 12 10,700' X            
North Twin Lakes (Albany Co.) 4 4' 10,690'             X
South Twin Lakes (Albany Co.) 17 82' 10,950'         X    
Libby Creek 11     X X     X    
Fisherman photo courtesy of TheArmchairExplorer, CCA-by-SA 3.0 License