Recreation area

Encampment River Wilderness

Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG · Colorado — managed by USDA Forest Service

Open recreation area — no reservation needed

About this campground

Limited access due to downfall on trail. The Encampment River Wilderness is within the Medicine Bow National Forest in Wyoming and is located on the Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District in the Sierra Madre Range.  Designated a Wilderness Area in 1984 with 10,124 acres, it is the smallest wilderness area in Wyoming. The average elevation is 7,800 feet.  The Encampment River flows through a narrow rugged canyon and varies from narrow, rushing rapids to calm, smooth stretches.  The trail continues to be blocked annually by falling trees. Fishing and hunting are popular in the Encampment River Wilderness. Wilderness.net page for Encampment River Wilderness Trails/Trailheads that access the Encampment River Wilderness include: Encampment River Trail - Commissary Park Trailhead, Purgatory Gulch Trailhead Select 'Hiking' on the Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District Recreation page for a complete list of trails.

Activities

  • HIKING
  • HORSEBACK RIDING
  • HUNTING

Explore more Colorado camping

Encampment River Wilderness doesn't take campsite reservations — but plenty of nearby Colorado campgrounds do, and we'll alert you the moment a sold-out site opens up.

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Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.