Rex Hale
Rex Hale Campground is located along the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway about 36 miles west of Cody, in northwestern Wyoming. It is just over 16 miles east of Yellowstone National Park's east entrance. The surrounding area offers many outdoor recreational opportunities, including fishing, hiking and viewing local wildlife. The campground is named after Rex Hale, one of 15 firefighters who died in the 1937 Blackwater Fire, which burned more than 1,700 acres of Forest Service lands within the Shoshone National Forest.
More like this: electric hookups in Wyoming · reservable in Wyoming · big rigs in Wyoming
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Standard, no hookups | 21 |
| Standard with electric | 8 |
Site guide
Will my RV fit
The longest site here provides 40 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.
29 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Type | Entry | Fits, ft | Surface | Power | Water / sewer | People / vehicles | Accessible |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 002 | Electric | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | 15/30/50 amp | Yes / – | 8 / 2 | Yes |
| 003 | Electric | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | 15/30/50 amp | Yes / – | 8 / 2 | Yes |
| 004 | Standard | Back-in | 26 | Gravel | No | 6 / 2 | Yes | |
| 005 | Electric | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | 15/30/50 amp | Yes / – | 8 / 2 | Yes |
| 006 | Electric | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | 15/30/50 amp | Yes / – | 8 / 2 | Yes |
| 007 | Electric | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | 15/30/50 amp | Yes / – | 8 / 2 | Yes |
| 008 | Standard | Back-in | 36 | Gravel | No | 6 / 2 | ||
| 009 | Electric | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | 15/30/50 amp | Yes / – | 8 / 2 | Yes |
| 010 | Standard | Back-in | 36 | Gravel | No | 6 / 2 | ||
| 011 | Electric | Back-in | 38 | Gravel | 15/30/50 amp | Yes / – | 8 / 2 | Yes |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
| Hookups | Electric, water |
| Max vehicle length | 40 ft |
| Equipment | RVs & trailers, Tents |
| Accessibility | Sites 002, 003, 004, 005 and 9 more are listed accessible |
The campground offers several campsites, some of which have electric hookups. Each site is equipped with a table, campfire ring and food storage locker. Potable water, vault toilets, and trash collection are provided. Campers are allowed to gather firewood in the area.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Forest | Shoshone National Forest |
| Booking | Reservations for the Rex Hale Campground can be made at www.recreation.gov. |
| Fees | $30/Night for single unit w/electricity, $20/Night for single unit w/no electricity |
| Rules | Food storage is required |
Weather by month
Getting there
The campground is located 36 miles from Cody, on the south side of the highway. It is between Newton Campground to the west and Clearwater Campground to the east.
| Nearest town | Cody, Wyoming |
| Coordinates | 44.4567° N, 109.7258° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- WildfireMonk
32 mi from the campground · 41 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Outdoor gear | Best of the West ↗ | 31.2 mi |
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 32.5 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Driving Tour: Rex Hale Campground, Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming
Trails nearby
- 0.8 miBlackwater Trail/Clayton Mount ↗7.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike · national_recreation_or_other
- 2.7 miWest Blackwater Trail/Natural ↗4.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.8 miClearwater Cr Trail ↗3.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 3.4 miGunbarrel Cr Trail ↗6.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 4.6 miGrace Creek Trail ↗2.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 4.7 miElk Fork Trail ↗10.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside Shoshone National Forest.
- inShoshone National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 2,469,224 acres
- 6.2 miNorth Absaroka Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 346,320 acres
- 6.6 miCuster Gallatin National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 3,412,203 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Absaroka Mountain LodgeHistoric district · Cody · 3.2 mi
- Elephant Head LodgeHistoric district · Cody · 3.9 mi
- Wapiti Ranger StationBuilding · Wapiti · 5.4 mi
Natural features
The campground is situated near the banks of the North Fork of the Shoshone River and offers views of spectacular red cliffs, where bighorn sheep may be seen early in the season. A wide variety of wildlife lives in the surrounding area. Visitors often glimpse grizzly bears, deer, elk, bison, moose, fox, coyotes and bald eagles.
Recreation
Great opportunities for hiking, fishing, scenic driving and wildlife viewing are available around the campground. The North Fork of the Shoshone River is a popular fly-fishing location for rainbow and Yellowstone cutthroat trout. A firefighter memorial is located along the highway, just over a mile west of the campground. Forest Service Trail 758 leads to two additional memorials, which mark the locations where other firefighters lost their lives in the Blackwater Fire. Mummy Cave is less than a mile from the campground. This historical site was discovered in 1957 and found to have been occupied for a period of over 9,000 years. Many artifacts, including a mummified ancient inhabitant, were excavated from the large alcove, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
Nearby
Pahaska Tepee, west of the campground, is home to Buffalo Bill's original hunting lodge, built in 1904. Tours are offered daily between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Pahaska also offers guided horseback rides, a gift shop, restaurant and lodging. Yellowstone National Park's east entrance is 18 miles from the campground via the Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway. The park offers unparalleled wildlife viewing opportunities, as well as breathtaking scenery and unique geological features. The small, historic city of Cody offers a variety of dining, lodging and shopping options. The Buffalo Bill Historical Center offers extensive displays of Greater Yellowstone natural history, Plains Indians artifacts, western art, firearms, Buffalo Bill memorabilia and a wild sheep exhibit.
Guidebooks for Wyoming
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Rex Hale?
Sites at Rex Hale are reservable on Recreation.gov. Reservations for the Rex Hale Campground can be made at www.recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
How much does it cost to camp at Rex Hale?
$30/Night for single unit w/electricity, $20/Night for single unit w/no electricity
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Rex Hale?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
Is Rex Hale open right now?
Open as of Oct 16, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
How many sites does Rex Hale have?
29 sites, including 21 standard sites without power and 8 standard sites with power.
Source: Recreation.gov
Will my RV fit at Rex Hale?
The longest site here provides 40 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.
Source: Will my RV fit
Does Rex Hale have hookups?
Yes, electric and water hookups at some sites.
Source: Recreation.gov
Are there accessible sites at Rex Hale?
Sites 002, 003, 004, and 005 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov, 13 sites in all. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Rex Hale?
Great opportunities for hiking, fishing, scenic driving and wildlife viewing are available around the campground. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Rex Hale?
Cody, Wyoming. Pahaska Tepee, west of the campground, is home to Buffalo Bill's original hunting lodge, built in 1904.
Source: Getting there
What if Rex Hale is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Newton Creek Campground (1.7 mi, first-come), Clearwater Campground (2.9 mi, partly first-come), and Elk Fork Campground (4.8 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby