Cabin rental · U.S. Forest Service · Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG · Saratoga, WY

Snow Survey Cabin

The Snow Survey Cabin provides visitors with a rustic accommodation on the Snowy Range. The cabin, located just off the Snowy Range Scenic Byway at nearly 10,000 feet elevation is available for rent year round. This is an excellent cabin to enjoy everything from warm summer evenings to winter snowmachining or cross country skiing. The one room cabin can accommodate up to four people on two sets of bunk beds. There is a propane cook stove/heater, and solar lights. West access to the cabin during the winter months is one mile from the upper "chains end" gate. A lower closure gate is six miles from the cabin. Winter renters access the cabin via snowmachine, skis, or snowshoes.

Cabin rentalReservable · Recreation.gov1 siteFrom $50 per night
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Snow survey cabin primary picSNOW SURVEY CABIN 2SnowSNOW SURVEY CABIN 6
Photos courtesy of Sarah Buckhold, US Forest Service · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Cabins with electric1
This cabin is booked as a single unit on Recreation.gov. The booking page shows which dates are open and how far ahead they release. How the booking window works

Site guide

1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteSurfaceShadePeople / vehicles
001GravelFull4 / 2

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 11:00 AM.

Amenities & rules

Fees$50/night, by reservation only.

The one-room cabin is furnished with two sets of bunk beds and can accommodate up to four people. The cabin is equipped with a propane cook stove, heater, solar lights, table and chairs, cookware, and basic cooking and eating utensils. An outhouse with vault toilet is located nearby. No running water is available at the cabin. Guests must bring their own supply of water for drinking, cooking and cleaning. Snow for melting is usually available in winter. Guests need to provide their own food, sleeping bags, lanterns or flashlights, pillows, towels, dish soap, matches, first aid kit, toilet paper and garbage bags. All trash and food must be packed out, and guests are expected to clean the cabin before leaving. No pets are allowed within the building. Pets must be on leash or lead outside to protect wildlife. Pet must be cleaned up after by owner.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Snow Survey Cabin20°30°40°50°60°70°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 23.2°F averageFebruary: 23.9°F averageMarch: 30.6°F averageApril: 36.9°F averageMay: 46.1°F averageJune: 56.1°F averageJuly: 62.4°F averageAugust: 60.3°F averageSeptember: 53.2°F averageOctober: 41.6°F averageNovember: 30.3°F averageDecember: 23.2°F averageTemp °F
The line is the average temperature at Centennial 1Ne, 13 miles from the campground at 8,170 feet, station USC00481610 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020.

Getting there

From Saratoga, travel south on Highway 130 for 8 miles to the Highway130/230 junction. Turn left (east) on Highway 130 and drive 20 miles to Forest Service Road 257 (also known as Snowstorm Road). Turn onto Forest Service Road 257 and continue for approximately 100 yards to the cabin.

Nearest townSaratoga, Wyoming
Coordinates41.3264° N, 106.3782° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearKoyoty Sports & Trophy Room Artistry ↗24 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗39.9 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Worth a stop

The Snowy Range is transected by Wyoming Highway 130 between Laramie and Saratoga. This is the Snowy Range Scenic Byway. Many campgrounds, picnic areas and hiking trails are located along its course. The small Snowy Range Ski Resort is accessible from this scenic byway as well; however, portions of Highway 130 are not completely accessible during the winter.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →

Trailheads within three miles

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

On Wilderness Atlas →

Savage Run Wilderness begins about 6.5 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

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.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

From valleys and canyons that rise steeply to jagged ridges, the Snowy Range boasts alpine lakes, wildflower meadows and a mixed forest of spruce, lodgepole pine, subalpine fir and aspen. At elevations of 9,000 to 12,000 feet, it lives up to its name, as snow can fall in the area during any month of the year. Wildlife viewing is abundant near the cabin, including elk, deer and moose. Migratory birds, squirrels and an occasional black bear find habitat in the forest as well.

Recreation

  • In the summer months, a vast hiking trail system accessing the highest elevations of the Snowy Range extends from the cabin's back door. Hikers looking for a challenge can make the trek up Medicine Bow Peak at an elevation of 12,013 feet, or hike nearby Browns Peak or Sugarloaf Mountain.
  • Fishing is available at many alpine lakes and streams, including the popular Mirror Lake day use site.
  • Winter brings deep powder snow for the snowmobiler and cross-country skier.
  • Lake and Pond Fishing
  • Areas for Lake and Pond Fishing at Snowy Range Area
  • Bow River Campground
  • Brooklyn Lake Campground
  • Deep Creek Campground
  • Deep Lake Trail
  • Dipper Lake Trail
  • Lake Owen Boat Ramp
  • Lake Owen Campground
  • Lakes Trailhead
  • Lewis Lake Picnic Site
  • Libby Lake Picnic Site
  • Little Brooklyn Guard Station
  • Miller Lake Dispersed Campground
  • Mirror Lake Picnic & Fishing Site
  • Quealy Lake Trailhead
  • Rob Roy Boat Ramp

Guidebooks for Wyoming

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Camping Wyoming and the Black Hills
    Kenneth Lee Graham, 2023
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Moon Montana, Wyoming and Idaho Camping
    Becky Lomax, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking Wyoming's Wind River Range
    Ben Adkison, 2023
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Snow Survey Cabin?

Sites at Snow Survey Cabin are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Snow Survey Cabin?

$50/night, by reservation only.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Snow Survey Cabin?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Snow Survey Cabin have?

1 site, including 1 cabin with power.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Snow Survey Cabin?

In the summer months, a vast hiking trail system accessing the highest elevations of the Snowy Range extends from the cabin's back door. Hikers looking for a challenge can make the trek up Medicine Bow Peak at an elevation of 12,013 feet, or hike nearby Browns Peak or Sugarloaf Mountain. The Recreat

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Snow Survey Cabin?

Saratoga, Wyoming. The Snowy Range is transected by Wyoming Highway 130 between Laramie and Saratoga.

Source: Getting there

What if Snow Survey Cabin is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Silver Lake Campground (1.4 mi, partly first-come), Sugarloaf Campground (4.8 mi, partly first-come), and Ryan Park (5.9 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby