Medicine Lodge Lake Campground
Medicine Lodge Lake Campground is located in a remote setting on the shores of Upper Medicine Lodge Lake. Nearby trailheads offer access to the Cloud Peak Wilderness.
More like this: first-come in Wyoming
active
Season & status
| Status | Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date. |
| Season | June - Labor Day |
| Forest | Bighorn National Forest |
| Booking | Reservations are not accepted. |
| Fees | $20 per night. Additional vehicle $9. Limit 2 vehicles per site and 8 people per site. Double site (site #11): $40 for 1-16 people. |
| Rules | 14 day stay limit |
Getting there
From Shell, WY, travel east on Hwy 14 for about 17 miles, then turn south onto Forest System Road (FSR) 17 for another 24.5 miles.
| Coordinates | 44.4006° N, 107.3875° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- WildfirePk
26 mi from the campground · 1,645 acres · 85% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Leigh Creek RV Dump Station ↗ | 21.5 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Sportsman's Warehouse ↗ | 33.6 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
No site-by-site records, no amenities, no fee schedule or photos in the Recreation.gov record. What is here comes from the agency's own listing. The rest lives there.
Checked nightly. Modules appear as soon as the record fills in.
Explore
Worth a stop
- 0.7 miEdelman Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 8.1 miLily Lake Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Trails nearby
- 0.3 miLower Medicine Lodge1.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.6 miKinky White ↗5.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 0.7 miEdelman ↗10.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 2 miNorth High Park ↗5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 2.4 miMedicine Lodge Basin2.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 3.3 miSpanish Point2.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
Trailheads within three miles
- 0.5 miPaintrock Lake TH ↗Bighorn National Forest
- 0.7 miEdelman TH ↗Bighorn National Forest
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 Cloud Peak Wilderness, which overlaps Bighorn National Forest.
- inCloud Peak Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 191,914 acres
- inBighorn National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,112,948 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
- Schunk LodgeHistoric district · Big Horn · 7.7 mi
Guidebooks for Wyoming
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Medicine Lodge Lake Campground?
No. Medicine Lodge Lake Campground is first-come, first-served. Reservations are not accepted. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
How much does it cost to camp at Medicine Lodge Lake Campground?
$20 per night. Additional vehicle $9. Limit 2 vehicles per site and 8 people per site.
Source: Forest Service
Is Medicine Lodge Lake Campground open right now?
Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season June - Labor Day.
Source: Forest Service status
What if Medicine Lodge Lake Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Ranger Creek Recreation Area (11.4 mi), Shell Creek (12.1 mi), and West Tensleep Lake (13 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby