Camping in the Medicine Bow National Forest
The Medicine Bow National Forest is located in southeastern Wyoming. It ranges from south of Rawlins to the Wyoming-Colorado border, and eastward to just shy of Cheyenne. There are prepared trails to hike and bike, and trails for snowmobile and ATV use. There are campgrounds where you need to pay for a Forest Service permit, and there are areas where you can just throw up a tent. Most Forest Service roads are well marked, and finding your way around is not a problem. Campgrounds are marked, as are points of interest, and spots for watching wildlife. There are many locations where camps had been set up when the railroads were cutting trees for railroad ties, and the shells of the log cabins are still there. There are also many reservoirs for boating and fishing, such as Turpin, near Elk Mountain, and Rob Roy, about 40 miles outside of Laramie.
The biggest reason that I like to camp in the Medicine Bow National Forest, is because I originally come from the Pacific Northwest, having lived in both Washington and Oregon. I like lots of trees. While I was growing up, trees were plentiful, even in the cities. Up here there are trees only where water accumulates. That means in valleys, gullies, ravines, washes, and so on. Not all of Wyoming looks like Yellowstone, or Grand Teton National Parks. There are mountain areas with trees, wildlife, and snow, but much of Wyoming is also wide open, high-country prairie. You will find miles of prairie grass, sage brush, and not many trees.
Because of the high altitude, overnight temperatures are cool, to cold. Some of us who live here even forget that from time to time. At home we can sleep comfortably with only a sheet on the bed, but when you go up into the mountains, you are going up another 1,000 feet, or so, in elevation, and so you may need a long sleeved shirt, a (thicker) jacket, or some extra blankets for your sleeping bag, if not more, depending on the time of the year. During the fall, you may be able to get by with wearing a long-sleeved shirt while hunting mule deer, or antelope, but after night fall, you will need warm clothing.
Larger recreational vehicles are not encouraged during the fall and winter months, when there is typically large amounts of rain, or snowfall. There are those who use RVs for hunting and camping, but they are not the larger ones. The roads are narrow, and slick, when wet or snow covered. The Forest Service also discourages vehicle use during the wetter Spring months, so that roads will not be ruined with tire ruts, or other vehicular damage.
Wyoming is typically a windy state, but while you are up in the mountains, you hardly notice it. There are plenty of trees for cover, and finding a sheltered area for camping is easy.
Most of the Forest is close to populated area, so if equipment is forgotten, or supplies are running short, you are within an hour or two of finding a grocery or convenience store. In the Laramie area, the small communities of Albany and Centennial are in the foothills, and are well stocked. Towards the Rawlins end of the Forest, are the towns of Saratoga and Encampment. Saratoga not only has grocery and convenience stores, but is quite famous for their free hot springs.
We have only camped in the Forest, as a family, a couple of times, but our family has always had fond memories of our trips. I have camped up there frequently, with one son, or another, and whether we come back with any game, or not, we always enjoy our time camping in the Medicine Bow National Forest.