Medicine Bow - Routt National Forests
Thunder Basin National Grassland

USDA Forest Service
Medicine Bow-Routt
National Forests,
Thunder Basin
National Grassland
2468 Jackson Street
Laramie, WY 82070
307-745-2300

Telephone for the
Hearing Impaired
307-745-2307

This four-room cabin can sleep up to eight people in the two bedrooms on bunk or single beds. There is a large ranch style kitchen and a small living room area. The kitchen is complete with a range, oven and refrigerator. It has a bath and a half with two showers. There are electrical lights and heat. Enjoy fishing in nearby streams, hiking, mountain biking, horseshoes, picnicking, horseback riding and hunting in the fall.

For an additional fee, saddle and/or pack animals belonging to the renter may be kept in the fenced area, but not in the yard. Renter needs to use hobbles, electric portable fence, etc. to contain animals.

The Bow River Ranger Station rents for $80 per night and is available June through October. There is a fourteen-day maximum stay limit. This is a non-smoking facility.

Access

The Bow River Ranger Station is accessed from Laramie, Wyoming by taking Interstate 80 west from Laramie 56 miles to the Elk Mountain exit 255, travel south to Elk Mountain approximately 3 miles. Cross the Medicine Bow River and travel south approximately 13 miles on National Forest System Road (NFSR) 101 to the Bow River Work Center which will be located on the east side (right) of NFSR 101. The Bow River Ranger Station is accessed from Rawlins, Wyoming by taking Interstate 80 east from Rawlins approximately 42 miles to the Elk Mountain exit 255; travel south to Elk Mountain approximately 3 miles. (See above directions from Elk Mountain.)

Attractions & Considerations

This house is located at the edge of the forest and has a variety of amenities. Enjoy the fishing in the Bow River, or nearby streams, and beaver ponds. Hiking, mountain biking, horseshoes, picnicking, horseback riding and driving secondary gravel and dirt roads for pleasure. You may see deer, antelope, elk, moose, cattle grazing, and a variety of birds. If you wish to bring your own saddle or pack stock, they may be kept in the fenced area, but not in the yard. A rate of $1.00 per night per head of livestock will be charged.

Items that should be brought along include bedding/sleeping bag, food, dish soap and sponge, trash bags, paper towels, warm clothing, first aid kit, flashlight, towels and washcloths, personal hygiene items and other personal items. Basic cooking and eating utensils, plates, knives, forks, spoons, cups, and basic pots and pans are furnished. If you use these, they need to be cleaned and put up after use. The garbage is pack it in, pack it out.

Narrative

The Bow River Ranger Station is actually a crew quarter building that was constructed in 1964 to provide housing for seasonal crews on the Bow River Ranger District. Bow River Ranger Station was summer quarters while the District office and winter residence was located in Medicine Bow, Wyoming. The Forest Service no longer owns the facilities in Medicine Bow, though the Natural Resource Conservation Service, USDA, now uses the office complex.

This portion of the Forest was declared the Medicine Bow Forest Reserve in 1902 and included forest lands in Colorado. This area was divided at the state line in 1908 and was named the Cheyenne National Forest. In 1910 this area was renamed the Medicine Bow National Forest. The Bow River Ranger District was combined with and renamed the Brush Creek Ranger District.

The barracks is of frame construction and was completed in 1964. The building had received little use and, the District decided to make it available to the public for rental use. The crew quarter is available for rent to the public under the Recreation Fee Demo authority.