Encampment River Wilderness
Here in the northernmost extension of the Southern Rocky Mountains, the Encampment River flows north out of Colorado, past the town of Encampment and into the North Platte River. Along part of the river's canyon lies Wyoming's smallest Wilderness, approximately 16 square miles, a strip less than one mile wide in the southern portion that widens to about five miles near the northern boundary. Throughout the canyon, the river runs from wild rapids to peacefully placid stretches, and is home to brook, rainbow, and brown trout (the fishing can be worth the hike). Sagebrush grows on the open slopes, and the canyon is full of riparian vegetation.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Wyoming |
| Size | 10,208 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 41.09° N, 106.79° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 12) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Where to camp
None of the 1 federal campground within ten miles sits inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
2 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 13 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Encampment River Trail ↗ | 11.2 | |
| Hog Park Creek Trail | 1.6 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 1.2 miHog Park Guard Station ↗Cowdry, CO
- 5.1 miNichols, Lora Webb, House ↗Encampment, WY
- 5.2 miWillis House ↗Encampment, WY
- 5.4 mi
- 10.6 miDML-Butler Bridge ↗Encampment, WY
- 12.5 miSummit Creek Ranger Station ↗Columbine, CO
- 13.6 miColumbine ↗Clark, CO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
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
How big is Encampment River Wilderness?
10,208 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Encampment River Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Encampment River Wilderness in?
Wyoming.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Encampment River Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Encampment River Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Encampment River Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 41.091° N, 106.790° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Encampment River Wilderness?
The National Register has 7 listings within 15 miles, including Hog Park Guard Station and Nichols, Lora Webb, House.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.