Savage Run Wilderness
Steep-sided canyons rest at the lower elevations (around 8,000 feet) of this forested Wilderness, which covers about 23 square miles on the west side of the Medicine Bow Range. The land rises to about 10,000 feet and rolling plateau-like terrain. Savage Run Creek tumbles through the heart of the area in roughly an east-west direction. At the tree line, you'll find Engelmann spruce, ponderosa pine, limber pine, Douglas fir, subalpine fir, cottonwood, and quaking aspen. Anglers come for the creek's brook trout, while a resident elk population attracts hunters. The "more difficult" Savage Run Trail follows the creek for about nine miles, with an elevation change of 2,400 feet. Along the way, you'll pass through stands of virgin timber.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Wyoming |
| Size | 15,284 acres |
| Designated | 1978, by Congress |
| Center point | 41.19° N, 106.39° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 13) |
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.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 8 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
3 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 12 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Savage Run ↗ | 8.4 | |
| Cottonwood | 2.6 | |
| Savage Run Extention Trail | 1.4 |
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
- 7.8 miHeadquarters Park Historic District ↗Centennial, WY
- 9.9 miDML-Butler Bridge ↗Encampment, WY
- 10.1 miBrooklyn Lodge ↗Centennial, WY
- 10.2 miLibby Lodge ↗Centennial, WY
- 10.5 miCentennial Work Center ↗Centennial, WY
- 10.8 miMountain View Hotel ↗Centennial, WY
- 10.9 miCentennial Depot ↗Centennial, WY
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 Savage Run Wilderness?
15,284 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Savage Run Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Savage Run Wilderness in?
Wyoming.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Savage Run Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1978.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Savage Run 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 Savage Run Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 41.193° N, 106.393° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Savage Run Wilderness?
The National Register has 7 listings within 15 miles, including Headquarters Park Historic District and DML-Butler Bridge.
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.