Ranger Creek Recreation Area

Ranger Creek Group Campground is located just off the Bighorn Scenic Byway (U.S. Highway 14) at an elevation of 7,500 feet. The Bighorn National Forest offers a wide variety of activities, including hiking, fishing, scenic driving and a number of historic sites. The administering organization is Gallatin Canyon Campgrounds; e-mail: gccampgrounds13@gmail.com Recreation Scenic off-road driving is available on Battle Creek Road to Medicine Lodge Lake, Ranger Creek Road to Shell Reservoir, Hunt Mountain Road and the Burgess Overlook Jeep trail. Diverse hiking opportunities vary from loop trails to treks along creeks and over mountain peaks including access to the Cloud Peak Wilderness. The Adelaide Trail, for hiking and horseback riding is nearby, providing access to Shell Creek and the Shell Creek Trail. Many creeks, lakes and ponds dot the region, offering some of the best trout fly-fishing in the state. Facilities The campground offers one large group site that can accommodate up to 150 people for overnight camping or day-use picnicking. A shelter covers several picnic and serving tables, and a campfire ring and grill are on-site. Accessible vault toilets, drinking water and trash collection are provided. The nearest dump station is 20 miles away at Burgess Junction. Natural Features The campground is situated on the banks of Ranger Creek in the Bighorn Mountains, where craggy granite peaks rise over 13,000 feet above sea level. The area is forested with a mix of pine and aspen trees. An abundance of wildlife lives in the area. Nearby Attractions The Shell Falls Visitor Center, at the overlook of Shell Falls, is about 8 miles west. Burgess Junction Visitor Center is 20 miles north. Both centers offer interpretive trails, scenic views and educational displays about natural features like flora and fauna, and area history. Elk View Inn and other nearby lodges provide guided horseback riding and fishing adventures, off-road vehicle rentals and fishing supplies, as well as dining options, showers and general stores. The Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite, near the town of Shell, is the largest of its kind in the state and one of only a few in the world from the Middle Jurassic Period. The tracks found here are approximately 167 million years old. ADA Access: N