Seasonal operation. This campground is not open year-round. Likely open now (September).
Jack Creek Guard Station
FS USDA Forest Service · SARATOGA, WY · Primitive
Conditions
Road Access
Gravel
Driveway Surface
Gravel
Season
Seasonal Closure
Campfires
Not recorded
Elevation
8,500 ft
Boondock Access
Not recorded
The managing agency hasn't published campfire rules for this campground. The description and directions below often mention it — and it's worth calling the agency before a long drive.
Features
Environment
High Elevation
Style
Primitive
Vault Toilet
Reservable
Campground Stats
| Total Sites | 1 |
| Overnight Sites | 1 |
| Surface | Gravel |
Location
Description
Overview
The Jack Creek Guard Station is available mid-June through October, weather permitting. This was the northern ranger cabin for the historic Encampment Ranger District, built by Ranger Evie Williams in 1934, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The one-room cabin can accommodate up to four people with two bunk beds, a combination wood/propane cook stove, simple table and chairs. There is no indoor plumbing, a vault toilet is located within walking distances. Water is available during the summer months from the freeze-proof hydrant outside and from the Jack Creek Campground nearby. Items to bring include bedding/sleeping bag, food, dish soap and sponge, trash bags, first aid kit, flashlight, towels and washcloths, personal items. Basic cooking and eating utensils are provided. Utensils need to be cleaned and put away after use. The garbage is pack-in, pack-out. Saddle/ pack animals may not be be kept within the Jack Creek Guard Station area. Campers, tents or trailers may not be set up at this facility. Please clean up after your pets.
The Jack Creek Guard Station is located southwest of Saratoga, Wyoming, offering visitors a unique lodging experience in the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests.
The guard station once served as the northern ranger cabin for the historic Encampment Ranger District. It was constructed by Ranger Evie Williams in 1934. Oral history states that Ranger Williams spent most of his construction dollars on the material for the foundation and chimney, and used his own funds to finish the windows and roof.
The guard station is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and offers guests recreation and relaxation in a delightful natural setting. The cabin is typically open from mid-June through mid-October and is accessible by vehicle. Basic amenities are provided, but guests will need to pack in some of their own supplies and gear.
Recreation
Lake and Pond Fishing
Areas for Lake and Pond Fishing at Sierra Madre Area
- Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District Office
- Hog Park Boat Dock and Ramp
- Hog Park Campground
- Hog Park Picnic Site
- Lake View Picnic Site at Hog Park
River and Stream Fishing
Areas for River and Stream Fishing at Sierra Madre Area
- Big Creek-Holroyd Park Trailhead
- Bottle Creek Campground
- Bottle Creek Group Picnic Site
- Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District Office
- East Fork - Encampment River Trail
- Encampment River Wilderness
- Hog Park Campground
- Huston Park Wilderness
- Jack Creek Campground
- Jack Creek Crew Quarters
- Jack Creek Guard Station
- Purgatory Gulch Trailhead
Day Hiking
Areas for Day Hiking at Sierra Madre Area
- Baby Lake Trailhead
- Big Creek Park Trailhead
- Big Creek-Holroyd Park Trailhead
- Bottle Creek Campground
- Bottle Creek Group Picnic Site
- Bottle Creek Trails
- Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District Office
- CDNST - Deep Jack Trailhead
- CDNST - Pipeline Trailhead
- CDNST - Red Mountain Trailhead
- Commissary Park Trailhead
- East Fork - Encampment River Trail
- Encampment River Wilderness
- Green Mountain Falls Trailhead
- Green Mountain Trailhead
- Hog Park Campground
- Huston Park Wilderness
- Jack Creek Campground
- Jack Creek Crew Quarters
- Lost Creek Campground
- Purgatory Gulch Trailhead
Backpacking
Areas for Backpacking at Sierra Madre Area
- Baby Lake Trailhead
- Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District Office
- CDNST - Deep Jack Trailhead
- CDNST - Pipeline Trailhead
- CDNST - Red Mountain Trailhead
- Commissary Park Trailhead
- East Fork - Encampment River Trail
- Encampment River Wilderness
- Green Mountain Trailhead
- Huston Park Wilderness
- Purgatory Gulch Trailhead
Viewing Wildlife
Areas for Viewing Wildlife at Sierra Madre Area
- Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District Office
- Hog Park Campground
- Jack Creek Crew Quarters
- Jack Creek Guard Station
- Sandstone Cabin
Viewing Plants
Areas for Viewing Plants at Sierra Madre Area
- Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District Office
- Hog Park Campground
- Jack Creek Crew Quarters
- Jack Creek Guard Station
Viewing Scenery
Areas for Viewing Scenery at Sierra Madre Area
- Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District Office
- Encampment River Wilderness
- Green Mountain Falls Trailhead
- Hog Park Campground
- Huston Park Wilderness
Facilities
The one-room cabin is furnished with two sets of bunk beds and can accommodate up to four people. Heat is provided by a combination wood and propane cook stove. Basic cooking and eating utensils and propane lights are supplied.
Water is available during the summer months from a hydrant just outside or a hand pump at Jack Creek Campground, one mile away. There is no indoor plumbing, but a vault toilet is located nearby. A picnic table and campfire ring are also outside the cabin. Please use propane side of stove for cooking and heat. There is no trash service; this is a pack-it-in, pack-it-out facility.
Natural Features
From open, high expanses to valleys and canyons that rise steeply to snowy ranges, the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests encompass mountain ranges, tributaries to the North Platte River and the Colorado River, and a mix of forested ecology with spruce, lodgepole pine, subalpine fir, aspen and shrub lands.The Jack Creek Guard Station sits in a clearing with lodgepole pine, aspen and mixed conifer forest at an elevation of 8,500 feet. Wildlife viewing is abundant in the area, including elk, deer, bear and moose.
Nearby Attractions
Directions
From Saratoga, travel west on County Road 500 approximately 16 miles to junction with County Road 405. Stay left and travel 3 miles to the forest boundary. The road changes to Forest Service Road 452. Travel on Forest Service Road 452 for 6.5 miles to Jack Creek Campground and the guard station.
From Encampment, take State Highway 70 west for 7 miles and turn onto Forest Service Road 443 for approximately 15 miles to the junction of Forest Service Road 452. From there, go west for approximately 8 miles to Jack Creek Campground and the guard station.
From Encampment, take State Highway 70 west for 7 miles and turn onto Forest Service Road 443 for approximately 15 miles to the junction of Forest Service Road 452. From there, go west for approximately 8 miles to Jack Creek Campground and the guard station.
Activities
BIKING
CAMPING
FISHING
HIKING
HISTORIC & CULTURAL SITE
HUNTING
WILDLIFE VIEWING
Details
| Fee | $50/per night. Reservations can be made up to 6 months at www.recreation.gov. Reservations can be made by calling 1-877-444-6777 or at www.recreation.gov |
| http://www.fs.usda.gov/mbr | |
| ADA Access | N |
| Reservable | Yes |
Nearby Campgrounds
Jack Creek Crew Quarters
0.0 mi
· FS
· 1 sites
Jack Creek Campground (WY)
1.1 mi
· FS
· 16 sites
CDNST - Deep Jack Trailhead
1.7 mi
· FS
Lost Creek Campground (WY)
8.9 mi
· FS
· 13 sites
Sandstone Cabin
11.5 mi
· FS
· 1 sites
Bottle Creek Campground (WY)
12.7 mi
· FS
· 12 sites
Encampment River Campground
17.5 mi
· BLM
Indian Bathtubs Trail
18.6 mi
· BLM