Overview
At an elevation of 10,800 feet, Sugarloaf is the highest elevation campground that the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest has to offer and it is one of the highest elevation campgrounds in the United States. The sites at this location offer a breathtaking panorama of the Snowy Range which peaks out at 12,000 feet. There is little or no shade in the campground due to elevation, the pine beetle infestation, and the removal of hazard trees. This campground will have a mix of reservation sites and first-come, first-served sites for the 2024 season. If you are not reserving your site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by cash or check once you are at the campground.
Recreation
Sugarloaf Campground is near a variety of hiking trails and two crystal clear snow-melt lakes: Libby and Lewis Lakes. Non-motorized craft can be used on these lakes but you must carry your boat to the water's edge. Both Libby and Lewis lakes contain brook trout and splake (a hybrid of a male brook trout and female lake trout). Lewis Lake is annually stocked by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD). Use of live-bait fish is prohibited in lakes and streams within the Forest. Three popular trailheads originate in this area that range in difficulty level to accomadate visitor's interests. Savage Run Wilderness and Platte River Wilderness are nearby to the south for visitors that desire a more remote setting.
Natural Features
The campground sits on a spruce and fir-lined hillside in the midst of a fisherman's paradise of 102 recreational lakes. This is a rustic, picturesque campground where every site has delightful views of the Snowy Range. The Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland encompass nearly 3 million acres from central and northeastern Wyoming to north-central Colorado. Black bear, bobcat, coyote, elk, marmots, moose, mule deer, and pikas are just some of the many animals that inhabit these rich and diverse lands.
Nearby Attractions
The campground is 1.5 miles from the Libby Flats Observation Area. Visitors can find many more outdoor opportunities in the surrounding Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest including hiking, biking, camping, horseback riding, fishing, hunting, sightseeing, and winter sports.