Shell Creek Campground sits at 8,200 feet elevation in the Bighorn Mountains, 13 miles west of Shell along Forest Road 17. The 15-site campground accommodates RVs up to 75 feet, though the access road can be rough and requires careful navigation for larger rigs.
Shell Creek runs directly behind most campsites, providing a constant water soundtrack that masks road noise from occasional ATVs and motorcycles. Each site includes a picnic table, fire ring, and charcoal grill, with vault toilets and potable water available throughout the campground. The camp host sells firewood for $6 and provides local area information. Bear boxes serve tent campers, though bear activity remains minimal according to staff reports.
Wildlife sightings include deer, chipmunks, and various bird species, with moose and coyotes present in the broader area. Jennifer K. notes "Beautiful dear in the area. Chipmunks and birds too." Free-range cattle occasionally wander through the campground. Fishing opportunities exist both at the creek and nearby Shell Reservoir. Verizon cell service is unavailable.
The campground operates from late May through mid-September, with mosquitoes most active during summer months. No electrical hookups or dump station exist on-site - RV waste disposal requires a trip to Burgess Station. Water spigots lack threads for filling RV tanks directly.
Description
Overview
Shell Creek 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 Rustic Freedom / Gallatin Canyon Campgrounds; e-mail: support@rusticfreedom.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 single-family sites, most of which are accessible, each equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring with grill. Accessible vault toilets, drinking water and trash collection are provided. The nearest dump station is 19 miles away at Burgess Junction.
Natural Features
The campground is situated on the banks of Shell 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 fir, aspen and cottonwood trees. An abundance of wildlife lives in the area.
Nearby Attractions
Shell Falls Visitor Center, at the overlook of Shell Falls, is about 6 miles west. This center offers interpretive trails, scenic views, and educational displays about natural features such as flora and fauna and area history. Elk View Inn and other nearby lodges offer fishing adventures and 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.
Charges & Cancellations
Refunds: Refund requests made through www.recreation.gov will be charged a $10 processing fee. This cancellation processing fee is retained by the reservation service contractor along with the non-refundable reservation fee. All requests for the return of the non-refundable reservation fee and the cancellation processing fee will be declined by the campground concessionaire as they did not receive these fees (these are the fees retained by the reservation contractor, a different entity).
Fee Info
Two non-towed vehicles allowed per site. The first vehicle is included in the basic fee; the second vehicle will be charged an extra $9.00/day fee at the campground.Firewood bundles may be purchased from the campground host.
RV Road Trip Guides
Location
Public CampgroundShell Creek is located in Wyoming
Directions
Located 32 miles east of Greybull, Wyoming, on U.S. Highway 14. Turn off onto Paintrock Lakes Road (Forest Road 17). Shell Creek Campground is 1.5 miles from the turnoff.
Address
FOREST ROAD 17
Greybull, WY 82426
Coordinates
44.5502778 N
107.5147222 W
Connectivity
T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoors
T-MobileNo Coverage- VerizonNo Coverage
- AT&TNo Coverage
Connectivity
T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoors- T-MobileNo Coverage
- VerizonNo Coverage
- AT&TNo Coverage
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
Features
For Campers
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Firewood Available
- Reservable
- Drinking Water
- Toilets
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Big Rig Friendly
Drive Time
- 2 hrs 38 min from Billings, MT
- 3 hrs 8 min from Casper, WY
- 3 hrs 56 min from Bozeman, MT
- 4 hrs 33 min from Rapid City, SD
