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North Tongue Campground and the Bighorn Mountains: A Wyoming Basecamp for Hiking, Wildlife, and High Peaks

Some campgrounds are remembered for the campsite itself.

Others are remembered for everything that begins there.

North Tongue Campground belongs to the second group. Tucked beside the North Fork of the Tongue River near Burgess Junction, it offers a quiet place to sleep beneath the trees, listen to moving water, and wake up already positioned for another day in the northern Bighorn Mountains.

The campground is appealing, but it is the surrounding country that gives it meaning. From this one basecamp, travelers can follow scenic highways across high mountain plateaus, watch for moose in wet meadows, hike beside streams and waterfalls, visit one of North America’s most important Native American sacred landscapes, and climb broad summits with views extending across northern Wyoming and toward Montana.

Farther south, the range becomes higher and more rugged. Cloud Peak rises above glacier-carved valleys and hundreds of alpine lakes, giving experienced hikers and backpackers a serious mountain objective that can shape an entire Bighorn road trip.

North Tongue Campground is not simply a place to spend the night. It is an introduction to a mountain range that many travelers cross too quickly—and one that rewards nearly every extra day they give it.

A Quiet Campground Near Burgess Junction

North Tongue Campground sits at approximately 7,800 feet in Bighorn National Forest, about a mile north of Burgess Junction. Reached from U.S. Highway 14A by Forest Road 15, the campground lies along the North Fork of the Tongue River in a cool, forested setting removed from the traffic of the main highway.

The campground provides the essentials of national forest camping rather than the atmosphere of a developed resort. Sites include picnic tables, vault toilets are available, and potable water is normally provided during the operating season. The river brings opportunities for fishing and creates the kind of steady background sound that makes an evening around camp feel distinctly different from a night beside an interstate or in a crowded commercial campground.

Its location is particularly useful. Burgess Junction is where U.S. Highway 14 and U.S. Highway 14A separate, placing campers near both the Bighorn Scenic Byway and the Medicine Wheel Passage. A traveler can head east toward Dayton and Sheridan, west toward Shell Canyon and the Bighorn Basin, or follow Highway 14A across the high northern plateau toward Medicine Mountain and Lovell.

Because North Tongue Campground is seasonal and may be gated after weather-related closures, current conditions should always be checked before traveling into the mountains. Snow can remain late, especially on shaded slopes and higher ground, while early autumn weather can change quickly.

The Bighorn Mountains Deserve More Than a Drive-Through

The Bighorn Mountains rise in north-central Wyoming, separated from the better-known mountain ranges around Yellowstone and Grand Teton. Their location between the Black Hills and Yellowstone makes them easy to treat as a scenic crossing on the way to somewhere else.

That is one of the great missed opportunities of western travel.

The Bighorns contain deep canyons, limestone cliffs, broad alpine plateaus, high meadows, clear streams, hundreds of mountain lakes, and peaks exceeding 13,000 feet. The range changes character from north to south. Near North Tongue Campground, much of the terrain is open and rolling, with gentle summits, wildflower meadows, forested drainages, and long views. Farther south, Cloud Peak Wilderness protects sharper summits, sheer rock faces, glacial valleys, and the highest country in the range.

This variety makes the Bighorns unusually approachable. Travelers do not have to choose between a relaxing campground stay and a serious mountain trip. The same road journey can include a short nature walk, an afternoon of trout fishing, an easy summit, a sacred cultural landscape, a waterfall hike, and a multi-day wilderness adventure.

Wildlife Is Part of the Experience

The northern Bighorns are alive with wildlife, particularly around streams, marshes, forest edges, and open mountain meadows.

Moose are among the animals travelers most hope to see. They often use wet meadows and stream corridors, especially during the quieter hours of morning and evening. North Tongue Campground’s position near river habitat makes the surrounding area promising, although sightings can never be guaranteed.

Elk tend to favor hillside meadows and forested country. Mule deer may appear near roads and clearings, while smaller animals such as red squirrels, chipmunks, marmots, snowshoe hares, and pine martens occupy different elevations and habitats across the forest.

Black bears also live in the Bighorns. Food, coolers, garbage, toiletries, and other scented items should always be stored so wildlife cannot reach them. The same precaution protects campers and helps prevent animals from becoming conditioned to human food.

Birdlife adds another layer to the experience. Hawks and eagles patrol open country, woodpeckers work through the forest, and songbirds fill the quieter mornings. Around lakes and wetlands, waterfowl and shorebirds may appear where the forest opens to water.

The Bighorns are named for bighorn sheep, but the animals are not evenly distributed or easily seen throughout the forest. Their presence should be viewed as a possibility rather than an expectation. Moose, elk, deer, and smaller forest wildlife are generally more likely to shape a typical stay.

Wildlife should always be given room. Moose can be especially dangerous when protecting calves or when startled at close range. A long lens, binoculars, and patience create a better experience than approaching an animal for a closer photograph.

Hiking Near North Tongue Campground

The area surrounding Burgess Junction offers a useful range of hiking, from short scenic walks to longer routes descending from the high plateau toward the foothills.

Some of the best outings are not dramatic summit climbs. A walk along a stream, a quiet trail through lodgepole pine and spruce, or an afternoon spent exploring high meadows can reveal the character of the northern Bighorns more effectively than rushing from one landmark to another.

The Forest Service’s northern hiking routes include trails beside rivers and lakes, through open parklands, and toward higher summits. Conditions vary with snowmelt, rain, grazing, and seasonal maintenance, so a current forest map remains important even on relatively straightforward outings.

Tongue River Canyon

For hikers looking for a more substantial outing, Tongue River Canyon offers a dramatic route between the mountain foothills near Dayton and the higher country near Burgess Ranger Station. The entire trail is long, but many hikers use Sheep Creek, approximately four miles from the lower trailhead, as a practical turnaround point.

The canyon provides a different perspective from the high plateau. Instead of wandering across open mountain country, hikers move beside the river beneath steep slopes and exposed rock. It can be considerably warmer near the lower trailhead than at North Tongue Campground, making an early start especially valuable during summer.

Bucking Mule Falls and the Northern Plateau

West of the campground along Highway 14A, the Bucking Mule Falls area offers one of the better-known hiking destinations in the northern Bighorns. The route crosses high forest and open terrain before reaching views into a deep canyon where the falls drop through rugged country.

The waterfall itself is impressive, but the broader value of the hike is the landscape surrounding it. The route introduces travelers to the high plateau west of Burgess Junction, where forests give way to broad openings, limestone terrain, distant ridges, and the feeling of being far above the basins on either side of the range.

Porcupine Falls

Porcupine Falls is another rewarding outing along the Medicine Wheel Passage side of the mountains. The trail is relatively short, but it descends steeply into a canyon and requires a significant climb on the return.

The falls drop into a rocky setting that feels surprisingly secluded considering the modest hiking distance. The descent can be slippery, particularly after rain, and the climb back to the trailhead feels much longer than the walk down. Sturdy footwear and a deliberate pace make the experience more enjoyable.

Little Bald Mountain: A Short Summit With a Big View

Little Bald Mountain is one of the most approachable summits near the Medicine Wheel Passage. At approximately 9,900 feet, it rises above the broad northern plateau without the steep relief or technical terrain associated with the higher peaks farther south.

That does not diminish the experience. In many ways, the mountain’s open character is the reason to climb it.

The commonly used approach begins near Highway 14A and follows an old two-track or informal route toward the broad summit. The outing is short enough to fit into a day otherwise devoted to scenic driving or visiting Medicine Wheel. Depending on the exact parking location and route chosen, many hikers complete the out-and-back journey in roughly an hour, although time should always be allowed for route-finding and enjoying the summit.

Little Bald Mountain is less about conquering a difficult peak than about standing above an immense landscape. From the open summit, the northern Bighorns unfold across rolling high country, forested drainages, distant ridges, and the broad basins beyond the range. Wildflowers can be exceptional during the short alpine summer, and the absence of dense tree cover creates an uninterrupted feeling of space.

The route is not a formally developed, heavily signed hiking trail. Travelers should carry a current map, avoid crossing fragile wet ground when possible, respect any closures or restoration work, and turn back if visibility deteriorates. The summit is exposed, so thunderstorms, strong wind, and rapidly changing temperatures matter even on a short outing.

Little Bald Mountain is an ideal example of what makes the northern Bighorns special. A summit does not need to be extreme to feel memorable. Sometimes a broad mountain, a quiet route, and a view extending farther than expected are enough.

Medicine Wheel and Medicine Mountain

One of the most meaningful destinations in the Bighorns is not a conventional scenic overlook or summit.

The Medicine Wheel/Medicine Mountain National Historic Landmark protects a 4,080-acre Native American sacred landscape near the crest of the range. The Medicine Wheel itself rests at approximately 9,640 feet on an exposed limestone ridge of Medicine Mountain.

The stone structure is roughly 82 feet in diameter. Twenty-eight radial stone lines extend from a central cairn toward an outer circle, with additional cairns positioned around the perimeter. Archaeological evidence shows that Native people have visited the larger Medicine Mountain landscape for thousands of years, while tribal oral histories describe a sacred connection extending through many generations.

The site remains actively used for prayer and ceremony. It should not be approached as an archaeological curiosity alone. Prayer offerings may be present, private ceremonies may temporarily close access, and visitors are expected to remain quiet, stay on established paths, avoid touching offerings, and refrain from photography when ceremonies are underway.

Most visitors park near the interpreter’s cabin and walk approximately 1.5 miles along the access road to the Wheel, creating a three-mile round trip. The walk is not technically difficult, but the elevation, exposure, wind, and changing weather can make it more demanding than the distance suggests.

The approach is part of the experience. As the road climbs toward the landmark, views expand across the Bighorn Basin, distant mountain ranges, and the exposed high country of Medicine Mountain. The landscape helps explain why the Wheel cannot be separated from the mountain surrounding it.

The access road generally does not open to vehicles until around July 1, and the normal walking season is usually limited to mid or late June through mid-September. Snow, wind, and road conditions can change those dates. Warm clothing, rain protection, water, and respect for the site are essential.

The Medicine Wheel Passage

U.S. Highway 14A crosses the northern Bighorns as the Medicine Wheel Passage Scenic Byway. From Burgess Junction, the road travels west across high mountain terrain before descending dramatically toward the Bighorn Basin and Lovell.

The byway is much more than a route to Medicine Wheel. It passes close to Little Bald Mountain, Porcupine Falls, Bucking Mule Falls, open rangelands, forested valleys, and distant overlooks. On clear days, the views west can extend toward the Absaroka Mountains beyond the basin.

The western descent is steep and should be approached carefully, especially in larger vehicles. Drivers should use appropriate gearing, avoid riding the brakes, and pay close attention to weather and seasonal closures. Highway 14A is normally closed during winter because of snow and severe mountain conditions.

For campers at North Tongue Campground, the byway creates one of the most rewarding full-day excursions in the region. A day might include Little Bald Mountain in the morning, Medicine Wheel near midday, and one of the waterfall hikes later in the afternoon, with enough flexibility to stop whenever wildlife, wildflowers, or changing light reshapes the plan.

Cloud Peak Wilderness: The Wild Heart of the Bighorns

The northern plateau is only one side of the Bighorn story.

Farther south, Cloud Peak Wilderness protects nearly 192,000 acres along approximately 27 miles of the mountain range’s spine. Sharp summits rise above glacier-carved valleys, hundreds of lakes drain into mountain streams, and more than 100 miles of trails lead into country where snow can remain well into summer.

Cloud Peak, at 13,167 feet, is the highest summit in the Bighorn Mountains. It rises above the wilderness as a broad but imposing mass of granite and broken rock, with a deeply cut cirque and the range’s remaining glacier on its eastern side.

The peak is often described as nontechnical by its standard summer route, but that description should never be mistaken for easy. Cloud Peak is remote, long, high, and physically demanding. The summit route leaves maintained trail and crosses an extended field of large, unstable boulders. Navigation can become difficult in fog, storms develop rapidly, and the distance makes retreat slow.

Most hikers approach from West Tensleep Trailhead, following the heavily used route toward Lake Helen and Mistymoon Lake before continuing into the upper basin beneath the mountain. The Misty Moon Trail alone extends about seven miles through Cloud Peak Wilderness, and the complete summit trip is generally better suited to a backpacking itinerary than a casual day hike.

Strong hikers sometimes attempt Cloud Peak in one very long day, but the majority will gain more from spending at least one or two nights in the wilderness. Camping near the established approach allows an early start for the summit, provides time to adjust to elevation, and creates room for weather delays.

The final climb is largely a route-finding exercise across talus and boulders rather than a maintained trail. There may be cairns or traces of previous travel, but hikers must be capable of making independent decisions. A helmet can be a reasonable choice in loose terrain, particularly when others are climbing above, and trekking poles are often useful on the long approach even though they become less helpful among the largest summit boulders.

Reaching the top brings an extraordinary view across the Bighorns. Alpine lakes occupy glacial basins below, Black Tooth Mountain and other high summits break the skyline, and the isolation of the range becomes unmistakable.

Cloud Peak is climbable for well-prepared hikers without technical mountaineering equipment in favorable summer conditions, but it deserves the respect given to any remote 13,000-foot mountain. Fitness, acclimatization, route-finding ability, weather awareness, wilderness experience, and a conservative turnaround plan matter more than the absence of technical climbing.

Mistymoon Lake, Lake Helen, and High-Country Hiking

Travelers do not need to summit Cloud Peak to experience the wilderness surrounding it.

The trail toward Lake Helen and Mistymoon Lake is one of the classic routes into the Bighorns. It follows Tensleep Creek through forest, meadows, and glacially shaped terrain before reaching increasingly open alpine country. The lakes create natural destinations for hikers who want a rewarding wilderness trip without committing to the summit.

Mistymoon Lake also connects with the Solitude Loop Trail, a roughly 55-mile circuit around Cloud Peak. The loop moves through a wide range of alpine environments and is best approached as a serious multi-day backpacking trip.

Lost Twin Lakes provide another major destination from the West Tensleep area. The route leads into Cloud Peak Wilderness through forest and lake country, eventually reaching two high mountain lakes beneath rugged surrounding terrain.

These trips reveal an important truth about the Bighorns: the summits may provide the most obvious goals, but the valleys, lakes, meadows, and streams are often what hikers remember most clearly.

Other High Peaks for Experienced Climbers

Cloud Peak is the best-known summit, but it is not the only major mountain in the range.

Black Tooth Mountain rises to approximately 13,005 feet and is the second-highest peak in the Bighorns. Unlike Cloud Peak’s standard route, Black Tooth generally involves more exposed scrambling, route-finding, and objective risk. It is a more serious mountaineering goal and should not be treated as a simple extension of a hiking trip.

Bomber Mountain, named in memory of a World War II-era aircraft accident, is another rugged high-country objective. Routes vary, and reaching the summit area usually requires substantial off-trail travel. The mountain’s history and remote setting give it a different character from a conventional peak-bagging ascent.

Several additional summits rise along the Cloud Peak Wilderness spine, but many lack maintained summit trails. Climbers should expect wilderness navigation, loose rock, rapidly changing weather, and long approaches. Guidebooks, topographic maps, current local information, and honest assessment of experience are essential.

For travelers who want a climb without committing to the highest and most remote summits, Little Bald Mountain offers the opposite end of the spectrum: short, scenic, nontechnical, and close to the road. Together, Little Bald and Cloud Peak demonstrate the remarkable range of mountain experiences available in the Bighorns.

Fishing, Scenic Drives, and Slower Days

Not every day needs to involve a summit.

The North Fork of the Tongue River and nearby streams provide opportunities for trout fishing, while lakes across the forest create places to fish from shore, paddle nonmotorized boats where allowed, or simply spend a quiet afternoon near the water. Anglers should carry a current Wyoming fishing license and review applicable regulations before heading out.

The Bighorn Scenic Byway follows U.S. Highway 14 between Dayton and Shell. East of Burgess Junction, the road descends through forest toward the foothills. West of the junction, it passes interpretive sites before entering Shell Canyon, where Shell Falls drops through a narrow rock gorge.

Travelers interested in geology will find the drives especially rewarding. Road cuts reveal tilted layers of ancient rock, limestone walls rise above the highways, and broad overlooks show the enormous uplift that created the range.

A slower day might include coffee beside the river, a visit to the Burgess Junction Visitor Center, a picnic near the North Tongue River, a scenic drive toward Shell Falls, and an evening wildlife watch near camp. The mountains are no less meaningful simply because the day does not include a major hike.

Why a Campervan Fits This Part of Wyoming

The Bighorns reward travelers who can change plans easily.

A clear morning may invite a summit. Afternoon storms may redirect the day toward a scenic byway. A wildlife sighting may turn a quick stop into an hour beside a meadow. Snow lingering on a higher route may make a waterfall hike the better choice.

A Mini-T Campervan supports that kind of travel without needing to become the center of it. Food, clothing, shelter, and sleeping accommodations remain close at hand while the vehicle stays practical for forest campgrounds, visitor centers, scenic pullouts, and the mountain roads connecting one experience to another.

North Tongue Campground can serve as home for several days in the northern range. Later, travelers pursuing Cloud Peak or the southern wilderness can relocate toward West Tensleep Lake, U.S. Highway 16, or another campground closer to the appropriate trailhead.

The point is not to remain in one campsite at all costs. It is to move when moving improves the journey—and to stay when the mountains keep offering reasons not to leave.

Planning a Safe Bighorn Mountain Trip

Elevation shapes nearly every experience in the Bighorns. North Tongue Campground is already near 7,800 feet, Medicine Wheel sits above 9,600 feet, Little Bald Mountain approaches 10,000 feet, and Cloud Peak rises beyond 13,000 feet. Travelers arriving from lower elevations should allow time to adjust and pay attention to headache, nausea, unusual fatigue, or other signs of altitude illness.

Mountain weather can change with little warning. Summer mornings may begin clear before thunderstorms develop over exposed ridges. Temperatures can fall quickly after sunset, and snow is possible outside the short core of summer.

Cloud Peak Wilderness requires registration, and special regulations apply in portions of the wilderness, including areas where visitors must pack out human waste. Current Forest Service rules, fire restrictions, trail conditions, and road closures should be reviewed before every trip.

Maps should be carried in a form that does not depend entirely on cellular service. Many areas of the Bighorns have limited or no reception. A paper topographic map, offline navigation, emergency communication device, extra food, warm layers, rain protection, and a conservative plan are especially important for high-country travel.

A Campground That Opens the Door to the Bighorns

North Tongue Campground is easy to describe in practical terms: a small national forest campground beside a mountain river near Burgess Junction.

That description is accurate, but incomplete.

The campground places travelers at the meeting point of two scenic highways and within reach of waterfalls, wildlife habitat, quiet forests, broad mountain summits, sacred cultural landscapes, and some of Wyoming’s finest high-country hiking.

Little Bald Mountain offers a short climb and an enormous view. Medicine Wheel asks visitors to slow down and understand the mountain as a living cultural landscape. Cloud Peak Wilderness promises alpine lakes, glacial valleys, and a summit that requires preparation, endurance, and respect.

Some travelers will come for one night while crossing Wyoming.

Others will wake beside the North Tongue River, look at the mountains surrounding them, and realize they have no reason to leave quite yet.

Happy Camping!