Kelley Guard Station

$60.00/night

307-828-5100, 308 US HWY 189 N
KEMMERER, WY 83101

Overview

Kelley Guard Station is a historic Forest Service guard station built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1933. Located about 45 miles north of Kemmerer, Wyoming, along the Big Springs Scenic Backway, the cabin attracts overnight guests year-round and provides convenient access to hiking, mountain biking, cross country skiing and snowshoeing.

Big Springs Scenic Backway is a 68-mile road that boasts magnificent mountain views, wildflowers covered meadows and river valleys where grazing sheep may be spotted.

Recreation

Hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing and off-road vehicle riding are popular summer activities in the surrounding area. Snowmobiling and cross country skiing can be done right out the front door in winter.

Facilities

This rustic two-room cabin sleeps four people on two bunkbeds with mattresses. The kitchen is equipped with a propane stove, refrigerator that is shut off when not in use, propane lights and a small wood stove for heat. A picnic table and campfire ring are located outside the cabin.

Water is not available at this time. Guests should bring water for drinking and cooking. Outside vault toilet avalible year round with seasonal water faucet located outside. Some dishes, pots, pans and utensils are provided, however the presence of these items is not guaranteed.

No linens or bedding are provided. Recommended items to bring include food, bedding, dish soap, dish rags, toilet paper, garbage bags and a flashlight. If firewood is on site, this is a courtesy but is not guarenteed. If wood is available, please only use what you need. Always be prepared to collect locally or bring to site from local resources.

Natural Features

The cabin is perched on a grassy space surrounded by a stand of mixed conifers at 8,200 feet in elevation. Kelley Creek flows beside the guard station, offering a serene soundtrack of flowing water.

Moose, elk, eagles and sandhill cranes are among the wildlife likely to be seen. An abundance of wildflowers color the landscape in summer.

The Bridger-Teton National Forest offers more than 3.4 million acres of public land for outdoor recreation. With its pristine watersheds, abundant wildlife and immense wildlands, the forest comprises a large part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the largest intact ecosystem in the lower 48 states.

Camp site features

Across 1 camp site:

Fire pit: all 1 sites
Pets allowed: all 1 sites
Largest party: 4 people

Directions

From Kemmerer, WY, follow U.S. Highway 189 north to the junction of Wyoming Highway 233 and Ham's Fork Road. Turn left on Ham's Fork Road and drive about 38 miles (the first 19 miles of this road is paved) to Ham's Fork Campground. Just past the campground, take the left fork in the road and cross Ham's Fork River. Drive about 2.5 miles to Green Knoll/Forest Road 10198 junction and turn left. Then drive 3.8 miles to Nugent Park/Forest Road 10069 junction and turn right. Drive 0.8 miles to Kelley Guard Station Road and turn right. The guard station is about 1/2-mile from the junction. Winter access is by snowmobile only on a 10-mile trail.

Stay Limit

Check in from 2 PM, check out by 12 PM.

Reviews

16 reviews

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

1 stars

Doris C

Loop:Kegs

Site:

Reviewed 13 days ago

Been coming here for about 15 years love it it’s relaxing peaceful

Doris C

Loop:Kegs

Site:

Reviewed a month ago

Been coming here for years we love it is very peaceful. We love feeding all the little animals.

Sylvia J

Loop:Kegs

Site:

Reviewed 3 months ago

The cabin is peaceful. The propane lights and stove work. I could not get the heater out refrigerator to function. We were prepared by freezing bottles of water and packing our cooler with frozen food. It lasted all 7 days. The pilot in Cokeville has drinking water. We set up a camp shower under the pine trees and used that. The wood cook stove is really fun . It cooks about 100° cooler than the temperature states. This is my second stay and I will definitely be back.

Matt M

Loop:Kegs

Site:

Reviewed 3 months ago

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and will be back. We do wish that the cabin description was updated but also understand that amenities are never guaranteed. We couldn't get the refrigerator to work, the water was not on, window screens could use some repair/replacement, and the grass around the cabin could really use a mow. The bathroom is no longer available and the door is locked. The stove worked great, the lanterns were fine though some of them have broken glass, we didn't test the bedroom heater, and there was plenty of firewood which we didn't use. We set 4 mouse traps and only saw and caught one mouse.

Eric Y

Loop:Kegs

Site:

Reviewed 9 months ago

It's a rustic cabin we stayed in the winter and the heater worked great in the bedroom but the kitchen only has a small wood stove that's picky to get going got enough. The heat from the bedroom isn't quite enough to warm the kitchen for a late night poker game but we had a great time anyway.

Jeff M

Loop:Kegs

Site:

Reviewed a year ago

When you turned the propane on at the tank, and then at the valve on the exterior of the cabin a strong propane smell was evident in the cabin. We only stayed 2 hours and left. Recreation.gov refunded our fee. After they fix the problem the cabin should be fine.

Availability

See the Camp Sites section below to find detailed booking availability.

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