Facilities
The campground offers several single-family sites, two 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.
Upcoming Availability
Campground guide
What to know before booking
Dead Swede Campground is located just off the Bighorn Scenic Byway (U.S. The campground offers several single-family sites, two of which are accessible, each equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring with grill. The campground is situated on the banks of the South Tongue River in the Bighorn Mountains, where craggy granite peaks rise over 13,000 feet above sea level.
Official campground details, summarized
Concise planning notes based on the public Recreation.gov campground information.
Natural Features
The campground is situated on the banks of the South Tongue River in the Bighorn Mountains, where craggy granite peaks rise over 13,000 feet above sea level. A forest of lodgepole pines covers the area, creating great wildlife habitat.
Recreation
Off-road vehicle trails, scenic jeep roads, hiking, fishing and canoeing are available in the surrounding area. Diverse hikes vary from loop trails to treks along creeks and over mountain peaks; many trails access the Cloud Peak Wilderness. Nearby Sibley Lake is open to non-motorized craft and offers an accessible fishing dock on the shoreline. Anglers fish for rainbow, brown and brook trout.
Nearby Attractions
Decades ago, many trees in the Tie Flume area were cut for railroad ties. Remnants of the old splash dams and tie flumes are found on the nearby river. Shell Falls Visitor Center, at the overlook of Shell Falls, is about 21 miles southwest. This center offers interpretive trails, scenic views, and educational displays about natural features such as flora and fauna and area history. Bear Lodge, Elk View Inn and other nearby lodges provide guided horseback riding and fishing adventures, 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.
Campsite map
Site markers come from Recreation.gov campsite coordinates.
Campsites
A sample of official campsite metadata for scanning equipment fit before booking.
Site 013
LOOP B
45 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 007
LOOP A
60 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 011
LOOP A
60 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 010
LOOP A
50 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 005
LOOP A
55 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 012
LOOP B
45 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 001 Host
LOOP A
50 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 008
LOOP A
55 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 019
LOOP B
40 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 009
LOOP A
42 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 017
LOOP B
50 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 003
LOOP A
45 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 016
LOOP B
60 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 014
LOOP B
50 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 002
LOOP A
55 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 020
LOOP B
45 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 006
LOOP A
60 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 015
LOOP B
50 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 021
LOOP B
35 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 004
LOOP A
40 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Site 018
LOOP B
45 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Important notices
The administering organization reserves the right to substitute sites without prior notice. 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 fee at the campground.
Groups larger than 20 people must use a Day Use facility; Willow Park, Hettinger, Ranger Creek Recreation Area or Pine Island offer group camping
Firewood bundles may be purchased from the campground host.
Click here for more information on the Bighorn National Forest
More at Bighorn National Forest
Other tracked campgrounds from the same park or area.
Active
Tracked page
4 sites open
Scanned 7h ago
Official link
Booking
Active
Tracked page
7 sites open
Scanned 6h ago
Official link
Booking
Active
Tracked page
6 sites open
Scanned 6h ago
Official link
Booking
Active
Tracked page
10 sites open
Scanned 6h ago
Official link
Booking
Active
Tracked page
9 sites open
Scanned 7h ago
Official link
Booking
Active
Tracked page
11 sites open
Scanned 6h ago
Official link
Booking
Surrounding campgrounds
Other tracked campgrounds within driving distance, nearest first.
Common questions
How do I book Dead Swede?
Reservations are handled by Recreation.gov, not by Kestrel. Use the official reservation link on this page to book. Kestrel only watches availability and tells you when a site frees up.
How quickly will I hear about a cancellation?
Kestrel rescans every two minutes, and every 30 seconds during the provider's daily release window. Alerts go out by email as soon as a matching site appears.