We camped at a 10,000-year-old archaeological site
Our second year of full-time RVing is halfway complete, and over that time, we've learned a lot about how we like to travel. We have found some of our favorite campgrounds to be in state and federal parks, and we love to find unique experiences that are off the beaten path. As we made our way east through Wyoming, we found ourselves a camping experience that checked all the boxes.
On the west side of Bighorn National Forest in north-central Wyoming lies an archaeological site with a unique history. Once inhabited by Natives and now owned by the state, this park is open for camping and day use, with many unique features. A giant rock outcropping displays ancient petroglyphs and pictographs. Other rock formations on the site are equally mesmerizing for their shape alone. Distant mesas and buttes add dimension to the landscape. Walking paths traverse Medicine Lodge Creek, both the wet and its parallel Dry Creek, where the water once ran. The park is aptly named Medicine Lodge State Archaeological Site.
Reviews for this place were outstanding, and the site seemed like the perfect place to bask in nature before heading further east through Wyoming. Upon reading the description on the Wyoming State Parks website, I expected to learn a little about the local history, see some petroglyphs, and maybe take a hike or two, but as we approached the road leading to the site, we quickly realized this stay would hold much more. The scenery was breathtaking and surprisingly diverse. The park was huge, but that part wasn't such a surprise after staying in our fair share of giant Wyoming State Parks. The campsites run along the length of the park. Some have electric hookups, and most are by reservation only in-season, with the exception of a few first come, first served in the back. We had booked a site as far back as the reservable sites went and drove the gravel roads and narrow wooden bridges to get there. As we drove, we gazed up at the massive rock outcroppings. We passed a public horse corral and the day-use area complete with a picnic pavilion, playground, and volleyball net.
As I did my research on campsites, on the website I noticed a descriptor that I had never seen before. Each site had a condition rating. I chose a site that was large enough to fit our rig and whose condition rating was good. The size listed on the website was a tad misleading in our favor, because when we arrived, we had an entire field to ourselves. Grass sites are sometimes touch-and-go depending on how much rain the area has had, but our ground was sturdy. We had a lovely picnic table shaded by a tree, plus a large firepit. Trash receptacles were located at the edge of our site. In fact, trash receptacles were plentiful throughout the whole park, which is always a plus for us. The best part of our site, though, was the view. We were situated at the base of the most gorgeous rock formation that almost looked like a giant boat. Fitting, considering our site also had a short path behind it, leading straight to the creek, so it was almost like the rock boat was floating on the water. Across a juncture was another path leading to the day-use area, and across the campground road, a nature trail leading to museum exhibits set up in cabins. We have had some spectacular campsites in our 18 months of travel, and this one ranks very, very high.
Our position north in the state, combined with a little shade and a temporary reprieve from the Wyoming heat waves, gave us a week of pleasant weather. Most days, we didn't need to run our AC, and instead opened the windows and let the fresh breeze blow in. I pitched my tent on the patio.
We spent a few mornings exploring the various parts of the park. We lucked out that, unlike the other state parks where we've stayed in Wyoming, we were within short walking distance to the main attractions. We walked the nature path that led to the cabin museums. We learned about the variety of habitats that make up the immediate vicinity, everything from shrublands, to prairies, to deserts, to forests. You can only imagine the array of wildlife these habitats attract.
Continuing on the nature trail led us to the petroglyphs, which are displayed as part of an interpretive trail. We grabbed a brochure and read about the different carvings, remarking how back in the day, there wasn't much to talk about besides animals, plants, hunting, and people. It was certainly a simpler time.
The cool mornings allowed us to venture along the various trails in the park, one that ran alongside the creek, and another, the Deer Path Trail, that took us up along the ridge of one of the rocks, into the desert shrubland. It granted us the most amazing view of the park on one side, and the red rock buttes on the other. We hiked Deer Path twice, once with Tanner when it was in the 60s out, and once just the two of us, when it was in the 80s. Guess which hike was more pleasant!
And, our most notable experience was when we decided to venture up the campground road, a road that continues beyond the boundaries of the park and becomes a lot less maintained. We saw a couple of regular cars take it, but it was definitely more catered to off-road vehicles. We decided to explore by ebike. We figured hey, our tires are 4-inch fats, so we can handle it...right? Let's just say it was the most unique adventure we've ever had on our ebikes. Anthony and I each fell 3 times, but thankfully we caught ourselves each time before completely wiping out. The ride had us going through puddles and ruts, all the while dodging rocks. This bike ride was not for the faint of heart! We couldn't do anything but laugh the whole time. When we returned to our campsite, our bikes were caked in mud, but we were just happy we completed the 6 miles without any injuries! When we did stop to admire the view, though, it was beautiful. If you have an ATV or feel like going for a strenuous hike, the road did continue, but we did not. We didn't have a death wish.
The best part of RV life is that we all have the flexibility to travel where and how we want. Anthony and I happen to love simple, natural surroundings, and if we can enjoy historical exhibits steps from our campsite, that's an even bigger win. We felt like we got a real glimpse into a part of Wyoming that we never even knew existed.
Of course, not everything is perfect, so we will also note the negatives to our stay in this campground. RV Trip Wizard says that the park has cell coverage for all major carriers, but for us, it was a total deadzone for all of them. We ran off Starlink the whole week, and thankfully had our open field where we could position our dish. The park also has no dump station, but that wasn't a huge deal for us because we only stayed for six days. We were confused about the hours of the visitor's center. Both online and on the door sign, the hours were much more extensive than in reality. We only saw the visitor's center open twice the whole time we were there, and both times, it was open when we began our Deer Path hike, but when we finished an hour later, it was already closed. The cabin exhibits we visited are open 24/7, but there was another cabin across from the visitor's center that was closed whenever we went by, so we never had a chance to go in.
Lastly, in a place that most people boast utter peace and quiet, we happened to share our time for a couple of days with a huge group that rented out the day-use and group camping area all for themselves, and there were a lot of rowdy teenagers in that crowd. They were well-behaved but boisterous, especially when they got themselves invested in what sounded like some very intense volleyball matches. We would have preferred to not hear screaming coming through our open windows, but we also like to hear people having a good time and making memories. Of course, groups like this won't always be at the park; it's just the luck of the draw.
Our negatives are really small compared to all the good we found at this park. Some places we stay just feel like they fit, and if you're also someone who likes the simple boondocking spots in nature, surrounded by unique features, history, and recreational activities, we bet it'll fit your style too.
Campground:
- Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site, Hyattville, WY
- Site 27, no hookups
- Huge grassy site, picnic table, patio, and fire ring
- Amazing rock views and walking paths leading directly from the site
- Campground recommended? Yes
- Site recommended? Yes