Can you reserve a site at Dead Swede?

Yes, Dead Swede is reservable through Recreation.gov.

How many campsites does Dead Swede have?

21 sites in total, of which 20 can be booked.

What is the maximum RV length at Dead Swede?

60 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.

Are pets allowed at Dead Swede?

Yes, pets are allowed at Dead Swede.

Are campfires allowed at Dead Swede?

Campfires are allowed at Dead Swede. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Dead Swede, Wyoming — 20 sites, fees and cancellation alerts

Overview

Dead Swede Campground is located just off the Bighorn Scenic Byway (U.S. Highway 14) near the Burgess Overlook and Woodrock areas at an elevation of 8,400 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; phone number: 307-431-7446.

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.

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.

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.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (304) 431-7446.

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.

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).

The facts

Season: Memorial Day - Labor Day — USDA Forest Service, Aug 24, 2026
20 bookable sites
21 sites in total, including non-bookable
2 accessible sites
Vehicles up to 60 ft
Up to 8 people per site
Loops: LOOP A, LOOP B

Site types

20 Standard Nonelectric
1 Management

Amenities

Campfires allowed
Picnic tables
Grills
Shade
Pets allowed

Not recorded upstream: electric hookups, water hookups, sewer hookups, fire pits.

Book on Recreation.gov

21 campsites at Dead Swede

Check-in 2:00 PM · Check-out 2:00 PM

Accessible only

Site	Loop	Type	Entry	Surface	Grade	Water	Max rig	People
001 Host	LOOP A	Management	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	50 ft	8	🐾
002	LOOP A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	55 ft	8	♿ 🐾
003	LOOP A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	45 ft	8	🐾
004	LOOP A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	40 ft	8	🐾
005	LOOP A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	55 ft	8	♿ 🐾
006	LOOP A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	60 ft	8	🐾
007	LOOP A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	60 ft	8	🐾
008	LOOP A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	55 ft	8	🐾
009	LOOP A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	42 ft	8	🐾
010	LOOP A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Moderate	—	50 ft	8	🐾
011	LOOP A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	60 ft	8	🐾
012	LOOP B	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	45 ft	8	🐾
013	LOOP B	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	45 ft	8	🐾
014	LOOP B	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	50 ft	8	🐾
015	LOOP B	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	50 ft	8	🐾
016	LOOP B	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	60 ft	8	🐾
017	LOOP B	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	50 ft	8	🐾
018	LOOP B	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	45 ft	8	🐾
019	LOOP B	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	40 ft	8	🐾
020	LOOP B	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	45 ft	8	🐾
021	LOOP B	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	35 ft	8	🐾

Getting there

From Dayton, Wyoming, travel 26.5 miles west on U.S. Highway 14 to Burgess Junction. Continue 5 miles south on U.S. Highway 14, then turn east onto Forest Road 26 and travel about 5 miles east to the campground.

44.68917, -107.44667 · 44°41'21.0"N 107°26'48.0"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Typical weather

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Low °F	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Precip in	2.0	2.0	2.9	3.8	4.7	3.1	1.7	1.2	2.3	2.7	1.9	1.9

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 3.1 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

Fees and stay limits

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.

From Recreation.gov, which is not always current. The operator's own page is the authority on what you will be charged.

Common questions about Dead Swede

Can you reserve a site at Dead Swede?: Yes, Dead Swede is reservable through Recreation.gov.
How many campsites does Dead Swede have?: 21 sites in total, of which 20 can be booked.
What is the maximum RV length at Dead Swede?: 60 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.
Are pets allowed at Dead Swede?: Yes, pets are allowed at Dead Swede.
Are campfires allowed at Dead Swede?: Campfires are allowed at Dead Swede. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Also listed by

Dead Swede also appears in other federal recreation data. Facts below are matched by name and location, not confirmed by Dead Swede's operator.

USDA Forest Service — data as of Aug 24, 2026

$23 per night. Additional vehicle $10. Limit 2 vehicles per site and 8 people per site. 13 sites reservable.

Restrictions:

14 day stay limit

USDA Forest Service's own page

Camping near Dead Swede

Tie Flume 1.9 mi · Campground · we watch it
Owen Creek 2.8 mi · Campground · we watch it
Prune Creek 5.6 mi · Campground · we watch it
Sibley Lake 5.7 mi · Campground · we watch it
Pine Island Group Area 6.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
North Tongue 7.6 mi · Campground · we watch it
Woodrock Sawmill Interpretive Site 0.4 mi · Facility
Tie Flume Campground 1.8 mi · Campground
Flash Dam-West Fork Interpretive Site 3 mi · Facility
Sibley Lake Campground 4.9 mi · Campground
Coney Creek Trailhead 7.9 mi · Facility
Twin Lakes Picnic Ground 8.9 mi · Facility

Contact

Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-03-14.

Dead Swede