A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Forest Service campground

Curtis Gulch Campground

Forest Service campground in Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG, Albany County, Wyoming. 6,640 feet. 26.6 miles from Douglas.

Managed by
Forest Service Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG
Elevation
6,640 ft As the Forest Service states
Sites
6 6 standard non-electric
Longest rig
55 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Albany County

Overview

Curtis Gulch Campground sits at an elevation of 6,640 feet, at the end of the long and scenic LaBonte Canyon. There are 6 sites along a bend in the creek with picnic tables, fire rings, pedestal grills, a vault toilet, pump water well, and trash bins.

Recreation

Recreation

The canyon bottom is about 6,700 feet in elevation and has granite rock formations for technical rock climbing and photography. LaBonte Creek runs through the entire length of the canyon and offers anglers many opportunities to catch the rainbow trout stocked annually by the WGFD. For OHV riding, the LaBonte Canyon Trail starts at the back of the campground, and The Big Bear Trail System is located just 1/4 mile up the canyon. Both are 50” or less OHV trails but are also commonly used for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. FSRD #610, Devil's Pass, and the South Fork LaBonte Trails to the south offer additional opportunities for adventure. The Curtis Gulch Trail is non-motorized and starts at the trail parking area just outside the campground.

The Laramie Peak Unit of the Medicine Bow National Forest is located in Central Wyoming. The Douglas Ranger District manages the Laramie Peak and Thunder Basin National Grasslands. Year-round recreation uses include hiking, fishing, hunting, climbing, OHV riding, dirt bike riding, camping, biking, and horseback trail riding. Primary access across the district is by I-25 and Highway 59.

Mountain Biking

• Curtis Gulch Trail

• Labonte Canyon Trail

• Big Bear Canyon Trails

Rock Climbing

• Curtis Gulch Trail

Day Hiking

• Curtis Gulch Trail

• Labonte Canyon Trail

• Big Bear Canyon Trails

Backpacking

• Curtis Gulch Trail

• Big Bear Canyon Trails

• Labonte Canyon Trail

Horseback riding

• Curtis Gulch Trail

• Labonte Canyon Trail

• Big Bear Canyon Trails

OHV Riding

•Labonte Canyon Trail

• Devils Pass/South Fork Labonte Trails

• Big Bear Canyon Trails

Facilities

There are 6 sites tucked into a bend of the LaBonte Creek with picnic tables, fire rings, pedestal grills, a vault toilet, pump water well, and trash bins.

Natural Features

The Curtis Gulch Campground is located at the end of FSRD 658 in LaBonte Canyon. The natural beauty of the steep canyon sides, LaBonte Creek running the length of the entire canyon, and patches of aspen within the mature conifer forest, makes this area one of the most popular and frequently visited on the district.

Nearby Attractions

LaBonte Creek and Toltec Reservoir offer anglers many fishing opportunities. Brumley FSRD 690, Devil's Pass FSRD 610, and the FSTR 635 S Fork LaBonte trails offer OHV riders additional areas to explore.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • backpacking
  • biking
  • camping
  • climbing
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • horseback riding
  • hunting
  • mountain biking
  • mountain climbing
  • off highway vehicle trails
  • off road vehicle trails
  • photography
  • rock climbing
  • swimming
  • water access

The land around Curtis Gulch Campground

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated March 11, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.