Wyoming / Park County / Shoshone National Forest

Rex Hale

Closed — Closed for the season. Typically operates late May through early September. First-come, first-served only.

About

Rex Hale Campground is situated along the North Fork of the Shoshone River on the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway, 36 miles west of Cody and 18 miles from Yellowstone National Park's east entrance. The campground honors Rex Hale, one of 15 firefighters who perished in the 1937 Blackwater Fire. The 30 open and spacious sites accommodate RVs up to 40 feet and feature bear boxes, fire rings, and picnic tables. The North Fork of the Shoshone River provides excellent fly-fishing for rainbow and Yellowstone cutthroat trout. The area offers spectacular views of red cliffs where bighorn sheep are often spotted, particularly early in the season. Wildlife is abundant, with frequent sightings of grizzly bears, black bears, deer, elk, bison, moose, fox, coyotes, and bald eagles. Nearby attractions include the Blackwater Fire memorial along the highway, about 1.5 miles west of the campground. Forest Service Trail 758 leads to additional memorials marking where firefighters lost their lives. Mummy Cave, less than a mile away, is a significant archaeological site on the National Register of Historic Places, occupied for over 9,000 years before a mummified inhabitant and artifacts were discovered in 1957.

Directions

From Cody, travel west on U.S. Highway 14/16/20 for 36 miles to the campground on the south side of the highway. The campground is between Newton Campground to the west and Clearwater Campground to the east, approximately 18 miles from Yellowstone National Park's east entrance.

Nearby Campgrounds