Bow River Ranger Station

Thirteen miles south of the town of Elk Mountain on Carbon County Road 101, the cabin can be seen from the road. It is a house in a meadow at the national forest boundary, where, in the words of the Recreation.gov listing, sagebrush meets the forest. The Upper Medicine Bow River runs past the back yard, and the listing points to its fishing and wildlife viewing. Turpin Reservoir, Sand Lake, and Bow River Campground are nearby. From Saratoga the way runs on Highway 130 to Forest Service Road 100 for 16 miles, then 2 miles on Road 101 to the left-hand side.

The house is all electric and sleeps ten. One bedroom holds two bunk beds, and the other holds two bunk beds and two twin beds. There is a small living room and a large kitchen stocked with basic pots, pans, dishes, and silverware. A full bath has a shower and a double sink, and there is also a half bath. A ramp leads to the front door. Outside are a vault toilet, picnic tables, and a fire ring. A host lives on site. Guests clean the place before they leave and carry out their own trash, since there is no trash service. Pets stay out of the building, and saddle and pack stock are kept out of the administrative area. Anyone bringing a tent or trailer goes to Bow River Campground, about two miles off across the bridge.

The sources differ on the water. Recreation.gov calls it potable but sometimes discolored and suggests bottled water for cooking and drinking. The Forest Service page lists potable water as not available. That page gives the season as June to early October. Last updated April 7, 2026, it also states that the station is closed pending renovations.

The house was built in the 1960s for the Forest Ranger who worked the northern portion of the Snowy Range. Recreation.gov carries it under a second name as well: Bow River Work Center.