5 Best Places to Camp in Wyoming in a Van or RV

Angela Devaney

Wyoming is one of the largest US states, but it’s also the least populated. This means it offers tons of open space for adventurers who are truly looking to get away from it all. Best known for its incredible national parks, including the legendary Yellowstone, Wyoming gives visitors stunning views of wilderness that you simply can’t find anywhere else.

It’s these natural sights that bring campers from all over the country. Whether you’re looking for a secluded spot where you won’t find another person for miles or a fun campground that even the kids will love, there’s a place in Wyoming to call your home away from home.

We’ve visited and researched dozens of the best places to camp in Wyoming, and our top pick is Deer Park in Buffalo, WY. We love this place because it offers tons of amenities and is close to shopping and dining, making you feel like you’re out in the middle of nowhere.

Keep reading to learn more about our favorite RV camping spot and others that we think you’ll love too. Before you know it, you might be planning your trip to the Great American West.

Where is Wyoming?

Wyoming is a state in the Western United States. The 10th largest state by area, it is also the least populous and the second most sparsely populated state behind Alaska.

Wyoming is bordered on the north by Montana, on the east by South Dakota and Nebraska, on the south by Colorado, on the southwest by Utah, and on the west by Idaho.

The state capital and largest city are Cheyenne.

1. Deer Park – Best Campground in Wyoming for Glamping

Lovely park with all the perks for comfortable camping

rv camping - Deer Park Swimming Pool

Deer Park is one of several campgrounds in Buffalo, WY, a small city of 5,000 right off Interstate 90. The area is located halfway between Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone, so it’s a great place to stay if you’re looking to catch these big sights while glamping.

Deer Park has over 50 spaces at a full-service campground, most with full hookups, including 50-amp electric, water, and cable TV. Each site can take advantage of the park’s free WiFi and super-clean restrooms with flushing toilets and hot-water showers. There’s also a facility with 24/7 laundry.

There’s a camp store on the premises with necessities in case you forget something. However, the city’s downtown area — with lots of grocery stores, fast food, sit-down restaurants, and other shopping — is only minutes away.

The park is open May through September, and it starts taking reservations in mid-January. You can book by the night, or if you’re over age 55, by the month. The campsites are accommodating vans, RVs, and even big rigs. We saw some pretty impressive camper setups when we stayed here, including an 85-foot rig with a trailer, and there was space for all of them.

AMENITIES

The campsites are situated one after the other, so you won’t have tons of privacy. But there’s lots of open space with grass and trees that make it seem like you’re more alone than you actually are. Each site comes with a picnic table, but there were no fire rings, so there’s no cooking outside.

One fun feature of this park is its large, heated pool. It’s not Olympic-sized by any means, but it was plenty big for staking out a spot to relax after a long day. We stayed at this park for a week, and while we had company at the pool every afternoon, there were kids (somewhat rowdy) just once.

This is a pet-friendly campground, which we love because we always travel with our pups. We took her on walks with us through the park’s half-mile walking path and ran into several other pet parents who also brought their four-legged friends.

Outside of the pool and walking path, there’s not much else to do on the campgrounds, so you’ll want to head out to really see the sights for which Wyoming is known. We did wake up to deer in a clearing one morning, but we think it’s too busy during the day to stick around hoping to see wildlife. 

During our stay, we spent a long day heading east to the Black Hills National Forest to see Mount Rushmore. It’s about three and a half hours one way, so you have time to get there and back. On another day, we loaded up the car and went the opposite direction to spend a couple of nights primitive RV camping at Yellowstone. Take note that the park’s about five hours away, so it’s a little far for a day trip.

What I Liked

  • Full-service campgrounds with hookups for most sites
  • Close to the downtown area and halfway between Rushmore and Yellowstone
  • The heated pool was a nice bonus after long days of exploring

What I Didn’t Like

  • Spaces were close together and mostly booked
  • No fire pits or grills for outdoor cooking

2. Gros Ventre Campground – Best Campground in Wyoming for Wilderness Campers

Popular Wyoming campground within Grand Teton National Park

best campgrounds in wyoming - Gros Ventre Campground, Wyoming

Located in Grand Teton National Park, the Gros Ventre Campground is an ideal choice for van campers and RVers who don’t mind trading a little privacy for basic creature comforts. The park offers nearly 300 campsites, most suitable for larger vehicles, but only 39 have electric hookups.

We found most of the campsites to be rather close to one another, but we didn’t have too many neighbors when we visited in early October. However, we heard from other campers that all the sites are taken up during the summer months.

Thankfully, this park has been added to the country’s reservation system, so you can book a spot in advance. If you want to visit in June or July, prepare to book in January and February so you don’t miss out. 

Note that the park is closed half of the year due to the weather (lots of snow and frigid temperatures during Wyoming winters!), so there’s no camping from mid-October through the end of April.

The Gros Ventre Campground is the largest campground in the national park, and it’s very well maintained. Its roads are paved and mostly level, but you’ll see some inclines as you travel deeper into the forest.

AMENITIES

Aside from the limited spaces with electricity, all campers have access to several restrooms spread throughout the grounds. These restrooms offer sinks and flushing toilets, but there are no showers. You also have access to potable water and a free dump station.

If you run out of ice or firewood, you can head to the campground office to purchase some. We found the staff friendly when we stopped by to reload so we could enjoy hotdogs.

The spaces themselves are roomy, with gravel parking for up to two vehicles and pavement for tents. Each site can accommodate RVs or trailers up to 45 feet in length. There’s one area of the campground that’s dedicated just to tent campers.

We found our cell signal to be good with AT&T; we could make calls, send texts, and do some light web browsing, but note that the signal might not be good enough for video calls and heavy downloads.

Not that you’d want to spend much time on the internet anyway, not when you’re surrounded on all sides by incredible wilderness and fantastic views. Despite other campers in the area, we felt the area was quite serene. 

The Gros Ventre River is just a short hike away, and we saw several fishermen catching trout. As we walked along the river one day, we were pleasantly surprised to see bison on the other side. We watched them for about 30 minutes before they moved on. On another outing, we were startled by a fleeing deer. This is definitely a great spot to visit if you love catching sight of wildlife.

What I Liked

  • Large campsites with gravel and concrete pads for vehicles and tents
  • Easy-to-use reservation system guarantees you’ll have a spot
  • Incredible views and tons of wildlife, including bison and deer

What I Didn’t Like

  • Campsites are close to one another, so there’s not tons of privacy
  • The campground is fully booked and busy during the summer
  • Only a fraction of the campsites offer electric hookups

3. Spread Creek Dispersed Campsites – Best Campground in Wyoming for Free Primitive Camping

Huge, secluded, no-charge, and no-frill campsites

best campgrounds in wyoming - Spread Creek Campground , Wyoming

If you’re keen on primitive RV camping with spectacular views of the Grand Tetons, you’ll love the Spread Creek Dispersed Campsites. Nestled within the Bridger-Teton National Forest, you’ll find a four-mile stretch of unpaved road with over a dozen individual campsites. Best of all, there’s absolutely no cost for camping here.

As you travel along the winding road, you’ll pass designated campsites. Each is numbered, which is important since you aren’t allowed to camp outside of a designed campsite. The road is flat and easy to drive, but it does get rougher the farther you travel. Despite this, we were able to take our RV all the way to campsite #14 with no issues.

Each campsite is quite large, so you can stretch out and not worry about being too close to others. Whether you’re traveling by car, camper van, RV, or trailer, you won’t have any trouble getting situated. We even noticed a few campsites that were large enough for several RVs — perfect for group camping.

As these are dispersed campsites, they’re not included in the country’s reservation system. This means they’re first-come, first serve, so be sure to arrive early for better chances at a spot. We traveled here in late August and passed several empty campsites, but while we were hiking, we ran into another couple that described lots of traffic in early July.

AMENITIES

You won’t find amenities of any sort at Spread Creek. Beyond designated camping spots, you may be lucky to find a fire ring. There’s no running water, no electric hookups, and no dump station. We stayed at campsites #10 and #14, and while our cell phone service wasn’t the greatest, we could send and receive text messages.

We loved that there was no development in this area. For miles, all you can see are trees and mountains (and other RVers, but everyone was respectful and quiet during our visit.) To avoid running into other people, we suggest moving further into the forest.

Of the two campsites we used, #10 was by far our favorite. It was huge (probably the largest of them all), and it had its own path away from the main road, so the privacy was amazing. As were the views! But we honestly don’t think you can go wrong with any of the campsites.

Long-haulers, take note: Per Forest Service rules, you can only occupy one of these campsites for up to 14 days. At that point, you must move to another campsite that’s at least five miles away. As all these campsites are within a four-mile stretch, this means leaving the park entirely.

As far as what to do while camping at Spread Creek, you find lots of small streams, the larger Spread Creek itself, and plenty of hiking opportunities. However, do note that there are lots of signs warning of bears. We didn’t see any on our trip, but we brought along our bear spray every time we went out to explore.

What I Liked

  • Huge, secluded campsites with plenty of room to stretch out
  • Absolutely no cost to go camping
  • Undeveloped area with stunning views of the Grand Tetons

What I Didn’t Like

  • A limited number of campsites, with no reservation system
  • Road gets rougher the farther into the forest you go
  • According to the many signs, strong possibility of bear sightings

4. Cody KOA Holiday RV Park – Best Campground in Wyoming for Community Camping

Lively Wyoming campground for active people and families

best campgrounds in wyoming - Cody Koa Campground, Wyoming

If you’re traveling with your family or like to feel as if you’re in a community setting, you’ll find everything you need at the Cody KOA Holiday RV Park. The park is located just two hours from Yellowstone, but the city of Cody itself also offers tons to do for visitors of all ages.

This campground is open from May through October and has campsites for vehicles up to 100 feet long. Each site has a gravel driveway for parking and a paved patio for spending time outdoors.

While this RV park is pet friendly, take note that you’ll have to pay to bring your pooch. We found this pretty annoying, but the park somewhat made up for it with its small dog park.

The KOA has a free shuttle to Cody Night Rodeo every night in the summer, and Old Trail Town and the Buffalo Bill Center of the West are nearby. If you’re a fan of rafting, the departure point for a Red Canyon River rafting tour is only 10 minutes away.

AMENITIES

Depending on the space you choose, you may find outdoor furniture and a fire pit waiting for you. Larger vehicles are situated toward the back of the park; the spaces aren’t huge, but they’re still within easy reach of all the campground amenities.

No matter where you settle, you’ll enjoy free WiFi for surfing the web and staying in touch with loved ones, and you can pay a little extra for a cable TV connection.

Hookups at campsites vary depending on which you choose. Some have full hookups, including water, 20/30/50-amp electric, and sewer, while others are water/electric or electric only. If you pick a spot without a sewer, you can make use of the campground’s dump station.

You’ll find a heated pool, kiddie pool, and spa right on the premises. The area’s open from May through September, and it’s a welcome sight, especially when the cooler afternoons roll around. 

Note that this campground is family-friendly, so you may see lots of kids in the pool and on the grounds in general, depending on the time of year you come. (We’ve been here twice: We saw lots of kids in June and hardly any in early September.)

For the kiddos, there’s a nice but small playground. It has a couple of slides, some climbing areas, and a tire swing. We don’t have kids, but the ones we saw using the play pit seemed happy to have a place where they could run around and be loud.

Speaking of loud, one thing that put us off this location was its proximity to the road. The thoroughfare isn’t large, but there were times when it was moderately busy. The pools and several campsites are just feet from this road, so the sound of passing cars was constant until early evening.

For those days when you don’t feel like heading out to see the wonder of Wyoming (Yellowstone is only two hours away, and there are tons of recreational areas on the way), the town of Cody has plenty to keep you busy.

What I Liked

  • The nice community feel, especially if you have kids
  • All camping spots offer at least electric hooks, some having full hookups
  • Just two hours from Yellowstone and minutes from other attractions

What I Didn’t Like

  • Road noise can be loud due to the park’s location
  • It costs extra to bring pets

5. Madison Campground – Best Campground in Wyoming for Easy Access to Old Faithful

Primitive Wyoming campsites near geysers and the Madison River

best campgrounds in wyoming - Madison Campground, Wyoming

If your travel plans include a trip to Old Faithful, you won’t find a closer campground to call your home base. Madison Campground is just 30 minutes north of the world-famous attraction, all while being close to its own cluster of active geysers.

If you’re hoping to leave the real world behind, Madison Campground is a good place to do it. This camping spot has absolutely no cell phone reception, so you can’t make calls or browse the internet. This can be bothersome if you need to look something up or reach out to someone, but we personally loved having a weekend without that tether.

You can also visit the Madison River, it is a gorgeous sight and offers plenty to do. We brought our fishing poles on this trip (we hear the area’s great for fly fishing), but we and other anglers spent most of our time checking out the passing bison.

Actually, no matter what time of year you come, there’s a good chance you’ll spot (or at least hear) bison. We heard them every night during our visit, and we caught sight of them several times a day for most of our trip.

After days of hiking or visiting the geyser, you can spend your evenings in West Yellowstone. It’s less than 15 miles away and pretty small, but it does have a variety of shopping and dining options. If you’re looking for somewhere good to eat, definitely check out Firehole Bar-B-Que — you’ll want to come back again and again.

AMENITIES

This campground has 278 campsites and can fit RVs up to 30 feet in length. However, note that the spaces are somewhat close to one another and aren’t very roomy, so you probably won’t be able to use your slideouts. Another thing to prepare for: Some of the sites aren’t quite level. 

While the park doesn’t have hookups of any kind, you will find restrooms with toilets, running water, and dishwashing stations. You also have access to spigots for potable water and a dump station for getting rid of wastewater.

There are no showers here, but if the weather’s warm enough, you can head down to the Madison River for a quick dip. (Yes, we saw this on more than one occasion!)

Speaking of the weather, the park is only open from mid-May to mid-October on account of the heavy snowfall that the area often sees come winter. This park used to be first-come, first-serve, but now spots are only available via reservation.

As with other campgrounds in the area, this one tends to get busy in the summer months. You can avoid the rush by visiting in May and June, and as an added bonus, you’ll be treated to wonderful wildflower displays.

What I Liked

  • Closest campground to the legendary Old Faithful
  • Small comforts like toilets and running water
  • Lots of opportunities to see bison and other wildlife

What I Didn’t Like

  • No hookups of any kind, not even electric
  • Gets busy and crowded in the summer months

Campervan and RV Rentals In Wyoming

Renting an RV is a great way to get all the benefits of an RV vacation without having to own one. It’s a perfect way to give RV living a trial run before making an investment and testing out the different models available to see what suits your family best.

At Outdoorsy, you can rent RVs and campers from other RVers. Click here to see what RV rentals are available in Wyoming, and use MOWGLI50 discount code for $50 off your first rental.

If you already own an RV and don’t live in it full-time, you can make it available for rental too, so keep maintenance down and get a welcome boost to your income at the same time.

How to Choose the Right Campsite

We love Deer Park and think it offers everything you need for a camping trip, but it might not be the best campground in Wyoming for you. Before you pick a place to stay, you need to think about what you’d like to do while visiting, the types of amenities you need, and the kind of atmosphere you like.

Location

Wyoming is a huge state, but many travelers come seeking the wonders of the area’s national parks. If that’s the reason for your visit, you need to consider what exactly you’d like to do. Are you coming to Yellowstone? Do you want to see Old Faithful? Is Mount Rushmore on your itinerary? 

Despite being in the same state, Old Faithful and Mount Rushmore are separated by more than nine hours of mountainous driving. You’ll notice the same thing when you look at other popular Wyoming attractions — remember, it’s a huge state. Depending on your schedule, you may have to focus on one attraction, make additional travel plans once you arrive, or choose a campsite that’s somewhere in the middle of your preferred destinations.

Amenities

All travelers are different. Whereas some may be satisfied with a flat patch of dirt, others may need electricity and freshwater. Before choosing between the best RV parks in Wyoming, make a list of those amenities you’d like to see. Doing this will allow you to quickly cross off campsites that aren’t a good fit.

Once you’ve got a good list of satisfactory campgrounds, think back to the location to help you further refine your choices.

Atmosphere

Many campers don’t realize how important a space’s atmosphere is until it’s too late. You don’t want to end up staring at your RV ceiling all night because neighbors are being loud or find yourself stuck inside all day because the outdoors are a little wilder than you expected.

The best ways to judge a campground’s atmosphere is to view photos, read reviews, and check out available amenities. An RV park with a playground and pools, for example, is geared towards families, so you should expect to see children or larger groups. On the other hand, a primitive space with no hookups will be extremely quiet and may even be further out in the wilderness than you may be comfortable going.

Wrapping Up

There are so many awesome places to go camping when you head out west, but the best RV camping in Wyoming will be a place that meshes with your needs for location, amenities, and atmosphere. We love Deer Park because it offers the right combination of city living and closeness to nature, but you might find one of the state’s many other campgrounds to be a better fit for yourself.

Angela Devaney

Angela Devaney, a former IT project management professional, embarked on an adventurous journey of full-time travel, which included touring West Africa in a converted overland truck and converting an ex-military 4×4 Sprinter van into a camper for a five-year South American expedition. She now utilizes her hands-on experience to create practical RV living and van life advice as a full-time digital media producer, reaching over a million users annually through her YouTube channel, blog, and newsletter. Angela also lends her expertise as the editor-in-chief of the Campervan Electrics Handbook.

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