Looking for tent camping near Scottsbluff? You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
5 Day limit for camping at Packer Lake Campground.
Legend
Open May 1– October 1. Got the second to last site on a Wednesday in July(you can reserve sites after the campground opens on May 1). We chose this campground for its proximity to Scottsbluff. Although there is a tent site area, the campground was filled mostly with large RVs. The hosts were very friendly and welcoming and even though it was not a large campground, the host escorted us to our site. He offered several times to deliver firewood to us if we wanted. Reasonable cost for sites($10 tent camping,$20 water and electric,$25 for full hook-up). Best sites are the ones at the end of the rows as they have a nice patch of lawn. Alcoholic beverages are permitted but must be consumed inside your rig/tent. WiFi is available but not a strong signal; using our own data worked much better. Restrooms were reasonably clean(accessed via a code) and there are showers. This campground is located within a city park and there are other facilities(fitness trail, dog park, and supposedly a zoo). I did a little exploring but rain was imminent so I didn’t wander far, however, the facilities outside the campground looked like they could have used a little TLC. Of course, there is a nearby train!
TravelerI tent camped and booked online earlier on the same day (use this link, the one listed above is incorrect: https://www.campspot.com/park/riverside-campground-scottsbluff-ne). For only $10, I certainly had everything I needed. The restroom had an access code, which should be provided at check-in. The only downside was that there were a few pesky bugs, but it is “Riverside” after all. If you’re going to Scotts Bluff, I highly recommend this spot!
Scout
Some of us still prefer to rustic camp in a tent with no amenities; listen to the sound of birds, wind, silence, to feel the night wrap around you when you sleep. Your mobile homes are too big for the rustic lake sites! You’re generators are ridiculous and loud. Take that to the RV site. This one camper was so big that it took up half the one way road, now people tear up the nice grass to get around a RV that was never meant to camp in these sites when the camp sites were built. Serious.
GuideWe tent camped here on the last night of a road trip after stopping at the national monument. It was a nice, quiet campground. The tent area was a nice open, grassy area. There weren’t many of us tenting so we didn’t have anyone close! We explored down by the river for a little bit then had to run back as a storm was threatening! Hosts very kind and accommodating. They only take cash, though, so just be prepared.
Guide
We originally were planning on staying at West Wind, but our GPS couldn’t locate it at first and since it was late we just settled here. The reservable sites aren’t too bad being paved and somewhat near the bathrooms. However, the camping on the beach is not very well maintained. There was trash everywhere. People also pulled in at all hours of the night and when you are tent camping it’s not the best. The staff was friendly which is a plus. The showers cost $$$ which after paying $$ to both camp and park seems outrageous. If we go back we will more than likely try to stay at a different campground around the lake.
Legend
This private campground directly overlooks Carhenge and is not too far from (small) downtown Alliance. Although tent prices were listed, I’m not sure it would appeal to tenters. Prices range from $17 for tents to $27 for water to $35 for full hookups. 50% off after the third day. Weekly and monthly rates listed and it appears that credit cards are accepted. I believe there were four full hookup sites. The day we were there, there were only two RVs there and I didn’t see anyone to talk to. (There was a phone number prominently displayed to call but I did not). Pit toilet. No shade at all. If you are passing through, it might be good for an overnight stay but other than Carhenge, not much to do in this area. Was suggested that it might be a good stop on the way to Sturgis (tent camping?)
Legend
We had some difficulty locating this park and eventually asked a local where it was (Google maps will not direct you to the right place; the “campground” is located on East 11th Street and First Avenue). It is located uphill from the downtown area so don’t confuse it with another city park closer to downtown. Now, to review the campground. Western Nebraska campgrounds are unlike other places we are used to – perhaps it is because of summer heat (and biting flies) but most seem to be geared toward RVs. This one has three "sites", although they are not separated in any way save for the electrical and water hook-ups. Just room for three rigs on a gravel area. No tents for sure. Across the street from these “sites” is a nice lawn area with lots of trees and a covered picnic pavilion, which could make your stay more pleasant, as long as a group isn’t using it. There was a persistent barking dog nearby while I was checking it out. About the only redeeming thing I can think of for this place is the price: free for the first two nights but you would need to pay$10 per night after (I guess to discourage people from living there). Close to Chimney Rock and about 25 miles from Scotts Bluff but otherwise not much in the area.
Guide
Very nice campground. Sites are well spaces, green and well maintained. Great view of Scottsbluff. Highly recommend
GuideCement pads. Full hookup. Large grassy area. Great view of Scotts Bluff. Staff went out of their way to get us a site that was fairly shaded as it was 99 degrees when we arrived.
GuideThe 3 days we stayed there were a number of rvs with people from the Scottsbluff area. Was there during Gering days and had no issues getting a site. Gravel but with full hookups if needed.
GuideFull hookups for $25–made it a reasonable choice for a last-minute overnight stay. Within a short distance of Scottsbluff NPS, and that made it convenient for our plans. Try Sam & Louie’s pizza if you’re in town!
Legend
Captain Critter Country campground is located right off of highway 26 between Mitchell and Scottsbluff Nebraska. There is a set of train tracks on the other side of highway,and the trains blow there horns when they come through. Scared the crud out of me because they were so loud. When you pull into the campground it is obvious real quickly that it is in need of some TLC. There are spray painted tires around saplings throughout the campground. Along with spray painted numbers on the electrical boxes and in need of some clean up. There are bright yellow buckets over the water spigots. One of the reasons we stopped was because it advertised a fruit orchard and veggie garden that we could pick from to eat. So I set off walking to find these. The fruit orchard is non existent. On brochure given said it was coming. And the veggie garden was very overgrown with weeds couldn’t tell if anything was planted in most of it. I passed by a once swimming pool that is beyond repair. With that being said the owner is super nice and the campground has 36 full hook up sites with more being made. We paid $35 for the night. The lanes are cutely named -Bunny Blvd,Critter Court, Deer Drive, Fox Fairway, and Gopher Gateway to name a few. The dog park is a nice size and has water bowls for the pups and deflated balls to play with. There is a small backyard swing set for kids and areas with trees that provide shade. The bathroom and showers are closed due to Covid. A lot of the campers look like full timers, and I did not see any tent areas.
RangerWe stopped for a night. It is a standard RV type park operated by the city. It was very clean and well maintained. The price was reasonable and we had a nice view of Scotts
Bluff. With full hookups which we needed as it was warm and we wanted to run the AC. The park staff was friendly at check in.
One nice thing was the sites are plenty big. We didn't feel like we were right on top of each other. Excellent cell coverage. We would stay again.
GuideWe enjoyed a quick weekend trip to the Scotts Bluff National Monument and Wildcat Hills this weekend. We stayed at The Robidoux RV Park in Gering, NE. The RV Park is owned and maintained by the city of Gering. It was located next to the Five Rocks Amphitheater and had a shared green space with a nice playground for children. There was a little basketball court and an additional large green space in the center of the grounds. Almost all the lots are paved and pull-throughs. It was a nice little RV Park. The only drawback was no open fires; so no s’mores on this trip. My youngest little girl decided to “catch” all the trash cans (dumpsters) and counted 5 within the park - hence the slightly strange picture of a delighted child in front of a dumpster 🤪
RangerWe stayed at Robidoux RV Park for one night in a pull through full hook up spot. It had a concrete pad with a patio and picnic table. All sites are 30 and 50 Amp and our pull through was long enough to stay connected. This is a City of Gering RV Park and and with our Good Sam discount and tax, ended up being $29.00 per night. You can make reservations, or if there is space you may just show up and pick your spot. Our site and all of the park have lots of grass and open spaces with great views of the Scotts Bluff National Monument.
The bathhouse was very clean. The park had a laundry, playground and basketball court. There is wifi but we used our AT&T hotspot instead. This would be a great place to stay longer and check out the area.
LegendWe stayed at this campground in late fall. There are very few campgrounds available in this area after the summer ends, so selection was limited. Reservations are made via phone or submitted online form. Although the staff was very attentive, from the confirmation phone call to the registration, we were a bit put off that the sites were very open and close together. In addition, when the employee called to ask about what we needed for our reservation, she implied full hook up, including cable in our mind. When we arrived we discovered there were very few sites that had cable available, and so our sons were disappointed that they would not be spoiled for the weekend (they don't get cable TV at home!). This RV park appears to be owned by the city of Gering, NE.
The view of Scotts Bluff National Monument from the campground is beautiful, especially in the evening. I enjoyed watching the sun go down and hit the bluffs with that perfect golden glow (so much better than cable TV, right?), but was also put off that there were no fire rings, so we could not have a campfire at our site either. They do have raised grills for charcoal (or maybe small wood) and each site has a picnic table.
On the plus side, there is a playground attached to the property that has updated equipment that our sons enjoyed.
GuideHad reservations as Nebraska Travel Guide listed so figured was ok. River is close by but not at campground. I did not read Dyrt reviews first...lesson learned. It was dirt, dead grass snd I felt in unsafe area. We did not stay!!!
Guide
We arrived to find that the site we had reserved was not only occupied by another RV, but the people had essentially taken off for days. We were given a different, worse site, and had no options, since the campground was full. The person in charge of the campground was less than helpful. We had chosen that site MONTHS in advance so we could accommodate a screen tent. The bugs are horrendous (mosquitoes primarily, with flies coming in a close second). We were unable to put up the screen tent due to how small the site was, and how close to the water we were...like a few feet from stagnant, buggy water. To say it was NOT a good experience is an understatement. We left after one unpleasant night. We will not go back, and instead re-route to go to a better rated campground next time.
Legend
This is a park for small rvs or tent campers. There are a few pull through just after the gun range but the rest of the sites down the road are very small. All sites are very close together. Pit toilet and waste containers.
LegendPulling up to this campground, it is right next to carhenge. It is a fairly new camground and has no shade. It is a few miles from town and there really isn’t anything there. We decided not to stay here. It would be ok if you needed to pull over for the night. The sites were pull thru and on gravel. The sites went from full hook ups down to tent.
Scout
It's decent but it's a concrete pad, you have to call city hall to get a code to unlock the water spigot and they close at 4pm. The area is clean but seems to be too expensive compared to other communities within 100 miles. Cross
the border and many Nebraska small towns offer cheaper or free stays. The atmosphere just isn't right but i came in late and needed a place to stay. For $25 next time i will look elsewhere. Maybe I'm cheap, but i expect more convenience for the price and fewer rules. No fires, no fire rings, your grille is ok, that's about all
Legend
Driving down US Highway 26 about 5 miles East of Ft. Laramie, you will find Pony Soldier RV Park. There are 52 RV Sites ranging from Electric and water to full hook ups. The sites for the most part are level and gravel and some shade. There is an area for tents. There are picnic benches scattered throughout the campground. There is a community area where there are 3 grills and a fire pit. They offer internet, laundry, restrooms/showers, and gift shop. There is also a history museum on the property. Julie(owner) is very kind and accommodating. There are trains and highway noise but you get use to it.
LegendRanger review of Wildcat Hills SRA. If you love to hike and want to truly feel like you are away from it all check out Wildcat Hills. This beautiful recreation area just South of Gering Nebraska is just minutes away from geological wonders such as Chimney Rock, Jailhouse Rock and Scott’s Bluff National Memorial Park. Wildcat offers Archery, gun range, biking, hiking, picnicking, a playground, nature center and hunting. I’d add that if you are a bird watcher you need to get to Wildcat hills. There are also big horn sheep, wildcats, rattle snakes, elk, and deer in the area although we didn’t see any in our two days and nights at the park. There is a huge nature center that will provide a great place to cool off, stay dry or just for learning for the sake of learning. 4 main trail heads interconnect through rough, minimally maintained hiking trails that climb up to 5,000 feet. Backpack a lunch to the bottom of the canyon and try to find the Game of Thrones shelter (my pet name for it). I’ve given this park 4 stars because we were fortunate enough to camp at the group site that an area boy-scout troop updated. There are two other camp sites along the dirt road leading to the group site. Those 12 total sites are very close together and I wouldn’t recommend anything more than a pop up camper in those spots which are right on the road. If you have to camp in one of those 12 sites I’d rate the camping at 2 or 3 stars. this park hits it out of the ball park with the hiking and nature center.
Ranger review INNO INH 330 Aero Light Bike Rack
I had the opportunity to review the INNO INH 330 Aerolight QM bike rack. I have put hundreds of miles on this 2 bike rack from state parks to urban use. INNO has created a rack that is worthy of consideration among high end bike racks. The INNO arrived in a large clean and well packaged box and was nearly fully assembled. There are a number of pros and cons to be considered with this rack as with any product. I’ve listed those below.
Pros: Well made light metal and plastic construction that I believe will hold up for a very long time. Innovative locking cable for piece of mind. Fits both 1.5” and 2” receiver. Quiet ride. Exceptionally study bike securement if you don’t have attachment and you have a triangular bike frame. Protects your bike from banging into other bike like on hanging style racks.
Cons: awkward fit on height bar strap if you have a water bottle or bike tire pump attachment. If you are mounting different bikes often there a few adjustment steps that will take some time before you can secure your bike. The pins that secure the arms in the lower and upper positions can stick and require some force to pull out and place. I think some WD40 would probably resolve that issue. Bikes without the traditional triangle frame do not strap well to the veritable bar.
In the end, I’d give this rack 3.5 stars I would give it 4 if it fit my son’s non-triangle frame bike. I recommend that you consider the INNO and determine if it will fit your bikes and your needs. This rack has become my go to if I only need to take my bike or one other. Find your local retailer and try it out with your bikes.
Sorry about the oddly formatted photos. They flipped during upload.
LegendThis campground is in the city park right next to the zoo so you can hear the peacocks screaming. Says you must reserve ahead of time online but it must be done before 12 hours prior. We need to make a stop because of pouring rain so called the number and spoke with camp host. They said they would send a confirmation by email but never got one. We didn’t get any code to the bathroom or any information at all. Even called the next morning to remind them but still got nothing. All sites are full hook ups and have benches and fire ring. There is a playground and picnic area next to the area along with walking/hiking paths. In the park there is a nice size dog run/agility area. For the price it was a good place to stop for the night but wish we would have gotten some info
RangerThis is a campground with many options. There is a playground, trails, a dog park, and a beautiful view, most of all. There are options for just electric/water or sewer, too. The reason for four stars: 1. There are a couple of VERY unsightly RVs that appear to be permanent. (Even shattered windows!) 2. Internet was for the most part unavailable, although our technology recognized its presence.
ScoutThis camp ground used to be kept very tidy & inviting, which kept us coming back! However, this year the grounds are unkept, the hosts just aren't as friendly and helpful as they have been in the past. A key code is required for access to showers and toilets, however, it is not given to you at check in...something you have to figure out on your own. Also firewood you have to go and get, the old host used to bring fresh wood around daily and check on each spot! Also the bathrooms used to be so clean & nice, now they are rarely cleaned daily and are just overall messy & not very clean. Overall the place still has good bones but need some major improvements! We live this location because it is near the river and had a great bike/walking/running path with beautiful views!
RangerWe booked for a couple of days to visit Scott’s Bluff Monument, Chimney Rock, and Fort Laramie. Sites are gravel but pretty level. Full hookup site had 30 and 50 amp hookups along with water and sewer. For $25 a night it’s a good value.
Tent camping near Scottsbluff, Nebraska offers a unique experience for outdoor enthusiasts looking to immerse themselves in nature. With a variety of campgrounds available, you can find the perfect spot to pitch your tent and enjoy the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Scottsbluff, NE?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Scottsbluff, NE is Packer Lake Campground with a 1-star rating from 1 review.
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