Camping near Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

This wasn’t our first stay at Deer Park Campground (CG), but it was our first time arriving from the west. We took the first Buffalo exit, which matched up with both RV Life and Waze GPS directions, and easily made our way to the CG. Check-in was quick and smooth. We were guided to premium pull-through site 104. There’s not much “premium”  about this gravel site—aside from its generous 80-foot length, which was more than enough for our 40’ fifth wheel and F-450. The site included a picnic table, and the utilities were centered on the pad. We were able to position ourselves well between the two black tank dump outlets. Water pressure was decent at around 40 psi, and the 50 AMP electric service worked without issue. However, the grass was in desperate need of mowing. Right after we arrived, one of the workers began mowing the sites behind us. Those sites weren't filled the two nights we stayed. Since we had reservations, and they knew which site they were putting us in, it would have been nice if they had mowed the sites that were actually filled. We had two bars on Verizon and four bars on T-Mobile. While there are mature trees throughout the CG, satellite reception should be possible at most sites—especially if you can adjust your antenna. There are several “Deer Run” WiFi networks available. I connected to the first one I saw and got a surprising 279 Mbps upload and 119 Mbps download—an enormous improvement since our last visit about two years ago. Our T-Mobile hotspot also performed well, clocking in at 125 Mbps upload and 22.6 Mbps download. Sites are decently spaced, offering a bit of breathing room between neighbors. You can hear I-90 from the CG, but it’s far enough away that the noise isn’t bothersome. One of our favorite features was the nature trail near the front of the CG—about a half-mile loop—where we spotted several deer. A peaceful walk and a nice touch to the stay. We noticed that while the price per night has increased by $20 since we stayed in site 105 in September 2021, the facilities and the grounds haven't changed.

This is a one of those secret locations that you look for, the one you don't want to give away but show all your friends pictures of it. If this was a fishing spot you wouldn't tell other anglers about it. If it was a special hunting location you would keep your lips sealed.

Crazy woman canyon gets it's name from a few different legends, but that's not the point of this gem. The tranquility, peace, towering canyon walls that make you feel so small, the freedom of the outdoors and back country quietness, that's what this place should be known for.

We saw wildlife, we relaxed with the sound of the river, this was an unforgettable experience.

Keep in mind there are no facilities here, no toilets, no potable water, no showers, you need to pack in and pack out. This is true back-country camping. The roads are narrow and traffic goes both ways, we had to pass another truck and were just inches from the edge with rushing water below. But this is Wyoming, this is the wild west, one of the great frontiers of the American expansion.

Come here, it's worth it.