Are you planning a dispersed camping trip to Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area? We've got you covered. Find everything from dispersed backcountry camping to boondocking with The Dyrt. Each dispersed site offers quick access to one or more of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area's most popular destinations.
Camping outside of developed campgrounds is permitted throughout much of the Forest. You are allowed to drive up to 300 feet off of an open road to set up camp, providing it will not result in damage to the land, is in an area that is not signed otherwise, or if restrictions are in place prohibiting that use.
Elgin Park Trailhead has some horse camping amenities and accesses several non-motorized trails in the area.
Free Dispersed camping outside of Bighorn National Forest's Powder River Ranger District. No reservations. First come, first served. This is a high elevation location.
Camping outside of developed campgrounds is permitted throughout much of the Forest. You are allowed to drive up to 300 feet off of an open road to set up camp, providing it will not result in damage to the land, is in an area that is not signed otherwise, or if restrictions are in place prohibiting that use.
Guide
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.
TravelerGreat experience easy to find and given the time we went no one was there.
Traveler
Totally agree with person who said this is in top 5 sites. Awesome views, level ground, easy access, lots of room for many. However, it's county road 402 not 403!
GuideThe breathtaking Bighorn Mountains at 9000 ft elevation, good for rigs of all sizes but be advised you may want to scout the road the further you get into the camping area as it can be a bit rough (with water crossing at one point).
We overview the camping options as well as the amenities available in the area in our video review!
Useful Information: Location: Canyon Creek Dispersed, Ten Sleep, Wyoming
GPS Coordinates(Canyon Creek Dispersed): 44.160758,-107.128481
Maximum Stay: 14 Days
Dump/Water(Cenex): https://maps.app.goo.gl/b44MFQ4ne9h3DpE2A
Leigh Creek Dump/Water: https://maps.app.goo.gl/SfJmMrKekzLyTKFNA
Guide
We enjoyed our stay here, many spots to pick from, but a few things to be advised about.
1. When we arrived it looked like a lot of the locals"dropped" their campers there for storage to avoid paying storage fees. However, while we were there the National Forest staff came in several times and started tagging these RVs and most of them were removed within a week or so.
2. This place is a haven for SxS and ATV traffic on the weekend so it can get loud and very dusty
3. Hundreds of free-range cattle, so if you are not comfortable with them walking in and through your campsite you may want to pick another location.
4. There is only one place in all the area that has cell coverage and turns out we camped on that hill without knowing it so we had traffic all day with people parking in and around our campers to use their phones.
We did a video review of this spot if you are interested here is the link https://youtu.be/gpm9THujEow
We enjoyed our stay even with those items we listed above, would stay here again for sure. Thank you to the National Forest Staff for patrolling this area!!!
Guide
Tons and tons of spaces. No Verizon service. The sites are pretty spaced out and some of them are actually really nicely tucked in the pine trees.
GuideSo amazing. Peaceful and quiet, even with some other campers here. The cell phone service with Verizon is perfect and the view is to die for. You can also hear the cows across the road, which I love. The road in is so easy, no rigs should have any issues.
GuideThis is a great spot. Wide open area for camping so you’re not right on top of anyone. The views were amazing. Pretty windy as others stated, but was nice during the hot days. Nights were a tad chilly. Downside is there’s absolutely no shade and horseflies are in plenty. Thankfully I have a screen tent that provided some shade and relief from the flies. Overall a great spot, not too far from town. Better if you have a camper over a tent.
RangerBeautiful views. Be prepared for tall grass and horse flies. We parked at the end by the private fence and by morning several hikers with dogs came and parked right next to our site. Good Verizon service.
LegendSpectacular views and wildlife. Easy to find a level spot. Wild horses.
TravelerBy far one of the most beautiful places I’ve camped. The field is in bloom right now (June 15) with purple and yellow flowers. We’re definitely up in elevation and can see lush forests and the snow-capped mountains in the distance. Super lush green field to camp in. Super easy to get to from main road. No road traffic sounds. Chilly at night.
ScoutCurrently closed about 10 minutes from where google maps was taking us without an indication why.
ScoutGreat location where you can camp in the trees or on the meadow. Vault toilet available once you drive a ways in on Elgin Park Road. Plenty of deadfall to use as firewood. Suitable for both tent and RV camping.
TravelerNice, quiet with good view and fire pit. Camping right next to the creek, listen to water and birds humming, perfect white noise to sleep with. We get there early evening before sunset and another camper but is.
LegendCull Watt Park Road took us to this cool open field with awesome rolling hills and Grouse Mountain in view. We could park anywhere we liked in the big field. The road wasn't too bumpy, and being up at 7000 ft made it nice and chill even in summer. They're open from June 15 to Nov 15, so it's perfect for a getaway.
Big shoutout to Clear Creek for fly fishing fun- it's just a short 3/4 mile hike to the river, which was a blast.
Full bars of cell signal on Verizon, so no worries about being off the grid. Only thing missing were fire rings, but honestly, the quiet vibes totally made up for it. If you're into peaceful and scenic, this is your spot 🏞️🎣🚐
GuideThe camping spots ate right next to the canyon toad which weaves through. So many large boulders which look incredible. And there is a nice river.
You can bring a small sedan into the canyon road its not bumpy. First come first serve i was able to find a spot.
Scout
Don’t think we found the exact spot this individual stayed at as we came up on a pay campground known as doyle, but if you drive past it and over a cow guard there is a place to park your car and more primitive dispersed like sites available. Solid views and a little away from other campers.
ScoutLike camping in a deserted trailer hood. Trailers park and then are deserted leaving no room for anyone else
ScoutWonderful dispersed camping spot! It’s a big area for multiple groups. There may be other people around you depending when you go. Next to some rushing water which is nice!
Traveler
We ventured out here in our 26’ bumper pull camper for the night of 6/19. Several trailers and campers looked like they had been posted up there for a while.
Pros:
-Lots of pull off spots accessible for car camping and very small campers
-Beautiful wildflowers at this time of year-remote and peaceful!
-main dirt was mostly manageable with our camper, some potholes and mud though
Cons:-
very rainy, hence lots of mud, when we went
-most of the campsites seemed to be washed out right now and unaccessible with our camper
-no accessible turnarounds with the camper until Circle Pond Campground at the end of the road
-bugs were really bad
-no Verizon cell signal
-single lane dirt road just had a couple sporadic pull offs to allow for passing vehicles from other direction
GuidePretty busy area, but lots of room and camp sites. Easy in and out and close to town.
GuideTried to camp here last Thursday, but both entrances are closed for construction Monday-Friday.
GuideThe specific location given is about 4.5 miles in from hwy 16, and there are numerous areas to set up your camper on the way in. The farther you go, the more private it is. The dirt roads are well maintained, but still a fair amount of rock, so slower speeds are safer. The entire Bighorn NF area is saturated with dispersed camping.
The limit is 2 weeks, and Ranger request that you move about 5 miles, if you want to stay longer. There are locals who come to ride their dirt bikes and ATV's in the area, more so on the weekends, but has not been too much of a nuisance. There is plenty of deadwood in the areas to gather as firewood, and Canyon Creek has a brisk stream of water flowing. Satellite images show it dry.
Elevation of this area is about 9500', so temps are cool and comfortable even in August.
Very dark and clear night sky is great for star gazing. And there is a park dump/fresh water station a very short distance away. Not sure about other cell services, but Zero T-mobile signal, but I had just purchased the Starlink system before heading this way and I'm getting high-speed internet and Wi-Fi calling, in the middle of nowhere! This is my favorite boondocking area so far. Note, this area is suitable for most Big Rigs
TravelerAwesome camping. Beautiful views. Water available from steam. No restrooms and no trash
ScoutStayed down this road in an open meadow for a few days. Weekend was busy with traffic down the dirt road but weekdays we had it all to ourselves. 2 people had parked their trailers there and never showed up, so I don't know what that was about. If you go here, please only park or drive in designated areas. Several vehicles went off road which is not allowed and forces the Rangers to limit camping spots. Saw plenty of big rigs, but this is a dirt road and is suited to smaller trialers. Site was not very level, so be prepared for that.
TravelerI was planning on just checking out the canyon road for a day trip and then heading out to camp somewhere else. But when I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of dispersed camping sites right on the edge of the river, and decided to stay! Most sites had stone fire rings. Very quiet and not much traffic aside from other daytime visitors. The river provided the perfect white noise to fall asleep to. No cell service for AT&T when in the canyon, but I had service just before driving down.
GuideThere are many spots along Circle Park Rd. You can be in the woods or out in the open like I was so I could get solar and starlink. Lots have stone fire rings. Verizon coverage is decent along the road, but I turned off on FR 375 and the Verizon died where I was 44.283926, -106.962595 . I spent time looking for moose, but never saw one until one triggered my security camera. I guess I needed to just get up early and sit on my porch. I found water and a dump site in Buffalo at the Cenex gas station. It was free. Be aware that folks will bring their dirt bikes and ATVs. A local pulled up 100 feet from me over a weekend, ran his generator until 11 and blasted country music, and his kids ran dirty bikes all Friday and Saturday in a circle next to my camp. There's plenty of other forest roads near here if that thing concerns you.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area in South Dakota, where you can immerse yourself in nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds. Enjoy the freedom of choosing your own spot while taking in stunning views and the tranquility of the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is Crazy Woman Canyon Road - dispersed camping with a 4.3-star rating from 14 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area?
TheDyrt.com has all 12 dispersed camping locations near Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, with real photos and reviews from campers.
