Best Tent Camping near Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

Camp Host on Site

Fee area $19.75   

Reservations 877-444-6777 or recreation.gov 

Open June close Sep

14 day limit 

20 sites 11 single 1 double 8 tent only 

Picnic table drinking water fire ring/grill fish cleaning station lantern pole trash wood for sale tent camping site only (loop A) 

Campground is covered with pine for nicely shaded sites. Gravel and not exactly level. Most are not conducive for solar. 

Lake View lives up to it’s name. We had a beautiful view of the small lake and the mountains behind. Access to the lake is by walking a distance or going out to the highway and driving a short distance to the boat ramp which is about 1/10 of a mile. The boat ramp is also a day use fee area with a pit toilet. 

Directions: From Ten Sleep, WY take Highway 16 for about 21.3 miles, turn right at the campground sign

LNT

Better than when ypu found it

On Highway 16 across from the lake. There are great views of the mountains with nice wooded sites. The vault toilets were really clean and there was some bit of privacy between sites. Each site had the usual picnic table and fire pit (no bear boxes). In the evening there was a lot of wildlife in the meadow to watch, so try and get a site on the outside of the loop so you can watch. Because it was early in the season (the campground had only been open for a week when I arrived), they were not collecting fees yet (I double checked with the campground host). North Cove was across the street from the entrance and was very popular with fishermen and boaters.

For $17 a night, try and get a site right on Tensleep Creek. Sites are pretty, and private-ish with lots of trees (some good for hammocking, some not). Everything was really well maintained to the point of everything looking new. All the usual amenities of picnic tables and fire pits and grills, PLUS there are pretty awesome prep tables for cooking and a lantern pole at each site, with super clean vault toilets where the camphosts have set pots of flowers to improve the setting. I suggest getting a site on the backside of the loop away from the road. The campground hosts were great, checking on campers a couple of times in the early evening and again in the morning. They rolled around in their golf cart stocked with firewood for sale so you didn’t have to hike back to the top of the hill to get your wood. There are some great family activities areas in the campground with horseshoes, cornhole, and other games set up in a central activities area.

Right off the main road you climb up and around a scenic forest. It’s just far enough to provide some insulation from the road noise. One loop of campsites go around a clean vault toilet and 2 water pumps. One water pump was not working. A few sites are tent only and there were a couple that had pull throughs. We drove in on the Fourth of July weekend and there were still a couple open sites. Some were reserved for the 2 week limit. This weekend found a few families and lots of dogs enjoying the holiday. 

This is a nice spot but it was farther away from town and hiking trails.

Fee:  $19.00 

Open June close Sep 

Limit 14 days 

Reserve: 877-444-6777 or recreation.gov 

Sites: 32 single sites 

Host on site picnic table fire ring lantern pole water trash 

Some sites are close together with some more private, some are shady and some no shade at all. There small boulders scattered around the site and with the beginnings of the fall colors beginning to turn beautiful. There is a small creek that runs along the back side of some of the sites. 

The road and sites are covered with gravel. Drive slow to keep the dust down. 

This is a very peaceful site and great to enjoy all the Bighorn has to offer. You will find off road trails, scenic jeep roads and hiking trails. Meadow Lark Lake is a short distance from the campground. The nearest dump station is 15 miles at Powder River Pass.  Watch for the majestic moose wandering around the campground.

Reservations 877-444-6777 or recreation.gov 

Open June Closed Sep 14 day stay limit

Sites 6 single, 5 tent only TOTAL 11

Host on Site drinking water trash pit toilets This campground is very small with small sites so it is more appropriate from small vans or very small trailers. I liked sites 4, 5, and 6. They are right on the creek. I prefer site 4. 

Leigh Creek has drinking water and some sites have picnic tables and fire rings. This camp is great if you like to hike or rock climb. Just outside the camp you will find many VERY small disbursed sites along the gravel road, very dusty. Some road noise a lot of traffic on the gravel road.. 

Directions: From Ten Sleep drive 7.6 miles on Highway 16 to FSR 18. Bear right and travel one mile to the campground on the right. 

LNT 

Better than when you found it 

Travel safe Happy travels