Grouse Mountain Basecamp on Forest Road 403 is a fantastic spot for those looking to escape into nature. This area offers a peaceful atmosphere with stunning views that will make you want to stay longer.

The open camping area allows for plenty of space between sites, so you won’t feel cramped. Visitors have raved about the breathtaking scenery, with wildflowers blooming and the backdrop of snow-capped mountains. As one camper put it, “By far one of the most beautiful places I’ve camped.” 

If you’re into stargazing, this place is a winner. The clear skies at night provide a perfect canvas for spotting constellations. Just be prepared for some wind and chilly nights, as it can get a bit brisk after sunset. 

For those who enjoy a bit of adventure, there’s a short hike to Clear Creek for some fly fishing. Plus, you’ll have no trouble staying connected with good Verizon service. Just remember, there are no amenities like toilets or trash disposal, so come prepared to pack out what you bring in. 

Grouse Mountain Basecamp is a great choice for campers who appreciate a serene environment and stunning natural beauty. Whether you’re in a tent or an RV, this spot has a lot to offer for a memorable outdoor experience.

Grouse Mountain Basecamp on Forest Road 403

Looking for the best campgrounds near Buffalo, WY? Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Buffalo, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Find the best campgrounds near Buffalo, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.

Buffalo

The Best Campgrounds Near Buffalo, NY | NY Camping

Cull 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 🏞️🎣🚐

Serene Escape

By 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.

Is this heaven?

Spectacular views and wildlife. Easy to find a level spot. Wild horses. 

Spectacular views. 

Beautiful 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. 

Nice place for an overnight

This 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. 

Beautiful for star gazers 

So 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. 

Top 5 Campspots I've Ever Visited

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!

This site rocks. 

Very easy to find, we arrived pretty late and it was simple to located and park. Super pretty spot when we woke up, beautiful sunrise and very meadow like. We enjoyed this spot. Very open and many spots. 

Beautiful and calm spot 

Truly one of the most magical campgrounds I’ve ever been to. At night we had a gorgeous sunset and woke up in a cloud! Very few other campers but there’s so much space I doubt there would be much crowding. We had one other RV come and park within 20ft of us and we just moved further down the road. Highly recommend.

Wildflower Paradise

now let me just say, to be able to stay somewhere like this for free is incredible. this is by far now my top spot! lots of cow poop but it’s all dried up! can get pretty moist at night with all the clouds! nice gravel road great for everyone! not busy all on a sunday night at 8!!! 

beautiful view, very quiet 

This site is unreal. And the fact that it’s free makes it even more unbelievable. The views are spectacular, and the sites are pretty level. Hands down one of the best dispersed camping sites ever! 

Unbelievable site

We love dispersed camping but hauling a 25’ airstream makes a lot of sites inaccessible despite our lift and rugged tires! But not here! It’s a level, smooth, dirt road where you pull off the side anywhere you choose. (The road is actually 402 and 403 is at the very end behind a closed gate.) Views were breathtaking and most of the land is level. It’s far enough off the main road that there isn’t any road traffic. One mildly-annoying thing is that people drive along the road while their dogs run beside their cars. I guess that’s to exercise their animal but we watched one of these free-range dogs go after another camper’s dog who was tied up. Just an FYI if you are traveling with pets. 
We didn’t have any issues with mosquitos but there were a few flies. No bites or anything. 

Easy Spot

Arrived right at sunset on the 4th of July. Beautiful view! Plenty of spaces to park and camp. Long gravel road, may get bumpy or icy.

Beautiful view

Needed a spot just to sleep for the night. Only 3 others there. Close to the road but didnt hear any road noise. Wildflowers were beautiful. 

Wildflowers galore

I read previous reviews and decided to give this location a try. I put this location into google maps and it brought me right here. 44.31915288,-106.872725
The temperature got down to 45° which is perfect for me for sleeping.  There were several other people but we were all spread out. Some horses greeted us at the fence and I woke up to cows starring at me. The mountains nearby were snow capped. The drive wasn't bad at all.

Near Bighorn national forest and Buffalo WY

We got here late in the day after driving through Buffalo Wyoming and found a spot immediately. There's lots of Open spaces for the dog to run and for us. Enjoy the views, highly recommend and our starlink is super fast for work

Wide open spaces

Good overnight spot 

Got here very late. The road in was rocky, but not far and easy to locate. The other campers were spread out nicely and made me feel safe yet still secluded. Stepping out of the car into the cool night air was utter enchantment to look up into the huge dark sky, thousands of glittering gems, 3 shooting stars. It was a cold night, but the grassy ground was lovely. The next morning unzipping the tent was like Christmas morning, unwrapping a gift, peeking out at the mountain views, stepping out into wildflowers, a hummingbird, looking into the fenced field and a herd of pronghorns eyeballing me in the distance, the cattle a little ways off mewing. It was awesome. I LOVED this experience. 

Milkway Enchantment

I stumbled on Grouse Mountain Dispersed Camping last Fall and made sure I visited again upon return this Summer. 

Great little town of Buffalo is down the mountain, the views are amazing and spots are spaced out very well here. 

It's on my 'starred' list on my Google maps of best places to boondock. Only downside here is there is no shade, the access road gets a little busy with campers and a private camp down below. All in all? Top tier Boondocking spot from my view. 


Wide Open Spaces

Pretty nice spot right off 16, quite a few nice flat spots with plenty of room for trailer or rv. Had some neighbors but is plenty spread out. Also had some horses come visit.

Great spot

This is about as easy and convenient as dispersed camping gets. Plenty of room for big rigs, but also good for tents. It’s a dirt road off a paved highway (which is convenient to the route to Yellowstone). Just pull off the dirt road into the field to camp. There’s a gate before the road turns south, but right before the gate it’s a cleared space to turn around if you don’t want to turn around in the field. The only con is that there’s a significant amount of cow pies.

Easy boondocking with plenty of space

Loved this spot. Easy on/off road to get to it. It’s a cow pasture but they don’t bother you. Breathtaking views a must see. 

Amazing View

Nice open spot, easy access, short gravel road, level, turn around at the end. Just choose a spot on the side in the grass and camp w/ some good views. Really good AT&amp;T service too.

Lacks privacy since you’re just on an open field and the main road is right next to you but it’s not too busy so it’s not like you’re crowded together. Good for an overnight stop.

Photos of Grouse Mountain Basecamp on Forest Road 403

Real photos from real campers