Big Piney is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. Big Piney is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Find the best campgrounds near Big Piney, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
"There is a nice big picnic table at one site and a few spots with campfire rings and meat poles. There are no other amenities. The Greys River is right near camp as well as Spring Creek."
"Quiet site in the Pinedale area, so that's a positive. It's also by a creek, so you have fishing and water."
"Lake Alice is home to the only pure lake strain of Bonneville Cutthroat Trout in Wyoming. We caught about 4 this trip but I wasn't quick enough with the camera to share any shots."
"The view of the Wind River range at sunset is gorgeous. Not too many campers."
"Only stayed a night, got in at 9pm and left around 8am. Peaceful and quiet with no one else around. No mice, just some moths. Had some great views when the sun came up!"
"Long dirt road with lots of trails leading to nice spots. The road and most of the campsites are fit for large RVs. Most spots have shade and fire rings."
"Primitive dispersed camping."
"However, the panoramas were stunning and I also took too many photographs that I am also going to share with you guys."
LegendCG has 24 sites all FF, no reservations. $7/$3.50. Tables, fire rings, vault toilets, trash bins, bear bins, however water was needing final testing but should be available on spigots scattered around. NO Cell signal on Verizon, att or TMobile. Host onsite. 8300 ft elenation. Most sites are small but a few are ok for TTs and RVs. Road up to big Piney lake was closed for construction project, even to hikers and bikes with threat of $$ fine! 23 mi from Big Piney, first 10 paved, last 10 are good condition graded gravel. Note there are a bunch of free dispersed camping sites from FS boundary to CG turnoff.
LegendDisclosure: It is NOT 3.5 miles to the campground, it is 1.5 to the lake and another to .25 or so to the camping area on the east side of the lake. The app on my phone was screwy. Sorry for the confusion in my videos.
Campground Review: For a primitive camping area this place is pretty sweet! They have metal fire rings with grills and there is an outhouse as well. The picnic tables are built of of half hewn logs. I did see that one of the tables at a site was badly broken, so everything is not in the best repair. There was also garbage left behind by the previous visitors which we packed out for them. The views more than make up for it, though! This lake is the most beautiful blue-green color. Lake Alice is home to the only pure lake strain of Bonneville Cutthroat Trout in Wyoming. We caught about 4 this trip but I wasn't quick enough with the camera to share any shots. We had to leave just as the fishing was getting good in the evening. Fish AM/PM, the wind can pick up in the afternoons, and temps rise making fishing not so great in the afternoon. Horseback riders are frequently in the area, so make way for them on the trail. We passed a string of about 8 riders going in further. You can trail ride through all the way to La Barge Creek Road. The campsite at the very beginning of the lake has a primitive corral for the horses. There are a few ambitious folks who have packed canoes into the lake. There are also some forest service water crafts locked away. Maybe if you had the right connections…It would be so fun to canoe this lake!
If you continue along Poker Creek Trail that follows the east side of the lake, you can visit Mount Isabel which is 5 miles from the start of Lake Alice. Poker Creek Trail will reach LaBarge Creek Road at mile 9.
Don'f forget to leave no trace! Picking up after others is frustrating.
Gear Review: ICEMULE Coolers https://icemulecoolers.com/collections/pro-coolers/products/the-icemule-pro-large Occasionally the Dyrt will provide gear to demo on camping trips. I had the opportunity to demo the ICEMULE Pro Large Soft cooler. I have been using this cooler for a little over a month now and it has come along on a variety of adventures and has not failed! This was the longest trek I've carried the cooler. We went for a day trip into Lake Alice. The trail to the lake is 1.5 miles. I was able to pack the fully loaded cooler with lunch, drinks, and snacks for 4, into the lake comfortably. I loved that this cooler has the crisscross bungee cord to hold additional gear. It held my fly rod case snugly as we packed in. The cooler has a vent on the side, you can inflate the side walls to help extend the insulating factor of the cooler. It also helps it float! The bag rolls closed like a dry bag and clips closed. The shoulder straps are adjustable and there is a chest strop for a good fit. It worked just as good as a garbage receptacle as we packed out trash we found in the campground. #leaveitbetterthanyoufoundit
LegendBeautiful, quiet campground. We could hardly hear the road noise, especially from our spot at the furthest end of the loop at #18. We just showed up on a Wednesday and the entire place was empty but many people came throughout the evening. Some hiking trails along the creek where beavers have made extensive dams.
Several sites are pull through sites, and we only saw a few random sites that had bear boxes. Each site had a picnic table and a fire pit, and was nicely separated from neighboring sites. Each site had a different configuration as well as parking pad length.
Anyone from tent campers to large trailers can easily find a spot, larger fifth wheels and class A rigs may have a bit of trouble finding a suitable campsite here. Sites, however are not very level. 3 sets of gendered handicap accessible vault toilets. At least one had a trash bag hanging inside. Otherwise no other trash bins at this campground. There are hand pump water faucets, but a sign said that water is not tested and water should be boiled or treated prior to drinking. We did not try the water but another camper said he pumped for about 30 times and no water came out.
Zero cell service for any of the 3 major carriers.
LegendThe Green River has access areas developed by the WY Game and Fish with private landowners and in this case the BLM. Short gravel road from hwy. This is primarily a fishing drift boat ramp access and parking, but this site also allows camping for the BLM limit of 16 days. There are about 2-3 camp areas with fire rings and old tables. There is also a nice vault toilet. Cell signal id very good. However, no drinking water or trash dumpsters. Some hwy noise and a potential for locals to roll up in middle of night as this is close to Big Piney. Lots and lots of bugs though.
ScoutThis is a large campground along the lakeshore. The lake is pretty big. Most of the sites are on a bluff above the lake. Many of the sites did not appear to have a specific area to set up a tent, so there were some tents set up on gravel or pavement. There are no showers available. There was a good tent site on the upper part of our site. We had heard reports of mosquitoes, but did not have any problems. There were reports of a black bear in camp looking for food. All sites have bear boxes. This campground is conveniently located if you are planning to do any hiking from the Elkhart Park area. We hiked to Photographer's Point and the views were spectacular. Also, it is just a few minutes drive into Pinedale where you can sample the beers at Wind River Brewing.
LegendVisited in mid-September 2024. $10 ($5 with senior pass). Did not camp here; just checking it out. Included some photos in this revciew. Except for one towable camper, I was surprised that no one else was camping here, especially considering it was hunting season. The campground was set back in the trees off of Greys River Road. Lots of trees here; lots of shade. Nice looking campground. Good size sites; appear to be level. Picnic table and fire ring included. Not much privacy between sites, but separation between sites was good. Two clean vault toilets. Hand well water pump. Trash service. No other amenities. No hook-ups. Campground appears to be well maintained. I would consider camping here in the future.
TravelerThis is about Cottonwood Campground, not just the group site. It's pretty small, about 16 (?) sites. It's about 8 miles up the road from Hwy 89. The road is mostly one lane, though a little wider in some spots, so if you are towing, hope you don't encounter someone coming the other direction. There are some potholes all along the road, so if you're towing, it's slow going.
The campground is about 1/4 mile or less from the lake. Group camp is up the right hand fork (not towards the lake). The Group site is large, with room for several tents. When I was there a church group of about 18 people with 5-6 tents was there. The sign says it requires reservations. There are 2 pull through sites up the right hand fork; the rest are back in or walk in. The walk in sites do not have tent pads or even room for a tent so I'm not sure what you would do there. The left fork goes to an equestrian area with a couple of non-equestrian sites also.
Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. I collected a lot of trash from fires rings.
There were vault toilets that were very clean to start with, though a camper pooped on seat in one of them, so gross. I don't know why people are so filthy sometimes.
There are trailheads from the CG and from the south end of the lake.
No signal on Verizon.
I enjoyed staying here.
LegendSmall Free BLM CG along New Fork River at jct of hwy 351 and the river. One decrepit vault toilet, three worn out wood tables, no metal fire rings. No water, no trash. Hwy noise an issue. However good access to river and cell signal on ATT and TMobile/ Sprint good. Verizon not so good.
LegendThis area is a wide open no shade glacial pothole lake. There are free designated, kind of, campsites around the lake. Couple places to launch a boat and four vault toilets scattered around. No trash dumpsters, no water, but fair to good cell signal depending on your location. Only a few miles outside of Pinedale on nice graded gravel roads. 14 day camping limit is posted.
Tent camping near Big Piney, Wyoming offers a chance to immerse yourself in stunning natural landscapes while enjoying a variety of outdoor activities. With several well-reviewed spots nearby, campers can find the perfect setting for their adventures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Big Piney, WY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Big Piney, WY is Spring Creek Trailhead with a 4-star rating from 1 review.
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TheDyrt.com has all 11 tent camping locations near Big Piney, WY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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