Planning a dispersed camping trip near Bighorn National Forest? The Dyrt provides you with a diverse selection of places to camp, from dispersed backcountry camping to boondocking, and everything in-between. Find the perfect dispersed campsite for your next adventure.
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.
Unless otherwise posted, most BLM Wyoming- administered public lands provide excellent opportunities for dispersed camping.
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.
Ranger
Had a great one-night stay while passing through Bighorn National Forest. Cold, but the mountains were beautiful and the surrounding area was largely untouched with tons of forest to explore. Would absolutely stay again if passing through.
Scout
Wonderful 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!
GuideThis 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.
Guide
The 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
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!!!
TravelerGreat free camping. Lots of space from your neighbors. Closest bathroom out be going farther down the road to the campground. Moose were frequenting the lower valley area so beware that you could step out and see a Moose. Nice view of the mountains. We only had a handful of neighbors the closest one was maybe 100 yards away.
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.
TravelerThere are many dispersed camping sites along Circle Park Rd and the roads the branch off of it, including some well passed this location. The road on the left at the first intersection gets a rough after a bit, but otherwise the sites are accessible for RVs and trailers.
The road goes through a large open meadow. This gives the sites excellent views of the bighorn range. There were also two moose grazing in the meadow for the entire time we were there.
We were there on a weekday and the area was very quite with only a few other campers present. However, many sites were taken up by unoccupied trailers.
There are several good hiking opportunities in the area, including the trailhead at the end of this road.
GuideAt first it looks like a very busy camping area, but if you drive for a bit you can find yourself a nice little private out of the way camping spot to set up tent.
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.
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.
LegendCrazy Woman Canyon Road starts high on an open hilltop and then descends deep into a lush and beautiful canyon. The road follows the river with large boulders stacked upon each other to make up the canyon walls. This canyon worth exploring! If you go at the right time, you may even see some wildlife.
The road was dirt but it was easy to navigate but take it slow and be careful as there are a couple of rough spots. Hesitate travel on this road after a heavy rain, as any kind of washout or slick conditions could make travel hazardous. During and after a storm the road may be impassable, even with a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
There are many free dispersed primitive campsites along this road, including one next to a nice waterfall.
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
GuideGorgeous views, creek is so peaceful. A bunch of dispersed sites.
ScoutDon’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.
GuidePretty busy area, but lots of room and camp sites. Easy in and out and close to town.
Guide
Simple campsite with beautiful view of the canyon. Nice river. A long way to get to the pit toilet.
TravelerWe 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
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.
Guide
Great area with trees and wildlife. Spots for campfires, and plenty of space. You can get multiple groups of people in here. No bathroom so you'll be going in the woods unless you drive to a picnic area.
GuideBeautiful views of the mountains, dense forest trails, and plenty of room for any size rig. Cell service is fair in certain area and non-existent in others. Overall, great spot to camp!
TravelerWe spent 14 days out here in our 19ft retro Jayco. Plenty of room for a couple of 5th wheels, vans, and tents alike. There is a pretty awesome view of the mountains, lots of trails and rocks to climb and hike around and we spotted/heard different kinds of wildlife all around us.
TravelerRough narrow roads and sites are small and right next to the road; only 1 site is riverside.
ScoutCamping space is very limited not many spots what makes it more difficult is that at? The very end is a hiking trail, so there are lots of hikers driving in and out. The pull offs for camping and parking a rig are just very minimal and with the traffic from people going back-and-forth from the hiking trails, it's very dusty. Drove in did not find a site we would fit in hag to drive all the way to end of road for a turn around. Left and went to Walmart in Sheridan.
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.
Traveler
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.
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.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming, where nature lovers can enjoy stunning landscapes and a sense of solitude. This area offers a variety of spots for camping enthusiasts looking to escape the hustle and bustle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Bighorn National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Bighorn National Forest is Circle Road Dispersed Camping with a 4.8-star rating from 9 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Bighorn National Forest?
TheDyrt.com has all 19 dispersed camping locations near Bighorn National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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