Best Tent Camping near Casper, WY

Let me start by explaining that 3-stars is usually the highest an RV Park will get from me. I am tempted to give it 4, but some pretty great places have a 4 from me (like Yellowstone). I believe that rating everything high, kind of causes the system of starring to lose perspective. 1 Star=Never Again, 3 is average, and 5 Stars=I don’t ever want to leave. As much as I car camp for convenience, I prefer more remote spaces, which is not an RV Park (so there is my bias). 3 is an average rating and this is a really nice spot—but being in the middle of not-much in South Eastern Wyoming, it’s hard to be totally wowed. Additionally, we camped here during the total eclipse of 2017. As a result, the Park was at maximum capacity, and I believe, expanding. The owners are super hospitable. Even with the event in progress, they did choose to charge more to camp rather than overcrowd the campers (much appreciated and very honest). There is an excellent game room. The showers are very clean. There is laundry and a small play area. The RV sites are the typical pull through RV Park sites, and not spacious. The campground, like much of Wyoming is flat, sunny, and with a gravel “yard” that replaced the tall, golden yellow grasses that stretch across these dry plains.

We camped in a tent. The owners had created new tent sites that were directly on the North Platte River. These tent sites, and the staff friendliness are earning the 3 stars. There were trees for shade and a nice breeze coming over the water. There was a good deal more privacy than the RV sites. My understanding was that these were intended to remain as permanent tent sites even after the eclipse. There are no hook-ups at all for the tent sites, and campers cannot back into their camp for convenient grabbing of stuff—a very short walk is required (but far enough to notice the distance). In some ways, this distance from the car, and the line of trees made the campsite feel a little more remote and like resting at an oasis in the desert.

Situated a serene 25-30 minute drive from Casper, nestled amidst the beauty of a mountain adorned with picturesque switchbacks, this campground offers a unique sense of seclusion not often found in locations closer to town. 

Beartrap stands out because it is one of the few campgrounds in the Casper region that is more secluded and has a great mountain feel. As with any popular site, celebratory gatherings are not uncommon. For a more tranquil experience, I recommend considering a midweek visit during the delightful seasons of Spring and Fall, steering clear of the busier summer period.

A notable aspect of this campground is its consistently well-maintained restroom facilities, reflecting a dedication to cleanliness and visitor satisfaction. The diverse array of sites caters perfectly to all kinds of camping preferences, whether it's the convenience of pull trailers and RVs or the more adventurous tent-campers. The expanse of the grounds also offers ample space for families with children and four-legged companions to play.

Very green and well kept spot to camp with clean toilets and hot showers. Happened upon this place when local WY state fair staff told us their overnight camping lot was full, which was great since this one was free! We tent camped so needed ear plugs for the road noise, but worth it for the convenient location. Currently they have some limitations on when you can camp on the grass due to overnight watering, so tent campers beware.

The campground(CG) was easy to find and check-in was a breeze. We were originally in site 53 right across from the office but that would have been way too small so we were moved to site 43 which is a long FHUs pull-through. The manager spent time chatting with us about the CG and interesting happenings this last season. The utilities were smartly placed in the middle of the site. WiFi was above average. There were a few seasonal residents who were working in the area. We got a solid variety of OTA channels and were able to get our satellite to connect. The trees in the CG are young so provide some shade. Our site didn’t have cable but some do. There are also premium sites down by the North Platte river that runs adjacent to the CG. There are also tent sites by the river. There is a fiber optic cable facility near the CG that runs 24/7 to include weekends, so there is some noise during the night i.e. backup beeping from forklifts. However, our air conditioner and/or sound machine easily drowned out the noise. As this CG is right outside Casper, there are a ton of amenities nearby. There are nice areas to walk our pups by the river. We enjoyed our two nights stay to include doing some fly fishing in the river at the CG and would definitely come back.

Good spot near Casper for staging a trip into Yellowstone. Great views of the Platte river. will stop here again.

This campground is Located in Barr Nun area outside of Casper. It is all gravel and campsites are very close together. They have a shop in the office area. Along side the office is a little putt-putt golf course-fun fun. There is a propane fill station along with an indoor pool in this area too. There are 2 small dog areas which are also gravel except a small strip of turf at the end. We were in the Rv section with water and electric, our site had a picnic table but no fire pits. They also had areas for tents either on platforms or under shelters. Bathrooms are clean, attractive and handicap accessible. There are really cute cabins here also. This KOA served its purpose as a overnight stop.

Alongside a creek outside of Casper, sits this very quaint RV park. Open all year, a great rest stop to get out of windy conditions if I-25 is closed. Trees at most campsites. Was really impressed with how clean the restrooms and showers were.

Nice campground near Casper, WY. We just stayed for one night and they were able to accommodate us arriving late with us calling ahead. There is a grassy area by the river that is nice to walk your dog. Shower and bathroom area was clean. There is a little playground for kids.

The only cons was it is close to the train which was a noisy when it came by, but didn’t prevent us from sleeping. Full hook ups, pet friendly.

Amazing hosts. The animals were so fun to get to know and we loved touring the farm with the hosts. We arrived very late at night and they came out to greet us. I thought we would have electric hook up as part of the site, but that’s not available. I mentioned that to the host and in the morning they had run an electric cord out to our trailer, which we didn’t end up needing. The views are also spectacular of the Casper landscape. I highly recommend this as a unique camping experience!

Lovely campground beside a large natural arch in rural Wyoming. Not only can you pitch your tent with this impressive geological formation as your view, but the North Platte River runs underneath the arch and right up against the campground. There's a short hiking trail that leaves from the campground and brings you up on top of the arch, giving you a better view of the river, an old power plant, and the surrounding red rock. 

Campground is free but there's a three day limit. Check in with the campground host/park manager at the office across from the campground to check in. Really friendly folks and well-maintained park overall.

We enjoyed staying here as it was a change of pace from the rolling hills of southwestern Wyoming.  The reservoir that the N Platte leads into is actually Pathfinder Reservoir and not Alcova.  I think Alcova is the reservoir that lies further upstream closer to Lander.  Regardless of the name of the reservoir it was an absolutely gorgeous place to watch the sun rise and set as it lit up Fremont Canyon at both times!  Nearby there are plenty opportunities for boating and fishing, including about 20 m below the camp spots were dozens of fish swimming that we could see from above!  A little bit to the east there are also a decent amount of trad climbs that you can hike to the bottom of in low water or rap down to in case there is high water.

Now about the campground itself.  This was a completely primitive campsite/campground as all the spots were pull-offs on the south side of the road (N side is private, don't camp there!)  The only preexisting things at the campsites were stone fire rings and semi level dirt areas to toss up a tent.  While this is definitely not a place for glampers or RVers, if you have a tent or are car camping it is one  of the best spots in the area!