Best Tent Camping near Cheyenne, WY

Status: Open year round 

Reserve mid spring through September 877-444-6777 or recreation.gov 

weekend reservations recommended 

70 sites including 10 walk-in tent 30 sites year round $24.00 tent sites $32.00 electric $64.00 double sites 

Vault toilets, water during season ,tent sites have bear boxes, picnic table, fire ring/grill, trash no sewer or water hookups The campground has beautiful Ponderosa Pines but the Pine beetle is beginning to take its toil. 

The back loop closes early fall. all sites have electric except the tent sites. There are 5 double sites. The campground can accept various size rigs. The day use area with a boat ramp and pit toilet with a nice size parking lot. There were a lot of people fishing from the shore. The lake is beautiful with small islands and rock formations. The road to and in the campground is gravel and rather dusty. Potholes 

Directions: Drive 21 miles north of Fort Collins on US Highway 287. Turn left (west) onto the Red Feather Lakes Road (County 74E) and travel approximately 22 miles. Turn right (north) and travel another mile to signed campground entrance on the right.

LNT

Better than when you found it 

Stay safe Happy travels

Checked in about 8:30pm on weekday for car/tent camping.  Got last spot on upper tent loop (FC/FS-self serve).   Upper tent loop also has some RV spots. It seems like a very popular spot for XC RV drivers. The upper loop was very quiet, both the people and the area, and far enough from Interstate that Hwy noise was not an issue. The only problems were the wind(strong in am), and the lack of running water. Vault toilets were clean enough. The faucets near toilets did not work. The only available water was from the green well pump, and it had noticeable color to it. I used it for cooking and cleaning, but not drinking. Great trails! We did a nice 3.5 mile loop around Turtle Rock. It has good and climbing/bouldering, wish I had more time for that. It was cool due to a recent rainfall, and the 8000'ish elevation kept it that way at night. All creeks were dry in late august, and the 3 ponds were nearly so. Very pretty spot that feels more remote than it is. There is a lower tent walk in loop, which is much better sheltered from road noise and wind.  The lower tent loop has vault toilets, but it does not have water as far as I could tell.  Lower tent loop was completely vacant and available, while upper RV/tent area was full.

This would be a perfect first backpacking trip for beginners! Once you park, you sign in to the backpacking log to the right of the main entrance by the kiosk. The sites are first come first serve. From the parking lot, it’s only about a mile and a half. The site is off the main trail and is secluded enough so you don’t see hikers or bikers. It has a nice view of Horsetooth Reservoir and you are surrounded by the trees/rocks. There isn’t much shade coverage though. This site would be a perfect base for exploring Horsetooth rock/Horsetooth falls! There’s a wooden table about 50 yards from where you set up your tent so no need to bring chairs. There isn’t a water source close by so you’ll have to pack all your water. Also leave no trace and pack all your trash when you leave!

This place is fantastic and easy to get to. Located right off I-80 and less than 20 miles from Laramie WY.

Campground Review: We arrived on the Friday afternoon of Father’s Day weekend, and there were a few tent sites available. All sites are $10.00-- If just visiting the park, there is a $5.00 day use fee. There are two loops that both accommodate large RV's down to tents. We chose a pack-in tent site that was down a trail about an 1/8 mile surrounded by the granite rock formations the area is know for. It was kind of tucked away from the rest of the campers in the area. Even way back in here, they had a very nice picnic table and metal fire rings with a grill for use. The campground was very clean. In the main area, there are restrooms and drinking water available. The camp host was very helpful with directions. (wish I could recall his name) He gave us some trail maps of the area. There are multiple mountain biking trails which we had a ball exploring. They are open to hikers and horseback riders as well so be aware and be courteous. The area is very well known for off-width rock climbing. There Is a wall of sport climbing and many boulder projects. Be aware the granite can flake off so use established routes.

Restrooms were tidy and well stocked with TP. there is water available near the restroom area.

The Badger Creek Fire was currently burning to the south causing a lot of smoke in the area. There was not a fire ban at the time we visited.

There Is free dispersed camping nearby. See Vedauwoo Road Dispersed Camping for my review of that area.

Gear Review: Occasionally the Dyrt will offer gear to test out and demo on a camping trip. I was lucky to have the opportunity to test and review theICEMULE Pro size Large 23L backpack cooler https://icemulecoolers.com/collections/pro-coolers/products/the-icemule-pro-large This cooler is amazing! I was skeptical at first. I let my teenage daughter use it prior to this trip on a beach outing and it is now the new favorite cooler for these girls! They raved about it! The ICEMULE Pro 23L held 10 pounds of ice and 10+ beverages and our food that needed kept cold. There was still ice In the bottom 2 1/2 days later when we returned home. The website says this will hold an 18 pack of beer, I don’t doubt that. Since we were camped at a pack In site, being able to pack In our cold stuff like a backpack was a great feature! We were even able to pack everything out between the two of us In just one trip! Normally a cooler of this capacity would require a singe trip for 1 or possibly 2 people. The cooler seals by rolling the opening down and buckling it closed. No zippers or latches. There is an air vent you can blow into to create additional insulation for the cooler. The cooler also folds/rolls down to a compact size when not in use. This cooler is easy to use, a dream to pack anywhere you need a cooler, and most Importantly: keeps stuff COLD! This is now an every trip favorite item! And they are currently on sale (20% off!) on the ICEMULE website!

We came into this campground on a Tuesday after camping through Wyoming. We stopped at the NFS visitor center to get a map of the Theodore Roosevelt National Forest and a list of all the dispersed campgrounds as we thought all campsites would be full. They had several people in them, but were definitely not full.

We were tent camping and were thrilled when we came upon this great walk in site. The site was very close to the parking lot, but didn't matter because of the beautiful terrain.

On one side of the campground (across from the road) is an enormous grassy hill. We looked for bighorn sheep with no luck! The other side of the campground is surrounded by the Cache la Poudre River.

Each site had a great tent pad (tough ground though, bent some tent stakes), a great picnic table, and very nice fire rings. There is a nice little trail that meanders through the campground. There were two other campers in the campground, but due to the terrain, we didn't even notice them.

The bathrooms are vault toilets and were very clean. There is drinking water available via a hand pump that was very easy to use.

We camped in a Big Agnes Tent and were very glad that we put every single guy line out! There was some amazing wind coming through the canyons during the night! It was very clear overnight and the sky view was awesome.

There seemed to be a lot to do in the area, lots of outfitters putting people in the river on rafts and kayakers around.

This review is for the abundant dispersed camping, not the two official camping loops.

I love this place. With an asterisk. This seven mile dirt road is filled with sprouts of other dirt roads that is stunningly beautiful and fairly quiet. Beautiful spots to camp and you can tuck yourself away behind a rock formation and far from your neighbors. 

Great rock formations for climbing, mountain biking, abundant Aspen trees for your hammock and right on the edge of Curt Gowdy State Park, which has a broad network of wonderfully maintained mountain bike and hiking trails and plenty of motorized and non motorized water sports. Showers and flush toilet bathrooms and a camp store can be found in here in non-COVID days. 

The animal life is great too. We've had moose and pronghorn deer right at our campsite. And that gets me to…the asterisks. Not only are moose around, but so are mice. In 2 of my 7 visits here we have taken on mice. The last time it was a lot of mice. I mean a lot of mice. I now carry mouse traps with me because of this place. We had tens of mice inside our camper for two days straight. Eating our food and gnawing on wood. Ended up bringing some of them home with us too. The cat got 3. I trapped another 5. Our garbage can was like a Civil War photograph for mice. Also, this place has become popular and can get a little overrun on the weekends with people running generators, shooting shotguns and running around on OHVs. Hard to be more annoying. Last, Wyoming is synonymous with wind. So be prepared for that possibility.

Leave no trace (and run no generators)

Open: All year 

Reservations: 877-444-6777 or recreation.gov 

Out of season FCFS 

Fees: Reservation on line $9.00 call enter $10.00 

water, pit toilets, picnic table, trash, bear box for tent sites, fire ring/w grill 

No sewer hookups The sites are on the small side and a bit cramped. The Cache La Poudre River runs along the back side of the campground and provides a beautiful backdrop along with the tumbling towering rock bluffs. The drive along the canyon is a delight. 

Directions: Drive 11 miles north of Fort Collins on US Highway 287. Turn left (west) onto Colorado Highway 14 (Poudre Canyon) and travel approximately 13 miles.  

LNT 

Better than when you found it 

tay safe and travel happy

**Campground Review **

I have parked next to this campsite a few times to hike the Mt. McConnel Trailhead, so this spot came to mind when I was looking for a quick escape up the Poudre Canyon. We arrived on a beautiful Saturday afternoon and did not have reservations, so we were pleased to find that there were still quite a few great sites available. This campground is really gorgeous and bigger than it looks at first glance. There are quite a few loops that offer a variety of sites, you can be right next to the river or surrounded by trees up along the hill. Each site offers nice picnic tables, fire pits with a grill, plenty of parking space and spots for a tent. The campground is located in a forest of Ponderosa Pines, which provide great shade and a natural barrier between sites. The sound of the river is lovely and there are tons of spots that allow you to camp right next to the water. We were sad to have forgotten our fishing poles but enjoyed watching the fly fisherman wading in the river. 

The location of this campground is also fantastic, it is about halfway up the Cache la Poudre canyon, making it an epicenter for outdoor recreation. I live at the bottom of the canyon so I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the great things it has to offer, white water rafting, hiking, rock climbing, fishing, and so much more. As I mentioned before, this campground shares a parking lot with the Mt. McConnel trailhead. This is one of my favorite trails along the Poudre, mostly because it is rarely crowded and offers beautiful views. If you are camping here and have a few hours to spare, I would highly recommend making the trek up to the top of Mt. McConnel, or checking out one of the many nearby trails. 

Product Review 

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I occasionally get the chance to review products that I use while camping! On this particular trip, I was excited to be testing out the Zulu 65 Backpack from Gregory Packs. 

Before I even packed this bag with all of my gear, I had to try it on and was immediately impressed by the ergonomic design. The back panel is super breathable and the straps are well padded, providing serious relief for my shoulders, neck and back. I have always struggled with back pain but love overnight backpacking trips, so I am really excited for the comfort that this bag’s design provides. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that this bag includes a raincover. My last backpack required me to spend a bunch of money to buy one separately, so this was a great deal to be included in my opinion! I can’t wait to take this pack out on some serious multi-day adventures this year, rain or shine! 

We decided to go ahead and pack this bag a few different ways at our campsite and take it on a day hike with a bunch of gear to put it to the test. This pack is quite large and fits everything a backpacker could need for a multi-day trip without a problem. The adjustable torso length and straps made it easy to fit both myself and my taller hiking partner. The large zippered compartment also allowed easy packing and access of my gear, compared to simple top loading packs that I have tried in the past. 

One of my favorite parts of this pack is the separate compartment accessed from the bottom, I suppose you could use this compartment for anything, but I think it is ideal for storing and accessing my sleeping bag. Sleeping bags often annoy me when packing for trips, because they take up so much space and make it difficult to access things in the main compartment of my pack. Having a designated spot for my sleeping bag makes it much more simple to pack and organize my bag. This was especially helpful as I recently lost my compression sack for my sleeping bag, but this compartment essentially replaced my need for the compression sack. 

The hip belt pockets are another one of my favorite features. I love having pockets like these for day and overnight hiking trips to easily access things like chapstick and my camera without needing to stop and take off my backpack. The only downfall I found on this pack is the lack of other small pockets, I’m a bit of an obsessive organizer, so I would prefer if there were additional small pockets on the exterior and interior of the pack to organize my smaller pieces of gear. 

Overall I would highly recommend this pack for any adventurer looking for a high quality backpack.