Dispersed camping sites near Cora, Wyoming range from 7,500 to 9,350 feet elevation, with camping seasons typically running May through September due to mountain weather patterns. Summer temperatures at higher elevations like Trails End Campground can drop into the 40s at night even in July. The Wind River Range provides a dramatic backdrop for camping experiences, with most sites offering little to no cell service outside populated areas.
What to do
Fishing access points: Warren Bridge Recreation Area offers designated camping along the Green River with productive fishing spots. One camper noted, "This nice little off-ish grid campground in Wyoming has water spaced out around the campground. All in all a nice place for only an hour south of Jackson Hole."
Watercraft activities: Half Moon Lake Campground provides a sandy beach perfect for launching small boats. A camper explained, "Sites are reservable and it does fill up. They have both pull through and back in sites. Sites have picnic tables and fire rings. All sites are close enough to walk to the lake."
Wildlife observation: Soda Lake WHMA offers excellent wildlife viewing opportunities with minimal crowds. A visitor shared, "Beautiful huge wild Horses also roam around, but they seemed like gentle giants." Another camper was impressed by the "tons of feathered wildlife, including turkey vultures, eagles, and osprey."
Mountain hiking: Access to wilderness trails is convenient from the Elkhart Park area. A visitor to Trails End Campground noted, "Campground was clean and had hiking and biking trails that leave right from the campground. Little/no cell service. Campground had vault toilets but no running water available."
What campers like
Lake access: Fremont Lake Campground offers camping near Wyoming's second-largest natural lake. A camper described it as "an absolutely beautiful area: big blue lake, rolling green hills, snow-capped mountains far off. And for the kids who get bored of vistas they can play along the shore and enjoy canoeing."
Privacy levels: Site selection affects privacy dramatically in this region. At Soda Lake, "The camp sites were wonderful, right on the lake, however the surrounding vegetation doesn't really offer much privacy." In contrast, Trails End Campground provides "very nice small campground but very good privacy between sites."
Affordability: Most dispersed camping options in the area cost $7-12 per night, with senior discounts available. A camper at Warren Bridge Recreation Area shared, "Perfect campground if you're travelling anywhere between Pinedale and Jackson. The dump station is a nice addition - for overall price of 10$ I rate this campground 5/5."
Views: Trails End Campground sits at 9,350 feet and offers exceptional mountain vistas. A visitor noted, "We stayed for a quick overnight. Campground was clean and had hiking and biking trails that leave right from the campground. Bugs and flies were pretty bad but it didnt deter us from enjoying the sunset."
What you should know
Road conditions: Access to several campgrounds requires careful driving. For Trails End Campground, a visitor reported, "Road has been torn up to gravel last 4 miles or so. Intent is to repave it but as of June 2024 it was washboard dusty gravel last few miles to top."
Insect presence: Bug activity varies by season and location. At Willow Lake, one camper advised, "Be prepared for bugs though. You need deet, torches, and keep a fire on low wind. Other than that perfect."
Regulations: Many sites have bear safety requirements. A visitor to Fremont Lake Campground mentioned, "There were reports of a black bear in camp looking for food. All sites have bear boxes."
Limited amenities: Willow Lake Campground offers scenic views but minimal facilities. A visitor described it as "raw" with just "a few lakeside picnic tables, a few fire rings. A little shade at lakes edge from Aspens. Sage country typically."
Cell service: Connectivity is unreliable throughout the region. One camper at Soda Lake reported, "AT&T service was poor without a booster, with 0-2 Bars of 3G service, but nearly no data throughput. With our weboost, it got a little better with 3-4 bars of LTE and speeds up to about 0.5 MB/s."
Tips for camping with families
Beachfront sites: Half Moon Lake provides family-friendly beach access. A camper noted, "This is an absolutely beautiful place to camp. You will need your bug spray. There is a boat dock just up the road from the campground."
Protected camping: Some of the best places to camp near Cora for families with small children are sites with natural windbreaks. At Soda Lake, one visitor shared, "I elected to continue into forest service land to get out of the wind with tent camping, ended up not far in past the two established spots off of soda lake in the Northeast corner."
Lakeside activities: Fremont Lake offers options for kids who need entertainment. One visitor observed, "This is a basic campground with access to hiking trails and also not far from the ski resort where there are downhill mountain bike trails."
Close to supplies: Daniel Junction provides a convenient base with nearby services. A camper noted, "Great RV park, newly renovated. Motel on property as well as a full Restaurant/Bar, convenience store, gas station."
Tips from RVers
Site accessibility: Not all campgrounds near Cora accommodate larger RVs. At New Fork Lake, a visitor cautioned, "Very rough and run down campground. 15 sites but most are overgrown and small. Not advised for TT or RVs as the access road is the roughest I have ever encountered, almost need high clearance vehicle."
Campground options: Warren Bridge Recreation Area works well for larger vehicles. A camper reported, "This is a nice quite place for a trailer or motor home of any size. There are even nice concrete fire pits with a cooking grates."
Leveling considerations: Soda Lake offers surprisingly level parking. One RVer noted, "We found a decent site on the North side of the lake, but the 'neighbors' to either side had loose dogs and our dog has had altercations with dogs off leash before. The site was surprisingly level too, almost didn't need to level at all."
Utility access: Most top camping destinations near Cora are primitive without hookups. For full service, one RVer recommended Warren Bridge: "We stopped here in our 30 ft class A on our way to the Grand Tetons. We pulled in 8pm on a Wednesday and there were about half the spots left. The dump station and several water spigots were really useful too."
