Jelm, WY is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Jelm is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
$19 - $33 / night
"There are so many different types of sites, from those with several trees, lake side, open, or group spots. Water is available for filling bottles, but not campers."
"We were pleasantly surprised to find the favored spot open since it is walk up only in the park this late in the season. "
"The beautiful Kilpecker Creek runs through the camp and most of the campsites are situated right along the creek. All of the campsites have a good tent pad, fire pit and picnic table."
"It gets very cold at night if you’re near the river!"
"Options for camping in campgrounds, close to others, or more alone. Options to camp near the lake, river, or on dry land.options for large or small camping areas. Peaceful and beautiful."
"There is a camp ground near by with a porta-potty and there is a small market about 10-20 miles away."
"The stable horses came up next to the site every morning. It is a massive site that accommodated our trailer, a 2-person tent, 2 vehicles and still had room to spare."
"Staff was friendly except for at the horse back riding. They don't let you ride if you look like you weigh more than 200lbs. RV parking is a little tight for bigger rigs but great tent spots."
$28 - $120 / night
"Fishing, hiking, off-roading, kayaking or canoeing, or simply sightseeing - there are big mountain vistas to enjoy."
"Getting to the campground and visitors center is easy as they are both right off the highways 41 and 14, but it is quite a drive to get to, in general."
"Sites aren’t really marked/but are right next to the reservoir. No fires/water pumps."
"Need high clearance and a good off roading car to get all the way through. Also side note, turns out the road goes all the way through! Both ends go straight to a high way which is sweet."
"We were driving through the area and needed a quick/easy place to camp for the night. Even in mid-July, we were the only people there. Spots are labeled well, with great fire pits at every sight."
$20 / night
"Big Creek Lakes Campground, Colorado (close to Wyoming border): camping here is only open for 3 months out of the year: June, July & August."
"Worst part—> *You will have to travel down a gravel/dirt road for ~30 miles to get to the lake and campground. Sections of it are TERRIBLY washboarded."
$28 / night
"The campsite has two entrances - one from the west passing North Michigan Reservoir and one from the South East which is basically from Lake Agnes Trailhead."
"There are lots of great activities to participate in very close by - fishing, hiking, 4-wheeling and more!"
$36 / night
"I tent camped at Ranger Lakes. I was the only one tent camping among all the RV’s. I didn’t mind that the spaces were visible from each other since I was camping alone."
"Small campground next to three lakes. One lake has dried up. Beautiful Gould, CO. We also boondock camp in this area as well. Don't miss Lake Agnes. It's at the top of a mountain."
GuideBig Creek Lakes Campground, Colorado (close to Wyoming border): camping here is only open for 3 months out of the year: June, July & August. It's camping at over 9,000ft elevation and requires for you to be extra prepared for snow even in the summer months, bears, mountain lions, mosquitos, aggressive horse flies, leeches, strong winds, thunder storms and altitude sickness. They do provide water which tastes fresh like newly melted snow. You can boat, fish, even hunt at some spots with a permit, hike, and swim at your own risk (can be cold, leeches, snakes). It is truly beautiful up here and the drive up the Poudre river makes it worth it. You can also spend the day rafting down the river or fishing.
GuideWe visited Curt Gowdy when multiple fires were burning nearby, so all our pictures are tainted with smoke. This facility offers campers two lakes and several different types of sites. Some are full hook-up and others are no hook-up. We had the latter, but were so happy with our spot. The park is primarily composed of dirt roads. There are so many different types of sites, from those with several trees, lake side, open, or group spots. Water is available for filling bottles, but not campers. No dump stations are open here, but Wyoming has dump stations at its rest stops along the interstates/highways for free. Cell service is unavailable away from the beautiful visitors center. Our campsite sat by itself, on a ridge next to the furthest away lake. It was beautiful and a worn trail at the campsite ended at the water's edge where we could store our kayak in the trees for the weekend. A small beach allowed for chairs to be set up at this spot as well. The lake offers fishing and kayaking. The real draw, though, is the IMBA mountain biking trail system that weaves throughout the park. The trails are well-marked and maps are easy to follow. Hiking is abundant as well. This park sits near Medicine Bow National Forest and has similar typography with awesome rocks, evergreens, aspen and creeks. Hiking is a pleasure in this environment. Our campsite was pull-through with a fire pit and table. There was a fire ban (for obvious reasons) during our September visit.
ScoutAfter driving for nearly 4hrs to find a spot in any of the first come first serve camp grounds up Poudre Canyon we started to head home only to pull into Pingree Park for one last cry for help... we stumbled upon Jack’s Gulch, a little hidden gem, tucked inside a cute mountain trek to the CSU campus at Pingree Park. It didn’t have any “water features” like a stream or a river but it was a quick car ride to find that. The spots were clean, noise was minimal, and there were bathrooms if you needed them. A lot of options as far as camping goes - electrical sites, walk up sites, equestrian sites, and mixed use (what I like to call a mixture of tent and RV). There were also trails all around the campsite that were accessible for bikes, or hiking. It was definitely a Father’s Day to remember. Oh yea, some coyotes at night definitely woke us up! I don’t believe they made it to the campsite but they were close 😳
GuideBeautiful area of Wyoming. The campground is clean and remote, but busy. There was a lot of beetle kill removal work going on when I was there, but I think that has slowed down some. Nice trails close by and the lake is lovely.
GuideLate season camping in wonderful Wyoming is always a risk worth taking and the wife and I were treated to a great final outing for 2020 with our first visit to Curt Gowdy State Park. We knew we were in for a good weekend during the second weekend of October when we met the staff at the visitor center. She was helpful, knowledgeable, and even recommended her favorite spot on the water in the Tumbleweeds Campground, one of several great places to camp in the park.
We were pleasantly surprised to find the favored spot open since it is walk up only in the park this late in the season. The campground had a fair amount of people at the sites, which are remarkably well spaced and spotlessly clean. We found the bathrooms that were open in the same condition, and trash receptacles were still available and being emptied.
Our spot was perfect in every way, with easy access to the water, and a great view of the entire lake. We set up camp in a brisk Wyoming "breeze" of about 20mph, but the weather was warm. By nightfall the breeze was a 40mph "blow" but the sunset was a warm orange and gold tinged with smoke from wildfires in both Wyoming and Colorado.
The next day we spent hiking the area trails and bike paths and recommend the jaunt along Crow Creek to Hidden Falls. By Friday night into early Sunday morning the blow had turned into a full fledged gale of about 70mph and inside our camper was akin to being in the space shuttle on re-entry! The wife was planning escape routes should we trade wheels down to wheels on the side. But by Saturday afternoon the wind was gone and a perfect fall afternoon and evening was served up. Sunday Morning greeted us with freezing drizzle and a skiff of snow making our Wyoming weather experience completely enjoyable. This place is a great visit.
GuideWe camped here in a trailer for almost a week. We were shocked at the availability of spaces given that Colorado is notoriously booked up by February.
Our space was The Overlook and it had an amazing view. The stable horses came up next to the site every morning. It is a massive site that accommodated our trailer, a 2-person tent, 2 vehicles and still had room to spare. The only downsides were no picnic table, little shade, and lots of wind up there.
We drove around to view the other sites. Many options including walk-in sites, riverside camping, and campsites with corrals for horse camping. If you have a larger trailer, avoid the lower sites. Keep to 1-5 or the Overlook for access.
There are stocked trout ponds. You have to pay an additional fee to fish in them. We bought fish food and never saw a fish. The ponds really needed to be maintained as there was a lot of weed growth.
The office is on the first floor of the condo building. Usually open until 4 pm. There is a restaurant (closed while we were there).
Showers are available for $5.
A gift shop/store is available with various small items and treats.
WiFi is available at the office and restaurant. Campsites are too far away. Couldn’t reach it with our WiFi extender either. (Normally wouldn’t want to but working sucks.)
Water for trailers is available bit a tad challenging to access simply because of sharp turns. I can’t speak to water availability for lower campsites.
Trash containers at both the lodge area and at the lower campground.
There is no dump on-site. However, there is a fee-based dump about 1.5 miles away in the Crystal Lakes Community. $10 per use with free water.
The stables are managed separately but are directly across the road. Super friendly and reasonable rates for trail rides. Our 5 & 7 year old granddaughters were able to ride their own horses and had trail riders lead them. Super nice folks!
This is open year-round (condos/cabins in winter) with tubing, skating, and X-country skiing in winter.
ScoutOverall, I had a good time here. Staff was friendly except for at the horse back riding. They don't let you ride if you look like you weigh more than 200lbs. RV parking is a little tight for bigger rigs but great tent spots. There is a horse coral for you at nearly every RV site. No hookups but was able to fill water tank. Queit, peaceful area.. Good firepits. The restaurant food wasn't that great. There are condos if you don't own an RV or tent. We went to Crystal Lake up the road and had a good day.
RangerReal cowboy Wyoming feel here, lots of fun nature to do and views all around. There are like a dozen different places to camp here, most require some driving on dirt and/or gravel roads to get to. Our sedan handled it ok but in the spring or muddy weather it could be impassable without 4WD. There’s only a few places for campers so if you have a tent you’ll want to bring it so can get closer to the really beautiful spots along the reservoirs. There’s an archery range so if you like to sleep in and/or not hear guns all day pick a campground and campsite far away from that. Anyway it’s an astoundingly BEAUTIFUL area.
TravelerTo say we love Beaver Meadows would be a huge understatement. We spend just about every other weekend there all year long - winter and summer. We got married there in 2014 (as our photos show) and it was beautiful. The outdoor wedding area is amazing and right by a river. The reception hall for after is so cool with giant windows so you can look out in every direction on nature and you celebrate your big day. Ever since we've been hooked. They had cabins, condos, lodges, and camp spots so every guest had a place to stay the night.
When you pull around the corner and into the valley it takes your breath away every single time. Lush green fields, ponds, stunning mountain backdrops, wildlife, horses running free, people fishing and riding horses. It's a playground for adults and kids and it's only an hour from our house in Fort Collins - we can't stay away. They have a yummy restaurant too so we never even bring food - we just eat there.
In the winter we go snow tubing (12 + runs with a lift) and stay in one of their little heated cabins which is so cozy but also provides all the amenities of home (kitchen, bedrooms, entertainment, etc). We love to go up before a storm and watch the snow start to fall. In the spring and summer we are up there camping along the river all the time. Each site is unique so we like to change it up each time - we go hiking, horseback riding, and fish in the stocked ponds! There are some unique fish in there - really neat. In the fall we like to go up and do the "river walk" - a series of paths and bridges through tall foilage that feels like your in a different world. Watching the leaves change is awesome in the fall - compares to any drive you can do in the state - soooo many aspens.
If your looking for a romantic weekend with the significant other or a family vacation with the kiddos - I would highly suggest making the drive up - I bet you will fall in love with it just like we did and won't be able to stay away.
Horse camping in Wyoming offers a unique opportunity to explore the great outdoors while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With a variety of campgrounds equipped with horse-friendly amenities, you can experience the beauty of nature alongside your horse.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Jelm, WY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Jelm, WY is Curt Gowdy State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 57 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Jelm, WY?
TheDyrt.com has all 17 equestrian camping locations near Jelm, WY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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