Best Tent Camping near Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG

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 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!

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)

This wooded campground has a very narrow season. Gravel roads (starting at Albany) were snowed in 4 miles out in late May 2019, While there are gendered vault toilets (TP stocked), bring your own water for cooking and cleaning. This fact alone makes it better for RVs than tent campers like us. There are loads of sites, well spaced with fire rings and picnic tables. We got rain and small hail on the 3rd weekend in July and it got to 40 F or below overnight. Deer, chipmunks, and a bald eagle were spotted. There were mosquitoes. There is a boat ramp into the reservoir. Heavily ATV traffic. Dog friendly but must be on leash. Gunfire noted early and late across reservoir. With proper prior planning, you will probably have a pleasant experience.

$10; $5 with senior/interagency pass. Camped in site 8 on Oct 12, 2024; in my opinion, this is the best site. Short walk to his/hers vault toilets in day use area. Trash cans nearby. Site was level & accommodated my van. Area for setting up tent. Hammock camping possible. We'll water pump located near entrance to campground next to site #2. Picnic table and metal firering on site. Overall, the campsite was clean. Good separation between sites. Some trees and foliage between sites. Site was mostly shaded. Encampment River was behind the site. Hiking trail nearby. Liked this campground. I would stay here again. Campground was well maintained, and the vault toilet was clean and stocked. Very weak T-Mobile and AT&T service.