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Best Tent Camping near Pinedale, WY

238 Reviews

Tent camping options around Pinedale, Wyoming range from dispersed primitive sites to established campgrounds in the surrounding high country of the Wind River Range and Wyoming Range. Fisherman Creek Road offers peaceful tent campsites with multiple clearings and fire rings along a dirt road approximately 5 miles west of Rim Station. Half Moon WMA - Pole Creek Campground provides creek-side tent camping with fishing access, though high-clearance vehicles are recommended for the rough final approach.

Access roads to most tent sites vary considerably in quality. The main route to Fisherman Creek Road can accommodate standard vehicles, but many side trails require higher clearance. At Big Sandy Reservoir, campers can find dispersed tent sites near the boat launch with vault toilets available. Most primitive tent camping areas lack amenities like drinking water, trash collection, or maintained facilities. A review mentioned that Fisherman Creek Road features "many sites with shade and fire rings" but no services beyond primitive camping spaces. Weather patterns in this high-elevation region can change rapidly, particularly in spring when snowmelt may cause muddy conditions.

The Wind River Range backcountry provides exceptional solitude for tent campers. Sites at Fisherman Creek Road often remain uncrowded, with one visitor noting "lots of large sites with fire pits and turnarounds. I went 2-3 miles to find an isolated site." Spring Creek Trailhead offers tent access to hiking trails and serves as a gateway for backpackers heading toward Wyoming Peak. The surrounding national forest lands permit primitive tent camping with suitable clearance from waterways. Mosquitoes can be abundant in early summer, particularly near water sources, requiring appropriate repellent. Most tent camping areas around Pinedale maintain quiet hours from roughly 7 PM to 7 AM, even during peak summer season, though weekend ATV traffic increases on some access roads.

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Best Tent Sites Near Pinedale, Wyoming (15)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Pinedale, WY

2 Photos of 15 Pinedale Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Pinedale, WY

238 Reviews of 15 Pinedale Campgrounds

  • Carrie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 18, 2018

    Hoback Campground - Bridger Teton National Forest

    Nice, clean place, easy access

    Pro: easy access, right off the highway. Con: right off the highway, traffic noise. Located right off Hwy 189/191 about 8 miles from Hoback Junction the WEST side of the highway. I camped here for 1 evening before a Grand Teton summit trip. I chose this campground for decent proximity to GTNP (45 minutes away) and the availablity and easy access of sites. I believe there were 12 sites that all had picnic tables and fire rings. There were several other cleared sites, some without tables and grills, that had alpha identifiers other than the 12 numeric sites. Not certain how many alph sites, but looked like tent only sites. They were all $15 nightly and an additional $7 for extra vehicle. They had one site with electricity, right next to the camp host. this one site is $25 a night. The campground has pit toilets, bear boxes, water, dumpsters. The Hoback Runs next to several of the campsites. I would highly recommend getting as near the river as possible to drown out the noise from the highway. Camp hosts were very nice! I only had a $20 to pay my fee with. They brought $5.00 in change back to my campsite after I placed it in the depository. They have firewood for purchase for $6.00 a bundle. I was a runner up in a Dyrt camping contest last month. with my REI gift card I purchased the Big Agnes MountainGlo tent lights and a Sea to Summit sleeping bag liner. Fun to try these out!

  • Greg L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 1, 2021

    Trails End Campground Elkhart Park

    Nice high elevation camp

    UPDATE: road has been torn up to gravel last 4 mi or so. Intent is to repave it but as of June 20 2024 it was washboard dusty gravel last few miles to top.

    Small campground at end of paved road. Only a few sites can handle RVs, total of 8 sites but # 2-5 are large enough for TT or RVs, $12 nite, 14d limit. Vault toilet, but NO water and no trash. No reservations, all sites are FF. Camp host is onsite at the cabin A-frame info bldg. Large area of horse trailer parking and hiking TH parking adjacent. No cell service but short distance down main paved at a viewpoint cell signal seems to connect. 10 miles from Pinedale, this is really just the end of road parking for access to wilderness trails above. CG elevation is 9350 ft.

  • Jennifer K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 10, 2021

    Granite Creek Campground

    Stunning views!

    Absolutely gorgeous campground with amazing hosts especially Ben the cat!!! Super quiet and sites are spacious and far enough away from others you still feel secluded. It is incredibly dark at night, I've never seen so many stars in the sky! No light pollution at all. I really wish I had brought my telescope. Very nice park approved fire rings at each site and firewood available for sale at the host lot. Also large bear resistant food boxes and large picnic table available at each site. Water is available to fill your fresh tank but there is no where to dump grey or black tanks so be mindful of that especially when you have to travel 8 miles down a rough dirt road. Hosts did however reccomend we could empty a couple buckets of grey water in the vault toilet if we had to and even offered to let us use one of their buckets. There are vault toilets available and bear resistant dumpsters. Also no cell service at all but I didn't mind. Beautiful waterfall and hot springs you can walk or drive to. Many beautiful trails to walk as well. This is real camping folks; no hookups, no wifi or cell service ...only fresh water and firewood available. Make sure to bring everything you need as it's nearly an hour from town. Generators allowed until 10pm. $15 a day and I believe it was a 16 day limit. First come first serve, no reservations.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 31, 2019

    Granite Creek Campground

    Big reward for rough road in

    Be sure to throttle it way down into low gear as the long in road is really rough! If you like remote with at least the basics of picnic tables, bear boxes, and fire pits, this is your place. The sites next to the creek are the nicest and most level, and all have bear boxes (and notices about mandatory food storage). While I didn't see any bears, there were quite a few mule deer in the meadow in the evening., and I had to kick elk scat out of my tent space before set up.The vault toilet was clean enough, but could have been better. The campground is very close to Granite Creek Hot Springs, a pool type hot spring with a fee to swim instead of a natural hot spring pool. Word is that there were some pools at the base of the falls, but I wan't up for the hike or the very cold fording of the "creek" as it was very full with spring runoff. The manager let me hop in to test the water (too cool for real enjoyment according to him), and didn't charge me when I got out after just 15 minutes. The whole time I was in the pool he was regaling a couple with his story of a grizzly killing an elk calf the week before a few miles away. He was quite the story teller, and had the video on his phone to prove it. It was a "grizzly" tale.

  • Swampy W.
    Sep. 3, 2025

    Fremont Lake

    Large campground on beautiful lake

    This is a large campground along the lakeshore.  The lake is pretty big.  Most of the sites are on a bluff above the lake.  Many of the sites did not appear to have a specific area to set up a tent, so there were some tents set up on gravel or pavement.  There are no showers available.  There was a good tent site on the upper part of our site.  We had heard reports of mosquitoes, but did not have any problems.  There were reports of a black bear in camp looking for food.  All sites have bear boxes.  This campground is conveniently located if you are planning to do any hiking from the Elkhart Park area.  We hiked to Photographer's Point and the views were spectacular.  Also, it is just a few minutes drive into Pinedale where you can sample the beers at Wind River Brewing.

  • Greg L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 19, 2024

    Soda Lake Wildlife Area

    Free camping on a lake

    This area is a wide open no shade glacial pothole lake. There are free designated, kind of, campsites around the lake. Couple places to launch a boat and four vault toilets scattered around. No trash dumpsters, no water, but fair to good cell signal depending on your location. Only a few miles outside of Pinedale on nice graded gravel roads. 14 day camping limit is posted.

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 25, 2024

    Forest Park

    Nice looking wooded primitive campground

    Visited in mid-September 2024. $10 ($5 with senior pass). Did not camp here; just checking it out. Included some photos in this revciew. Except for one towable camper, I was surprised that no one else was camping here, especially considering it was hunting season. The campground was set back in the trees off of Greys River Road. Lots of trees here; lots of shade. Nice looking campground. Good size sites; appear to be level. Picnic table and fire ring included. Not much privacy between sites, but separation between sites was good. Two clean vault toilets. Hand well water pump. Trash service.  No other amenities. No hook-ups. Campground appears to be well maintained. I would consider camping here in the future.

  • Greg L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 6, 2021

    New Fork River BLM Campground

    Small rundown BLM CG

    Small Free BLM CG along New Fork River at jct of hwy 351 and the river. One decrepit vault toilet, three worn out wood tables, no metal fire rings. No water, no trash. Hwy noise an issue. However good access to river and cell signal on ATT and TMobile/ Sprint good. Verizon not so good.

  • Greg L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 24, 2021

    Narrows Campground

    Nice shady CG

    Nice shady campground with 19 sites, most FF but did see a couple with reserved signs. Vault toilets, tables, fire rings, but no water or trash dumpsters. No cell signal. However an issue is the loop roads are narrow sandy-lumpy one- way and would be risky for a larger TT or RV without some advance recon and a spotter. Most sites are sized for tent/van or truck campers. $12 camp fee /$6.00 senior. 14 day limit. No camp host.

Guide to Pinedale

Tent camping near Pinedale, Wyoming offers backcountry experiences in the Wind River and Wyoming mountain ranges at elevations ranging from 7,000 to 10,000 feet. Summer temperatures typically range from 40°F overnight to 80°F daytime, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms in July and August. Road conditions vary seasonally with spring melt creating challenging access to higher elevation sites.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: Big Sandy Reservoir provides excellent fishing access for tent campers. "Great fishing at the reservoir!" according to keera B., who enjoyed Big Sandy Reservoir during a brief overnight stay.

Wildlife viewing: The surrounding wilderness areas support diverse wildlife populations including deer, elk, and numerous bird species. At Fisherman Creek Road, Witek C. reported, "Nobody passed our campsite that whole evening, aside from a deer," highlighting the peaceful setting conducive to wildlife observation.

Hiking trails: Access numerous trail systems directly from camping areas for day hikes or extended backpacking trips. Carrie C. noted about Spring Creek Trailhead, "The Spring Creek Falls trailhead has a river crossing at the 2 mile mark, sign states it is 5 miles to the falls... Wyoming Peak was a wonderful hike, highly recommend!"

What campers like

Solitude and privacy: Many dispersed camping areas near Pinedale offer significant distance between sites. Donald B. described Fisherman Creek Road as having "lots of large sites with fire pits and turnarounds. I went 2-3 miles to find an isolated site."

Ease of access: Despite the remote feeling, several camping areas remain accessible without specialized vehicles. Tee C. shared about Fisherman Creek Road: "There were many available campsites and it's not far from the main road at all. I had a bar of service via Verizon. Really had the place to ourselves."

Mountain views: The surrounding ranges provide dramatic backdrops for many camping areas. At Bull Lake, despite requiring permits, campers enjoy scenic mountain vistas. One visitor to Big Sandy Reservoir reported, "The view of the Wind River range at sunset is gorgeous. Not too many campers."

What you should know

Permit requirements: Some areas require specific permissions or passes. Robert T. warns about Bull Lake: "Be aware, you MUST have a reservation pass to camp here. I was told that you can get into serious trouble if you don't have one. Enquire at Lander or Dubois about getting a pass."

Insect activity: Mosquitoes are prevalent near water sources, particularly during early summer. Witek C. advised about Fisherman Creek Road: "The only downside was the crazy amount of mosquitoes. Bring bug spray!"

Road conditions: Access to many camping areas requires navigating unpaved roads of varying quality. One camper at Half Moon WMA - Pole Creek Campground noted: "It's a rough drive in down the last road. I recommend high clearance, 4WD even better. The main road in is improved gravel and easy, but there are hairpin turns on the hill."

Wildlife considerations: Proper food storage is essential in bear country. Beyond large mammals, some areas have rodent issues. Kevin K. reported from Big Sandy Reservoir: "It's a nice enough lake, if you like mice! I caught 11 in 2 nights."

Tips for camping with families

Proximity to services: For families needing occasional access to supplies, some camping areas offer nearby services. Angie S. mentioned about Fisherman Creek Road: "About 5 miles west of Rim Station with an RV park and a little country store. Dump and fill station available there if needed. Owner is very kind!"

Quiet periods: Most dispersed camping areas maintain informal quiet hours. Dakota H. observed at Fisherman Creek Road that "It was quiet from 7 PM to 7 AM," making it suitable for families needing regular sleep schedules.

Water sources: Access to creeks and lakes varies by location. Glen B. shared about Bull Lake: "Following the road up then crossing the dam got us on the side of the lake where we made camp, it was early summer so the water was pretty low and gave us access to sites that would otherwise be underwater."

Tips from RVers

Maneuverability considerations: Many forest roads have limited turnaround areas for larger vehicles. Witek C. found at Fisherman Creek Road: "The spot was large enough to turn around and easily maneuver the trailer."

Seasonal timing: Fall camping offers fewer crowds and cooler temperatures. Renee T. reported from Big Sandy Reservoir: "We dispersed by boat launch. By ourselves on a Wednesday after labor day. Construction at east and west campgrounds. 5g cell T-Mobile."

Hookup alternatives: While no hookups exist at these primitive sites, some nearby facilities offer services. Angie S. noted about camping near Fisherman Creek Road: "Dump and fill station available there if needed" at the nearby Rim Station RV park.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find dry tent camping in Pinedale?

Fisherman Creek Road offers excellent dispersed camping with numerous large sites featuring fire rings and turnarounds. Located just about 5 miles west of Rim Station, the dirt road provides easy access with plenty of isolated spots about 1-2 miles in. For a more scenic option, Cliff Creek Road provides beautiful dry camping opportunities with spectacular views of the surrounding landscape, making it perfect for tent campers seeking a more immersive wilderness experience.

What is the best season for tent camping in Pinedale?

Summer through early fall (July-September) offers the best tent camping conditions in Pinedale. Big Sandy Reservoir provides gorgeous views of the Wind River range during this period, with spectacular sunsets and good fishing opportunities. July and August typically have the most stable weather, though evening bugs can be prevalent near water. At Bull Lake, access roads can become tricky during wet weather, so late summer's drier conditions are preferable. The area generally clears of snow by June, and temperatures remain pleasant through September when fall colors emerge but before winter conditions set in.

What amenities are available at Pinedale tent campgrounds?

Amenities at Pinedale area tent campgrounds vary widely. Spring Creek Trailhead offers basic facilities including picnic tables at some sites, campfire rings, and meat poles popular with hunters. Located near both the Greys River and Spring Creek, it provides water access without modern conveniences. At Half Moon WMA - Pole Creek Campground, you'll find creek access for fishing and water, though the site is primitive with no developed facilities. Most dispersed camping areas in the region feature fire rings but lack potable water, restrooms, or other amenities.

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