Best Tent Camping near Powell, WY

Tent camping near Powell, Wyoming offers primitive sites set in the high plains and mountain foothills of northern Wyoming. Buffalo Bill State Park provides established tent campgrounds with defined sites along the Shoshone River, while Big Quiet Farm Stay offers more secluded tent camping options with scenic views. Big Horn NRC Dispersed SR is a free dispersed camping area accessible to tent campers seeking more primitive experiences within a short drive of Powell.

Most tent sites in the Powell region feature minimal leveling on dirt or gravel surfaces with rustic amenities. Buffalo Bill State Park's North Fork Campground includes large tent pads with privacy walls separating sites, concrete picnic tables, and vault toilets accessible throughout the campground. Tent campers should note that many sites are exposed to wind, particularly those along Buffalo Bill Reservoir. Water access varies by location, with some campgrounds providing drinking water spigots while dispersed sites require campers to bring their own supply. Seasonal operation affects availability, with Buffalo Bill State Park operating primarily from May through September.

The tent camping experience around Powell offers expansive mountain views and direct water access at several locations. Sites at Buffalo Bill State Park provide stunning vistas of surrounding mountains and access to the Shoshone River, ideal for fishing and paddling. Higher elevation tent sites offer cooler temperatures during summer months but may experience significant wind. Tent campers benefit from the spacious design at North Fork Campground, where "the tent sites have HUGE tent pads, plenty of room for our 9x12 cabin tent and solar panels." Wildlife viewing opportunities abound, with visitors regularly reporting deer sightings near their tent sites. Proximity to Cody (approximately 20 miles west) provides convenient access to supplies while maintaining a wilderness camping experience.

Best Tent Sites Near Powell, Wyoming (12)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Powell, WY

33 Photos of 12 Powell Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Powell, WY

334 Reviews of 12 Powell Campgrounds


  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 27, 2017

    Beartooth Lake

    Aptly named campground

    A well named campground as the grizzly bear activities in the campground precluded us actually spending the night in the campground in July of 2015. The ranger actually closed the campground down as we were pulling up, saying poor camper habits with food storage had attracted a sow and cub to the campground. He was going to set up a live trap and hopefully move them to a new home territory. That said, we were able to take a quick look at the campground before being shooed out. Nice, clean, about 20 sites not too close to each other with picnic tables, fire rings, food storage boxes, and vault toilets. We were able to hike around the outside edge of the campground (note the picture of the fresh bear print in the mud) to get to the Claw Lake Trail, an 8 miler that winds up over 9,000 feet past several beautiful named and unnamed lakes, including Claw Lake and Beauty Lake. Carry bear spray and mosquito spray!!

  • NThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 28, 2021

    Parkside Campground

    Beautiful High

    Open:  Early May - Late Sep

    Fee area:  $19.25 extra vehicle $9.50

    Limit:  16 days

    Sites 28 with a camp host

    Reservations:  877-444-6777 or recreation.gov

    FCFS 20% of sites

    Amenities:  pit toilets, water, bear boxes, fire ring, picnic table, firewood for sale, trash

    Sites 10 and 12 are good for solar.  Sites are paved

    This campground has a wonderful creek running through it.  Well wooded with mature every green and leafed shade trees.  Sites have privacy and the backdrop of the surrounding mountains is amazing.

  • NThe Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 31, 2021

    Porcupine Campground (WY)

    Primitive High

    Fee:  $17.00 per night, additional vehicle $9.00

    Sites:  16 Accessible with 12 sites reserve 2 tent only

    Limit 14 days

    In Season: trash and water

    Out of Season:  No water or trash

    Open:  June

    Beautiful pine forest at the top of the mountain on a gravel road.  Camphost  is located at the Bald Mountain Campground.  Sites are small with picnic table, fire ring, back in sites.  Some sites are good for solar and some are shady.  The countryside and mountain back drop is beautiful.  Very peaceful.

    LNT

    BTYFI

    Travel safe

  • Crystal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 5, 2019

    Wapiti Campground

    Fishing Access To River With Mixed Amenities

    When traveling along the riverside from Cody to Yellowstone and looking for a site which provides large spaces and electricity your options are very limited.     This campground is one of the only options available with river access which meet this requirement while also catering to those which desire unimproved camping.     The location offers two loops of camping including one which is designed for the primitive camper and one which caters to those who would like some of the comforts of home.   

    Upon entering camp you will find a camping kiosk with an honor box, however unlike many of the campgrounds in this area there are campground host which hold you accountable for your entry.    This makes sense with such offerings.

    Each of the camping loops are designed for one way traffic, which allows you to more simplistically move through camp however can be a bit harder for larger rigs when searching for sites as some are not clearly marked.

    Each loop has access to vault toilets scattered throughout camp in key locations and there is a common water spigot in several locations around the camp.   I found that this was very convenient for those which are not requiring the electricity to still have some access to water since there are no services located nearby camp.

    On the primitive loop and improved loop alike the sites are very evenly sized with some locations being back in or pull in another others being pull through.     There are also double sites available.   All sites have common picnic tables and bear boxes in addition to fire rings.

    With such a variety of services and spaces offered prices do range vastly from site to site.     If you are wanting a primitive site they start off at $15 for singles and $30 for doubles or $20 for electric singles and $40 for electric doubles.  They do however offer a discount for those who have a senior access pass.

    This particular campground does not welcome or offer sites for those with horses, something I noticed was very common to this area.   

    Something which sets this site apart however from other locations is the specific area designed for fishing access.   If you pull through camp there is a parking area and large bank access point for those camping at the grounds or just visiting for day use.

    Despite being right on the river, I felt this campground seemed much more dry than other campsites and many of the locations were more exposed to the harsh sunlight.   When vehicles drove through it was very dusty and made things feel very cloudy.

  • NThe Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 30, 2021

    Wapiti Campground

    Grizzly Country

    Dates: May (mid)- Oct (mid) 

    Fees: $20.00 single with electric $15.00 single without electric 

    $30.00 to $40.00 for double 

    Sites: 41 

    Reservations: 877-444-6777 or recreation.gov 

    Wapiti (pronounced Wa-puh-tee) means "elk". Potable water, pit toilet, trash, picnic table, fire ring, bear box. Campground is flat with gravel base for sites and road, nice private sites with most of the campground along 14/16/20 highway. Check out the nearby Wapiti Wayside to learn about grizzly bears and other wildlife in the area. Having the Shoshone River and the backdrop of the mountains is a beautiful delight. 

    LNT

    BTYFI 

    Travel safe

  • NThe Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 31, 2021

    Bald Mountain Campground

    Beautiful High

    Limit:  14 days

    June 1 - October 1

    Sites:  15 single accessible 

    Fee:  $17.00 per night, additional vehicle fee $9.00

    Reservations:  877-444-6777 or recreation.gov

    In season there is potable water, trash service, out of season NO water, NO trash.  Pack it in Pack it out, Host on site.  Picnic table, fire ring, lantern post, ped grill, pit toilets.  The views are amazing with the beautiful mountains for the back drop.  Sites are dirt and short and close together.  Some shade and some sun.  There is even a place to off load 4 wheeler out of back of truck without ramps.

    LNT

    BTYFI

    Travel safe

  • James D.
    Sep. 29, 2016

    Basin Campground

    Fun camping, kayaking and fishing!

    My wife and I were able to stay here for 3 nights. The grounds feature vault toilets, campfire rings, food storage lockers, and even a hand pump for water. There is someone who sells firewood at the camp which makes things easy on everyone. The tent site was level and large. There are some good hiking trails but they are open to mountain bikers so heads up! They may get pretty muddy. The kayaking was peaceful. I didn't catch much fishing but that's my fault not the campsites! We were on the Wild Bill Lake.

  • Tonya Y.
    Jun. 19, 2017

    Basin Campground

    Beautiful, Clean, Quiet and Natural Environment

    We came into this campground on a Wednesday and picked the best of three open sites. There were a lot of reserved sites, but they were mostly coming in on Friday.

    The site was beautiful and very close to the river (the sound was great). The vault toilets were very clean. The water was available through a easy to use hand pump. The camp hosts had firewood for $5.00 per bundle.

    We were tent camping and the site had a large pad, a place for my hammock, a nice wooden picnic table, and a GREAT fire ring. The sites were all very far apart from each other.


Guide to Powell

Tent camping near Powell, Wyoming features sites with varied terrain from high plains to mountain foothills between 4,000-5,000 feet elevation. Summer temperatures typically range from 45-90°F with cooler nights at higher elevations. The camping season runs primarily from May through September, though weather conditions can vary significantly with strong winds common in the shoulder seasons.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: Big Horn NRC Dispersed SR provides direct access to fishing spots along the Shoshone River where campers can catch trout and other native species. According to John H., the site offers "Amazing views" while camping "next to the water."

Mountain biking: Meeteetse campground serves as a starting point for several gravel and dirt trails suitable for mountain biking. Rebekah R. notes, "Roads aren't super well maintained, so make sure you're comfortable with driving on gravel, and 4WD."

Dam exploration: North Fork Campground provides convenient access to the Buffalo Bill Dam. Ashley M. mentioned, "We enjoyed visiting the dam and the bike park in the town of Cody, WY." The dam offers informative displays about local hydrology and history.

Wildlife photography: The diverse ecosystems around Powell create excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, particularly at dawn and dusk. Early morning hours offer the best lighting conditions for photographers seeking to capture the local fauna.

What campers like

Privacy features: North Fork Campground includes design elements that create separation between sites. A camper noted, "We rented. The camp sites are in the open. Not secluded but the dividing walls worked great. Near the road but traffic noise was not a issue."

Value compared to national parks: The campgrounds near Powell typically cost less than those within Yellowstone. Sara S. commented, "Prices were outstanding compared to other parks near. I would definitely come back here if visiting Yellowstone again."

Spacious sites: Campers appreciate the generous sizing of tent sites in the area. Alyssa M. enthusiastically reported, "We had so much space, a beautiful Mountain View on both sides, and easy access to firewood for a small donation."

Clean facilities: Greybull KOA Holiday maintains well-kept grounds and amenities. According to a reviewer, "Overall, pleasant stay and the campground was clean and well cared for. The only negative thing is the noise of the trains through the night."

What you should know

Weather challenges: Most tent sites around Powell experience significant wind exposure, particularly those at higher elevations. Benjamin C. advises bringing proper gear: "site: clean. large. level. decent privacy."

Water availability varies: Big Quiet Farm Stay & Campground provides drinking water, while dispersed sites require bringing your own supply. Ashley F. notes, "Ashley here with The Dyrt. We're so excited to have Rod's property on our platform! So many ways to stay, from Tee-Pees to tents!"

Seasonal operating schedules: Most campgrounds around Powell operate from May through September. Some sites near Buffalo Bill State Park close earlier or later depending on weather conditions.

Shower facilities: Shower availability differs between campgrounds. At Buffalo Bill State Park, Ashley M. noted, "There are vault toilets scattered and near the entrance is a single person flush toilet stall with coin shower."

Train noise: Campsites near Greybull experience railway noise throughout the night. One camper mentioned this was "the only negative thing" about an otherwise pleasant stay.

Tips for camping with families

Playground access: Some campgrounds offer play areas for children, though availability may be affected by seasonal or other restrictions. Ashley M. observed during her visit: "The playground was fenced off due to Covid in August 2020."

Large tent accommodation: Buffalo Bill State Park provides spacious tent pads that easily fit family-sized tents. James N. reported, "Great campsite. Lots of room. Facilities were very clean. Ice playground for the kids."

Breakfast options: Some campgrounds offer meal services. Big Quiet Farm Stay provides breakfast made with local ingredients, which can be convenient for families not wanting to cook every morning.

Proximity to town supplies: Most campgrounds are within 20-30 minutes of Powell or Cody for restocking supplies. HANNON C. shared, "We spent extra time in Cody, WY and it was a divine experience."

Tips from RVers

Limited hookup availability: Most campgrounds near Powell offer partial hookups only. Ashley M. noted, "We got a pull through site with electricity but no water hookup. Potable water was available throughout the park, however."

Dump station access: Black Canyon Campground requires specific planning for access. John H. warns, "Beware- Boat in only. There is no road access to any of the campgrounds located inside the canyon. The only road access campsites are downstream of dam in the afterbay."

Site leveling requirements: Many RV sites in the Powell area require some leveling. Pat H. described sites at Buffalo Bill State Park as having "Electric, pull through sites. Boat landing. Pit toilets. No showers."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Powell, WY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Powell, WY is Big Quiet Farm Stay & Campground with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Powell, WY?

TheDyrt.com has all 12 tent camping locations near Powell, WY, with real photos and reviews from campers.