Best Tent Camping near Rock River, WY

Tent campsites near Rock River, Wyoming offer several primitive options across public lands in the Medicine Bow region. Wheatland Reservoir #3 and Lake Hattie Public Access Area provide established tent camping, while Upper Blaire Dispersed Camping and Foote Public Access Area offer more primitive experiences. These sites generally require self-sufficient camping preparation, with most located within 60 miles of Rock River in the greater Laramie and Medicine Bow vicinity.

The primitive tent setups at Foote Public Access Area require driving through private property on dirt roads to reach riverside campsites. Most sites lack amenities beyond vault toilets, with no running water available at locations like Wheatland Reservoir. Fire restrictions vary seasonally, with several locations prohibiting open fires entirely. Walk-in tent opportunities exist at Upper Blaire Dispersed Camping, accessible via forest roads. A visitor commented that "Upper Blaire has at least three camp sites that are all secluded by boulders and trees, each with established fire sites." Many areas require campers to pack in all water and supplies while adhering to leave-no-trace principles.

Tent camping areas in this region typically offer river or lake access, making them popular for fishing and water activities. Mosquitoes can be problematic at waterfront sites, particularly at Foote Public Access where one camper noted they were "something fierce but it's a nice site other than that." Lake Hattie provides beach-like shorelines for swimming but offers minimal shade. The Upper Blaire area provides more secluded forest camping with established fire rings and some protection from wind, unlike the more exposed reservoir sites. Seasonal considerations include strong winds across open areas and potential for cow encounters in forest service lands. Most tent campgrounds remain primitive but accessible for standard vehicles, though washboard roads can be challenging in some sections.

Best Tent Sites Near Rock River, Wyoming (6)

    1. Wheatland Reservoir #3

    1 Review
    Rock River, WY
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (307) 777-4600

    "Some pitch vault toilets available at the shore line (could use more attention and cleaning)."

    3. Lake Hattie Public Access Area

    5 Reviews
    Centennial, WY
    35 miles
    Website
    +1 (720) 601-5008

    "We stayed here at the lake. Camping limit is 5 days. Beautiful Mountain View, swimming and fishing. No cell phone service with Verizon. No running water has restrooms and lots of camp/ picnic tables."

    "Camped at Lake Hattie May 2020. We have a Tacoma and RTT, but any sort of car or camper could make it here no problem. No fees - this is BLM land."

    4. Foote Public Access Area Dispersed

    17 Reviews
    Saratoga, WY
    47 miles
    Website

    "Camp at designated sites only. There are no numbered spaces, just small round a bouts and pull offs to pull into. About 6 vehicles is max for this site. Pit toilet located here."

    "Road in is an easy drive. I didn't have any clearance issues in a Prius. 🥰 Right fork: The coordinates will take you to a day use only area great for fishing from the river bank."

    5. Upper Blaire Dispersed Camping

    4 Reviews
    Buford, WY
    48 miles
    Website

    "The washboard road coming off the highway is harsh but it smooths out when you get closer to camp. There are at least three camp site I saw that are all secluded by boulders and trees."

Show More
Showing results 1-6 of 6 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win


Tent Camping Reviews near Rock River, WY

165 Reviews of 6 Rock River Campgrounds


  • S
    Jul. 31, 2019

    Rob Roy Campground

    Prepare for 3 Ws- Water, weather, & wildlife.

    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.

  • Dave The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 28, 2022

    Brooklyn Lake Campground

    Brooklyn Lake

    This campground was great! It was our backup plan… Sugarloaf was full. 

    We camped site #5. Which has a partial view of the lake through some trees, but a great view of the mountains. 

    Campsites have picnic tables and fire rings. 

    Road in was slightly rough, but easy to find/navigate, and any decent car can make it. 

    No water while we were there, but vault toilets were decent and open, there are 2 total. Trash is also available, so dont worry about packing it out. 

    ATT had spotty service, but you can hike up and maybe get a bar or two. 

    Speaking of hiking… There are some great trails which lead up to a glacial lake with some incredible views. 

    The other reviews about mosquitos are correct… They are relentless in the evening and mornings, but we were one of the closest campsites to the water, so the sites further back might have been a little better. 

    Arrive early(ish). We got here about 11am and site #5 was the only one available. Watched about a dozen more vehicles drive around camp throughout the day, without the same luck. This was on a Wednesday.

    Overall, we had a great time here. Scenery was great, sites were clean, people were friendly.

  • Casey L.
    Jun. 27, 2022

    Yellow Pine Campground (Wy)

    Decent Campground with Nice Views

    We stayed 2 nights here in site 4. There were only 3 other sites occupied our 1st night (Sunday night.) Our site didn’t have a great spot for a tent but luckily we sleep on a platform in our 4Runner. Our picnic table was in rough shape but the fire ring was good. Some sites are back/pull in and some are pull through which looked to be big enough for campers. Most sites are out in the open with no shade or privacy while the ones on the outer edge have some small trees - more for separation from neighbors than shade or hammocking (we were sad about that, we had brought our hammocks.) The 2 bathrooms looked to be recently constructed and were clean. There are nice views of the hills around and close to a lot of national forest trails. Overall I would recommend.

  • K
    Aug. 24, 2019

    Pickaroon Campground

    Nice - primitive

    Pickaroon is ideal for the tent and small rugged RVs but is used mostly for day use fishing. Tight switchbacks on the final decent into the campground will be a challenge for anything 20+. 4 wheel drive a must if it’s wet.

    Most traffic is day use fishermen and is the end of the forest road. Fishing can be good, but the volume of traffic means lots of pressure. The outhouse is old and in need of significant repair (doors won’t close fully) and is under serviced (bring your own tp). No water. Fire rings are old and picnic tables are well used and could use repair.

    This seems like an awesome, off the beaten path location to get away - but it seems everyone agrees. I’ve been twice mid week in 2019 and on weekends. All campgrounds were occupied each time. Also, lots of RVs are brought down and left vacant during the week, and the owners just go down on the weekends. Lots of abuse (left for more than 14 days and vacant for more than 24 hours) of Forest service rules by those who frequent Pickaroon.

  • Sarah H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 18, 2025

    Sugarloaf Campground

    Beautiful and peaceful

    Bathrooms and water pump available, each site had a tent pad, picnic table and fire ring. There is no firewood available to buy, each night is 20$.

    16 spots some reserved some first come first serve, we got lucky and got someone’s canceled reserved spot.

    Lots of hikes and lakes in walking distance

  • Derek S.
    Jul. 9, 2019

    Bennett Creek Campground — Bureau Of Land Management

    End of the road.

    Great BLM campground with fire rings, water and amazing scenery. Located where the North Platte river cuts through sagebrush country, the  hills and peaks resembling  prehistoric boulders... in the middle of ranch country, the drive in takes you all the way to the end of the road. Just keep going until you can’t go anymore. The road is in good condition. There’s cattle, horses and plenty of pronghorn wandering about. The sites each have a couple picnic tables. Fire rings have cooking grates. And the well pump has a crank for easy use. 1 vault toilet. There’s a boat ramp for the numerous oar-float boats and rafts going in and out. Down stream is treasure island... another campground located outside Saratoga’. Upstream within a half mile is the coral creek campground. Days were warm but the nights cooled off considerably. It was the 4th of July and more than half the sites were available.

  • I
    Jun. 3, 2025

    Miller Lake dispersed

    Early Season Overnight

    Spent a quick afternoon through morning at the site. We were able to find a pretty clear spot with a fire pit to set up, but most of the old sites are grown over and too cramped for tent camping. The vault toilets are still there, so if you bring your own TP and hand sanitizer, it can be pretty nice. There was hardly any traffic—just a couple ATVs and trucks in the early evening. The area is pretty wooded, but plenty of clear skies due to the wildfire from a couple years ago. The lake is a short walk away, but probably not safe to swim due to what looks like high amounts of HCB. Same goes for fishing. There are fish present, but they’re pretty skittish and probably not super safe to eat. Still, very beautiful area with a good level of seclusion.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 1, 2019

    Silver Lake Campground

    Snowed in

    I tried to camp here but was snowed out: the campground had not opened yet. However I was able to check it out by car. All the usual items were present: vault toilet, picnic tables, fire pits. It looked like there was a dedicated host site. There was some great hiking nearby. You won't have phone service here, just saying. I can't wait to come back and actually pitch my tent here next summer.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 23, 2022

    White Rock Canyon Dispersed Site

    Roadside Pullouts

    AT&T 1-2 bars depending your location. Road in is about 5 miles, keeps going to few pullouts. Huge area for camping in groups if you continue down road make left. Use satellite view you’ll see what I’m talking about. 16 day limit. No water, garbage, restrooms, firewood everywhere no sure restrictions.


Guide to Rock River

Tent camping near Rock River, Wyoming requires preparation for variable conditions, with nighttime temperatures dropping significantly even in summer months. The Medicine Bow area receives considerable wind across open terrain, especially at reservoir locations, creating challenging conditions for unsecured gear. Most designated tent sites sit at elevations between 6,800-7,500 feet, with higher forest service spots offering more protection from elements than lakeside areas.

What to do

Fishing access points: Lake Hattie Public Access Area offers direct water access with a shoreline described as "beach-like" for both fishing and swimming. Eric S. notes it's "~20 miles west of Laramie. Easy access and can drive right up to the water and park."

Wildlife viewing: At Foote Public Access Area, campers report diverse wildlife sightings. James K. explains, "I saw a mink and an eagle while there," while Donner N. mentions "various wild and farm animal noises all night which kept me on my toes."

Boating options: North Platte River access points provide boat launches for small watercraft. At Foote Public Access Area, Alexandra T. notes, "There's also a boat ramp, and I imagine if you fish, the creek would be a nice little spot to fish."

Rock climbing: Tent sites near climbing areas provide convenient basecamp options. The Upper Blaire Dispersed Camping area offers "very convenient" access to climbing routes according to reviewer Les R.

What campers like

Secluded sites: Upper Blaire's forested camping areas provide privacy not found at reservoir locations. Kiloalpha 2 reports, "There are at least three camp sites I saw that are all secluded by boulders and trees. Each one has established fire sites."

River proximity: Campers value waterside tent sites along the North Platte. Andrea F. describes Pick Bridge Road as "a beautiful area that is good for fishing and is extremely quiet. You can be as secluded as you'd like to be."

Mountain backdrops: Several reservoirs offer tent camping with mountain views. At Lake Hattie Public Access Area, Megan V. notes "There is a great mountain backdrop behind the lake and it made for great views!"

Low light pollution: The Medicine Bow region offers exceptional stargazing opportunities due to minimal light pollution and open skies. Wheatland Reservoir #3 provides what Katie S. describes as "peaceful and quiet area, but with few amenities."

What you should know

Fire restrictions: Rules vary by location and season. At Pick Bridge Road, fires are prohibited entirely, while Upper Blaire allows fires in established rings. Always check current restrictions with local ranger districts.

Limited facilities: Most tent sites near Rock River offer minimal amenities. At Wheatland Reservoir #3, Katie S. notes "some pitch vault toilets available at the shore line (could use more attention and cleaning)."

Insect considerations: Waterfront camping areas experience significant mosquito activity. Lauren C. advises about Foote Public Access: "Bring your bug spray, mosquitoes are relentless. Our poor dogs were getting bit all over."

Road conditions: Access to several camping areas requires navigating unpaved roads. Lady Phyre notes about Foote Public Access, "Road in is an easy drive. I didn't have any clearance issues in a Prius," while Upper Blaire campers report significant washboard sections.

Capacity limitations: Smaller dispersed camping areas fill quickly. Kendra T. warns about Foote Public Access being "very small... definitely only room for maybe 2" while recommending arriving early for weekend camping.

Tips for camping with families

Swimming areas: Lake Hattie offers beach-like shorelines ideal for families with children. Juana B. reports, "We stayed here at the lake. Beautiful Mountain View, swimming and fishing... lots of camp/picnic tables."

Site selection criteria: Choose camps with established tent pads and natural wind barriers. At Wheatland Reservoir #3, Katie S. mentions "wide open spaces" but cautions about exposure to wind and weather.

Wildlife awareness: Prepare children for possible livestock encounters. At Upper Blaire, Izzy T. reports "lots of cows roaming around" and Les R. warns "there are cows roaming free in this area. You might find them blocking the road or next to your tent when you wake up."

Supply planning: No reliable water sources exist at most sites. Juana B. notes Lake Hattie has "no running water" and "no cell phone service with Verizon," requiring families to pack accordingly.

Tips from RVers

Site access limitations: Most dispersed camping near Rock River works best for smaller RVs and trailers. Chloe W. explains about Foote Public Access Area, "Only a few spots are larger for 5th wheels etc. road was pretty bumpy coming down."

Parking configurations: At Lake Hattie, Megan V. notes, "We have a Tacoma and RTT, but any sort of car or camper could make it here no problem," indicating accessibility for various vehicle types despite primitive conditions.

Stay duration rules: Check site-specific camping limits. Juana B. mentions "camping limit is 5 days" at Lake Hattie, while Izzy T. notes concerns about enforcement at Upper Blaire: "It appears that the locals leave their rigs and the forest service doesn't enforce the 16 day limit."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Rock River, WY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Rock River, WY is Wheatland Reservoir #3 with a 4-star rating from 1 review.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 6 tent camping locations near Rock River, WY, with real photos and reviews from campers.