Campgrounds near Shoshone National Forest provide both developed and primitive sites across Wyoming's diverse mountain terrain, ranging from RV-accessible spots to free dispersed camping at locations like Spread Creek. Double Cabin Campground in Dubois features scenic riverside camping with opportunities for fishing and wildlife viewing, while Brooks Lake Campground offers lakeside sites with mountain views. Accommodations range from basic tent sites to spaces suitable for RVs, with several campgrounds providing amenities like picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets. Dispersed camping options exist at locations like Spread Creek where visitors can enjoy more remote, free camping experiences away from established facilities.
Rough roads and steep terrain may limit access to some camping areas, particularly at higher elevations or after weather events. Several campgrounds require navigating dirt or gravel roads, with some visitors noting challenges. "Getting to Double Cabin with our 30' TT was a challenge. Most of the road there is a one-lane, winding road with dropoffs at times," reported one camper who stayed at a dispersed site near the campground. Most developed campgrounds in the area operate seasonally from late May through September, with weather determining precise opening dates. Water availability varies by location and season, with some campgrounds offering drinking water during peak months while others require campers to bring their own supplies. Bear activity is common throughout the region, necessitating proper food storage and awareness.
Campers consistently highlight the spectacular mountain views and fishing opportunities as standout features of the area. Many sites along creeks and lakes receive particularly positive reviews, with Brooks Lake and the nearby Pinnacles Campground earning praise for scenic water access. "The tent door opened perfectly to the setting sun, which bounced yellows and pinks off the lake and surrounding cliffs," noted one visitor at Pinnacles. Wildlife sightings are frequently mentioned in reviews, with deer, moose, and occasionally bears observed near camping areas. Though some campgrounds can accommodate larger RVs, many sites are better suited to smaller vehicles or tent camping. Visitors appreciate the relative solitude of campgrounds like Double Cabin and Horse Creek, despite occasional traffic from ATVs and other recreational vehicles on nearby forest roads.
"Double Cabin Campground is a beautiful area, right next to the Wiggins Fork of the Wind River. Great fishing for brookies and cutthroat trout. There are corrals for horses nearby."
"Every time I’m near Debois, I have to plan a few days getting back to what life should be. Simple and majestic."
"it’s a 42 mile drive out of Cody to this campground so it was relatively quiet with few other campers."
$20 - $30 / night
"We saw this campground on Dyrt on our trip through Wyoming to Teton National Park and decided to stay for a night or two. Glad we did! Actually ended up spending 5 nights."
"Beautiful campground just off Highway 26. Loop A sites have electric hookups and Loop B is primitive. Water located near the entrance. Loop B is peaceful and quiet (farther from the road than A)."
"We did not have a reservation for this site, rather we stumbled upon the best lake side camping spot in Pinnacles campground on Brook Lake."
"Enjoy views of the unique mountains and Brooks Lake. Brooks Lake is great for paddle boarding but not ideal for swimming. Several trails in the area and lots of wild life."
"Beautiful location, small campground of only about 13 sites. They are clean and well kept. Bathrooms were clean and did not stink at all."
"Most nights we had the entire place to ourselves, but a few people did comethrough for day-use fishing and to hit the equestrian trails."
"Exit Highway 26 onto Forrest road 30310 stay left at the fork. Road is kind of narrow after the fork."
"Around 630 it appeared all the sites were full as we saw a lot of vehicles heading back down the road. So I'd suggest getting there fairly early."
$10 / night
"This was a great stop on a national parks trip in the Wyoming area. The campground was less busy than in the national parks. Sites were clean and large."
"Surrounded by mountains and right on the Shoshone River, this is a bit of Heaven on earth."
$122 - $127 / night
"We stayed in the Rv area with full hook-ups and a good sized site which was gravel with a picnic bench and surrounded by shade."
"This site was a very short and beautiful walk to the lake which we loved. Clean bathrooms two sites up the loop with water."
$15 / night
"This is a very private location and sites are nicely separated. It is located right off the highway and situated along side the Shoshone River."
"We were right next to the creek. Pull through spot. Vault toilets. No hookups. Small campground. 10 spacious sites. We couldn’t hear anybody at any other site. Felt very comfortable."
"Definitely not the site I would have picked if I had more options - some of the other ones looked much cooler and more private, tucked back in the trees."
"Easy 2wd road to access, a ton of ATVs on the adjacent road until well after dark and early in the morning. Good fishing."
TravelerCamped at campsite 10 the night of August 10, beautiful location, kind of hard to find the campsite if it’s pitch black outside… That’s halfway my fault. Careful on the roads, obviously at backcountry Road with a few spots of high erosion and random pits. Nothing a normal vehicle can’t get through during good conditions though.
GuideRight off the highway, the road is dirt but surprisingly smooth. Would be easy to navigate in a sedan. I found a secluded spot about 3 miles from the entrance, just past a logging pile (drove by on my first pass and only saw it on my way back). Only saw a few other vehicle during my stay. I walked the road next to my site and ended up down at the river with a great bridge taking you up the next hill.
ScoutWe pulled in on a Friday afternoon and there were still ole Ty of spots open farther down the Spread Creek Rd. If you go all the way to the end the road gets rougher and it felt very remote, so we stayed closer to the main road. Past the main RV gravel lot and the signs for the camp area, there are several group campsites on the right side that can fit 3ish tent spots or 2 RVs. The camp hosts are awesome! The mountain views from sites 3-5 are great, and then when you go farther down the very end sites have bear boxes and creek views
ScoutNice quiet spot. Stayed here in a 24 ft class c. Went to the top of the road. I did drag the bottom once, so take it slow. ( My fault didn't notice the bump in rd was so high,I should have gone in at it a little differently). Has about 6 camping spots.No cell service. Used starlink.
TravelerOnly 1 campsite is truly on the creek, the rest are a walk to the creek. Really pretty views of Tetons and no issues with the rutted roads in a Highlander. Great access to Tetons!
GuideGet there early. We ended up splitting a site with someone who didn’t mind, but there are tons of no camping/parking areas and the sites are more clearly defined. Road was manageable in a mid sized but there are plenty of places to bottom out if you are going to fast
TravelerExit Highway 26 onto Forrest road 30310 stay left at the fork. Road is kind of narrow after the fork. Plenty of space with amazing views of the Teton mountains. 5 night max. (43.7627476, -110.5548550) coordinates
TravelerI followed the direction from the last review to the T and got all the way to the gate and the two-track dirt road. Followed it a couple of miles down (about 5-7) and there’s absolutely no spots and nowhere to turn around either. Had to kinda Austin-Power our way out of there and going half in the grass a bit. Our van was leaning sideways pretty much half the time we were on that road, it was BAD, very rutted and uneven going up and downhill. 4x4 and high clearance a must, and I don’t know if it’s worth it cause again I didn’t see any spots. Someone who finally finds one please drop the exact coordinates of the spot because I don’t know what the other reviews are talking about.
GuideStopped here via rec from volunteer Ranger. Pamphlet calls it Gros Ventre dispersed camping. Beautiful view of sunset over the Tetons and river below and views to the east were gorgeous as well.
Shoshone National Forest campsites range from 6,000 to over 9,000 feet in elevation, creating varied camping conditions throughout the season. The forest's eastern side features drier terrain with pine forests and rocky landscapes, while western sections receive more precipitation and showcase alpine environments. Winter snowpack can delay access to higher-elevation camping areas until late June, particularly at locations above 8,000 feet.
Fishing in creek systems: At Double Cabin Campground, creeks offer excellent trout fishing opportunities. "Great fishing for brookies and cutthroat trout. There are corrals for horses nearby," notes Nathan K., who camped at Double Cabin.
Explore mountain trails: From Brooks Lake Campground, hikers can access several trail networks. "There's hiking trails from the campground that were pretty and not strenuous," reports Connor N., who visited during off-season.
Photography at sunrise/sunset: At Pinnacles Campground, the light quality during golden hours creates exceptional photography opportunities. "The tent door opened perfectly to the setting sun, which bounced yellows and pinks off the lake and surrounding cliffs," Courtney B. observed about her lake-view site.
Paddle sports on lakes: Multiple campgrounds provide lake access for kayaking and paddleboarding. "Brooks Lake is great for paddle boarding but not ideal for swimming," notes Kelly M., who found the area convenient for exploring both Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Campers at Spread Creek Dispersed Campground frequently encounter native wildlife. "On our walk out this morning, we noticed a family of deer munching in the field," reports Yimm H., highlighting the natural encounters possible at this location.
Relative solitude: Many sites throughout the forest offer spacing and privacy even during busy seasons. "We truly felt like we were the only people in the campground, even though it was a highly trafficked time during eclipse," wrote Sari K. about her Double Cabin experience.
Clean facilities: Despite their remote locations, campground facilities receive positive reviews. "The bathrooms were open, even during the off-season, and clean!" Connor N. remarked about Brooks Lake Campground, while another camper at Falls Campground noted, "For being semi closed for the season, the vault toilets were wonderfully cleaned."
Night sky viewing: The area's minimal light pollution creates excellent stargazing conditions. "The stars go on forever & we were lucky enough to stay here for 3 clear nights & a full moon," Jon G. described at his Double Cabin dispersed site.
Bear safety requirements: Some campgrounds restrict tent camping due to bear activity. "Bears are a serious threat here so you can't even camp in a tent. We arrived with tents and were told we couldn't sleep in our cars either so had to leave. YOU NEED A HARD SIDED CAMPER!" warns Kim B. regarding Brooks Lake Campground.
Seasonal water availability: Water systems operate on limited schedules at most forest campgrounds. At Double Cabin Campground, Josh R. alerts campers: "Be aware that a sign posted at the campground says water won't be available again until the 2022 season."
Elevation challenges: Many campgrounds sit at high elevations with corresponding temperature drops. "Elevation is 9100 ft so it does get cold at night. We did stay in tents," notes Brandon P. about Brooks Lake Campground, contradicting the usual hard-sided requirement.
Mosquito presence: Summer months bring heavy insect activity. "We stayed in June and the mosquito's are heavy so be prepared," shares Jennifer S. about Falls Campground, a common observation at many forest campgrounds.
Bear boxes availability: Eagle Creek Campground provides secure food storage options. "Each site has a fire ring and picnic table, and sites are level and grassy so tent camping is comfortable," notes Gretchen B., who camped near Gardiner, MT.
Wildlife viewing guidance: Children can safely observe wildlife with proper supervision. "We spoke with a couple of them & they told us that grizzlies, moose, black bears, elk at times, & mule deer are very present in the valley although we only saw deer," reported Jon G. about his Double Cabin experience.
Playground access: Some developed campgrounds include recreational facilities. Ashley M. notes about Buffalo Bill State Park: "The playground was fenced off due to Covid in August 2020," indicating this feature typically exists for families.
Creek exploration opportunities: Children enjoy wading in shallow creeks near campsites. "We strolled the creek in the morning, and the dogs really enjoyed it," shares Temio G. about Spread Creek, highlighting family-friendly water access.
Road condition awareness: Access roads to remote campgrounds require careful navigation. "Getting to Double Cabin with our 30' TT was a challenge. Most of the road there is a one lane, winding road with dropoffs at times," explains Jon G. who successfully reached his destination despite difficulties.
Water fill locations: RVers must plan water supplies carefully. "There are water connections available, but you are not allowed to connect a hose," Jennifer S. cautions about Upper Teton View, suggesting campers bring containers for filling.
Site selection for larger rigs: Not all campgrounds accommodate large RVs equally. "This spot in the National Forest was great for the nights we were visiting Grand Tetons National Park. If you have a pickup truck with a RTT or are car camping you can find a spot here almost any time of the night," explains Joshua M. about Upper Teton View.
Generator policies: Campers should verify generator restrictions. At Falls Campground, which offers electric hookups in some loops, Robin B. notes: "We had a site with electric, and there is water at the park, however you can't attach a hose. So, have some jugs to fill if you plan on staying a few days."
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you stay in cabins in Shoshone National Forest?
Yes, cabin accommodations are available near Shoshone National Forest. Headwaters Campground at Flagg Ranch offers cozy, clean cabins with double bunk beds, mattresses, desks, chairs, and dressers. These cabins provide comfortable lodging with warm showers and bathrooms within walking distance. The location is convenient, situated between Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks with hiking trails following the Snake River nearby. While primitive camping is more common within Shoshone National Forest itself, these cabin options provide comfortable alternatives for those seeking more amenities while exploring the surrounding wilderness.
How far is Shoshone National Forest from Cody, Wyoming?
Shoshone National Forest borders Cody, Wyoming, with parts of the forest accessible within minutes of town. Wapiti Campground is located approximately halfway between Cody and Yellowstone's East Entrance, making it about 25-30 miles from Cody. This campground offers 40 sites, many with electric hookups, and permits tent camping. Deer Creek is another campground option near Cody with basic amenities like toilets. The forest stretches along much of the route between Cody and Yellowstone, offering various access points at different distances from town.
Where are the best campgrounds in Shoshone National Forest?
Shoshone National Forest offers several excellent campgrounds to experience Wyoming's wilderness. Big Game Campground provides spectacular views with primitive camping, picnic tables, and pit toilets in a private setting outside grizzly territory, making it ideal for tent campers. Pinnacles Campground - Brooks Lake offers stunning lakeside sites with breathtaking views of the sunset reflecting off the water and surrounding cliffs. For those seeking solitude, the Fitzpatrick Wilderness Area has primitive camping options with nearby vault toilets. Most campgrounds in Shoshone are self-registration with basic amenities like fire rings and picnic tables.
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