Best Dispersed Camping near Shoshone National Forest

We camped here in a 4x4 Sprinter van in early July and it was one of the best dispersed sites we’ve ever experienced. It took about 45min driving East from Antelope Flats Road to reach the site. The service road out to the turnoff is very easy, a 2WD crossover could make it in clear conditions. I wouldn’t be comfortable taking the turnoff itself down to the river without high clearance and 4WD as it’s steep and uneven.

There were two clearly defined camping spots with primitive fire rings, each directly on the banks of the river with views of the cliff side opposite the river.

Zero service and amenities but a wonderful experience. We got there at about 6pm on a Friday and the other site was filled.

Campground Review

Alright. I was planning on staying in Grand Teton National Park, but since it was the Thursday before the 2017 Solar Eclipse the Park was full. And I am glad it was. I decided to just drive down a Forest Service Road and ended up on FS 30165 in a valley with wonderful views of the Tetons. There was even a creek a short walk away where I could filter water. The site I picked out was around 8 miles (20 min) from the main paved road into the park and around 50 min from the Visitor Center. Since it is in bear country you need to make sure you have a bear proof cooler or store everything in your car. While I was there the NFS had placed a fire ban due to the sheer number of campers in the area for the eclipse, I believe that fires are allowed otherwise.

Product Review

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time - over the summer I tested the Insulated Static V from Klymit.

I put this pad through the ringer for sure. I used it no less than once per week during June, July, and the first half of August. It still looks good as new. This pad is incredibly comfortable for all types of sleeping positions. At an R-value of 4.4, it packs down to just slightly bigger than a Nalgene water bottle and weighs only 25 oz. The bag that it comes with is slightly oversized, which means that you can actually get it back in the bag with little issues every time even if your roll is slightly sloppy. It also comes with a patch kit so you can fix it in the field should an issue arise, not that I have ever needed it.

I can also attest to Klymit's customer service as well. Prior to getting the Insulated Static V, I owned one of the original Static V pads. That pad survived from 2012-2016 until the valve developed a slight leak. I contacted Klymit to check out their warranty. They told me pads are covered under a lifetime warranty and after shipping it back to them I received a brand new pad within 2-3 weeks if I'm remembering correctly. So not only are the products great, but they stand behind them too!

This site about 12 miles up sunset road along a very rough washboard dirt/gravel rod. The road was extremely dusty in the summer and almost forced us to turn back. The dispersed sites are very rough and not well maintained. However, the views are some of the best we have ever seen in Wyoming. The sunset in the valley seemed to go on forever and provided light up until 10 pm. You will need 4 wheel drive or high clearance to access the best sites next to the river. If you are willing to endure the drive and don’t mind rough dispersed camping, the beauty of the site more than makes up for it. No facilities here just a stone fire ring. The site is known for grizzly bears. So you need to be an experienced camper to enjoy this area or take precautions.

Don't follow the direction from the given long/lat. They will take you to someone's private property.

After discovering that the given coordinates were incorrect we drove up the road a while more. We reached a fork and veered right. Shortly after we saw a campsite to the left (about 9 miles off the highway). This particular spot wasn't very private as it was immediately off the road, but there were bear boxes, restrooms, and a creek nearby.

Also at this site was an informational sign that showed where all the campsites were off this road (photo included).

I stayed here on 07/02/2023; seriously, bring buy spray. There are soooooo many mosquitoes, but overall, it was very peaceful and serene. There are about 6 campsites that I was able to see. Of course, the earlier the better so you can claim your campsite since it first come, first served. The dirt road isn't tooo bad, certainly easier to navigate if you have a high clearance vehicle but manageable for my boyfriends Subaru Legacy. There was a beaver that hung out with us alongside the river bed and we heard a bunch of cows in the morning! I would love to go back again!!