Best Tent Camping near Shoshoni, WY

Pros and Cons to the location of this campground: great views of the Wind River and the tunnels, but right next to the highway and not much privacy between sites due to lack of underbrush. The half of the campground closer to the tunnels is walk up only and the lower half of the campground is reservation only. The host was very nice and happy to chat as long as you wanted, which might account for the lack of mowing. While there wasn’t much privacy between sites, they were at least well shaded by the trees (which were also good trees to hang a hammock in). The vault toilets were clean and sites all had picnic tables, fire pits and grills. There are no hookups for RV’s, but there is water available at the spigots scattered around the campground. Warning: it is loud in the day and into the late evening with trucks coming down and going up the canyon. However, if you get a site next to the river it quiets things down a bit.

This campground caught my eye when I was on the way to another Dyrt listing. It wasn'tlisted, so I'madding it now. The campground is very small, and I assume mostly used by locals. The sing says it is ran by the Bureau of Land Reclamation, U.S. Department of Interior.
There is a vault toilet, a covered picnic, and a metal fire ring. There's also a small dumpster as you drive in. There's a paved ADA parking spot next to the toilet, and another near the picnic table.
If pushed you could probably fit 5 car/truck campers, but better with no more than 2. Not much room for anything but a small trailer. The fire ring is full of trash and old residue. The highway is just across fence, so its 5 bit noisy.
Not the best site, but a place to spend the night. The sign says camping up to 10 days.

We have stayed in the Sinks yurt system many times, but winter is our favorite. There is electricity, spotty internet and a heater you can turn on. 10 below zero outside and we keep it at about 45-50 deg inside. Super clean, very well maintained. You are required to clean well before you leave. Sleeping on mattresses/bunks or fold out futon mattress. Also inside is a small table and chairs, pine carved furniture. Broom, mop, cleaning supplies are provided. When we have stayed in Winter, no other soul is there. The park plows and shovels before your arrival. The Milky Way is spectacular on a clear night. Photos below are both winter and summer. In the summer, you can hear rocks and boulders rolling in the Popo Agie River (Pronounced "Puh- Po Shuh" (two words). There are 4 yurts that sleep up to 6, and one very large yurt that sleeps 12. Picnic tables, pit toilet, fire ring, trash bin nearby. In the winter, bring your own wood. Many good hikes in summer and a few trails to XC ski or snowshoe in the winter. 

You can shower at the city pool on 9th Street for a small fee.

There are lots of campsites at Boysen State Park. I called the phone number and talked to a nice ranger. She suggested Upper Wind River campsite since we did not have boat and wanted to have a nice tent spot. We camped 1 week before site changed from reservation to FF. We planned on staying 2 nights but it was so relaxing we ended up staying 4. 1 day we went to Marina and swim beach. Another day we went to Thermopolis and checked out Dino museum and hot springs. Last day we just hung around camp and relaxed. Campsite had a park for kids. No showers but plenty of water so we set up privacy tent and we’re able to shower when we wanted. If we were there during peak season I bet it would feel a little crowded but was perfect the time of year we went because there were maybe 10 sites filled out of the 80ish there.

In the Sinks Canyon, this is a nice little campground wedged between the highway and the river and mountains. Campsites are small and close to each other, but level and clean. Each site has the usual picnic table, fire pit, and bear box; but the concerns were less about bears and more about moose. There are Yurts for rent here too. The family I met that had reserved one was really happy with their yurt. There are nice hiking trails on the other side of the river (moose warning signs and all), and some nice trails on the other side of the highway. I’d camp here again even though it is so close to the road because the river drowns out the highway noise. Be careful if you decide to dip your toes in the river; the flow is really fast!! Just down the road about a mile is the Sinks and the Rise, where the Popo Agie River disappears into a cave at the base of the mountain and then miraculously reappears gushing out of the base of a mountain on the other side of the canyon.

I was looking to avoid Yellowstone because I’m traveling with a dog. I looked for national forest land that would take me around. Sinks Canyon State Park was perfectly placed so we headed here. The visitor center was very helpful and pointed us to a few camping options. I asked which one the ranger preferred and he went to Popo Agie right away. 

The campground is right on the road - 20 feet over and 20 down. However the road only goes to the state park and into national forest. The roar of the river (20 feet to the other side) masks the minimal vehicles. 

Augie, the camp host, immediately waved me over. We talked about my teardrop and his bus conversion. He pointed to the last two spots with shade. One was taken so I took site 5. 

The site is a straight paved line. There is a wood chip square for a tent. The fire pit and picnic table are on a gravel pad. Just beyond that is the river. What a wonderful sound to relax to!

There is a group camp closer to town and another state park campground further down the road. Is those are full, national forest campgrounds are further on but the pavement ends. There are yurts interspersed with the campsites. Vault toilets and garbage/recycling bins are nearby. Water is down the entrance road in one central location. 

Hiking trails start across the bridge in camp. You can also drive down the road and find more challenging routes. A playground is by the group site. 

An interesting discovery is to see where the river sinks into the ground and then reappears a quarter mile down the mountain. Dye tests show it takes 2 hours to go the distance - leaving speculation as to what happens in between. The heat was in during the day - 97 in town and a few less in camp. It cools down to the 50’s overnight. The sites have diverse configurations. This is a great place - just get a site with some shade.