Best Campgrounds near Smoot, WY

The mountainous terrain surrounding Smoot, Wyoming provides a range of camping experiences from developed sites to remote backcountry options. Bridger-Teton National Forest and nearby public lands host several campgrounds including Allred Flat and Cottonwood Group Campsite, both operating seasonally from late May through mid-September. Salt River Pass offers free dispersed camping with basic amenities like picnic tables and vault toilets. The area's camping options extend into nearby communities such as Afton, where Swift Creek Campground provides riverside sites, and historic guard stations like La Barge and Diamond Creek offer unique cabin accommodations for those seeking shelter with rustic charm.

Road conditions vary significantly throughout the region, with many forest service roads requiring high-clearance vehicles. As one camper noted about Cottonwood Lake Campground, "The road is pretty rough getting into the campground. You will encounter some pretty significant potholes and washouts. Just take it slow, you'll be fine." Most established campgrounds in the area operate seasonally, typically closing by mid-September due to snowfall at higher elevations. Bear activity is common throughout the region, requiring proper food storage. Many campgrounds provide bear boxes, though they're sometimes limited in number. Cell service is spotty but improving, with one recent visitor to Warren Bridge noting, "Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile all had reception."

Wildlife viewing ranks among the top experiences reported by campers in the Smoot area. Moose sightings are particularly common, with one visitor to Wolf Creek Campground reporting, "We woke up to a full grown bull moose in our campsite. It was scary but also funny and cool." Fishing opportunities abound in local lakes and streams, with Cottonwood Lake receiving praise for its trout fishing: "The lake has brown and cutthroat trout. They were jumping like crazy in the evening and the fly fishing was excellent!" Highway noise affects some campgrounds, particularly those along main routes, though traffic typically diminishes after dark. Summer wildflowers create spectacular displays, especially in meadow areas near La Barge, where visitors report "incredible" blooms in July.

Best Camping Sites Near Smoot, Wyoming (134)

    1. Allred Flat

    14 Reviews
    Smoot, WY
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (307) 886-5300

    $5 - $10 / night

    "This campground does not allow ATV's in the campground but does offer a parking area for your toys just outside the campground entrance. The sites are well spread out throughout the campground."

    "We stayed at site 11 right next to the little river and it was so peaceful to fall asleep and wake up to the sound of the flowing water."

    2. Salt River Pass

    5 Reviews
    Smoot, WY
    8 miles
    Website

    "As I was driving over Salt River Pass I noticed a small dirt road on the side of the highway."

    "It’s gorgeous however in my equinox I had to drive half on the edge of the road because the dirt road into the area where other tires go was so deep."

    3. Cottonwood Group Campsite

    2 Reviews
    Smoot, WY
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (307) 886-5300

    $45 / night

    "Also, the campground is not on the lake, it is about a 1/4 mile from the lake. The campground is quite nice back in the trees."

    "The campground is about 1/4 mile or less from the lake. Group camp is up the right hand fork (not towards the lake). The Group site is large, with room for several tents."

    4. Swift Creek Campground

    3 Reviews
    Afton, WY
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (307) 886-3166

    $10 / night

    "I opted for some peace and quiet and a babbeling brook vs. the crowds/music/noise of the campground located at the fairgrounds. With some trail running too!"

    5. Diamond Creek Guard Station

    3 Reviews
    Auburn, ID
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 847-0375

    $35 / night

    "There were plenty of cots to move close to the wood-burning stove for a cozy night sleep."

    "Lots of dirt bike/quad trails. Beautiful views. Wish we could have stayed longer. Only annoying thing when we were there was there was a lot of cattle coming into our camp all the time."

    6. La Barge Guard Station

    1 Review
    Smoot, WY
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (307) 877-4415

    $60 / night

    "This is near the Tri-Basin drainage. The trail head for the Lander Cut-Off Trail is right at the cabin. There is an outhouse, picnic table in the yard and a fire ring."

    7. Spring Creek Trailhead

    1 Review
    Smoot, WY
    13 miles

    "The Greys River is right near camp as well as Spring Creek. The Spring Creek Falls trailhead has a river crossing at the 2 mile mark, sign states it is 5 miles to the falls."

    8. Johnson Guard Station

    2 Reviews
    Auburn, ID
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 847-0375

    $60 / night

    "Slept one night in the cabin other night outside. It rained both nights. Stayed dry both nights. Bring a nice pad to sleep on for sure. Cows everywhere. Side by sides race up and down the road."

    9. Hobble Creek

    2 Reviews
    Smoot, WY
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (307) 739-5500

    "Camp is located near the trailhead to Lake Alice. You need to cross Hobble Creek to get to the campground, which can be very high in early summer. Usually roads are not passable until almost July."

    "Kids and dogs had fun playing in the nearby creek (water is very cold), with lots of great hiking opportunities. "

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Recent Reviews near Smoot, WY

315 Reviews of 134 Smoot Campgrounds


  • TF The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 10, 2025

    S Fall Creek Road Dispersed

    Nice spot, busy road

    This exact spot is medium/small and clearly gets very muddy at times. The creek is nice. Road is pretty busy from ~7am-7pm. There's another road right at this site which shoots east and probably has a few other sites. People would also go that way to shoot.

    Fall Creek rd has 1-2 sites before this one, and a few larger trailhead areas beyond it. Main road is a little washboarded in spots but perfectly prius friendly. Quite a few deer on the road as well.

  • Shir Lee A.
    Sep. 9, 2025

    Alpine Valley RV Resort

    Wrongly warned

    Stayed 4 nights, campground is well maintained. Check in went smothly. RV spots are on concrete and level. So glad we already had a water regulator. We were told as we were checking in that we definitely needed one due to pressure being 90psi. Campground is about an hour and 15 minutes from The Grand Tetons. Not worth the drive for the amount of money it is to stay at this campground. The patios and grass area at RV sites are plush but if you have dogs you can't put up dog fencing. The dog play area had 1 bench for owners to sit. The gate for the dog park was very loosely secured. No water hose or faucet available to get water for your dog while at dog park. We had neighbors that complained about our dogs playing to loudly. Then, on our last night we were doing some pre packing to leave the campground the next morning. It was 8:40pm and we heard a knock at our door, the dogs were being quiet and we weren't expecting anyone. Went to the door and it was an employee from the campground to tell us that we had our outside lights on. I was confused and asked the man what time it was? He said it's 8:45. Then, to confirm, I asked what time we had to have the lights turned off the outside and he said 10pm was quiet time and all lights should be off. I assured him we had read the rules and we knew we had to have the lights off by 10pm and we also knew when quiet time started, and that we were planning on having the lights off before then. We weren't doing anything wrong so why in the world did he come to our RV to tell us our lights were on as if we were doing something wrong. Felt unwelcomed, our money is as good as anyone else's. Very RUDE!

  • MThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 4, 2025

    Alpine

    Beautiful!

    This area is stunning. The campground is clean and shaded, and sites are spaced nicely, clean bathrooms. Site levels vary. Excellent Verizon coverage.Campground hosts went out of their way to help us find the site that would suit our needs when we were having issues with our camper. Really great brewery in town, too. Would stay again for sure.

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 2, 2025

    Indian Creek

    Free dispersed camping great for dogs

    Wide open prairie down to low water level reservoir. A little noisy during business hours because there's a highway surrounding site. We're at the lowest part of the highway so there's climbs on both sides. You can hear trucks, engine braking and engines roaring. There are lots of fire rings widely. Early September there were only about four or five campers out here. Got a little chilly at night but nothing. The sleeping bags wouldn't handle. There are two clean concrete pit toilets. There's a little bit of marshy area with water running.

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 2, 2025

    Fisherman Creek Road

    Easy and peaceful

    Lots of large sites with fire pits and turnarounds. I went 2-3 miles to find an isolated site. Many sites had campers parked but no people. Little traffic on the road. Easy road in. Primitive dispersed camping.

  • Daniel W.
    Aug. 30, 2025

    Tincup Campground

    Tin cup

    I like it there's no amenities or anything it's been pretty empty here except for Labor Day weekend so very quiet

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 29, 2025

    Grey's River on Forest Road 10023

    Not the most quiet place

    The camping areas are right next to the gun range. We have guns going off constantly. Some guns are large and make a lot of noise, scares us and our dog.

  • J
    Aug. 23, 2025

    Salt River Pass

    Do not go here

    The suggestion that you need a high clearance vehicle is an understatement. The service road is incredibly rocky with one side a sheer drop. Went down with our campervan and barely made it down and back up in one piece. Looks like a nice spot but the other entrance was blocked so you’d have to get out via the same horrendous route in. Avoid.


Guide to Smoot

Dispersed camping near Smoot, Wyoming offers access to high-elevation wilderness at 6,000-9,000 feet where summer temperatures average 75°F during day and 45°F at night. The area receives substantial snowfall from November through May, making many forest service roads impassable until early summer. Several campgrounds require fording creeks during spring runoff, limiting access for standard passenger vehicles.

What to do

Fly fishing spots: Try the Salt River for trout fishing near Allred Flat Campground, where one camper noted "Great flyfishing on the Salt River. Fairly private and quiet. Good Verizon cell service."

Hike to Lake Alice: Access this alpine lake via the trailhead near Hobble Creek Campground. A visitor reported, "Camp is located near the trailhead to Lake Alice. You need to cross Hobble Creek to get to the campground, which can be very high in early summer. Usually roads are not passable until almost July."

Wildlife observation: Beaver habitats can be explored at Allred Flat Campground. A camper shared, "Some hiking trails along the creek where beavers have made extensive dams. Beautiful, quiet campground."

Wildflower viewing: July brings peak bloom in La Barge Guard Station area. One visitor wrote, "I visited in July and the wild flowers were incredible in LaBarge Meadows. This is near the Tri-Basin drainage. The trail head for the Lander Cut-Off Trail is right at the cabin."

What campers like

Affordable options: Allred Flat costs just $10 per night with basic amenities. A camper mentioned, "This is an awesome campsite off the main road but still quiet. Cost us $10 for the night so not bad at all! There's about 30 spots of various sizes on a loop road."

Solitude in fields: Salt River Pass offers complete privacy with wildflowers. One visitor described, "My boyfriend & I were the only 2 people probably in at least a mile radius. Complete privacy in a giant field of flowers that make the air smell absolutely amazing."

Accessible forest cabins: Historical guard stations provide unique accommodation options. At Diamond Creek Guard Station, a camper noted, "With a wood-burning stove, we stayed nice and toasty. There were plenty of cots to move close to the wood-burning stove for a cozy night sleep."

Stream-side camping: Many sites feature creeks running through or alongside campsites. At Swift Creek Campground, a visitor described, "Swift Creek flows through the campground and many of the campsites. It offers excellent trout fishing and is spring fed and is the clearest blue color."

What you should know

Road conditions: Many access roads require high-clearance vehicles. About Salt River Pass, one camper warned, "The suggestion that you need a high clearance vehicle is an understatement. The service road is incredibly rocky with one side a sheer drop."

Seasonal availability: Most campgrounds open late May through mid-September, with snow limiting access. For Hobble Creek, a visitor noted, "You need to cross Hobble Creek to get to the campground, which can be very high in early summer. Usually roads are not passable until almost July."

Cell service variability: Coverage ranges from none to good depending on location. At Allred Flat, one review mentioned, "Zero cell service for any of the 3 major carriers," while another campground had "Good Verizon cell service."

Wildlife encounters: Cattle and sheep grazing occurs throughout the area. At Salt River Pass, a camper observed, "There are sheep everywhere and they love to talk (my boyfriend was a little annoyed when they woke him up in the morning but I thought it was cool)."

Tips for camping with families

Water safety: Creeks can run high and cold, especially in early summer. At Hobble Creek Campground, a parent shared, "Kids and dogs had fun playing in the nearby creek (water is very cold), with lots of great hiking opportunities."

Berry picking opportunities: Search for wild fruit during summer months. One visitor to Hobble Creek noted, "Added bonus, there were a lot of wild strawberries and raspberries in the area."

Spacing between sites: Look for campgrounds with well-separated sites for privacy. At Spring Creek Trailhead, a camper mentioned, "Great dispersed camping area. Appears to be used by a lot of hunters. There is a nice big picnic table at one site and a few spots with campfire rings and meat poles."

Limited bear boxes: Most campgrounds have few or no bear boxes. At Allred Flat, one camper observed, "We only saw a few random sites that had bear boxes. Each site had a picnic table and a fire pit, and was nicely separated from neighboring sites."

Tips from RVers

Site leveling challenges: Bring leveling blocks as many sites are uneven. At Allred Flat, a camper noted, "Sites, however are not very level. 3 sets of gendered handicap accessible vault toilets."

Accessible pull-throughs: Several campgrounds offer pull-through options for medium-sized RVs. One visitor to Allred Flat shared, "The campground had plenty of pull throughs and restrooms along with overflow parking, fire pits, grills and picnic tables. Our 30 ft class c + towing a ford escape was able to fit on the site."

Size restrictions: Large fifth wheels and Class A RVs have limited options. About Allred Flat, a reviewer cautioned, "Anyone from tent campers to large trailers can easily find a spot, larger fifth wheels and class A rigs may have a bit of trouble finding a suitable campsite here."

Water availability: Bring your own water or equipment to treat local sources. One camper at Allred Flat mentioned, "There are hand pump water faucets, but a sign said that water is not tested and water should be boiled or treated prior to drinking."

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Smoot, WY?

According to TheDyrt.com, Smoot, WY offers a wide range of camping options, with 134 campgrounds and RV parks near Smoot, WY and 22 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Smoot, WY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Smoot, WY is Allred Flat with a 4.5-star rating from 14 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Smoot, WY?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 22 free dispersed camping spots near Smoot, WY.