Free Camping Near Jackson Wy

What People Are Saying About Kozy Campground

Beautiful location on the Hobak River! We spent five nights there. Easy access off of 89. Amazing fishing. It rained the first night, however, the rest of the time was amazing sunny cloudless. Temps were down into the 50s in the evenings 80s during the day. Just an idyllic place to spend a week fishing and camping.You will probably want to bring bear spray so youre as safe as possible. There are bare boxes for your food. There are no RV hook ups but there is a freshwater pump for drinking water. Each site has its own fire pit and picnic table as well as a standing grill, like the ones you see in a park Zach Spafford, Google Reviews

Location

Image Source:http://virginianlodge.com/rv-…

The Virginian Lodge offers RVers plenty of things to do. For example, you can enjoy live music at the bar before taking your place on the dance floor. Other great features of the lodge include an on-site salon and spa as well as a restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The Best Free Dispersed Campsites Near Grand Teton National Park

Dispersed camping near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming is a magical experience.

Although dispersed camping isnt allowed in the national park itself, the surrounding national forests are home to some of the most scenic free dispersed campsites in the country.

Unfortunately, the best campsites fill up extremely quickly, especially during the summer. Its wise to arrive as early as possible, give yourself plenty of time to explore, and have a list of backup camping locations just in case your top picks are already full.

Boondocking in RVs and trailers is possible here . Finding an empty campsite is much, much easier in a passenger vehicle as rough roads tend to somewhat thin out the crowds.

Heres where to go dispersed camping near Grand Teton National Park on your next trip.

See Also: Best Dispersed Camping Near Yellowstone

Always follow the Leave No Trace principles when dispersed camping here. Pack out all your trash, properly dispose of human waste , respect campfire bans, and stay out of closed-off areas.

Unlike most national forests, dispersed camping in the Jackson and Moran areas of Bridger-Teton National Forest is limited to 5 nights at a time from May 1st through Labor Day.

Lastly, please be bear aware. Proper camping food storage is required in the Jackson Ranger District. And keep your bear spray close at hand! This is heavy bear country .

Lake Of The Woods Access

AddressLake of the Woods RoadDubois, WyomingElevation: 9259

Management: Public State Park

This is a free dispersed campsite. First come -> first camped. No reservations are accepted at these free campsites in Wyoming. This is a high elevation location. Stayed here for one night, a few nights before the solar eclipse .

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Best Practices For A Successful Camping Experience

No matter where you set up camp, you should follow a few best practices to enjoy your trip and protect the beautiful public lands of Wyoming. Here are a few tips for a successful camping experience:

Plan ahead

Park visitation increases every year, and with that comes filled campgrounds. Check campsite availability before you arrive at your destination. For commercial and national park reservation-based sites, you can check this information online before your trip.

However, for first-come, first-served sites, you wont be able to check online. So, be sure to arrive early to secure a spot . Even in national forests and on BLM land, spots fill up especially for sites near popular destinations like Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. Between July 1st and Labor Day, available sites generally fill before noon!

If youre dispersed camping, you should call the ranger station to get up-to-date information on potential sites and road conditions.

Follow campfire protocol

As fire seasons continue to ravage the Western United States, its essential to stay fire aware when youre camping. Check fire restrictions for each region before you go. If youre staying in a national park, you can ask a campground host for updated fire restrictions. During high fire danger, fires are often only allowed in established fire pits at developed campgrounds. If a fire ban is in effect, please avoid having a campfire when dispersed camping.

Bear country safety

Stay on designated routes only

Upper Teton View Popo Agie Wilderness Area Wy

Upper Teton View dispersed camping is the unicorn of free camping in Wyoming. Once in a while, someone mentions having seen it, but most people think its mythical. Its real, my friends. Ill let you in on a secret theres also a Lower Teton View. Both are on U.S. Forest Service land, so they dont have any amenities. But what they lack in amenities they make up for in romantic scenery and memories. You can bring a tent or RV.

Since you dont have access to amenities, youll need to bring water and a filtration system. Be prepared to relieve yourself in the freedom of the backcountry. Bring a trowel to dig a 6 hole for your waste, and pack your TP out with you. To help keep the area clean, you can pack out your trash and recyclables to follow more general Leave No Trace guidelines.

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Grand Teton National Park Free Campsites Jackson Hole Grand Teton Natl Park

AddressElevation: 6976

Management: Forest Service

The road in is Gravel and a couple miles from a paved road. Jackson Hole Grand Teton Natl Park is open Access Mid June to Mid Sept only due to snow/mud. There are 6-15 campsites at this location.

Best Review:

Beautiful spot right in the heart of the Tetons! There is plenty of parking and it was not too bad to get our rig there. Take it slow on the road if you have a bigger rig and its still no problem! Lots of places to park near the camping sign that gives you details about the spot and rules that is only about a mile up from the main road. There are more spots further up in the woods but we only walked there. Great place to go for a hike right from the campsite! Very quiet and great views of the entire valley!

Paintbrush Canyon Trail And Paintbrush Divide

Starting with the String Lake Trailhead, this trail gives an entire palette of color and amazing mountain surroundings. This trail is about seven miles with much to view. This trail is tough, a steep hike to test your legs since by every step you make, you gain elevation.

Length: 20.6 miElevation gain: 5,643 ftRoute type: Loop

Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Walking, Bird watching, Running, Beach, Forest, Lake, River, Views, Wildflowers, Wildlife, Fee, No dogs

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What Is Dispersed Camping

Dispersed camping means to camp pretty much anywhere you want in an undeveloped camping area located on public land. It can be done with an RV, a car, or a tent.

A good example of a dispersed camping area is a forest. Unlike in the eastern United States, where forests are mostly private, most of the forests located in the western United States are owned by the federal government. They are rarely controlled by states and counties.

In most of these national forests, dispersed camping is allowed unless noted otherwise. Thats why its very important to always do your research beforehand parking your RV just anywhere and spending a few nights there could easily result in a fine.

Reservations are rarely required for dispersed camping. Most designated campings areas are first come first served. Those who get there early often get the best spots.

One very important thing to note about dispersed camping areas is that these places rarely have amenities and facilities.

If you cant imagine a backcountry adventure without trash receptacles, fire pits, showers, restrooms, picnic tables, and electrical/water hookups, then dispersed camping is not for you.

One of the best dispersed camping locations in the Mountain West region of the US can be found in the state of Wyoming, and its name is Spread Creek. Lets take a closer look at this area and see what makes it so great:

Gros Ventre Campground Grand Teton National Park

Photo courtesy of TKC2000

• Campsite Name: Gros Ventre Campground

• Coordinates/Directions: 43.6163, -110.6669. From Jackson, head north on US 26/89/191 for 7 miles. Turn right at Gros Ventre Junction onto the Gros Ventre River Road. Continue 4.5 miles until you see the Gros Ventre Campground sign.

• Bathroom/Facilities: Shower and toilet facilities available with cold running water

• Top Activities: Fishing, National Park access

• Pit Stops Nearby: Jackson, WY

• Top Hikes Nearby: Phelps Lake Loop Trail, Granite Canyon Trail

Gros Ventre Campground is a spacious designated campground located in Grand Teton National Park, closest to the million dollar cowboy city of Jackson.

With over 300 sites available on a first come, first served basis, this spot is popular with Grand Teton National Park visitors. Theres plenty of space to go around, and outside of the peak season, the campground offers an abundance of peace and quiet.

While many large campgrounds can feel like staying in a parking lot, this one has scenic spots and more space between sites than usual so you can still get the feel of that famous Wyoming open space.

Many sites have views of the Tetons and the Gros Ventre river popular with fly fishing fans run through the grounds. You may even see moose or elk wandering through the area.

Gros Ventre offers sites for tents, RVs, and large groups. They dont offer full hookups, but they do have some electric hookup sites and fresh water and dump stations are available.

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Caribou Targhee National Forest

There are several public campgrounds with improved facilities in the Caribou Targhee National Forest in eastern Idaho that are a short drive from Jackson. Most campgrounds in the Caribou Targhee National Forest are open from June through September. Reservations can be made online through the Targhee National Forest recreation website. Camping fees range from $12-14.

Second Day Into The Area

I had managed to find a couple more forest roads that I thought for certain would have open campsites. These roads were a little further away from the Tetons, though still offered some view.

Forest Road 30160 starts at a place called Hatchet Campground, a Forest Service campground along US-26, just a few miles from Moran. It goes past the campground, ascending elevation towards a handful of remote campsites, according to imagery on Google Satellite Maps. I chose to check it out.

Hatchet Campground has an overflow lot where I unhitched the trailer so that I could explore freely without the burden of length and weight on my truck. The first four campsites I had tucked away in my mind were all taken! Moreover, the road was closed up ahead due to muddy conditions.

That was it!

I was done. I gave up on camping by the Tetons.

Why did I even think that such a storied and amazing place like the Grand Tetons actually had plenty of open camping available? Why did I let myself be convinced by Campendium reviewers that this was such an effortless area to find free camping?

Its kind of like that feeling you get when you spend three hours with a time-share salesman, only to end up with a couple of gift certificates for Dennys. I felt tricked. I burned a lot of gasoline to get here, only to come up empty-handed.

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Grand Teton National Park Free Campsites Leidy Lake Access

Elevation: 6796

Management: Forest Service

The road in is Gravel. Teton Canyon is open Late Spring to Mid- Fall. There are 16-29 campsites at this location. You may stay 14 days at Teton Canyon. Dispersed free camping off of Teton Canyon Road along Teton Creek near Alta, Wyoming. Teton canyon road is off the road that goes to Grand Targhee Ski Resort.

Best Review:

Some nice tucked away sites along Teton Creek. The further you go down Teton Canyon Road, the better. There is a heard of cows that roams the area, and they can get pretty loud at times. Its easily passable in a sedan. Some of the pullouts are a little rough, so just make sure you give them a quick look before pulling down one. I had no problem finding a site on a Monday and Wednesday night. The trailhead is fairly popular for how remote it is, so youll be hearing cars/trucks pull down Teton Canyon Road quite often. No views from the sites themselves, but there is a solid viewpoint up the hill with cell service, as well.

Finding Free Camping At The Grand Tetons

I arrived in Grand Teton National National Park on June 3, 2020, a Wednesday. I figured starting my search mid-week would be ideal in securing a boondocking site before the weekend rush hit. It didnt seem to make any difference.

To be clear, you cannot actually boondock inside Grand Teton National Park. You have to instead find it in Bridger-Teton National Forest. The Forest shares a border with the Park, so all you have to do is stay just inside the forest boundaries, and youre good. You still get amazing views, nonetheless.

I explored eight different boondocking areas in the Forest. All of these areas were documented on Campendium. All came with dozens of great reviews, beautiful photography, and camping memories to die for. I also explored a few forest roads not documented on Campendium, just to try my luck at finding something new.

Everywhere I went to was completely filled with campers.

I mean filled.

Some areas had motorhomes and trailers packed in tight like sardines. Their owners had all maneuvered them carefully and closely together to maximize their view of the Tetons. They all must have been friends in order to get their rigs fitted together like Tetris blocks. And what about those other forest roads not documented on Campendium? Yup, completely filled too. Even campsites with no view of the Tetons were taken.

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How To Find Dispersed Camping In Wyoming

Fining a good dispersed campsite in Wyoming isnt too difficult with a little knowledge of where to look. There are numerous resources available from online apps, USFS resources, and of course this guide! Youll also want to be prepared to navigate forest service roads and read USFS maps, both of which should be fairly straightforward.

When searching for a good campsite ourselves, we prefer to use a combination of several online apps/websites along with publically available USFS/BLM maps.

Our favorite resources are below:

• Freecampsites.net Our go to resource for finding free camping in the US. Simply enter your desired location and filter through the results.
• The Dyrt An app that lets you filter for free and dispersed campsites.
• Campendium A website and app that allows you to see user reviews for campsites and campgrounds across the country.

Check out our Dispersed Camping App guide here.

While these apps and websites are a good starting place for finding dispersed campsites in Wyoming, we always cross reference the information with public agencies maps and resources. The best resource for this is often reaching out directly to the relevant USFS Ranger District or BLM Office in the area youd like to camp to inquire on camping locations.

Many of these MVUMs also display where dispersed camping is permitted, typically indicated by two dots on either side of a given road.

The complete list of MVUMs for all Wyoming National Forests can be found at the links below:

Support Your National Parks

Did you know you can support our National Parks by shopping at eParks, the official not-for-profit online store of Americas National Parks? eParks develops and distributes up to 100 new educational products each year. These products are unique because they are produced in collaboration with each park, creating specific experiences. Net proceeds from every sale support our National Parks.

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Grand Teton National Park Free Campsites Curtis Canyon

AddressElevation: 6991

Management: Forest Service

The road in is Gravel. There are 1-5 campsites at this location and the maximum RV length is 35 feet. You may stay 5 nights at Curtis Canyon .

Best Review:

This campsite is basically a moderately-sized flat open area with firepits that is sandwiched in between two officially marked campsites in the area. There were about 3 other cars and an RV camped out there when we stayed. Beautiful views of the Tetons. About 30 minutes from Jackson Hole. You drive through the Elk Refuge and up a dirt road to get to the site. If all the sites are taken, the official Curtis Canyon campground and one other camping area are right next to it. You can also continue up Sheep Creek Road and find a ton of other free campsites.

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Buffalo Bill State Park

Photo courtesy of Kayla Michelle

• Campsite Name: North Shore Bay Campground

• Coordinates/Directions: 44.500509, -109.234132. From Cody, take US-14 W/US-16 W/US-20 W for 10 miles, then turn left into Buffalo Bill State Park and follow signs to North Shore Bay Campground.

• Bathroom/Facilities: Toilets, tables, grills, no hookups or showers

• Top Activities: Fishing, windsurfing, scenic drives, National Parks

• Pit Stops Nearby: Chief Joseph Scenic Byway and Beartooth Highway Loop

• Top Hikes Nearby: Eagle Point Trail

Located 40 miles east of Yellowstone and 10 miles west of Cody, Wyoming, is Buffalo Bill State Park and Reservoir. The North Shore Bay Campground offers a mix of reservable and first come, first served sites along the shore of the Buffalo Bill Reservoir.

The reservoir is known for windsurfing, and is rated one of the top 10 locations in the country for the sport. You can easily access some of the countrys most beautiful scenic drives from this site, including the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, which includes views of the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River and the North Absaroka Mountains.

RVs and campervans are welcome, though there are no hookups.

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