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Camping in Wyoming: campsites, permits and passes

Camping in Wyoming starts in one of a few places: Wyoming State Parks for state park campsites, Recreation.gov for federal campgrounds, or free dispersed camping on National Forest and BLM land. Here's where to book each, plus permits, passes and licences.

Most people go to:

State park campsites

Wyoming state park campgrounds are booked through Wyoming State Parks ↗. Book as early as you can for summer and holiday weekends, and check each park's page for cabins, yurts, group sites and pet rules.

National parks in Wyoming

• Grand Teton National Park
• Yellowstone National Park

Campgrounds in national parks are booked on Recreation.gov. See every park, monument and historic site in Wyoming on the National Park Service Wyoming page ↗.

National forests and free camping

Wyoming's national forests include Bridger-Teton, Shoshone, Bighorn, Medicine Bow-Routt. Developed campgrounds are booked on Recreation.gov (some are first-come, first-served), and most national forest land allows free dispersed camping away from developed sites, usually for up to 14 days. Check the forest's rules and any fire restrictions first.

Wyoming also has large areas of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, where dispersed camping is generally free and allowed for up to 14 days in one spot unless posted otherwise. See BLM recreation ↗.

Permits and lotteries

• Backcountry camping in Yellowstone and Grand Teton requires a permit from the park.

Fishing and hunting licences

Licences for Wyoming are sold by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department ↗, online or at local retailers. Rules and seasons differ by species and water, so check before you go.

Passes

The America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees at national parks and many federal lands in Wyoming. State parks usually sell their own day or annual passes; see Wyoming State Parks.

Best time to camp in Wyoming

Summer and early fall for high country; many mountain campgrounds and roads open late May or June and close with the first snows.

Questions

Packing checklists

Nearby states (Mountain West)