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Wyoming is known for its wide-open spaces, windy prairie, and small-town living. When you cross the border into the state, the welcome signs always read “Forever West.” And boy is that true! For a lot of people, visiting Wyoming feels like stepping back in time to the days of old, when traffic and smartphones weren’t the mainstays of society. With a population of a bit over 570,000, many visitors live in cities that have larger populations than the entire state!
This makes for some of the most scenic and remote fishing and camping opportunities in the country. Due to its low population density and plentiful availability of public lands, Wyoming is a must-see destination for camping and fishing alike. While most areas in the eastern part of the state are more suitable for RV camping due to the winds, the western part of Wyoming is ideal for tent camping.
Listed below are 11 fantastic places in Wyoming that all beckon to the wild at heart to pitch their tents and cast their lines! Check out these awesome spots for primo tent camping and fishing access in Wyoming this summer.
- The Snowy Mountain Range
- Sugar Loaf Campground and Libby Lake
- Silver Lake Campground and Silver Lake
- Brooklyn Lake Campground and Brooklyn Lake
- The Big Horn Mountain Range
- West Tensleep Lake Campground and Tensleep Lake
- Middle Fork Campground and Middle Fork Creek
- Ranger Creek Campground and Ranger Creek
- The Teton Mountain Range
- Signal Mountain Campground and Jackson Lake
- Atherton Creek Campground and Lower Slide Lake
The Snowy Mountain Range
Located near the south-central part of the state, the Snowies are some of the most accessible mountains in Wyoming. Located just 90 miles west of Cheyenne (Wyoming’s capital), you can easily access plenty of spots to tent camp and fish by driving along interstate 80.
Once you’ve passed Laramie, you’ll begin climbing into the Snowies where campgrounds and fishing ponds are plentiful. Here are a few suggestions of where to camp and fish in the Snowies:
Sugar Loaf Campground and Libby Lake
An excellent spot to set up your tent is at the Sugar Loaf Campground. It’s fairly easy to access, which means that tons of people like to flock to this beautiful spot during the summer. Due to the harsh winter weather, the campground is open from the middle of July to the beginning of October for camping, so be sure to act quickly to get your spot here!
Fishing is not far away at Libby Lake, where anglers have ample opportunity to catch brook trout and Splake. You can boat on the lake, but you must carry it to the lake as there are not boat ramps to back into. This makes it ideal for kayak fishing and canoes!
Silver Lake Campground and Silver Lake
For a less frequented campsite, take a drive a bit north of Sugar Loaf Campground to Silver Lake Campground. The campsites are not reservable and are available to those that get to the area first! Bring cash as you need to pay $10 per night at the campground pay station. While there likely won’t be a camp host, you’ll incur a pretty hefty fine if a USFS employee comes by and sees that you haven’t paid your fee, so come prepared!
Fishing is plentiful nearby. With quick access to several lakes, your choices for catching a creel full of fish are seemingly endless. Silver Lake is the closest lake that is home to mainly brook trout. Like Libby Lake, you can paddle out in a canoe or kayak to get access to the deepest parts, which go down to as deep as 25 feet.
Brooklyn Lake Campground and Brooklyn Lake
One of the lightest used campgrounds in the Snowies is at Brooklyn Lake Campground. Located near Laramie, you can easily slip into town if you need to resupply on firewood or food. Water is available via a small spigot near one of the campsites.
Each campsite lays on the banks of Brooklyn Lake and offers great views of the calm waters that brook trout, cutthroat trout, and Splake all call home. For more fishing access, you only need to travel along trail 395 to Glacier Lakes for some remote fishing access.
The Big Horn Mountain Range
After you’ve visited the Snowies, head north on I-25 to Buffalo, Wyoming to access the southern area of the Big Horn Mountains. With tons of remote campgrounds located right on lakes and streams, there is a seemingly unlimited amount of tent camping and fishing opportunities.
West Tensleep Lake Campground and Tensleep Lake
Near the small town of Worland, WY, West Tensleep Lake Campground is another excellent spot to get some seclusion. Open during the month of June, campers can expect limited traffic here due to how far away the campground is from large population centers. If you’re concerned about getting a spot, you’ll be able to reserve one of the seven reservable campsites by following the directions linked on the USFS website above.
Fishing for brook trout is plentiful here as you have access to Tensleep Lake right by the campground as well as several creeks in the nearby area. Take a hike up any one of the many trails near West Tensleep Campground to access high alpine lakes and creeks where fish are plentiful!
Middle Fork Campground and Middle Fork Creek
The Middle Fork Campground is a great place to camp if you are close to Buffalo, WY. Located only 14 miles west of Buffalo, this campground offers plenty of campsites for you and your group to enjoy.
Middle Fork Creek, Circle Park Creek, and North Clear Creek are all great places to try your hand a small creek fly fishing. Take a hike up any one of the trails that follows the contours of the creeks to access prime creek fishing.
Ranger Creek Campground and Ranger Creek
Nestled in some gorgeous pine forests with access to open meadows, Ranger Creek Campground is one of the best campgrounds to enjoy some remote camping in the Big Horns. Due to how remote this campground is, the campsites are first-come, first-served. That means that if you want to ensure you get a spot, you want to leave early!
Fishing can be found at Ranger Creek or nearby Park Reservoir, Bighorn Reservoir, or Cross Creek Lakes.
The Teton Mountain Range
One of the most iconic mountain ranges in Wyoming is the Grand Tetons. It’s so iconic that in 1929, President Herbert Hoover saw fit to designate the area as a national park. A great spot to both camp and fish is Jackson Lake, which is located centrally inside of the park.
While there are areas where you can get a walk-up campsite, it’s definitely recommended that you try to reserve your spot ahead of time as the Grand Tetons draws visitors from all around the world. When you visit, you’ll see why!
Signal Mountain Campground and Jackson Lake
Due to the popularity of the campgrounds in Grand Tetons National Park, especially Signal Mountain Campground, you need to reserve a campsite ahead of your visit. This can be done up to six months in advance, which can be a good thing for those who are good at planning out their trips far in advance!
Campers enjoy plenty of amenities here, including regular access to showers and restaurants as well as a marina to launch boats from!
Jackson Lake is available to fish all year long, except for the month of October. Bring your fishing licenses and artificial baits to fish here, as live bait is not permitted.
Atherton Creek Campground and Lower Slide Lake
Located outside of Grand Tetons National Park, Atherton Creek Campground is a great spot to hit up if you don’t have a reservation at the national park or you just want to avoid the traffic that the park brings. Campsites here are reservable on a first-come, first-served basis, so be sure to get here early as it is fairly popular to camp here due to the beauty of the area and its proximity to Grand Tetons NP.
Fishing opportunities are amazing here as there are plenty of places to set up along the shore of Lower Slide Lake. If you have a boat, you’re welcome to tow it along and launch it to access the middle of the lake as this is one of the only lakes mentioned in this guide that has a boat ramp!
For more helpful hints on the best tents to purchase for your Wyoming adventure, please visit our article on Biggest Camping Tent For Your Family!
Final Thoughts
Wyoming is a great place to go tent camping and fishing as there are endless areas to get a spot and catch some fish. From the Snowies in the south to the Tetons in the north, there are plenty of places to get away from the hustle and bustle of major towns to get some solitude along the shores of thousands of lakes, creeks, and streams.
Be sure to gas up in the nearest town before you head out as the challenge of camping in such remote places means that there will be a lack of services. Bring along plenty of water and food too, so that you can stay as long as possible.
Now that you know where to go, pack up your car with your camping and fishing gear and hit the road to get your spot this summer! Where will you go first?
