Wyoming is one of the easiest states for free dispersed camping. Ten national forests, millions of BLM acres, and relatively simple rules combine to make most of the state's public land accessible for free overnight camping. The national parks - Yellowstone and Grand Teton - get most of the attention and most of the crowds. The six national forests surrounding those parks offer comparable scenery with none of the entrance fees, permit requirements, or campground reservation battles.
The Yellowstone alternative: national forests surrounding the parks
Yellowstone National Park charges a $35 per vehicle entrance fee, requires campground reservations months in advance, and routinely hits capacity in July and August. Grand Teton is similar. The surrounding national forests - Bridger-Teton, Shoshone, Caribou-Targhee - share the same mountain terrain and wildlife corridors as the parks, with none of the fees or permit requirements for dispersed camping.
Wildlife is the same: elk, bison (in some areas just outside park boundaries), wolves, moose, black bears, and grizzly bears. Scenery is comparable. Dispersed camping on forest roads within these forests is free, first-come first-served, and open to anyone willing to drive a forest road.
Bridger-Teton National Forest (Jackson area)
Wyoming's largest national forest at 3.4 million acres, bordering both Yellowstone and Grand Teton. The Hoback Canyon area south of Jackson (US-189/191 south) has multiple dispersed camping options on forest roads off the main highway. The Greys River Road (FR 10138, off US-189 south of Alpine) is a 50-mile scenic forest road with excellent dispersed camping in a remote river corridor at 6,000 to 8,000 feet. This is grizzly and wolf country - full bear protocols apply. Season: June through October. High-clearance recommended for most forest roads.
Shoshone National Forest (Cody area)
America's first national forest (designated 1891), covering the Absaroka and Wind River ranges east of Yellowstone. The North Fork Highway (US-14/16/20 west of Cody) passes through Shoshone NF to the Yellowstone east entrance - the forest on both sides of this corridor has dispersed camping on forest roads. The South Fork of the Shoshone River area (FR 468 south of Wapiti) is a well-established dispersed camping corridor. Grizzly country throughout. Season: June through October.
Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest (Laramie area)
Southeast Wyoming's primary national forest, covering the Snowy Range west of Laramie and the Sierra Madre in Carbon County. The Snowy Range (WY-130 west of Laramie) has the most accessible dispersed camping in southeast Wyoming at 8,000 to 12,000 feet. Forest roads off WY-130 access dozens of dispersed sites. Season: June through October (Snowy Range Pass is closed by snow November through May). No grizzlies - this is black bear country only. Good dispersed camping close to Laramie and Cheyenne.
BLM land: central and eastern Wyoming
Wyoming's BLM land is concentrated in the central and eastern parts of the state - high desert, sagebrush plains, and river breaks terrain. The Red Desert in Sweetwater County is one of the largest unfenced areas in the lower 48 - millions of acres of BLM land with no roads, no services, and dispersed camping with no fee. Standard BLM 14-day in 28-day rule applies.
The Bighorn Basin BLM land north of Thermopolis and east of Cody offers desert canyon terrain close to Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. Dispersed camping throughout on BLM roads. Season: April through November; summer temperatures reach 95 to 100 degrees F in the basin. High-clearance recommended.
Wind River Range: Wyoming's best free camping terrain
The Wind River Range in western Wyoming is arguably the best backcountry camping terrain in the lower 48 - 100 miles of granite peaks above 13,000 feet, hundreds of alpine lakes, and more wilderness than any other area outside Alaska. Dispersed camping on forest roads approaching the wilderness trailheads is free with no permit. Overnight camping inside the Bridger Wilderness (western side) and Popo Agie Wilderness (eastern side) requires a free self-registration wilderness permit available at the trailhead.
Access from the west: US-191 north from Rock Springs to Pinedale, then forest roads east toward Big Sandy and Green River Lakes trailheads. Access from the east: US-287 from Lander, then Hwy 131 south toward Elkhart Park trailhead. Season: July through September - the Winds are snowbound through June. No grizzlies in the Winds currently; black bears are present.
5 specific Wyoming free camping areas
1. Bridger-Teton NF / Greys River Road (Lincoln County)
Access: US-189 south from Jackson through Alpine, then FR 10138 (Greys River Road) north. 50-mile forest road through the Salt River Range at 6,000 to 8,000 feet with dispersed camping throughout. Very low visitor pressure compared to the Teton corridor. High-clearance required. Season: June through October. Grizzly and black bear country - bear protocols apply. One of Wyoming's most scenic and least-known dispersed camping corridors.
2. Shoshone NF / South Fork (Park County)
Access: US-14/16/20 west of Cody to Wapiti, then FR 468 south into the South Fork canyon. Dispersed sites along the South Fork Shoshone River at 6,000 to 7,000 feet. Grizzly country - this is one of the most active grizzly corridors in Wyoming. High-clearance recommended. Season: June through October. Good fly fishing on the South Fork. 30 minutes from Cody for supplies.
3. Medicine Bow NF / Snowy Range (Carbon County)
Access: I-80 to Laramie, then WY-130 west (Snowy Range Scenic Byway) toward Centennial. Forest roads off WY-130 access dispersed sites at 8,000 to 10,000 feet. 2WD accessible for many sites; high-clearance for upper roads. Season: June through October (pass closed by snow November through late May). Black bears - no grizzlies. 50 miles west of Laramie. Good dispersed camping for the Cheyenne/Laramie area.
4. Bighorn NF / Shell Canyon (Bighorn County)
Access: US-14 west from Greybull through Shell Canyon into the Bighorn Mountains. Forest roads off US-14 access dispersed sites in canyon and mountain terrain at 5,000 to 9,000 feet. High-clearance recommended for most forest roads. Season: May through October. Black bear country; no grizzlies in the Bighorns. One of Wyoming's most underrated national forests - comparable terrain to Colorado forests with significantly fewer people.
5. Bridger-Teton NF / Hoback Canyon (Sublette County)
Access: US-189/191 south of Jackson through Hoback Canyon. Forest roads on both sides of the canyon access dispersed sites at 6,000 to 7,000 feet. Some 2WD accessible; high-clearance for upper roads. Season: June through October. Grizzly and black bear country. Good river access on the Hoback River - fishing and kayaking. 30 minutes south of Jackson.
Wyoming dispersed camping rules
- Stay limits. National forests: 14 days, then move. BLM: 14 days in 28-day period, relocate 25 miles.
- Bear protocols. Grizzlies in northwest Wyoming (Yellowstone ecosystem). Bear spray is mandatory in grizzly habitat. Hard-sided bear canisters required in some wilderness areas - check with the specific ranger district. Food hang required everywhere else.
- Fire restrictions. Check the specific ranger district website. Wyoming fire restrictions are less frequent than California or Colorado but can be severe in drought years. August and September are the highest-risk months.
- Wilderness permits. Self-registration at trailheads for Bridger, Popo Agie, Washakie, and other Wyoming Wilderness areas. No quota in most areas - just sign in. No permit for dispersed camping on forest roads outside wilderness boundaries.
- Water. Filter all water from natural sources - Giardia present throughout Wyoming backcountry.
Use the Find Land tool to locate national forest and BLM land throughout Wyoming. For dispersed camping rules generally, see the dispersed camping guide. For BLM-specific rules, see the BLM camping rules guide.
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