Big Game Campground

Shoshone National Forest — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: CODY, WY, WY

Price: From $15 per night

Rating: 3.9 out of 5 (29 reviews)

Season: Memorial Day through Labor Day

Big Game Campground is located along the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway about 29 miles west of Cody, in northwestern Wyoming. It is 23 miles east of the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park. The surrounding area offers many outdoor recreational opportunities, including fishing, hiking and viewing local wildlife.Great opportunities for hiking, fishing, scenic driving and wildlife viewing are available around the campground.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Fishing, Firewood for Sale

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/big-game-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Big Game Campground sits on the North Fork of the Shoshone River with excellent fishing access and is ideally positioned for Yellowstone visits (23 miles from east entrance). At $15/night on the scenic Buffalo Bill Byway, it offers great value for hiking, wildlife viewing, and scenic driving in northwestern Wyoming.

Wildlife alert: Grizzly bear country — use bear-safe food storage practices. Also watch for moose, bison, and river otters near the river.

Insider tips for Big Game Campground: Book early — it's a federal campground with only 14 sites and high demand for Yellowstone access Bring a self-contained RV or plan for vault toilets only; no hookups available Plan fishing on the North Fork of the Shoshone River directly adjacent to camp Purchase firewood on-site to ensure availability

Skip Big Game Campground if: You need RV hookups (water, electric, sewer). You visit outside May 27–September 2 (seasonal closure). You prefer developed campgrounds with modern facilities.

Best time to visit Big Game Campground: Memorial Day through Labor Day — Campground operates seasonally during this window only.

Nearby campgrounds: Wapiti Campground (CODY, WY), Clearwater Campground (Cody, WY), Rex Hale (CODY, WY), Threemile Campground (Cody, WY).

Cell Phone Coverage at Big Game Campground

Cell signal at Big Game Campground (CODY, WY): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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CamperWatch›WY›Big Game Campground
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Shoshone National Forest — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Big Game Campground

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CODY, WY, WY★ 3.9 (29 reviews)From $15/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Big Game Campground is located along the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway about 29 miles west of Cody, in northwestern Wyoming. It is 23 miles east of the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park. The surrounding area offers many outdoor recreational opportunities, including fishing, hiking and viewing local wildlife.Great opportunities for hiking, fishing, scenic driving and wildlife viewing are available around the campground.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMemorial Day through Labor Day
Stay limit14 days
Max RV120 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesFirewood for Sale
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups (water, electric, sewer)✕ You visit outside May 27–September 2 (seasonal closure)✕ You prefer developed campgrounds with modern facilities

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

it's a federal campground with only 14 sites and high demand for Yellowstone access

Bring a self-contained RV or plan for vault toilets only; no hookups available

Plan fishing on the North Fork of the Shoshone River directly adjacent to camp

Purchase firewood on-site to ensure availability

Best: Memorial Day through Labor Day

Campground operates seasonally during this window only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Grizzly bear country — use bear-safe food storage practices. Also watch for moose, bison, and river otters near the river.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
Getting there →

From Cody, Wyo., follow Sheridan Avenue west through Cody until the road leaves town, and becomes Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway (U.S. Highway 14/16/20). The campground is 29 miles west of Cody, on the north side of the highway and next to the river. It is between Wapiti Campground and Horse Creek Picnic Area.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Shoshone National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Shoshone National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Big Game Campground cost per night?+
Big Game Campground costs $15 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Big Game Campground open?+
Big Game Campground is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Big Game Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Big Game Campground?+
Big Game Campground can accommodate RVs up to 120 feet.
How do I make reservations at Big Game Campground?+
Big Game Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Big Game Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Big Game Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Big Game Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Big Game Campground is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$15 /night★ 3.9 (29)
SeasonMemorial Day through Labor Day
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Big Game Campground cost per night?+
What season is Big Game Campground open?+
Does Big Game Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Wapiti Campground

CODY, WY

From $20/night

Clearwater Campground

Cody, WY

From $15/night

Rex Hale

CODY, WY

From $15/night

Threemile Campground

Cody, WY

From $20/night

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