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A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Forest Service campground

Clearwater Campground

Forest Service campground in Shoshone National Forest, Park County, Wyoming. About 6,000 feet.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service Shoshone National Forest
Elevation
About 6,000 ft As the Forest Service states
Sites
12 11 tent only non-electric, 1 group standard non-electric
Longest rig
30 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Park County

Overview

Clearwater Campground is located along the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway, about 32 miles west of Cody, in northwestern Wyoming. It is 20 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.

Recreation

Great opportunities for hiking, fishing, scenic driving and wildlife viewing are available around the campground. The North Fork of the Shoshone River is a popular fly-fishing location for rainbow and Yellowstone cutthroat trout.

Facilities

The campground offers one group camping area, which provides private parking, three large picnic tables, two food storage lockers and campfire circle.

Additionally, 11 single-family campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Each campsite is equipped with a picnic table, campfire ring and food storage locker. Vault toilets and trash collection are provided, but drinking water is not available. Campers may gather firewood from the area.

Natural Features

The campground is situated on the banks of the North Fork of the Shoshone River and has beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. Douglas fir and large juniper trees cover the campground, which sits at an elevation of 6,000 feet.

A wide variety of wildlife lives in the area. Visitors often glimpse grizzly bears, deer, elk, bison, moose, fox, coyotes and bald eagles.

Nearby Attractions

Pahaska Tepee, west of the campground, is home to Buffalo Bill's original hunting lodge, built in 1904. Tours are offered daily between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Pahaska also offers guided horseback rides, a gift shop, restaurant and lodging.

Yellowstone National Park's east entrance is 25 miles from the campground via the Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway. The park offers unparalleled wildlife viewing opportunities, as well as breathtaking scenery and unique geological features.

The small, historic city of Cody offers a variety of dining, lodging and shopping options. The Buffalo Bill Historical Center offers extensive displays of Greater Yellowstone natural history, Plains Indians artifacts, western art, firearms, Buffalo Bill memorabilia and a wild sheep exhibit.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Clearwater Campground

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated March 11, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

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