11-Day Family Camping Trip Through Colorado, Wyoming & Utah

During the summer of 2022, we embarked on an 11-day family camping trip through Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah. Over 2,000 miles traveling and sleeping in a 34-square-foot camper with our 2 small children was amazing. Back in April we purchased a Forest River NoBo 10.5 and have been planning this trip ever since. While our original thought was to head to Utah, we decided to travel north to cooler temperatures in July. We spent 11 days traveling to Wyoming (Yellowstone National Park) and back down through Utah (Flaming Gorge) before ending back up in Colorado. The memories we made with our children (2 years old and 4 months at the time) are ones I never want to forget. I hope you enjoy a recap of our trip out west below!

Route

We started off in Colorado Springs, CO where we currently live, and from there took the following route:

• Fraser, Colorado (Arapahoe National Forest)
• Laramie, Wyoming (Medicine Bow National Forest)
• Lander, Wyoming
• Moran, Wyoming (Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Park)
• Lander, Wyoming (Sinks Canyon State Park)
• Manila, Utah (Flaming Gorge)
• Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Camping in Arapahoe National Forest (Fraser, Colorado)

Our route from Colorado Springs to Fraser took us through Berthoud Pass past Idaho Springs and Winter Park. It was beautiful; so lush and green in the summertime. We stayed at the most scenic campground — St. Louis Creek Campground in Arapahoe National Forest. To get there, you take a long dirt road out of town. It was rainy and cloudy the day we arrived, which worked in our favor because spots are first come first serve (FCFS). The campground host, someone who lives there full time during the summer and manages the sites, was so incredibly nice. She came over and introduced herself upon arrival and even gifted us a bundle of firewood.

We set up our campsite and put the Rhino Rack Bat Wing out to keep us dry while cooking dinner. When the rain and the clouds cleared, we had an incredible view of the mountains surrounding us.

The first night in a new place (or new camper) is terrible sleeping-wise. But the next morning we woke up ready to tackle a new day. We started out with a hike from the campground. Our host recommended a hike up to a viewpoint where we could see the mountains better.

We saw all sorts of wildflowers – Colorado Blue Columbine, Wild roses & more. I love learning about the flora around us. It got hot fast, so we headed back to the camper and packed up everything to head north into Wyoming!

Campground Info:

• Location: St. Louis Creek Campground (Fraser, CO)
• Website: click here
• Cost: $25/night CASH only
• Reservations? No, FCFS
• Amenities: nice bathrooms, bear boxes & firewood for sale
• Sites: Mix of pull-throughs and back-ins

Boondocking in Medicine Bow National Forest

On the road headed to Medicine Bow National Forest, we saw some great sites — the landscape changed drastically from mountainous to bare desert to cliffs and back to mountains.

We made it to our boondocking spot off Forest Road 318 near the city of Laramie. To find this spot, I used the app Campendium and scoped it out beforehand on Google Maps / Google Earth.

We were swarmed with mosquitos as soon as we got out of the car. We quickly covered from head to toe with clothing and sprayed down the camper and gear with permethrin and ourselves with bug spray. These methods plus the smoke from our charcoal grill seemed to keep them at bay. We found a spot right by the little lake. It already had a fire pit and there were plenty of sticks and dead limbs to be collected for firewood. The forest road was pretty rutted and bumpy in some areas. Our hitch drug the ground in one spot and the rest of the road was flooded so we couldn’t see how far back it went.

Campground Info:

• Location: Forest Road 318 (Lander, WY)
• Campendium Profile: click here
• Cost: Free
• Reservations? No, FCFS
• Amenities: none/no hookups. dispersed camping
• Sites: Mix of pull-throughs and back-ins
• Other things to note: very rough road and possible flooding, so have a backup plan

Camper Trouble in Lander, Wyoming

After packing up the next morning, we drove from Forest Road 318 in Laramie up through Saratoga to Lander, Wyoming. The temperatures rose steadily as we headed further north. We decided to book a night at a full hook-up campground (called RV Parks) to be able to take showers and do some laundry. I called the same day to make reservations and luckily, they had a spot for us at Twin Pines RV Park & Campground.

It was right off the main road but backed up to a cow farm and small pond. The owners were so sweet and welcoming. The showers, bathrooms & laundry area are housed in a beautiful building built by the owners. There were plenty of brochures and maps along with a little store at the check-in center.

Upon arriving and unhitching the car, we noticed the brake connector ripped out of the bumper of our car. This meant we were no longer charging the battery in the camper — which runs our refrigerator, water pump, and USB outlets to charge our phone. A few very frustrating phone calls with Good Sams landed us nowhere — despite having platinum roadside assistance. We found a great service center in the Wind River Indian Reservation (where Wind River, a good movie on Netflix, was filmed) and they had us in and out in under an hour with repairs.

Campground Info:

• Location: Google Maps Link
• Website: https://twinpinesrvpark.com/
• Cost: $48.50/night
• Reservations? Yes
• Amenities: full hookups / tent sites / cabins
• Sites: Mix of pull-throughs and back-ins
• Other things to note: have a small store, playground, laundry machines, big bathrooms and games you can rent

Grand Teton National Park

After our camper mishap, we headed north west to Grand Teton National Park. The goal was to stay at a beautiful boondocking spot with a view of the Upper Tetons, but it was completely packed and had very little shade. After driving rough forest roads for over an hour, we gave up and headed back the way we came to get gas. It just so happened that the gas station was in front of an RV Park. It was pricey, but we were grateful because it was past 6:00 and the kids were done being in the car. There was a horse farm behind the RV Park, and Lillie loved getting to see the horses. The view of the Tetons wasn’t too shabby either.

Campground Info:

• Location: Fireside Buffalo RV Park
• Website: click here
• Cost: $116
• Reservations? Yes
• Amenities: full hookups
• Sites: Mix of pull-throughs and back-ins

Camping in Grand Teton National Park

The following day we packed up, yet again, and headed to our campground inside the National Park. We booked two nights at Colter Bay Village & Campground. At the entrance to the park, we were given an America the Beautiful pass. (If you’re active-duty military, the pass is free with the sponsors’ ID card.)

Because we had a kayak with us, we had to go through the boat inspection first. It was a quick stop to get a check by the Park Ranger where we received a yellow slip with the next steps. We had to go by the Colter Bay Visitor Center and buy a boat permit that cost $17 for a hard sided kayak. The final step was to order an AIS decal online. (You won’t have the actual decal, so just keep a screenshot of the receipt.)

We set up camp in loop A in a nice shady area, then found a path that led to the lake. Jackson Lake is formed by snow melt from the Tetons, so it was freezing. The lake shore is very rocky. You’ll want to wear water shoes and bring a chair or large towel to sit on if you plan on staying a while.

Campground Info:

• Location: Colter Bay Campground (Moran, WY)
• Cost: $45 for standard, non-electric
• Reservations? Yes, they book up fast!
• Amenities: range of hookups & non-electric, bathrooms, general store, laundry (wifi in the same building)
• Sites: Mix of pull-throughs and back-ins

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

After cooling down in Jackson Lake on a hot July day, we cleaned up and drove about 50 minutes down to Jackson Hole. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it was even more quaint than I could’ve imagined.

In Jackson Hole, there are multiple free parking areas, or you can park on the street for up to three hours. There were huge hanging baskets overflowing with flowers in bold colors that reminded me of a romantic western. We stopped for dinner at a place that came highly recommended, Hatch Taqueria & Tequilas. Happy Hour started at 4:30 and we ordered delicious margaritas for half off, along with some great appetizers. We chose this restaurant particularly because they were one of the few restaurants in town that were dog friendly. Sven was with us because we couldn’t leave him in the camper without air conditioning running. They were kid friendly as well with great kid’s menus and a variety of choices. The famous antler arches are just a few blocks over and are worth taking a photo in front of!

Yellowstone National Park

Our goal for this trip was to make it to Yellowstone National Park. It’s a nearly 3,500 square mile wilderness that lies mostly in Wyoming but spreads into parts of Montana and Idaho. The National Park features canyons, hot springs, and geysers, and is home to hundreds of animals including bears, wolves, bison, and elk.

I had my doubts after the big flood and closure of the national park. It took us a few days longer than expected, but we finally made it. We only had time to do the South Loop with 2 small kids in the car. I had planned out all the stops beforehand with details so we could decide along the way where to stop. Helene in Between’s blog post all about Yellowstone was a tremendous help in planning! See her post here.

We went left at the split towards Old Faithful, but our kids had just fallen asleep in the car, and we didn’t want to wake them up. It was so packed and overwhelming with huge stores and parking lots that I’m not really bummed we skipped it.

Instead, our first stop was at Black Sand Basin, which is named for its black sand that forms when lava cools too quickly. There’s a boardwalk where you can see small geysers and multiple hot springs and pools. My favorite site at this location was the emerald pool – I had it all to myself for a few minutes – and the green spring right next to the boardwalk.

Our second stop was Biscuit Basin recommended by Helene, who marked it as MUST DO. And WOW. Check out Sapphire Pool in the photo below. The Biscuit Basin trail leads past hydrothermal features like pools, geysers, and springs. There’s a small parking lot at this stop, but people are continually coming and going so it’s easy to find a spot.

Both aforementioned basins are within short driving distance from Old Faithful.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone was one of our last stops. I was rendered speechless upon arriving. I’ve never seen anything so GRAND. It’s more than 1,000 feet deep and runs 20 miles long. There are multiple overlooks and trails running in different directions. This specific one, pictured below, was from the Lookout Point parking lot to the Grand View parking lot (stroller friendly). *Exact google maps point here because it was kind of hard to find*

After this, we finished the south loop in Hayden Valley where wildlife encounters are much higher! We saw a black bear and multiple bison and elk. There are plenty of spots to pull off the side of the road. We always knew when there was animal activity based on traffic coming to a halt or people pulling over and jumping out of their cars…which I don’t recommend for bears & bison.

The south loop took us about 5 hours round trip from Jackson Lake. We wanted to see the north loop and Lamar Valley where grizzly bears are commonly seen, but it just wasn’t feasible with 2 small children.

Sinks Canyon State Park

After our stay in Grand Teton National Park, we headed back south to Lander, Wyoming to stay in Sinks Canyon State Park. The sites were pretty booked up, but I managed to find us the last spot at Popo Agie Campground inside the state park. We didn’t arrive until late in the evening because of an urgent care pitstop for our daughter, Lillie. We stayed right next to the river which was fast and dangerous and not good to swim or wade in with small children. The campground host was never seen or heard from. The restrooms were average and there were no hookups or showers at this campground.

The next morning, we packed up our camper and moved to the parking lot to embark on a short hike. Popo Agie Nature Trail was about 2 miles round trip leading from the campground. It was extremely hot, and the trail was pretty grown up, so I recommend pants if you hike in the state park. We didn’t get a chance to see the actual sink and rise area of the river because we wanted to get a head start on our day.

Campground Info:

• Location: Popo Agie Campground Google Maps Link
• Website: https://www.sinkscanyonstatepark.org/visitor/camping/popo-agie.html
• Cost: $18/ night for non-residents of WY
• Reservations? Yes
• Amenities: Toilet only
• Sites: Back-ins mostly
• Other things to note:

Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area

We made a last-minute decision to add Utah to our trip. Not wanting to return home the exact way we came, we booked two nights (for the first time) at a KOA (Kampgrounds of America) in Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.

We had discovered the previous day that, unfortunately, our refrigerator was having issues charging on battery and wouldn’t stay cool unless hooked up to electricity. Therefore, we had no choice but to book the rest of our trip at RV parks with hookups. KOA’s are amazing because they’re known for being family-friendly.

This was our first time staying at a KOA and it was awesome. The hosts were so nice, it was clean, and we had decent shade. They had a playground, activities like corn hole and a basketball court, fire pits, and full hookups. The Wi-Fi worked excellent which was the first time all trip, so we were able to facetime with our family and catch up! It was a reasonable price per night and included showers and restrooms.

We relaxed, unpacked, then changed and headed to the Swim Beach at Flaming Gorge by the Lucerne Valley Marina. The water was chilly but had a beautiful blue hue. You can drive right up onto the beach, and we saw others with kayaks, floats, and more fun water stuff. The cost for swimming was $5 and it was an honor system, so make sure you bring cash. Dinner was takeout from Flaming Gorge Restaurant.  

Campground Info:

• Location: KOA Manila UT Google Maps Link
• Website: click here
• Cost: $50/night
• Reservations? Yes
• Amenities: Tons! Check out their website for more info
• Sites: Pull thru up to 75 ft

Renting a Boat at Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area

Flaming Gorge Reservoir is a popular Utah attraction, but the plus side is: it’s not overrun with tourists! The gorge is famous for its trophy lake trout where multiple 30+ pound fish are caught each year.

The red canyon walls catch the light of the morning sun giving it the name Flaming Gorge. It runs through both Wyoming and Utah, but the more impressive part is on the Utah side.

We really wanted to see this famous Gorge up close. It was too hot to hike with the kids. The best alternative was to spend the day out on the lake. We rented a pontoon from Lucerne Valley Marina. You can reserve in advance (advisable), but we just walked up and reserved one of the last boats left – the Sun Tracker Pontoon. This was perfect for our family because it had tons of seating and plenty of shade. Our rental was for half a day, which was 5 hours from the time of renting. The guys at the Marina showed us exactly where to go to get to the “Instagram-worthy” spots. It was incredible!

Seeing the Gorge up close – literally feet away from the boat – was, in my opinion, the best way to explore. The water was a beautiful color if not very chilly. The Marina provided life jackets for the whole family and even had infant ones.

It was incredible to get to rent a boat and do something as a family that we don’t usually do while traveling. Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area is absolutely beautiful, and I highly recommend visiting if you’re in Northeast Utah!

We left Utah but not without stopping at the Red Canyon Visitor Center for an overview of the gorge.

Dinosaur National Monument

After checking out of our KOA, we headed toward Vernal, Utah to the Dinosaur National Monument. This was one of the coolest monuments I’ve ever been to. Stephen got to geek out over dinosaurs with Lillie, who is also a huge fan of dinosaurs!

Our visit to the quarry was fascinating. You can park at the visitor center and take a free shuttle up to the quarry. If you’re handicapped or have pets in the car with you, talk to a Park Ranger in the visitor center and they’ll allow you to drive all the way up to Quarry Exhibit Hall. The Monument has some of Earth’s richest known dinosaur fossil beds. The remains are over 150 million years old from the Jurassic Period. During a drought, many dinosaurs died by the river’s edge and when the rains returned, floodwaters carried the bones (over 500 types). The ancient river sediments entombed the dinosaur bones and minerals saturated the bones and cast them in stone. Erosion eventually exposed the fossils and Earl Douglass discovered them in 1909.

Right next to the visitor center you’ll find some incredible petroglyphs and pictographs. I’ve never seen anything like this before. They are from the Fremont people from over 1,000 years ago. You can find them on Google Maps – called Swelter Shelter Petroglyphs.

Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Our final campground was near Glenwood Springs, Colorado. We wanted to spend our last few days relaxing and I think we were pretty successful. We drove from the Dinosaur National Monument to Glenwood Springs, CO where we booked 2 nights at a KOA. They had a beautiful lodge, pool, and splash pad. We got the last spot by the river with a covered patio and very nice fire pit. It was 90+ degrees there during July so we cooled down in the pool and then hailed a golf cart taxi (how cool is that) to dinner at Miner’s Claim Restaurant.

The following day we spent our morning at Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, the world’s largest outdoor mineral hot springs. It was $39/adult and kids under 2 were free. The water was very warm, but not too warm for a baby. They have a new splash pad and a few waterslides you should check out also. It was a great way to spend the day in Glenwood Springs and ultra relaxing.

Campground Info:

• Location: KOA near Glenwood Springs Google Maps Link
• Website: click here
• Cost: $79/night
• Reservations? Yes
• Amenities: Tons! Check out their website for more info
• Sites: Pull thru and back ins

Final Thoughts from our Family Camping Trip through Colorado, Wyoming & Utah

I didn’t expect us to even last a week camping with 2 small children in our new Forest River NoBo 10.5 camper, but there I was in week 2 begging Stephen to extend our trip one more day. Our 11-day family camping trip through Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah was so memorable. We stepped way outside of our comfort zone and it paid off tremendously. I hope these memories never fade and our children continue developing a love of travel and adventure. I hope you’ve enjoyed this recap of our time traveling out west in our first camper!