SP Campground Rating – Curt Gowdy, WY

July 31, 2010 by libertatemamo 3 Comments

Link to Park Here: Curt Gowdy State Park, WY

1. Site Quality = 3/5
   This is a huge park with 2 lakes and hundreds of different campsites so it’s a bit tough to give a general rating. The reservable sites are fairly flat and decent (for example, non-hookups in Camp Russell are curved, dirt pull-throughs which are mostly level, although with not too much view). The non-reservable sites, which are the majority of sites around the two lakes vary significantly in size, level and view. In Crystal Lake the sites tend to be dirt, fairly level and right next to the water. At the back of Granite Lake (the loops furthest away from the entrance) there’s several fairly level, large dirt sites, but towards the entrance many sites are extremely unlevel and wouldn’t suit big-rigs, or the roads leading into the campgrounds are very narrow, pot-holed and steep. So, it’s a big mix! In general, if you have a big rig, for the best views and most level sites I’d suggest Crystal Lake or the far end of Granite Lake. Also, I’d unhook and look around in your toad before choosing to drive the rig down into some of the loops. For smaller trailers and rigs you can try the campgrounds near the entrance of Granite Lake. All sites do have fire-pit and bench.
2. Facilities = 3/5
   The campground only has pit toilets. There is potable water in every loop and a central dump-station which is a bonus. Some loops do have hookups, but the selection is limited and they do tend to book-out. The majority of the lake is dispersed, non-hookup camping.
3. Location = 5/5
   Location is definitely the biggest draw for this campground. Curt Gowdy is a huge park, gorgeously located around 2 lakes with miles of hiking and mountain biking trails in the surrounding area. You’re ~30 miles from Cheyenne so a reasonable distance to “civilization.
4. Pet Friendliness = 4.5/5
   This is a great place for pets. The campsites have lots of green space and there’s miles of hiking trails to walk doggie in the surrounding area. Only slight ding is that the lake is not officially accessible to dogs or swimming.

Overall Rating = 3.9
BONUS ALERT = beautiful lake views and miles of hiking

Summary: Overall we were very happy with this campground. It’s a favorite with the locals with good traffic in the week-ends, and for good reason. The lake and hiking in the area are both spectacular and we enjoyed many hours of both. The only negative is that it’s quite primitive (only pit toilets) and trying to find a suitable campsite takes a while. The grounds are very varied here. The site we originally reserved was quite close to neighbors and didn’t have much of a view so we drove around and decided on another one further out. Some of the loops are very hard to access with a big-rig, or would be way too unlevel, but if you’re willing to spend some time you can find yourself a really sweet location. If we come back we’ll chose to drive further out from the entrance to the back of Granite Lake (Granite Point or Sherman Hills Loops) or into Crystal Lake which have nicer, mostly level sites close to the water. Overall, though we had a great experience and would definitely come back.

Extra Info: Both our AT&T cellphones and our Verizon wireless card worked. Sites cost $10/night, but there’s an extra fee of $7/night for non-residents to enter the park. Limited selection of reservable sites. Central dump and potable water.

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