Island Lake Campground in Wyoming: Review and Photos
Island Lake Campground off of Beartooth Highway in Wyoming is the perfect base for adventure.
In this review, you’ll find everything you need to know about this campground in the Shoshone National Forest from site photos to nearby activities.
While exploring Yellowstone National Park with my family, we had the pleasure of stopping by here, and we were blown away by the beauty of this spot near the Wyoming-Montana border.
It’s about an 1.5 hour drive outside of Cody, Wyoming, and an 1 hour’s drive from Yellowstone’s northeastern gate. From here, you can explore the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway and Cooke City, hike trails on the Beartooth Highway, or enjoy a day out on your kayak or canoe.
The Island Lake for which the campground is named
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Island Lake Campground: What to Consider
While Island Lake campground is beautiful, it is also remote.
And that might be EXACTLY what you’re looking for!
Island Lake Campground is run by the National Forest Service as the property lies within the the Shoshone National Forest.
Groceries and Supplies near Island Lake Campground
Be prepared to bring in all of your groceries and supplies for your stay as there isn’t a store within quick driving distance from the campground.
There’s also no camp store here, so you need to be self-sufficent.
The closest place to grab gas and snacks would be the Top of the World Resort, which is less than 2 miles to the west from the campground entrance.
Still, you won’t find much more than cold soft drinks, 2 gas pumps, and lots of souvenirs there.
Another option is to head further west into Cooke City, a tiny town near Yellowstone’s northeastern entrance. While you won’t find any major grocery stores here, there are a few small stores with grocery stapes.
Your best best is to gather groceries and supplies back in Cody, Wyoming, which is on the other end of the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (Highway 296), a beautiful but winding stretch of road that connects Cody to the Beartooth Highway.
First come first served
To grab one of the 21 campsites, you’ll need to be quick—once they’re gone, they’re gone.
If you’re planning to stay here during the season (typically late June to late August), you’ll want to arrive early for the best chance of choosing a spot that’s right for your tent, trailer, and camping situation.
When we visited in late August/ early September, there were multiple spots available, but not all of them would’ve worked for our 21’ Winnebago Micro Minnie 1800BH trailer.
There’s no uniformity about the camping spaces, so some sites will work for you. You’ll want to have as many of these options as possible.
Otherwise, you face the possibility of showing up and finding spots that won’t work for your family’s gear/rig or finding no spots at all.
Weather and Road Access
The weather in this part of the United States is fickle at best. Parts of the Beartooth Highway, on which this campground resides, can see snow literally 12 months out of the year.
Note the tall snow poles on either side of the road that help guide snowmobilers along this stretch of Beartooth Highway during the colder months.
Even during the relatively warmer months, you could face fog or snow coming to and from the campground on the Beartooth Highway, so check that weather report and drive cautiously.
Find more more information on driving the Beartooth Highway in my comprehensive guide, including recommended stops and travel tips.
Since the campground is located on the portion of Beartooth Highway that closes during the winter, you should plan your time here carefully, especially if you’re aiming for the shoulder season in late spring or early fall.
Beartooth Highway closes east to the junction of Highway 212 and Chief Joseph Scenic Highway that runs to Cody, Wyoming, and that closure runs the remainder of Beartooth Highway nearly to Red Lodge, Montana
So, there’s absolutely no way to get to the campground, which is located east of that junction, from roughly October to May each year.
Camping Options near Island Lake
While there are limited places for full hook-ups in this entire region along the Wyoming-Montana border, you will find several campgrounds and camping areas with limited (and sometimes no) hook-ups.
As long as you’re self-sufficient with a fresh water tank, solar panels, and propane, you’ll be able to camp comfortably out here.
Since much of the stretch of Beartooth Highway from Cooke City, Montana, to Red Lodge, Montana, is protected wilderness areas or national forest, several plots have been set aside as dedicated camping areas.
If Island Lake Campground is filled when you arrive or you can’t find a site that will work for your equipment, here are a few nearby alternatives (though it certainly isn’t a comprehensive list):
Soda Butte Camping Area is located just east of Cooke City, Montana. There’s a water fill station, but no individual water hookups. No sewer or electric. No dump stations. Vault toilets available onsite. First come, first served.
Colter Campground is located about 3 miles east of Cooke City, Montana. Easy access off of Beartooth Highway/ Highway 212. Water fill station, but no individual water hookups, sewer or electric. Vault toilets onsite. No dump stations. Hard sided campers only; must use bear boxes (which are provided at each site). First come, first served.
Crazy Creek Campground is located about halfway between Cooke City, Montana, and the junction of Highway 212 and the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway. Easy access to Crazy Creek Falls from inside of the campground. 16 campsites, all with picnic tables and fire rings.. Vault toilets onsite. Bear boxes provided. No onsite water. First come, first served. Open year round.
Beartooth Lake Campground is located about halfway between the junction of Beartooth Highway and Chief Joseph Scenic Highway, and Island Lake campground on Highway 212. Short gravel access road from Highway 212/Beartooth Highway. Open during summer months only. 21 sites available. Water pump available. Vault toilets onsite. First come, first served.
A general note about this stretch of Beartooth Highway: there is little to no cell signal, so I’d go old school and print out a map of these campgrounds just in case you’re unable to get into Island Lake.
All of them are within easy driving distant of one another. If you head west from the entrance of Island Lake campground, you’re going to pass by the entrances of all of these camping sites if you stay on Beartooth Highway towards Cooke City.
Island Lake Campground Review
There’s not much to this site, and that’s probably why you’ve bothered coming all the way out here.
Island Lake Campground and Recreation Area is well signposted from Beartooth Highway, with a large National Forest sign helping lead you.
Once you head down the access road, you’ll have the camping area to your left and the boat ramp, the lake, and the lake parking area to your right.
Beyond that, you’re here to listen to the wind whisper through the lodgepole pines and get away from it all. There are no distractions here—and certainly no cell service—so break out that book you’ve been planning to read.
Checking in
One of the larger lots in the Island Lake campground, good for smaller travel trailers
Compared to checking into a state or private campground, check-in at Island Lake campground—and the other Shoshone National Forest campgrounds—is a breeze.
You simply show up, drive around until you see a spot you like, and set up camp.
Since it’s first come, first served, you aren’t tethered to a reservation time or site.
That being said, you’ll have the most luck finding a wide variety of open sites earlier in the morning. During peak season (July), those sites will begin to fill up again in mid-afternoon, so come early to stake out your perfect spot.
Choosing a Site
More so than a typical campground, you’ll want to drive around first before you commit to a site.
Each site is situated differently. Some sites are quite shallow, and were tight even for half ton trucks with camper toppers. Others could comfortably fit our 21’ travel trailer and tow vehicle.
On average, these sites aren’t made for big rigs or longer travel trailers.
PIN ME!
Also, keep in mind that about half of the sites require you to drive up a hill that turns sharply, further limiting the size and weight of campers that can access portions of this campground.
Unlike some of the other campgrounds in the area, Island Lake does offer tent camping in addition to trailer camping.
In the main camping areas, there is no differentiation between the usage types of the sites, so you’ll see a family tent camping right next to a solo camper in a teardrop camper.
There are also a couple of walk-in tent sites accessible from the back loop with the actual campsite within 100 feet or so of the road.
Remember, that you’ll need to identify your site as taken if you have to leave for the day. If you have a travel trailer that remains stationery, you don’t have to worry about anything.
But if you’re traveling in a truck with a camper topper, you won’t have anything permanent in your site when you go out and adventure. Bungee cord a camp chair or two to the picnic table to show others that your spot is already occupied.
And before y’all tell me that the chairs will get stolen, I will tell you that’s always a possibility—but it’s really rare. When you take into consideration how remote this campground is, no one is doing a quick drive by to steal things.
If someone did take my stuff out here, I’d assume they’d need it more than I do. But rest easy as we’ve never had any issues at any campground with our items being taken or moved.
This group had gone out for the day, leaving a couple of items behind to indicate that their site was occupied.
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I can plan out routes that are safe for my specific trailer, get recommendations on favorite gas station locations (hello, Buc-ees), see points of interest on my route, and get detailed reviews from fellow campers.
Best $59 I’ve spend on an app!
Individual Site Reviews
Since each site is so different, it’s hard to review a single site and have it be applicable to the entire campground.
The easy to access walk-in sites at Island Lake campground
So, instead, I’ll provide you with some commonalities that I noticed throughout the campground.
Even though the campground is close to the lake—less than 1/4 a mile at most—none of the campsites have an unobstructed view of the lake or direct lake access.
The sites closest to the campground access road from Beartooth Highway might have had a partial view of the lake on a good day, but the number of trees in this campground makes it feel completely separate from the lake access area.
All of the sites were surrounded by lodgepole pines, making them feel fairly private. Some, like the walk-in sites and those on the back of the driving loop have much more vegetation if you’re looking for more privacy.
Each of the campsites has its own picnic table, site number, and fire pit.
You’ll also find a metal bear box at each site, too. Make use of these as there are grizzly bears in this area.
(NOTE: You’ll want to bring bear spray whenever you’re hiking or camping in this entire area. I have a comprehensive guide to buying and renting bear spray in Yellowstone that’s largely applicable here, too.)
There is water available at the campground, but it is a pump shared among all of the sites. You won’t find a dump site or any electrical hook-ups at any of the sites, either.
Amenities
Onsite, you won’t find a recreation center, playground, camp store, or anything remotely resembling a typical state or private campground.
As noted above, this campground doesn’t offer much in the way of amenities, but it does have one BIG thing to recommend it: the lake.
This gorgeous lake is the centerpiece of this recreation area, and you should make use of it while you’re camping here.
You can easily launch kayaks, canoes, and motorized boats from the boat ramp at the end of the access road.
Once on the water, you can explore the deep blue waters, visit one of the small islands, and take in the incredible surroundings.
If you’re stopping by for a lake day (and you’re not camping), there’s a small parking lot for a dozen or so vehicles next to the boat ramp. You could also park an extra vehicle here if you’re in a small campsite and it won’t fit.
Nearby Activities
Get out and explore more of this stunning area!
Beartooth Highway as seen from Rock Creek Vista
You’ve got two incredible scenic roads to drive: Beartooth Highway and Chief Joseph Scenic Highway.
Beartooth Highway can be done in about 2 hours if you drove it all the way through without stopping, but you’ll want to allot at least half a day. There are plenty of beautiful overlooks and trails along the way. [Use the GuideAlong tour of Beartooth Highway for mile by mile commentary!]
Chief Joseph Scenic Highway is shorter than Beartooth Highway, but it also offers up stunning vistas. Wind your way up to the campground from Cody, Wyoming. A fun day out would be to drive the scenic highway, explore Cody for a few hours, and then head back to the campground as the sun sets over the mountains.
Cooke City, Montana, is to the west of Island Lake Campground, and offers up a look at an Old West mining town. While the mining industry there has long dried up, you can see some of the equipment used behind the visitors center in their public access garden.
The younger Camping Kiddo explores some of the old mining equipment at the Cooke City Visitors Center
Cooke City’s visitors center also has a small but well done museum which further details the history of this fascinating little town.
Stop by the Beartooth Cafe on Beartooth Highway for lunch, then shop for minerals, souvenirs, and clothing along the quaint main street. The Cooke City General Store is another must visit, which has been in continual operation since the late 1800s.
Bison in search of breakfast in Lamar Valley near Yellowstone’s northeastern entrance
Yellowstone National Park is a little over an hour away. You’ll need to pass through Cooke City and Silver Gate to get to Yellowstone’s closest entrance.
You’ll enter through the northeast entrance where you can easily explore Tower-Roosevelt, attend the Old West Dinner Cookout, see Tower Falls, and drive through Lamar Valley in search of wildlife.
NOTE: For more information on the Yellowstone National Park entrances, check out my guide here.
Final Thoughts on Island Lake Campground
For those looking to get off the beaten path, Island Lake Campground is an excellent choice.
While the first come, first served system might be a bit stressful to those who love to plan (hey, it’s me!), you can rest easy knowing that there are multiple campgrounds as back up in this same area.
Whenever possible, nab one of those spots in Island Lake over the nearby campgrounds since Island Lake is—in my opinion—prettier and more centrally located than the others.
The lake offers up a great way to get out into nature as does the many hiking opportunities in this area.
While kids who are used to more developed campgrounds might find the offerings here a bit lacking, this is the perfect opportunity for them to disconnect and explore.
Plus, families on a budget will love the pricing: $15 per night can make that vacation budget stretch a long way. Staying in the national forest is much more cost effective than a camping site inside nearby Yellowstone, which can easily run 3 or 4 times more per night.
Happy camping!
