The weather started turning away from summer as we left Oregon. Our time spent on our journey back to our home base was short and not as full of adventure as we would have liked. But we did find a great boondocking spot to spend a few nights!
Martin Landing Campground, Parma, ID
Our first stop in Idaho was at Martin Landing Campground, a few miles outside of Parma. Our first choice had been Old Fort Boise RV Park, but it was full when we arrived. It was late, so we made our way to this county park to spend a quick overnight before we continued on our way. The camp host was not on duty so we picked a spot, backed in, and paid for our stay in the morning.
How to get there
From Parma take S. Roswell Blvd. Turn onto Hexon Rd. Follow Hexon Rd. to Scott Pitt Rd. Follow Scott Pit Rd past Olson and take a right into the park.
Amenities
All sites have grills/fire pits and picnic tables. We did notice a restroom, and there were dumpsters available as well. There is no potable water or electricity in the park.
What to do
Hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, and bird watching are available within the park. In the city of Parma, you can visit the Old Fort Boise Historical Society Museum.
Red Rock Dispersed Camping Area, Targhee National Forest, ID
Our second and last stop in Idaho was about 20 miles southwest of West Yellowstone, MT, where the west entrance of Yellowstone National Park is. Unfortunately we were not able to stay at our first choice destinations north of West Yellowstone where we could get electrical and water hookups (see a pattern here?) so we made our way back down Highway 20 to an area off of Red Rock Road in the Targhee National Forest. There we found a great dry camping spot in the trees with a fire ring, right off the road with no one nearby. This spot was great and we were so glad to have found it. It’s been one of our favorite dispersed camping spots so far!
We stayed here for three days before we had to move on to Wyoming and beat the snow storm that was heading towards Yellowstone. We left on a Wednesday afternoon and drove through Yellowstone National Park. We didn’t have time to stop anywhere along the road through the park but did glance a few hot springs along the way. We are planning a stay here next year to truly enjoy the area.
How to get there
Amenities
What to do
Buffalo Bill State Park, Wyoming
Our destination after driving through Yellowstone National Park was the North Fork Campground in Buffalo Bill State Park. After dry camping for a few weeks we were looking forward to having water and electric hookups. Since we didn’t want to repeat the last two stays, I made reservations for this park. We arrived at a decent hour this time and made our way into Cody to dump our tanks and check out the area before heading back to the park.
The views at this park were amazing. The weather turned cold and rainy during our stay so we didn’t get as many pictures as I would have liked. We spent most of our time running into Cody for supplies and to do laundry so we didn’t get to do much sight seeing. Another area we plan on revisiting in the future.
How to get there
North Fork Campground is located about 16 miles west of Cody, WY on US Hwy 14. The park is right on Buffalo Bill Reservoir on the south side of the highway.
Amenities
There are 8 sites with water and electric hookups, 23 sites with electric hookups only, and 10 dry camping sites. There are also 6 tent only sites. Three restrooms and one shower house (uses quarters) are available for use and there is a playground in the middle of the campground that our kids thoroughly enjoyed. A dump station at the entrance of the park is free to use for registered campers.
What to do
Cody, WY has a rich history, with the historical town site for visitors to explore and a rich downtown with shops, restaurants and bars. Visitors can stop at the visitor center for Buffalo Bill State Park where they can learn more about the area and its history. Camping, fishing, geocaching, and off-roading are popular throughout the area.
Keyhole State Park, Pine Haven, WY
Keyhole State Park was our last stop in Wyoming. Our original plan was to stay in the area for the week and then move on to the Black Hills, but the turn in weather forced us home the next day.
We stayed in Tatanka Campground, which was the only campground in the park with electrical and water hookups. Our drive to the area was not pleasant as the winds were picking up the entire day, and if you’ve ever pulled a trailer in high winds you know we didn’t enjoy the experience. The winds were so strong that they knocked out the power in the area and we didn’t have power restored until sometime during the night.
We left the park the next morning and headed north to Devils Tower National Monument, spending a few hours there before heading to our home base. The kids loved it there, and we adults enjoyed it as well. We took the mile long hike around the monument, talking to other travelers on the path and picking the out the half dozen or so climbers on the side of the tower. The kids also received their junior ranger badges, which put them at four badges for this trip.
How to get there
From Moorcroft, WY, take US Highway 14 north to County Rd 113. Turn right and follow the highway to McKean Rd. Turn left, follow McKean Rd to Marina Rd and turn left into the park’s entrance.
Devils Tower is located 35 miles north of Moorcroft off of US Highway 14. Turn left onto Devils Tower National Monument Rd and follow that into the park.
Amenities
Keyhole State Park has campgrounds for both tents and RVs, with electric/water hookups and dry camping available. There is a dump station at the park’s entrance with potable water available during the summer season.
What to do
Keyhole reservoir is a great destination for boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, and bird-watching. It’s also close to Devils Tower, the main attraction for us here.
We didn’t spend nearly enough time in Idaho and Wyoming, but the weather stopped our travels short. Have you visited any of the areas we stopped at? What did you think? Let us know in the comments! We’d love to hear from you!
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