U.S. Forest Service · Shoshone National Forest · Wyoming

Dead Indian Campground

This campground hosts 10 campsites and a trailhead across State Highway 296. The trail climbs along Dead Indian Creek, through the Absaroka Wilderness, across Dead Indian Meadows, and up to the summit of Dead Indian Peak. 16-day stay limit This site is not accessible to persons with mobility impairments No cell service. Notes: Adjacent corrals at trailhead across Hwy 296. Maximum spur 32 feet.

Closed for the seasonFirst-come, first-served10 sitesFrom $15 per nightTents only

More like this: first-come in Wyoming · tent only in Wyoming

Dead Indian Campground
Photo from the area. Forest Service - Northern Region (Public domain), via Wikimedia Commons
1fire
active
Rock Creek Ecotonal Project Rx (prescribed burn) · 25 mi away
Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-26
Incident details ↓

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
FeesOvernight Use: Single Site: $15/night. Interagency Senior/Access Recreation Passes provide a 50% discount to Single Campsites ONLY.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
ForestShoshone National Forest
FeesOvernight Use: Single Site: $15/night. Interagency Senior/Access Recreation Passes provide a 50% discount to Single Campsites ONLY.
RulesFood Storage is Required

Shoshone National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Dead Indian Campground20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 0.25 inches of precipitation, 4.1 inches of snowFebruary: 0.30 inches of precipitation, 4.5 inches of snowMarch: 0.33 inches of precipitation, 2.5 inches of snowApril: 0.74 inches of precipitation, 1.8 inches of snowMay: 1.41 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowJune: 1.30 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.79 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.66 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.78 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 0.58 inches of precipitation, 1.2 inches of snowNovember: 0.34 inches of precipitation, 3.0 inches of snowDecember: 0.24 inches of precipitation, 3.9 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 22.0°F averageFebruary: 25.6°F averageMarch: 35.7°F averageApril: 43.5°F averageMay: 52.8°F averageJune: 62.0°F averageJuly: 69.5°F averageAugust: 67.4°F averageSeptember: 57.6°F averageOctober: 44.2°F averageNovember: 32.4°F averageDecember: 22.8°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 in5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Clark 3Ne, 19 miles from the campground at 4,117 feet, station USC00481775 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 8 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 21 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Coordinates44.7532° N, 109.4177° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Rock Creek Ecotonal Project Rx

    25 mi from the campground

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearBest of the West ↗22.7 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗23.5 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

A drive through of Dead Indian Campground in the Shoshone National Forest in Wyoming

Worth a stop

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Custer Gallatin National Forest.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

Guidebooks for Wyoming

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Camping Wyoming and the Black Hills
    Kenneth Lee Graham, 2023
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Moon Montana, Wyoming and Idaho Camping
    Becky Lomax, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking Wyoming's Wind River Range
    Ben Adkison, 2023
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Dead Indian Campground?

No. Dead Indian Campground is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.

Source: Forest Service

How much does it cost to camp at Dead Indian Campground?

Overnight Use: Single Site: $15/night. Interagency Senior/Access Recreation Passes provide a 50% discount to Single Campsites ONLY.

Source: Forest Service

Is Dead Indian Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 26, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Dead Indian Campground have?

10 sites.

Source: Forest Service

Can I bring an RV to Dead Indian Campground?

Dead Indian Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

What if Dead Indian Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Hogan And Luce Campground (8.2 mi, first-come), Island Lake Campground (14.3 mi, first-come), and Hunter Peak (14.7 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby