Taking a camper to Wyoming

[jt4]

Is it a bad idea to take a travel trailer to Wyoming for an antelope hunt? I'm not planning on going opening week, so hopefully there will be a good bit less people around. It's a long drive out there and I don't want to stay in a hotel in a nearby town, so it's either just tent camp where we can or take the camper. I understand there's a lot of places that I won't be able to take it due to road conditions.

 

[rwc101]

You should be able to find a place to park it and make a base camp. Unhitch it and drive from there. If in doubt, I would scout a road before towing the trailer down it.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

If I owned a camper I wouldn't hesitate to bring it. There should be plenty of places to set it up, depending on the unit. I like using a tent though because you can camp wherever you end up at the end of the day, assuming its a large hunt area.

 

[Foxtrot1]

We hauled ours from Alabama a couple of years ago. Hit Denver, turned North to Central WY. Took about 3 weeks, but had an awesome trip. Hunted 10 days in WY, fished, hunted blue grouse in Colorado, saw Rocky Mtn National Park, the annual bison round up Custer State Park, and a bunch of other stuff. We got there a couple of days before season opened, but hunted right through opening week. It wasn't crowded at all. We camped on BLM, but there were State Parks and campgrounds open too. As long as you are there during the week, I don't think you will have any crowding issues.

 

[JM77]

The camper will keep you nearby where you are hunting in most cases, but unless it's a designated campground, you can't camp on state land. That's usually not a problem depending on the area. Just make sure there is BLM you can access.

 

[Muskeez]

And be OK with holing up for a day or 3 if the weather turns to crap and you get that early October snowstorm. We ran into that one year with a camper behind. Not fun! Also note that your furnace will run fine but has to have battery power to run the fan/blower so you will burn up one battery a night just running the furnace. So a generator may be needed. We also called the local gas stations in a couple little towns and found places where the locals had electrical hookups in a few spots to stay at. Worked out nicely!

 

[jt4]

Besides the extra gas cost of towing it out there and somewhat limiting where I can go with the trailer, are there any other downsides?

 

[2rocky]

There are stretches of Highway 80 that can be Gusty wind areas. Be prepared with a well balanced rig, and anti Sway set up.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

Besides the extra gas cost of towing it out there and somewhat limiting where I can go with the trailer, are there any other downsides?

I have heard of people having their campers broken into and having gear stolen, but I have no idea how common it is. That being said, people leave them unattended all the time during the summer and fall.

 

[kwyeewyk]

My friend hauled his out last season end of October, worked great except when the temps got below 0, even with his cold weather package and the heater blowing full blast all day couldn't keep from freezing up. I had asked him if we'd be going dry for worry of freezing and he thought the cold weather package would cut it (although at that point the forcast was for lows in the teens). Luckily for him no damage. Other than that it was nice to have in the cold weather.

 

[wayno945]

I took mine winterized on an elk hunt in November, worked great. I would say that every direction has a headwind and it kills my fuel mileage... especially on I-80.

 

[Steiny]

Isn't this exactly what you buy a camper for?
I've pulled a camper and used a motorhome to pull a jeep from IN to WY many times. Biggest downside, is that you can't get as far back in off the main roads using a camper, like you can tent camping, hauling everything in a 4wd truck. Campers are sure cozy and comfortable when it's cold or wet, compared to tents.

 

[Muskeez]

I use mine for deer hunting also and just winterize it. Use a bucket and black garbage bags outside instead of the toilet. If you can find a place to hook up to electricity you can buy 2 of those small electric heaters and they will take the edge off and keep your furnace from having to run all night long. Just be sure to put them somewhere that they won't burn the floor or countertop and won't get tipped over at night or get a blanket thrown against them. Shut them all completely off during the day, it warms up fast enough with the furnace when you get back.

 

[rwc101]

There are stretches of Highway 80 that can be Gusty wind areas. Be prepared with a well balanced rig, and anti Sway set up.

This. Don't be "that guy" that makes me spend 4 hours in the Cheyenne rest stop because there's always "that guy" that ignores high wind warnings and road closures and ends up blocking the road.

 

[Walkathon]

I've thought about dragging mine to WY from MN but haven't done it yet. I think it'd be fun to have. I've seen several other "pull behind" campers set up on BLM in the past. Let us know how it goes this year if you take it out to WY.

 

[LCH]

I took a hard-sided pop-up out to NW Wyoming a few years ago. Good compromise, pulled easy and still got 18 mpg in the v6 Durango.

 

[RoughCountry]

I have hauled a travel trailer all over the country hunting. I 80 across Wyoming in a big wind is no joke. I came across I 80 once after a wind storm the day before and around the Elk mountain area there were 8 semi trucks blown over on the west bound side and 5 semis blown over on the east bound side of I80 within a 20 mile stretch. What month ? When the roads get bad Wy will shut them down.

 

[Nick87]

Do you own the camper?

 

[elkantlers]

Besides the extra gas cost of towing it out there and somewhat limiting where I can go with the trailer, are there any other downsides?

4 more tire to go flat

I have taken my Camp trailer to Wyoming several times hunting pronghorn, mostly when the wife comes along. I actually prefer my trailer to a hotel and definitely better than a tent.

 

[2rocky]

4 more tire to go flat

Ain't an adventure till you have a flat....