RV Rental Near Buffalo Bill State Park Campground (North Fork) in Cody, WY

Every June I start getting calls from folks who’ve just booked a site at Buffalo Bill State Park’s North Fork Campground and realized they need a rig delivered before they arrive. The drive in on US-14/16/20 — the North Fork Highway — is stunning, but it also tells you immediately you’re not in a place where you can improvise. The canyon walls close in, the Shoshone River runs fast beside the road, and by the time you’re pulling into the North Fork area you want your setup done, your camp chair out, and nothing left to figure out. That’s exactly where I come in.

I’m your local Fireside RV Rental operator here in Cody, and delivering to North Fork is one of my favorite runs of the season. We haul rigs out US-14/16/20 regularly — it’s the same highway that takes you all the way to Yellowstone’s East Entrance, about 52 miles west of town — so our drivers know every bend and every campground pull-in along that corridor. When you rent through us, we bring the RV directly to your reserved site at Buffalo Bill State Park Campground (North Fork), level it, hook up whatever connections the site offers, walk you through everything, and leave you with a number to call if anything comes up. You fly into Yellowstone Regional Airport (COD), grab your bags, and we take it from there.

What the North Fork Campground Is Actually Like on the Ground

North Fork Campground sits right along Buffalo Bill Reservoir on the east side, tucked against the canyon where the North Fork of the Shoshone River feeds in. The views from the sites are the kind people drive across the country to see — the Absaroka Range rising up behind the water, the reservoir catching the afternoon light, the canyon walls going pink at sunset. It’s genuinely one of the more dramatic campground settings in all of Wyoming, and I say that after delivering rigs to a lot of campgrounds across the Big Horn Basin.

Practically speaking, the sites at North Fork are a mixed bag in terms of length and pull-through access, and that’s something I factor in before I load a rig. Some of the sites here run shorter than you’d expect, and the access roads within the campground have a few tight spots where a larger coach can’t maneuver gracefully. Based on the site you’ve reserved and what you tell me about your group size, I’ll match the right trailer or motorhome from our fleet. I’ve found that mid-size trailers tend to work best for most North Fork sites without sacrificing comfort — you still get a real kitchen, real beds, real bathroom, the works — but I want to hear your specific site number before I finalize anything. Call or email and we’ll sort it together.

The campground offers electric hookups on many sites, and that matters out here because summer afternoons in the canyon can be warm, especially in July and August. Having reliable power means your air conditioning works and your refrigerator stays cold through the heat of the day. When I set up, I confirm the hookup situation on your specific site and make sure you’re connected properly before I leave. If your site is water-and-electric, I’ll have a water hose already on the rig. Nothing’s worse than arriving after a long travel day and discovering you’re missing a connector.

Why the North Fork Highway Changes How You Plan This Trip

US-14/16/20 between Cody and Yellowstone is not a highway to take lightly in a rental rig you’re unfamiliar with. It’s beautiful — genuinely one of the most spectacular drives in the American West — but it’s also winding, it climbs, and it narrows through Shoshone Canyon before opening up along the reservoir. Wind is a real factor in this canyon, especially in spring and early summer. I’ve had guests tell me they felt the gusts pushing them around even in a passenger vehicle. In a tall RV that you’ve never driven before, that’s a different experience entirely.

This is a big part of why our delivery model makes sense for this specific campground. You don’t need to tow or drive a motorhome through Shoshone Canyon to get to your site. We handle the drive so you can actually enjoy it from your car window with a cup of coffee. Once you arrive at North Fork Campground, your home base is already set up and waiting. Then you can spend your days driving back into Cody for the Cody Nite Rodeo, heading west toward Yellowstone’s East Entrance, or exploring side roads through the Shoshone National Forest without the stress of navigating a big rig.

For reference: from the center of Cody to the North Fork Campground area is roughly 12 to 15 miles west on US-14/16/20 depending on your exact site. It’s a short enough drive that coming back into town for dinner at a local restaurant or a stop at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West is completely realistic any day of your stay.

When to Book and What the Weather Does Out Here

I’ll be straightforward about the season at North Fork: the campground is busiest from mid-June through Labor Day, and that window books up faster than most people expect. The Cody corridor is a primary gateway to Yellowstone, and visitors coming from the east — whether they’re flying into COD or driving US-14/16/20 from the Midwest — fill up these sites weeks or months in advance during peak summer. If you’re planning a July or August trip, I’d recommend reaching out to us the moment your site reservation is confirmed, not a few weeks before you arrive. I’ve had to turn people away during Cody Stampede week in early July simply because every rig in our fleet was already committed.

Shoulder season — late May and September into early October — is genuinely underrated out here. The reservoir is still beautiful, the Absaroka Range starts showing fall color in September, the canyon roads are less crowded, and the temperatures are more forgiving for hiking. Mornings in late May can be cold enough that you’ll want your RV’s heat running, so factor that in. September nights drop fast once the sun goes behind those canyon walls, but the days are often perfect. I love delivering rigs in September — the light on the water is incredible and the campground feels like it belongs to you.

Wind is the weather variable I always mention to guests. The Big Horn Basin and the canyon corridors channel wind reliably, and the North Fork area is no exception. High-profile RVs feel wind more than cars do, which is another argument for having us handle delivery and pickup rather than you driving an unfamiliar rig through gusty canyon conditions.

What You Can Do From North Fork as a Base Camp

One of the reasons I love helping guests base at North Fork specifically is how much is within reach. The campground’s position on Buffalo Bill Reservoir puts you right in the middle of everything worth doing in this corner of Wyoming. Here’s the honest rundown of what I tell people to plan for:

• Yellowstone East Entrance: About 52 miles west on US-14/16/20. This puts you at the Yellowstone Lake area and the Hayden Valley — some of the best wildlife viewing in the park — without fighting the crowds that come in from the north or west entrances. Leave early, before 8 a.m. if you can.
• Buffalo Bill Reservoir: Right at your doorstep. Boating, paddling, fishing for brown and rainbow trout, and one of the most dramatic reservoir views in Wyoming. The wind that’s a nuisance on the road creates great conditions for sailboats and windsurfers.
• Cody Nite Rodeo: Runs every night June through August in downtown Cody, about 12–15 miles east. This is the real thing — not a tourist show, a legitimate rodeo that draws serious competitors. A half-hour drive from camp and worth every mile.
• Shoshone National Forest campgrounds and trails: Once you head further west on US-14/16/20, Eagle Creek, Rex Hale, Wapiti, and Elk Fork campgrounds are all in the forest corridor. The Wapiti Valley trailheads offer everything from easy riverside walks to serious backcountry routes into the Absaroka Range.
• Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (US-14A): Head north from Cody toward Powell, then take US-14A up and over Dead Indian Pass into Sunlight Basin. The views from that pass are among the most dramatic in Wyoming. This is a full-day drive and one I recommend to anyone staying more than two nights.
• Beartooth Highway: If you’re up for one of the most celebrated mountain drives in America, the Beartooth goes north from Cooke City/Silver Gate at Yellowstone’s Northeast Entrance. Combine it with a loop through the park for a spectacular multi-day itinerary.
• Buffalo Bill Center of the West (Cody): Five museums under one roof including the Whitney Western Art Museum and the firearms museum. Plan three to four hours minimum. It’s genuinely world-class and sits right in downtown Cody.

How Our Delivery and Setup Works for North Fork

Here’s exactly what happens when you book with us for North Fork Campground. We confirm your site number and your check-in date with the state park, then we coordinate our delivery window so the rig is on your site when you need it — whether that’s the afternoon you arrive or the morning of your first full day. I load the trailer or motorhome from our Cody location, drive it out US-14/16/20, and back it into your reserved site. I level the rig, make the hookup connections for your site type, run a full walkthrough with you (or whoever from your group is present), and show you how everything operates: the water system, the propane, the electrical, the slide-outs if your unit has them, the awning.

Before I leave, I give you my direct contact information. If something isn’t working right, call me. I’m not a call center. I’m local, I know this campground, and I can get back out there if I need to. At the end of your stay, I come back, do the breakdown, and haul the rig back to Cody. You pack your personal gear, drive to the airport or continue your road trip, and you’re done.

One thing I always confirm in advance: your site reservation number and the campground’s current hookup situation. Site availability and hookup types at Wyoming state park campgrounds can vary by loop and by season, and I want to make sure the rig I’m bringing matches what your site can support. This is also why I ask people to reach out before they finalize their site reservation if possible — sometimes I can help steer you toward a loop or site that’s a better fit for the unit size that works best for your group.

Other Campgrounds Near Cody If North Fork Is Full

North Fork books up. If you’re finding that North Fork Campground is full for your dates, there are solid alternatives in this corridor that I deliver to regularly. North Shore Bay Campground is the other Buffalo Bill State Park option — it’s on the north side of the reservoir with a different feel, a bit more exposed to the sky and wind, but good sites and the same gorgeous reservoir views. In the Wapiti Valley on US-14/16/20 heading toward Yellowstone, Eagle Creek, Rex Hale, Wapiti, and Elk Fork are all Shoshone National Forest campgrounds with varying hookup situations — some are electric, some are primitive — and I know each of those pull-ins well.

If you need full hookups and don’t mind being closer to town, Ponderosa Campground, Gateway Campground, and Yellowstone Park KOA are all in or near Cody proper and offer complete hookup sites. You give up some of the canyon setting but gain convenience and reliability, especially if you’re doing a lot of day trips rather than staying close to camp. For guests heading into the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area or Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, I can help match you with a campground that makes more geographic sense for your itinerary.

The best way to figure out what works for your specific trip is to just call or email. I can look at what’s available, what matches your group, and what makes sense logistically. That conversation costs nothing and usually saves a lot of headache.

Ready to Book Your Buffalo Bill State Park RV Rental?

If you’ve got a site reserved at North Fork Campground — or you’re still in the planning stage — reach out now before the summer calendar fills up. Call us at 307-222-8547 or email [email protected] and tell me your dates, your site if you have one, and how many people are in your group. I’ll tell you honestly what unit makes sense, what the delivery logistics look like for your specific situation, and what to ask about regarding hookup availability on your site. To see what we’re currently running, browse the fleet — it covers everything available across the Big Horn Basin area. And if you’re still figuring out where you want to stay, our campgrounds and RV parks guide covers the options across this region in detail so you can find the right fit before you commit to a reservation.

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