RV Rental for Cody Gun Fight in Cody, WY

Every summer, from June through September, I watch Sheridan Avenue fill up fast on Gun Fight nights — visitors lined up three deep in front of the Irma Hotel, the same hotel Buffalo Bill Cody built in 1902, while my phone buzzes with last-minute calls from people who just realized every motel in town is booked solid. If you’re planning to be here for the RV rental Cody Gun Fight experience, the single best move you can make is locking in your rig and your campsite before you even buy your show tickets. I’ve been delivering rigs across the Big Horn Basin long enough to know that summer in Cody is not the time to wing your lodging.

At Fireside RV Rental Cody, we handle RV delivery straight to the campground so you roll in, sit down, and walk a few blocks to watch cowboys draw on each other in the middle of the street — the way this town has done it every summer since 1931. Here’s what I tell every renter heading into Gun Fight season.

What the Cody Gun Fight Actually Is (and Why It Changes Your Parking Math)

The Cody Gun Fight runs nightly — not just on weekends — from June through September, right on the street in front of the Irma Hotel on Sheridan Avenue in historic downtown Cody. That nightly schedule is the detail most first-timers miss. It means the crowd pressure on lodging isn’t one big weekend; it’s sustained all summer long. Add the Cody Nite Rodeo running the same season right up the road at Stampede Park, and you’ve got a downtown that is genuinely packed on weekdays. Hotel rooms that might normally be available on a Tuesday in July? Gone by May in this market.

An RV parked at a campground within a few miles of downtown solves that problem cleanly. You’re not dependent on what’s left on a booking site in June. Your rig is reserved, your campsite is set, and the show is a short drive — or a walkable evening — away.

Where I Put Renters Coming In for Gun Fight Season

I’ve delivered to most of the campgrounds around Cody, and they each have a personality worth knowing before you commit.

Ponderosa Campground — Closest to Downtown

For Gun Fight attendees specifically, Ponderosa Campground is the one I recommend most often. It sits right on the edge of downtown Cody, close enough that walking to the Irma Hotel for the show is genuinely doable. That proximity matters when you want to stay for dinner at the Irma’s restaurant, catch the Gun Fight, and not worry about driving back on a dark Wyoming highway. Sites here book up, so if you’re targeting a specific week in July or August, I’d call us early — we coordinate delivery timing with the campground and a full site during peak weeks means I’m working around other rigs already on the ground.

Yellowstone Park KOA (Cody) — Good Option for Families

The KOA on the west side of Cody is a solid family choice — it’s a well-run facility with hookups and amenities that make a longer summer stay comfortable. It’s a quick drive into town on US-14/16/20, the same road that heads west toward Yellowstone’s East Entrance about 52 miles out. I deliver here regularly and the pull-through sites make setup straightforward.

Gateway Campground — Reliable and Well-Located

Gateway Campground is another go-to I use for renters who want full hookups without the KOA price point. Solid infrastructure, and close enough to town that the evening drive to the Gun Fight is nothing.

Buffalo Bill State Park — For the View Crowd

If your group wants the Gun Fight as one piece of a bigger Wyoming trip, Buffalo Bill State Park’s North Fork and North Shore Bay campgrounds sit right on Buffalo Bill Reservoir with the Absaroka Range behind them. I tell renters honestly: it’s a more scenic base than in-town, but you’re committing to a drive each evening. Worth it if the reservoir and the mountains are the point — not ideal if you want to walk to the show.

Shoshone National Forest Campgrounds — For the Adventure Base

Eagle Creek, Wapiti, Rex Hale, and Elk Fork campgrounds along the North Fork Highway (US-14/16/20) between Cody and Yellowstone are some of the most beautiful spots I deliver to in the entire Big Horn Basin. These are the right choice if you want a Yellowstone day-trip base camp combined with Gun Fight evenings — it’s about 30–40 minutes back into Cody from the closer sites. Keep in mind generator hours and Forest Service rules apply; contact me and I’ll walk you through what rig configuration makes sense for dispersed forest camping versus developed campgrounds.

How RV Delivery Works for Cody Gun Fight Season

I drive the rig to your reserved campsite, level it, walk you through everything, and it’s ready before you arrive. You don’t tow anything, you don’t navigate downtown Cody with a 30-foot trailer behind you, and you don’t deal with hookups after a long travel day. When your stay ends, I come pick it up. That’s the whole model — and in a town where parking a big rig near the Irma Hotel on a Gun Fight night would be its own adventure, having your home base already set up at camp is a genuine quality-of-life improvement.

Full details on how we handle delivery, what areas we cover across Park County and the Big Horn Basin, and how to coordinate your arrival window are on our RV delivery page.

What Wyoming Summer Weather Means for Your Rental

Cody in June, July, and August runs warm — days regularly hit the upper 80s and can push into the low 90s in July, which is drier and hotter than most visitors expect from Wyoming. Evenings cool down fast, especially if you’re camping west of town toward the Shoshone canyon. A rig with proper climate control matters here; the afternoon heat in a campground along the North Fork is real, and so is the cool night once the sun drops behind the Absarokas. Late summer — August into September — also brings afternoon thunderstorm patterns. I’ve seen storms roll in over the Absaroka Range fast. Being in a solid, properly leveled RV is a lot more comfortable than a tent in that scenario.

September Gun Fight shows run as long as the season holds, and the crowds thin a bit — it’s actually one of my favorite times to recommend Cody to renters who have flexibility. The weather softens, fall color starts in the higher elevations, and Yellowstone is still spectacular on the eastern approach.

Building a Bigger Trip Around the Gun Fight

Most renters who come for the Gun Fight end up using Cody as a base for several days — and that’s exactly what this town was built for. Here’s what I regularly point people toward once the evening show is on the schedule:

• Yellowstone National Park East Entrance — 52 miles west on US-14/16/20 (the North Fork Highway). This is the least crowded gateway to Yellowstone and one of the most scenic drives in the country. Budget a full day.
• Buffalo Bill Center of the West — Right in Cody. Five museums under one roof, including the Firearms Museum and the Whitney Western Art Museum. Half a day minimum.
• Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (US-14A) — North out of Cody toward Sunlight Basin. A road I genuinely love — dramatic canyon, open basin, and connects to the Beartooth Highway if you want to push further.
• Old Trail Town — Authentic frontier structures relocated to Cody. A short drive from downtown and worth an hour.
• Shoshone Canyon — The canyon the North Fork Highway runs through just west of town. Pull over — it’s genuinely striking and most people drive through it without stopping.
• Thermopolis and Hot Springs State Park — About 84 miles south on WY-120. World’s largest mineral hot spring. A good day-trip if your group wants a soak, and the Wyoming Dinosaur Center is there too.

Frequently Asked Questions — RV Rental for Cody Gun Fight

Do I need a special license to rent an RV for Cody Gun Fight season?

No special license is required. Because we deliver and set up the rig at your campsite, you don’t need to tow or drive a large vehicle at all. That removes the biggest hesitation I hear from first-time renters — especially people flying into Yellowstone Regional Airport (COD) right here in Cody who don’t have a tow vehicle anyway.

How far in advance should I book for Gun Fight season?

For July and peak August weeks, I’d say book as early as February or March if you can. Cody summer is not the same as Cody shoulder season — every campground in a reasonable radius fills, and our available rigs get claimed quickly once the summer calendar opens up. September has more flexibility, but I still wouldn’t wait until June to call.

Which campground do you recommend if I’m only in Cody for the Gun Fight?

If the Gun Fight at the Irma Hotel is the main event and you want the easiest evening logistics, Ponderosa Campground’s proximity to downtown is the practical choice. If you want more amenities and are combining it with a Yellowstone trip, the KOA or one of the Shoshone National Forest campgrounds along the North Fork make more sense. Call me — I’ll ask a few questions about your group and give you a straight recommendation.

What RV sizes work best for Cody campgrounds?

It depends on the campground. Some of the Forest Service sites along the North Fork run shorter, which limits what I can fit in — I match the rig to the site, not the other way around. In-town campgrounds like Ponderosa and the KOA handle larger rigs well. When you contact us, tell me where you’re thinking of camping and I’ll tell you exactly what I can deliver there. For available units, see our full fleet at Fireside RV Rental Cody.

Can you deliver to me if I’m coming from Powell, Greybull, or Worland?

We serve the broader Big Horn Basin region — call or email us with your situation and we’ll work out the delivery logistics. Powell is a short run up US-14A. Greybull and Worland are further south, but we’ve made deliveries across Park County and into surrounding counties. It’s worth a conversation.

Book Your RV for Cody Gun Fight Season Before the Sites Fill

The Gun Fight runs every night all summer long — which means every night all summer long, Cody is full. Don’t leave your lodging to chance in July or August. Call me now, tell me your dates and how many people you’re bringing, and I’ll match you with the right rig and coordinate delivery so your camp is ready when you land.

Call or text: 307-222-8547
Email: [email protected]
Delivery info: See how our RV delivery works