Find year-round fishing, water play, and wildlife near this Wyoming border town by the Bear River.
Named after the longest river in the US that doesn’t flow into an ocean, the small town of Bear River sits along the banks of that same river in southwest Wyoming, just a stone’s throw from the Utah border. Not surprisingly, fishing is a big draw at Bear River, though you can find plenty of other water- and land-based outdoor recreation opportunities in the nearby mountains, lakes and reservoirs, state parks, and national forests. Campers can set up their tent or RV besides the water or under a canopy of trees, or opt for more luxurious cottage and yurt options.
Bear River Vicinity
Head north of Bear River to the Woodruff Narrows Public Access area to enjoy boating, fishing, hunting, hiking, and wildlife viewing, with walk-in, drive-in, and boat-in dispersed camping at the north end of the reservoir. Along the Lincoln Highway, look for elk and bison at Bear River State Park, paddle the Bear River Greenway, explore railroad history in Evanston and military history at Fort Bridger Historic Site, and overnight at an RV park in Evanston, Fort Bridger, and Lyman.
Bear Lake State Parks
Known as the Caribbean of the Rockies due to its turquoise waters, Bear Lake straddles the border of Utah and Idaho. After a day of swimming, boating, scuba diving, water sports, or fishing, you have a choice of several seasonal developed campgrounds at Bear Lake State Park in Utah and Bear Lake State Park in Idaho for lakeside camping. In the winter, enjoy snowshoeing, snowmobiling, or go ice fishing for the Bonneville cisco, found only in Bear Lake.
Mirror Lake Scenic Byway and the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Stretching for 42 miles between Evanston and Kamas, the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway passes through the High Uintas Mountains and the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Several developed campgrounds along the route make it easy to spend the night and take advantage of numerous scenic viewpoints and lakes, including Mirror Lake, as well as opportunities to hike, mountain bike, paddle, fish, cross-country ski, and ride your ATV and snowmobile.
Campers can enjoy outdoor recreation year-round near Bear River, though most campgrounds are seasonal and close over the winter. Fishing season runs from March to May and July to November, with ice fishing in the winter. Summer is a great time to enjoy the lakes and reservoirs nearby. Horse racing is held at nearby Wyoming Downs on summer weekends. The Mountain Man Rendezvous is held on Labor Day weekend at Fort Bridger Historic Site.