The best camping in Fort Laramie National Historic Site, WY

The saga of the Wild West converges on one spot: Fort Laramie. Lakota Sioux, fur traders, soldiers, and Oregon Trail travelers all walked these grounds. Follow in their footsteps as you explore the barracks and stomp the parade grounds.

Today, Fort Laramie looks much as it did in the 1800s. Feel the spirit of the Old West as you look across the parade grounds to the Laramie River. In the barracks, you can see how the infantry lived. Walk the bridge and imagine you're a Pony Express rider or a weary pioneer. There are no walls, so it's easy to see where covered wagons would make camp. Stand at the site of "The Great Smoke" and imagine 12,000 Native Americans there. That's what happened in 1851 when tribes came together in an unprecedented peace-pipe gathering.

Have some time? Head to the visitor center for a movie. You can also check out artifacts and historic photos of the fort in action.

History buffs can easily spend a full day at the fort. Ready for more Western adventures? Agate Fossil Beds and Scotts Bluff are within 100 miles. The town of Fort Laramie offers campsites, or you can rough it on BLM land.