Where is it
The Upper Sunshine Reservoir is located about 10 miles west of Meteetsee Wyoming in Park County. Hwy 120 runs north to south thru Meteetsee and connects Cody, Wyoming with towns further south like Riverton and Shoshoni. In the middle of town Hwy 290 starts and heads west out of town. This is the route to the Sunshine Reservoirs.
Lower Sunshine Reservoir
After driving the 10 miles out of Meteetsee on Hwy 290, you will see a small sign for Lower Sunshine Reservoir. The reservoir is on the left and can't be seen from the road. This is the more populated area as day fishing is very popular here. The reservoir is known for Cutthroat trout, Lake trout, and Brown trout. A gravel road leads into the reservoir and there is good, flat dispersed camping on either side of the road.
Upper Sunshine Reservoir
I found the Upper Sunshine Reservoir to be the best of the two. It's farther up Hwy 290 and also on the left side of the road. This gravel road is a couple of miles long. It winds around some rock formations and comes down into the reservoir. The road splits and if you go left it leads to the dam between the upper and lower reservoirs. There is only one spot to camp on this stretch but multiple places to bank fish. On my visit, I went right and found a very secluded spot on top of a small hill. I had fantastic views of the lake and the surrounding area. The video below is part of a series of videos on our road trip to Mountain Expo but shows this location well.
Why Should You Go?
Well, first of all, it's free. Free to camp and also to fish. On my visit, I did not fish but plenty of people were. It looked like they were catching quite a few fish. The camping spots are dispersed and have a lot of space between them. Some are on the lake itself and others are on the hills surrounding the lake (like the one I stayed in). The elevation is about 5800 feet so make sure you are prepared for the weather. It was 75 degrees when I pulled up and made camp and later in the afternoon, it rained a little with a thunderstorm. All the camping sites I looked at were very clean and without garbage.
Another reason to come and stay here is its close to town. If you need to resupply, Meteetsee is only 10 miles away and if you need something larger then Cody is about 35 miles north.
Finally, there is a pit toilet at both the Upper and Lower Reservoirs. There was also a garbage can at each location. During my stay, it was quiet and I had a good night's sleep. Just me, the Pronghorn, and the fishermen in the boats.
Final Thoughts
I unzipped the window shades to reveal a 180 degree view of the surrounding landscape. The sun was just coming up and shining on the mountains to the west. The lake was dark blue and all I could hear was the birds signing. I knew right there is was going to be a great day!!
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Brent Conklin
Whiskey 7 Backroads
