Boysen State Park

The Lower and Upper Wind River Campgrounds have shade trees, grass and interesting geological features. There are numerous sites and some can be reserved in advance. Brannon and Tamarask campgrounds are at the north end of the reservoir near a boat launching area. There is a protected bay for tying up boats, a sandy beach, trees and picnic shelters. Tough Creek Campground is on a peninsula with a boat launching area and close access to the lake. Loop 1 and Loop 2 are on the west side of the reservoir and offer a limited number of sites, a boat launch and easy access to the lake.

Fishing is perhaps what Boysen is known for best. Several state-record fish have been caught in the reservoir. Diverse is perhaps the best way to describe the fishery. Anglers can catch walleye, sauger, perch, crappie, ling and other species, including largemouth bass, bluegill, stonecat, black bullhead and mountain whitefish. There are also non-game species like carp, flathead, lake and creek chubs and golden and sand shiners among others.

Whether you fish from the shore, a boat, or the ice, you’re bound to reel in something exciting.

You can get bait, food and fishing licenses at the marina at the north end of the lake or in Shoshoni.

For the intrepid fishermen/women, Boysen is a popular spot for ice fishing. It varies each year, but usually the water begins to freeze in December and doesn’t start to thaw until the end of March.

Standing at 216 feet, with a spillway capacity at 20,000 cubic feet per second is the dam. Wind River Canyon was discovered in 1825 by the Ashley Fur Party. The original dam was built by Asmus Boysen in 1908—that’s where the park gets its name. You can still see part of the original dam adjacent to the tunnels in the Lower Wind River Campground. Boysen built a 710kw power plant at the site. Operations stopped in 1923 after a major flood filled the plant with silt. The existing dam was built in 1951 and the area became a state park in 1956.

For those with a penchant for fishing, dramatic scenery, birding, and prehistoric geology, the Boysen Reservoir Trail can’t be missed. Explore Shoshoni, Boysen Reservoir State Park and Reservoir and Wind River Canyon.

Learn more about the 80- and 32-mile loops exploring the Boysen State Park area.