Wyoming's Scenic Reservoir Under An Hour From Casper Has Beaches, Boating, Camping, And Canyons

When it comes to Wyoming, you can find all kinds of wide, open spaces and incredible natural beauty. While places like Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park get lots of visitors from around the world, you can also find places more off the beaten path, like Alcova Reservoir. The 2,470-acre lake was created with the construction of the Alcova Dam on the North Platte River in the late 1930s, and it's become a hot spot for outdoor recreation with camping, fishing, and boating.

Peak season is definitely summer as people make their way to cool off and play in the water, becoming busy on warm weekends as people from Casper use it as their getaway since it's so close. As one Redditor noted, "Alcova is the party lake." If you're looking for a quieter area, head to Fremont Canyon. This narrow canyon stretches around 3.5 miles with cliffs hundreds of feet tall. The canyon is a no-wake zone, so boats have to go slow enough to not make any waves. That makes it a perfect place for kayaking and paddleboarding.

Paddling through the canyon, following the twists and turns and looking up at the steep cliffs towering above, is humbling with a sense of awe at the impressive natural beauty. If you want to make it a one-way journey, you can book the Canyon Kayak Excursion with Alcova Resort. You get shuttled as far into the canyon as you want via a pontoon boat and then paddle your way out.

Along with kayaks, Alcova Resort at Alcova Reservoir has jet skis, pontoon boats, and other water equipment you can rent, like wake boats and fishing gear. There are also reservable slips available if you're bringing your own boat. If you don't want to take out a boat on your own, you can take a sunset cruise; the two-hour experience includes snacks and champagne.

There are four beaches at Alcova. Little Beach is great for kids as there's a playground and the swimming area is calm. There's parking for both cars and boats, and there are restrooms nearby. At Sandy Beach, you can find a few covered picnic tables along with the sandy swimming area. Both of these beaches are day-use only.

For beachfront camping, choose from Black Beach or Okie Beach. Both require reservations for camping and have at least one boat launch ramp and multiple restrooms. If you're traveling by RV, you'll want to book a site at the aptly named Full Hook-Up RV Campground. The other three campsites around the lake (Cottonwood, Fremont Canyon, and Westside), are first-come, first-serve. They all have restrooms, and Cottonwood and Fremont Canyon have boat ramps.

Much of the recreation at Alcova is centered around the water, but there is the Cottonwood Creek Dinosaur (interpretive) Trail. It's a short trail, just around 0.7 miles, but along the way, you can see fossils and dinosaur tracks from the late Triassic and Jurassic periods.

Alcova Reservoir is the kind of place where you can easily spend all day, so make sure you stay fueled up. You can bring your own food to have a picnic by the water or stop in for a snack or a full meal at Alcova Resort. There is an ice cream parlor along with a restaurant where you can get food like chicken wings and burgers, and the small, open-air bar overlooks the lake.

Alcova Resort and all its amenities is open from May 15 to September 15, but the lake itself is open throughout the year. In winter, the water levels in the lake are lowered to prevent ice related damage, and there are far fewer crowds. But it's a popular place for ice fishing, particularly for trout.

Alcova Reservoir is about 45 minutes southwest from Casper, Wyoming's second largest city, which is a paradise with unique museums and endless recreation. The city is home to the Casper-Natrona County International Airport, Wyoming's largest airport. So if you're flying in, it won't take long to get a rental car and be out on the water. If you're on a Wyoming road trip, it's about a 4-hour drive northwest from Alcova Reservoir to Cody, Wyoming's gateway to Yellowstone, with rodeos, mountain scenery, and rugged Western charm. In the other direction, Cheyenne, home to the world's largest outdoor rodeo, is about 3 hours away.