Eclipse 2017: Where you can still stay in Casper, Wyoming

Headed to Casper, Wyoming, for the celestial spectacle of a lifetime?

The city offers one of the best viewing options for this year's total solar eclipse within driving distance from Fort Collins. 

The three-and-a-half hour drive will be worth it for skygazers. Casper is the largest nearby population center in the area and it's located in the eclipse's "path of totality," which passes through Wyoming, Nebraska and the northeast part of Kansas, among other states. 

Viewers in the path of totality will experience day turning into an eerie twilight on the morning of Aug. 21.

The total solar eclipse begins in Casper about 11:42 a.m. The big event will only last 2 minutes, 26 seconds, but organizers of the Wyoming Eclipse Festival expect thousands of visitors to flood Casper over the weekend leading up to the event.

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Whether you're looking for a motel room or just a place to pitch your tent, you still have a few options for a place to stay in the Wyoming city, but it'll cost you.

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Rumors that Casper is totally booked don't hold water, but they might soon as lodging options dwindle. In other words, make your lodging reservations now.

Here's what's on the menu.

Hotels and motels

Prepare to spend big. There were about 25 rooms left in Casper midmorning Monday, and prices are steep. One motel just raised its nightly starting rate from $890 to $1,495. 

The good news is that festival organizers are continuously updating the event website as rooms fill or become available, so you can be reasonably sure that any place listed under "hotels" still has at least one room left.

It's best to call the hotel or motel directly to book, said Anna Wilcox, the festival's executive director. 

Camping

The greater Casper area has campgrounds aplenty, but you'll almost certainly need to make a reservation and pay up. Even campgrounds that don't usually require reservations are using a reservation system for the eclipse, Wilcox said, so you'll have to call the campground or make a reservation online. Fees range from as low as $10 to upward of $300.

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One exception to the reservation rule is a group of Bureau of Land Management campgrounds in the area. The four campgrounds are first come, first serve and range from free to $10 per night. If you want to snag a spot, arrive early and come prepared with a backup plan.

The eclipse festival lists available campgrounds on its website under "campgrounds."

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Airbnb and Craigslist

A quick Airbnb search for Aug. 20 and Aug. 21 in Casper brought up nearly 40 options  Tuesday afternoon, ranging from a thrifty $150 camping spot to a $5,000-per-night four-bedroom home. Many Casper residents are also renting out their backyards for camping, Wilcox said.

If you'd rather go the Craigslist route, pull up the Wyoming Craigslist page — yes, there is a single Craigslist URL for the entire state of Wyoming — and search in "sublets/temporary housing" or "vacation rentals." Prices range widely, depending on how fancy you want to get.

But, like any Craigslist transaction, use common sense and discretion. The Pinedale resident looking for an "Eclipse weekend with attractive young women" might be best avoided.

Promotional events

Companies across the United States are looking to cash in on the 2017 eclipse. In Casper, a mattress company that shares a name with the city is pitching a luxury tent city, with the first round of $499 tickets to "Camp Casper" already sold out after going on sale July 20. Proceeds will be donated to local charities, according to company represnetatives.

You can join the waitlist for the next round of tickets or, if you're feeling lucky, enter the raffle for a free ticket.

More:Your guide to viewing the eclipse in Fort Collins

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Clarification: An earlier version of this story indicated that Camp Casper tickets were sold out. Tickets are being sold on a rolling basis, and more will be available soon.

What is a solar eclipse? 

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth. The moon appears to completely cover the disk of the sun. By blocking the sun's light, the moon casts a shadow on Earth. 

What if I can't travel for the eclipse? 

Have no fear, Fort Collins. Even though we're not in the path of totality here in Northern Colorado, as long as skies are clear we should still see a partial eclipse, in which only part of the sun will be blocked by the moon. It's cool, but we likely won't notice our surroundings getting dark. 

After this year's eclipse, the next total solar eclipse in the U.S. will be on April 8, 2024, and will be visible from Texas to New England.

Other places to view the eclipse

Grand Teton National Park: The southern edge of this Wyoming national park is within the path of totality. Talk about scenic views, but you'll have to drive upwards of seven hours.

Elsewhere in Wyoming: Head to the small towns of Guernsey or Torrington to save yourself some driving time. You can get to either town in about two and a half hours and be in the path of totality, although neither town will see the total eclipse for as long as Casper.

Nebraska: Alliance, Scottsbluff and North Platte are all within four hours of Fort Collins and are in the path of totality. Scottsbluff is a mere two hours and some change from Fort Collins, but it's not quite as close to the center of the path as are the other two cities.

Reporters in the USA TODAY NETWORK contributed to this report.