Here in Colorado, we’re in love with camping.
Okay, we may be obsessed with camping. Winter is so long and enduring that in the brief spell between June and September, when you might not freeze to death in the mountains at night, the draw is irresistible for many.
Nature may abhor a vacuum, but that’s nothing compared to the desire of Front Range residents to escape their hot cities on the July 4th weekend.
Fortunately, with 22 million acres of public land, there’s plenty of room. To help newcomers or visitors understand the do’s and don’ts, we’ve put together a guide on the different types of camping, and we’ve even given away some of our favorite spots near tourist destinations.
DISPERSED CAMPING
Also known as “boondocking,” dispersed camping is when you roll up on a campsite; usually just a rock campfire ring, a clear space for your tent and parking for your vehicle. If there’s water, it’s from a creek or lake. If there’s a bathroom, it’s all around you. And best of all, it’s free.
But it’s not a free-for-all out there. Dispersed camping is prohibited within a mile of campgrounds, picnic areas and other recreation sites. It’s not allowed within 100 feet of a stream. If you spend any time driving down forest roads, you’ll see plenty of places where it’s not allowed at all, whether because of resource damage or officials have limited campers to developed sites because of heavy use.
There’s no trash service so practice leave-no-trace principles. There’s no food storage so keep a clean site to deter bears. Be sure to check with local campfire restrictions. If there is a state fire ban that means they are allowed in developed but not dispersed sites.
There are too many dispersed camping areas to even scratch the surface here, but we’ll recommend a few:
The Salida East camping area, just one mile from the town of Salida offers easy access to the Arkansas River
Forest Road 390, San Isabel National Forest, with numerous trailheads and pull-off sites
The Tarryall area, Pike National Forest, with access to many trails into Lost Creek Wilderness
Peru Creek Road, White River National Forest, offering stunning mountain views in a high alpine valley
FOREST SERVICE CAMPGROUNDS
If you’re looking for a little more structure (or just a restroom), there are hundreds of national forest campgrounds around Colorado.
They range in opulence, but it’s rarely more than a metal fire pit, picnic table and pit toilet. There’s often a drinking water well but not always, so check ahead. Sometimes a camp host will sell firewood, but you can’t always count on it. Showers and utility hookups for RVs are rare.
Often there is a self-pay station, so make sure to have a check or a variety of bill denominations.
The beauty of these campgrounds is that most allow reservations six months in advance. In fact, getting the best sites at the most popular campgrounds usually involves a Google search in early winter. If you know when and where you want to go, visit www.recreation.gov.
If everything is full, don’t fret. Most reservable campgrounds also have several first-come, first-served sites. Just don’t wait until Friday night to go looking.
Generally, the more remote, the farther from the Front Range, the better the odds of getting a spot.
Here are some national forest campgrounds that won’t disappoint:
Lake Irwin Campground, Gunnison National Forest, offers access to a stunning lake just a few miles outside of the tourist town of Crested Butte.
Twin Lakes, San Isabel National Forest. Recreation abounds in this gorgeous area, where Colorado’s highest peak, Mt. Elbert, towers over the man-made reservoirs. With five campgrounds and several smaller camping areas, you’re sure to find a place to spend the night under the stars.
Grand Lake. This massive reservoir in northern Colorado, at the west portal to Rocky Mountain National Park, has multiple campgrounds–both public and private- many offering lakeside access for water sports enthusiasts.
STATE PARKS
With so much federal land to explore, it’s easy to forget about Colorado’s state parks. There are some 4,000 campsites in 43 parks.
These typically lie in lower elevations than the national forests, often built around reservoirs and closer to cities and towns and are ideal for a quick getaway. They also tend to be a bit more developed, with showers and laundry facilities.
Camping reservations are required to be made in advance at cps.state.co.us.
Here are some of our favorite state parks for summer adventures:
Lake Pueblo State Park
It’s rare in Colorado to swim without turning blue from the cold water, but this spot in southern Colorado is one such place. Popular with motorboat enthusiasts, it has several campgrounds offering lakeside access.
Eleven Mile State Park
This massive reservoir in Park County has several shoreline campgrounds. For more solitude drive as far east as you can on the south side.
Cheyenne Mountain State Park
This park just southwest of Colorado Springs is most convenient for city residents looking for a quick getaway, with hiking trails AND cell phone service.
NATIONAL PARKS
The national park designation is the highest level of federal land protection, reserved for sites that are truly unique. Colorado has four national parks, and all have camping.
But these being national parks, they are very popular and very busy, so you’ll want to make your camping reservation well in advance. Many a family has had to troll through the high desert around Great Sand Dunes in the dark because camping was full. Visit Recreation.gov.
You’ll also have to pay a separate entrance fee to enter the parks.
Piñon Flats Campground, Great Sand Dunes National Park
Just east of the highest sand dunes in North America, this campground is the only one in the park and fills every night in warmer months. Fortunately, several other camping options exist in the area, so don’t fret.
Moraine Park Campground, Rocky Mountain National Park
Colorado’s most-visited park has five campgrounds, and Moraine Park is probably the most stunning. Sitting in meadows flanked by the park’s high peaks, it’s a perfect place to relax and view herds of deer and elk after a day of exploring the trails.
