In the hills north of Twin Lakes Reservoir there’s ample dispersed campsites on the various forest service roads. People don’t tend to travel down this road, and if you take the time drive all the way to the end, you will likely have it to yourself. Do I need to remind you of the photos of this place?! Dispersed Camping – Twin Lakes, CO – Confluences & Influences Aside from their location, I’m a big fan of the nearby trails. Always use a preexisting spot and leave no trace. You own these lands and you are entitled to use them. YES! Twin Lakes Area Campgrounds. We recommend that you obtain the Forest Service map of Pike National Forest for road travel the east side trailheads. Good morning planning a trip to the Glenwood are in early August. Some amazing shows in the sky here, daily, but while it rains nearly every day in Western Colorado, it typically only lasts a short while before the blue bird comes back out. Lakeview campground is directly across the road from Twin Lakes. Follow US Hwy 24, then take Colorado Highway 82 a couple miles west. Fantastic blog! The Lincoln Creek dispersed camping area has 22 campsites for car camping along the Lincoln Creek road. I’m looking at camping in mid Sept for the fall colors. Just when I’m about to give up on Colorado, I read something like this! Twin Lakes a mile away. Once it was dirt, we found a plethora of dispersed camping sites! This campground is just a few miles west of Twin Lakes and is a great alternative to the more-crowded Lake View Campground around the reservoir. {And also– we have plans to explore northern NM next year– I will keep you posted! © 2014 Just a Colorado Gal. From Leadville, take US-24 E to CO-82 W toward Twin Lakes. …I’m new to dispersed camping & trying to find sites as close to denver as possible (as it’ll be my home for about a month + I’m currently driving a camry -2wd). We don’t want to be near crowds or towns if we can help it, and we don’t need hookups or anything. Made me smile! $30/night. We give you a simple, map based search engine to find free and cheap camping areas. There is plenty of hiking, beautiful scenery, and a creek that provides ample access to water. After all, not everyone wants to lug a 50-lb backback up a 4,000 foot climb, and I appreciate that. Just passed the parking lot, you will notice dispersed camping sites. Plenty of sites dot along the road by the creek, and even more sites can be found once you crest the summit and begin the descent on the backside. You can’t go wrong! With daytime temperatures hovering around 80°, visitors comfortably spend the day boating, fishing, biking, or simply relaxing on the beach. Our focus is on public lands. To Get There: From US-24 south of Leadville, take CO-82 west towards Twin Lakes. I will be coming from Az and have a tentative plan of camping and photographing around Telluride, last dollar road to Ouray, gunnison/Lake City, 2 days around Maroon Bells, Grand Mesa, Silverton/Durango Thank you! Too often, people have vivid {and horrifying!} I was thinking of camping in Taos Memorial weekend. We were hiking Mt. It would be this coming weekend. Your description of Jones Pass was so enticing that I convinced my husband to take our 28′ trailer up there! They dont belong to JUST you or colorado residents. Any suggestions…..I’m planning on bringing my two labs with me also. Most of the remainder of public lands are open to dispersed camping, as long as it does not conflict with other authorized uses or in areas posted "closed to camping," or in some way adversely affects wildlife species or natural resources. If you go, check out Eddyline Brewing. I agree with you. You can simply use your smart phone's GPS to find camping near you or even use our trip planner to plan your route from coast to coast. Dispersed Camping While the Trails Illustrated map 105 is excellent for the trails, it does not include all the access roads you may need to use. i think we’ll be seeking out one of the spots in two weekends from now –. Twin Lakes There’s more to Twin Lakes than its water. Hey Heather, Pro Tips. Thanks so much! Stop for lunch if you can; the downtown is chock full of restored mining buildings and houses, and I absolutely love a small coffee shop called First Ascent. We’re planning to do some dispersed camping in our 4WD RV in the San Juans/Uncompahgre area in the next week. Resort Vallley Ranch. They can be contacted via phone at (575) 434-7200 for pricing, directions, reservations and more. Kebler Pass itself is a beauty and is full of hiking and mountain biking. In short, it’s stunning! 2014: Gear of the Year - Just a Colorado GalJust a Colorado Gal, Day 02 Friday (2): Evening at the Hostel – In the Land of Legal Marijuana, Car Camping in Colorado -Just a Colorado Gal, Best Dispersed Camping In Colorado - Crested Butte Real Estate Collection. Are any of these places good for pulling a camper. ), and I’m going to use your recommendation for Twin Lakes next weekend when I do the Leadville 10k! Good luck! You see, dispersed camping gets a bad rap. To get there: From Denver, take US-285 south to just outside of Buena Vista. Stop being an elitist, entitled brat. We had no idea you could do this ! Here are some of my favorites.} FREE – Dispersed Camping by Twin Lakes. You see, most of the 14ers in Colorado have long dirt roads that act as approaches to the trailheads. Crested Butte is one of my all-time favorite mountain towns in Colorado, and this drive takes you smack through it. The Continental Divide and Mount Elbert trails are in the nearby area. A couple places close to Denver to try are Peru Creek above Keystone and along Boreas Pass especially to backside if going up frame Georgetown. If you have 4WD you can take the road higher where the sites are more isolated. This is exactly the article I was looking for. There aren’t hookups or anything but there are a few spots that are big and wide enough that it could work. To Get There: Take US-285 south from Denver until it connects with US-50. After the wedding we are spending a week traveling to hike (me) / mtn bike (him). We were lucky to have scored the boondocking spot we have. It’s definitely a popular area and, once you’re up there, it’s easy to understand why! But here’s the catch: if I’m going to camp from my car, I want it to be as remote and wild as possible. We’ll have four days, basically. Hi Kelly, you could definitely take a camper to select spots on Kebler Pass. Yea for us! Again, the area has some beautiful hiking so there is plenty to do, and the Creek provides ample access to water. Ah yes, I have fond childhood memories of “camping”; we were in tents, but there would be crowded bathrooms, a huge swimming pool, restaurant and even a store at the “campground” lol. I would love for you to post more when you find them, especially near Denver. I will be checking out cottonwood or Twin lakes in a week with a few friends. Kebler Pass Community reviews and ratings provide you with up to date information and help you select the best camp site for your next camping trip. The Twin Lakes Colorado community welcomes you to our historic village and its surroundings in the Upper Arkansas River Valley. I worked at a camp in the Shawnee National Forest in Southern, IL. While Twin Lakes and the Reservoir are both nearby, there is no water source directly at the campsite. Whether you just need to know where to camp nearby or you want to plan a free camping road trip, we've got you covered. Now I live in Colorado, I find it difficult to camp as neither my husband nor I enjoy the camp ground experience. These places look great! Otherwise, sites are littered throughout Kebler Pass Road {Gunnison County Road 12}. Dispersed camping is a blessing when it works, but make sure you have a backup plan in case the campground is full. Take the road a few miles to Henderson Mine {obeying all of the Mine rules}, and then continue on the dirt road. Dan was hoping to do some mountain biking too, if that makes sense. We’re planning on going down to the Great Sand Dunes and I was curious if you knew of any fun primitive places in the vicinity? This is a very nice campground, plenty of trees with a few sites providing a good view of the Twin Lakes below. We have never camped in Colorado ever, we’re from Kansas. Last time I looked these spots were part of the national forest lands. Lots of listings, and nice to be able to roll into a new area and find free dispersed camping. Or, if hiking isn’t your thing and you have a sturdy car, drive the road a bit and catch the views above treeline. We are wanting to try out the Jones Pass. You get the serenity and quiet feel of backpacking with the ease of […], […] Best Dispersed Camping In Colorado […]. At the stoplight in town, take a left on County Road 306. The problem is that everyone tends to go to the busy, so it’s a vicious cycle Do you backpack too? Camping: About 6 miles south from Twin Lakes down US-24 E is Clear Creek Reservoir.Turn right onto CO Rd 390 and travel a few miles west (past private property) and you will see plenty of dispersed camping sites down by the river and up the hill on the base of the mountain. Next level hosting generously provided by. The pass is covered in aspen groves, and I’ve heard rumors that they are some of the largest in the country. memories of pulling into a KOA and pitching their tent on a slab of concrete next to the bathrooms, all while listening to the hum of a half dozen motor home generators. I am also a fan of Lost Creek Wilderness for proximity to Denver but away from crowds. Do you have any suggestions on where to go? We usually go to Wyoming but want to find places a little closer to home. Area Status: Open. My husband is a big fan of dispersed camping and it makes me nervous as i’m a planner but i’m starting to see the beauty of it to be able to camp without the crowds. Thought I’d pass along a resource I frequently turned to on my year long road trip, freecampsites.net. Any places/hikes you would recommend? Camping on public lands away from developed recreation facilities is referred to as dispersed camping. Awesome resource, and gorgeous photos. When I first introduced the idea of dispersed camping to Will, he gave me a little scoff. Sayres Gulch Dispersed Camping - Buena Vista, Colorado There is a 4WD road at the La Plata Gulch trailhead off of 82 past the Twin Lakes that leads you 1.6 miles through private property to a ton of … I don’t know then areas South of the Springs well. We believe that free camping areas are often the most beautiful and peaceful camp sites. I camped near Breck this weekend to go mountain biking (right next to the Colorado trail! . Heather, this is awesome! }, Hi Barb! Yale and continued driving on County Road 306, past the trailhead until the road turned to dirt. Not only is there fantastic dispersed camping on Cottonwood Pass just outside of town, but the local vibe in town kind of rocks too. Thank you. Doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the great outdoors! Some provide great overlooks of the lake. Elbert, and beside the beautiful Twin Lakes. We like privacy when we camp. Guys, it doesn’t have to be that way! Literally, you will see dozens of offshoots from the main road, and every single one of them leads to bomb dispersed camping. I’ve done a lot of dispersed camping and backpacking (before my spine surgery). Beautiful pictures, as always. You should! I’ve spent years camping in dispersed sites in Colorado, and I’ve racked up a few favorite locations. Lots of dispersed camp sites along the way with easy access and of course great views. Occasional hikers or ATV-enthusiasts will ride by, but we camped there for two nights without seeing anyone! Make sure you bring enough or stop on your way in to get some. Awesome, thank you! In June 2019, we stayed in our Motorhome at Lakeview Campground in Leadville, CO. St Elmo is a nearby ghost town, Buena Vista is a charming town and Leadville was celebrating its annual Boom Days.....complete with the burro race and the mosey. Well worth a look. To Get There: From US-24 south of Leadville, take CO-82 west towards Twin Lakes. I know we have dispersed camping in Southern IL, but I’ll have to do some research and see if I can find something closer – thanks for the inspiration! Thanks for putting together your recommendations, Heather! you are ruining camping for the actual locals that took the time to go out and find these spots…. % of the Hipcamps for your dates are already booked. Fortunately, there is plenty of opportunity for dispersed camping in Colorado! There are a few other campsites in the area such as Dexter campground, and Twin Lakes campground, but White Star Campground is by far the best one since it is right on the lake with dozens of tent and/or RV campsites. Lori, Love the picture of Tals and the description. Flat Tops Trail. Awesome suggestions!! You may want to book soon. Thanks for the great ideas. Heather.Balogh@gmail.com, Hi there. Most preexisting campsites are in wooded area. If Twin Peaks Campground happens to be full, free pull-off camping can be found farther west along the highway. I think we will take 2 weeks off and stay in some o f the places you suggested! A quick two-hour drive north of Denver sits Red Feather Lakes. For the uninformed, it is similar to wild […], Stop blogging thus stuff, all these damn hipsters from out of state need to go back where they came from and stop crowding out these once great hidden spots…. Thanks, and I can’t wait to try some of these spots. I’ve gotten so frustrated with the crowds and traffic recently, and have really been looking forward to moving eventually. We’re partnering up with CB tourism and headed there in a few weekends; I’ll get some info for you! Some are easy to go to via car while others require 4wd or AWD. This area reminds me of being in the Swiss Alps with the quaint village of Twin Lakes situated right by these beautiful lakes! Buena Vista KOA Camping & Cabins 800.562.2672, 719.395.8318 www.BuenaVistaKOA.com 27700 County Road 303 Buena Vista, CO 81211. A fire ring frequently exists but thankfully, crowds rarely do. What time of year did you camp at Twin Lakes? Forest Road #706 has dozens of dispersed campsites before reaching the Lost Lake Campground. I now live in Taos, NM and there is dispersed camping EVERYWHERE in northern NM. There are enough Wal-Mart and truck stop directories out there already. There are three loops in which to find your perfect campsite: Sage and Valley Loops have reservable sites, while Ridge Loop is first-come, first-served. It really depends on how much you enjoy cold overnights . Growing up we only did dispersed camping in Wyoming and Montana. A lot of folks will assume this camping is on private land, when in fact all the spots you mention that I recognize are on NFS lands. 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