Colorado boondocking high near Durango up to Silverton or anywhere nice really

[FC7039]

We are going to Colorado first week of July. I have reviewed many threads about boondocking in Colorado. This forum is a great resource. I am asking again for suggestions just to reinforce any I have gotten reading here.

We will be with tent campers.
We want to be able to drive into Durango or other nice town for it’s offerings, so maybe not more than an hour from the town.
We want a nice, somewhat secluded camp. Not necessary to be alone, but do not want crowds. It could be a State Park or any park, we are open to any suggestions. Our traveling partners are ex Alaskans and want to relive the open wilderness they got there.
We would like a great scenic camp, not one too buried in the trees that we cannot see anything. The higher the better.
We plan to backpack an overnight hike so would like a destination where there is a hike to a lake or stream, not too difficult as my wife is not a backpacker, meaning I carry and she walks.

All suggestions are appreciated.

[TBRich]

We just returned from a trip doing the loop north from Durango up through Silverton and on to Ouray...beautiful country. Don't know if it meets your spec's but we stayed at Haviland Lake about 20 miles north of Durango on 550 for a couple of nights. It's a NF park and they have both electric and dry camping sites...the best sites are on the lake and are electric sites...they go fast and you'd need to reserve if you want them. We were there the 2nd week of June and it was warm during the day. We were glad we got an electric site. Further north just below Silverton there is Molas Lake Park. I'm not sure who runs it. It has absolutely stunning scenery and there are sites right on the lake. We didn't stay there this trip but we shall the next time we are there. Again, not sure it's what you are looking for but you're not going to beat the scenery there. If you want to go further north toward Ouray, there's Amphitheater Campground that is east off 550 before you get to Ouray on a hillside...the town is visible down below. Again we did not stop there, but it's a great hiking area, and high. We may try to stay there then next time. If you were to go up the Dorlores River north of Cortez and Dolores, CO on CO Route 145 below Telluride you will find more abundant NF campgrounds. The scenery is beautiful and it's very green. The Dolores River runs beside the road in many places.

[JamuJoe]

There are a good number of fine BLM and NF campgrounds near Durango. Junction Creek CG is just a few miles out of town yet feels remote and offers hiking along a stream and easy access with our 23FB. I recommend the Allstays Camp & RV app. that you can filter for type of campgrounds and amenities. I also recommend that you keep track of wildfires as you visit our area. I like the Wildfire Home app.

[mojo]

If you want to boondock, take Hermosa Park Road back behind Durango Mountain Resort (Purgatory) to the Hermosa Creek trailhead. There is plenty of space, hiking and biking trails, and there is a primitive CG in addition to boondocking. Also north of Silverton towards Animas Forks there is plenty of boondocking space. It's popular with the ATV and off road crowd as it is near access to many 4x4 trails. This is also a popular spot on July 4th as Silverton puts on a big fireworks show (unless canceled due to fire restrictions).

[FC7039]

Thanks for the suggestions. The Amphitheater Camp near Ouray seems like a good place but appears full. I will call tomorrow.
I have never boondocked and have always had reservations. Traveling and not knowing where to stop and stay is a little unsettling. The goal is not to boondock, but to not stay in a parking lot of trailers. And since we are traveling over a holiday, reserved sites are hard to come by. Hence the idea to boondock.
Has anyone just camped anywhere in the Silverton Recreation Area? It seem many places are 4WD havens and I do not want to be around ATVs running all over the place.
I am thinking that we will hike into Blue Lakes either from Yankee Boy Basin (Ouray and Telluride), or from Dallas Creek, Ridgeway. Any info or recommendations on this plan would be appreciated.
I need to get the AllStay app. I have seen it recommended many times.

[Rollster]

I hear Mineral Creek is really nice (outside of Silverton) - I have family that goes there every August and they love boondocking along the creek. Last year, they were visited by a big bull moose right in their campsite! There is plenty of hiking nearby. Wish I was going!

[wdgwdg]

FC 7039: be aware of our current fire and smoke problems. Currently Durango is clear , but it has had smoke haze from the Wolf Creek Pass fires, with less smoke higher up in elevation. It appears that you may be driving west from Texas, please note that Wolf Creek pass has been closed due to the fires. Check your route.

[Denis4x4]

Consider Vallecito campground north of Vallecito Reservoir and Bayfield as it is the trailhead for the Weminuche Wilderness. This is a NF campground and sites are spread out. Probbly an hour drive to downtown Durango and 30 minutes to Bayfield.

FYI.... Wolf Creek Pass reopened today.

[Ahab]

We spent a week boondocking last year in the Gunnison NF. Up high on a creek and very near a large lake. Saw one truck all week. Great fishing.

[Julie-Bob]

We are going to camp near Woodland Park, CO for the month of August. We have a 25' Classic, I have two 2000 gen that I hook together to get 30 amp 4000 watts, I have 1 12v battery charger that I pulg into the 12v on the gen and charge the trailer batterys whild running the gen, this help keep the battery full. The trailer charger is slow.