Colorado Camping

[Bluto]

Soon I hope to be traveling again and am planning to visit Colorado for a couple of weeks. I'm looking for suggestions anywhere in the state for kind of get away camping (less crowed) areas but still have water and electric available at least every 3rd day or so of traveling. Looking mostly for scenic COE, or state parks, forest areas that you guys like.

Any suggestions?

[mojo]

You will find that most CO campgrounds that are less crowded have no electric and water for filling in jugs, if any. But three of my favorites in SW CO are...
Molas Lake between Durango & Silverton, however only about three sites will fit your rig.
Mineral near Silverton
West Fork at the base of Wolf Creek near Pagosa Springs

[Zeppelinium]

No water or power, but it's free National Forest camping right at the top of Vail Pass and just off I-70. Nice little fishing lake, too. Just take the exit at the summit rest stop, then take the 2-lane road west, just adjacent to the highway on the south side. It'a about a mile to the dead-end and camp. Don't go before the middle of June, it's probably snowed in until then.

Camping above 10,000'. Nothing like it.

Zep

[AirstreamGypsy]

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...tml#post845564

Also, look in the Boondocking Forum

[JFScheck]

Here is my favorite in the SteamBoat Springs area...

Steamboat Campground

[vinstream]

Stay away from the "front range" (the mountains run north and south just west of Denver) The far west part of the state is full of places to "GET LOST" list to look at would be....

Grand Mesa (more camping per square mile of any area in CO)
Grand Lake (old tourist CO at its best)
Steamboat Lake (properly the best state camp ground in CO)
Feather Lakes (A strange place to get lost)
Twin lakes (half way point between Leadville and Aspen)
Red Cliff (utopian village of fun)
Marble (Great trail head for exploration)
Dolores (where the Utah mesa hits the rocky mountains)
Silverton (top of the world camping)
Dinosaur national monument (one of the best kept secrets of fabulous camping in CO)

There are others... But this is where I would at least start!

Todd

[Bluto]

Thanks everyone, this is great! Good starting point for me. Now I need to begin looking these up and planning a nice CO trip.

[Mark B.]

vinstream, you mean Red Feather Lakes in Roosevelt NF? Boondocked in the area many many times as a beardless yout' in our folks' Jayco foldout tent camper. There's even a KOA outside of Gould for those who don't or can't live without shore power and water, laundry, etc. "Camped" there too in a '73 28' Holiday Rambler that should have been the Overlander we've got now. I believe there are now improved-site campgrounds around Dowdy and Belleaire Lakes with full hookups and dumpsites. Very pretty up there.







That was taken (not by me) from almost exactly the spot we camped several times.

Best,

'Berg

[az-lh]

Janet and I love Haviland Lake - halfway between Durango and Silverton. When we have gone in mid may in the past it's been pretty deserted, but it picks up after memorial day. Most spaces have electric, and four are right on the lake. We used the free dump at the park in Durango on our way out of town.

[c177tx]

I will second Lake Haviland, it is a very nice camp site north of Durango. We were lucky to get a campsite next to the lake.

[GettinAway]

Originally Posted by JFScheck

Here is my favorite in the SteamBoat Springs area...

Steamboat Campground

+1 Steam boat is great!! If you want to get away from it a little more, go on up to Hahn's Peak CG. USDA Forest Service, Medicine Bow & Routt National Forests, Thunder Basin National Grassland - Recreation Activities

We had a canoe with us, and had a great time. The kids all caught a few trout, just very peaceful. It has been 7 or 8 years since we were there, so things may have changed, but we really enjoyed it.

Jeff

[NicheVintage]

Zep... Do you by chance have ay photos?

c177TX - Do you by chance remember what the site # was?

We are planning on spending some time in Colorado as well just before the Rocky Mt Salida rally.

Thanks,

[Zeppelinium]

Satellite images show the lake--the camp is below the damn and although it appears that the road continues toward Vail, it is only a bicycle path after it passes the camping area. I've never been up the winding dirt road to the west, but obviously there are camping spots [up] there and more secluded.



This shot of the lake shows the dam at the other end. The camp is on the other side of the dam.



This is the camping area. Probably only big enough for 5-6 Airstreams. You can see the level top of the earth dam in the background.



Zep

[NicheVintage]

Vinstream - When you say stay away from "Front Range" was that because it is busier there during that time?

Everyone - Is it possible to spend several weeks in CO and still have much to see and do? We were planning on Yellowstone and several other stops in Montana and WY but maybe if CO has enough to see and do we can just make it a CO trip and top it off with the Rally in Salida in Aug?

[handn]

My wife and I live in Grand Lake. There are two forest service campgrounds with electric at Lake Granby and at Shadow Mountain Lake both are on the lake and are nice. They fill up on weekends but you can drive in and get a site midweek. If you come in without reservations in the weekend, you might find a space in one of the two commercial campgrounds in Grand Lake or there is lots of free, no services, camping up County Road 4.
Not to knock Grand Lake but our favorite place in the state to camp is Steamboat Lake State Park north of Clark. Most sites have electric. You can usually drive in middle of the week and get a site but weekends book up and you may have to settle for a non electric site at that time.
We like it because of Steamboat and Pearl Lakes, lots of nearby forest hiking and biking, and its closeness to Clark and Steamboat Springs. There is pretty good fishing and lots of birds including Sand Hill Cranes.
Our second favorite is a KOA near Gould, (Walden). It is near the Colorado State Forest and is quite remote. Hiking and biking at new places is limitless. It has full hookups.
The state parks in Colorado are good bets as they generally have sites with water and electricity. You can book reservations on the internet.
If you want to make a trip of just Colorado, you can do it and not be bored. We have lived here all our lives and are still finding new places to stay. Last year we went to Grand Mesa (near Grand Junction) and stayed at a nice forest service campground with electric and water and on Blue Mesa Reservoir near Gunnison with another government campground with electric and water.
Some of the campgrounds recommended by other posters are new to us and we will save them for future visits.
We have a Honda generator and feel no hardship whatever camping in a site with no services. If you are prepared to boondock, there are thousands of places to stay.

[jwvastine]

You could spend every vacation in Colorado and still not see it all.