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Colorado camping
Posted on 7/15/20 at 11:58 am
Posted on 7/15/20 at 11:58 am
Looking into taking my son camping in the mountains.
He has never seen them.
We will bring a tent and look into campgrounds, however, primitive camping in national forest is an option.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
He has never seen them.
We will bring a tent and look into campgrounds, however, primitive camping in national forest is an option.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
13
Posted on 7/15/20 at 12:07 pm to beulahland
So many options. First, car camping or backpacking? Some of the primitive areas in NatFor may be by reservation only. Check that. Plenty of state parks that allow camping. Right near my house is Golden Gate Canyon State Park. Pretty nice camping sites and a few "primitive" site that allow for you to get away from crowds. Close to Denver.
Do you have a central destination in mind, or just overall? Like I said, so many options in this state. You'll have fun pretty much anywhere you go, provided they aren't all booked solid.
Do you have a central destination in mind, or just overall? Like I said, so many options in this state. You'll have fun pretty much anywhere you go, provided they aren't all booked solid.
Posted on 7/15/20 at 12:08 pm to beulahland
Start using google images of places you have heard of. When one looks interesting look into campgrounds or trails nearby.
Hard to say best spot. You have thousands of spots to choose from in Co. Time of year and how far you are willing to hike in a day are important.
Hard to say best spot. You have thousands of spots to choose from in Co. Time of year and how far you are willing to hike in a day are important.
Posted on 7/15/20 at 12:10 pm to beulahland
How old is the son?
Posted on 7/15/20 at 12:13 pm to beulahland
Primitive in a NF is the way to go. Get away from everyone. So many cool spots.
Posted on 7/15/20 at 12:13 pm to beulahland
Another question -
What vehicle are you taking?
What vehicle are you taking?
Posted on 7/15/20 at 12:17 pm to beulahland
The boy is 25 and a cancer survivor. No backpacking.
I am operating on the assumption that campgrounds may be full.
I am equipped to camp in national forest.
Have been looking at Gunnison county.
I am operating on the assumption that campgrounds may be full.
I am equipped to camp in national forest.
Have been looking at Gunnison county.
Posted on 7/15/20 at 12:18 pm to 257WBY
2wd Tacoma.
Posted on 7/15/20 at 12:32 pm to beulahland
quote:
No backpacking.
Rules out most of the places I know about.
I will recommend the week after Labor Day was great weather and the crowds died down tremendously when I was hiking the Colorado trail.
The Sangre de Cristio range had some nice sights, NF campgrounds and maybe not as crowded due to farther from Denver metro area. Created Butte is also very beautiful area. It’s been many years and I don’t remember exactly where we visited.
Really there aren’t many not beautiful areas
Posted on 7/15/20 at 12:33 pm to beulahland
quote:
The boy is 25 and a cancer survivor. No backpacking.
I am operating on the assumption that campgrounds may be full.
When I graduated from the Citadel, dad took my brother and I on a pack trip 10 or 12 miles back into the Sawtooths in Idaho. It was awesome. Could something like that work?
I think this is the outfit he used (but it was almost 30 years ago).
Mystic Saddle Ranch
This post was edited on 7/15/20 at 12:34 pm
Posted on 7/15/20 at 12:37 pm to beulahland
Another good way to find camping spots is just google maps. Find an area you are interested in and type in “campground”. It will bring up most of the NF campgrounds on the map. Also rv type spots but those are easy to rule out.
I’ve found many spots just searching the map. Save to places to go and use directions to get there.
I’ve found many spots just searching the map. Save to places to go and use directions to get there.
Posted on 7/15/20 at 12:42 pm to beulahland
Look around Lake City, Ouray, Durango. Head down NF roads and find some nice primitive spots to camp for free. Have fun.
Posted on 7/15/20 at 12:49 pm to beulahland
quote:
Gunnison county
Not sure if this is what you're looking for but a couple years ago we took a trip to Crested Butte, drove up to Paradise Divide and camped for a night. The loop trail is about 20 miles and 4x4 is recommended but for the most part was gravel/limestone with some fairly steep climbs up some switchbacks, I think you'd be fine in a 2WD Tacoma, I remember seeing an older couple in a 2wd Colorado on the way up.
On the way down the mountain we stopped at Emerald Lake(pictured below) and did the hike to Judd Falls(~2 miles out & back).
Posted on 7/15/20 at 12:50 pm to 257WBY
Have done this in the Black Hills and NE Utah during deer season.
Will probably go this route.
Will probably go this route.
Posted on 7/15/20 at 12:57 pm to YOURADHERE
If you have time here's a video showing the whole trail, the footage is sped up. At 12:30 you can see where he makes the sharp right hander to start the switchbacks, this was where it was steepest.
LINK
LINK
Posted on 7/15/20 at 1:07 pm to beulahland
www.recreation.gov is a good place to start if you're looking at National Parks. Rivers, lakes, streams are always nice for camping so I try to narrow my searches down to look places that offer fishing, boating, etc. I will also search for waterfalls and then look for campsites nearby on Maps.
A lot of campsites can be reserved, but they typically leave 50% of the sites open for first come/first serve. If I don't have a site reserved, I always make sure I have several other campsites marked on my Maps nearby in case the one I want is full. I have rarely gotten stuck with my second choice.
We recently camped at Bear Lake, just south of Pueblo, CO. The creek ran right through our site and down the hill into a gorgeous alpine lake. There were lots of trout in the lake you could see hiking around the shore. Sadly we didn't bring any fishing equipment. There are only 18 sites and we grabbed the last one available.
A lot of campsites can be reserved, but they typically leave 50% of the sites open for first come/first serve. If I don't have a site reserved, I always make sure I have several other campsites marked on my Maps nearby in case the one I want is full. I have rarely gotten stuck with my second choice.
We recently camped at Bear Lake, just south of Pueblo, CO. The creek ran right through our site and down the hill into a gorgeous alpine lake. There were lots of trout in the lake you could see hiking around the shore. Sadly we didn't bring any fishing equipment. There are only 18 sites and we grabbed the last one available.
Posted on 7/15/20 at 1:34 pm to beulahland
There is an area just outside of Buena Vista that is insane.
Look around CF 315 and US 285 to the north. Some of the sites were epic.
Look around CF 315 and US 285 to the north. Some of the sites were epic.
Posted on 7/15/20 at 1:52 pm to CharlesLSU
Look around Dolores at San Juan national Forest. Lots of good camping and riding in that area. We would hunt there and stay around Glade Mountain.
Posted on 7/15/20 at 2:24 pm to Run up middle
At around 9,000 feet, high temperatures in 70s, lows in the 50s.
Reason enough for me to go to the mountains.
Reason enough for me to go to the mountains.
Posted on 7/15/20 at 2:26 pm to beulahland
We got sleeted on at 10,000 a couple nights in August
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