Colorado Indecision--Where to go this week?
We are new to Colorado and used to boondocking in Arizona. Our 22 ft. Spirit is great on backroads that are dirt or gravel but the roads need to be fairly well graded. I have been researching for over...
Forum Discussion
I often get a copy of the USFS map for a particular forest. They often show private inholdings where one should avoid camping. Combine that with Google Earth or the like and one can often see pull offs where people have obviously boonedocked. Sometimes fire rings are even visible.
As far as CG's being closed, it is quite variable. Some have no gates, many have gates that are closed Labor Day evening. Others are still open. On my way to the Wet Mountains last week, I noted that Hornsilver CG along US 24 was still open, as were the CG's at Lake Isabel. Now they are talking about more weather moving in later this week, but as of last Friday, the snow line in the Sawatch Range was above 12000'. One could easily of climbed any of the non-technical routes to the summit of any of the 14,000'ers.
As noted, close to the Front Range means crowds, even this time of year. We used to boondock in the Red Feather Lakes area way back when (Maybe off Prairie Divide Road??)
I think there is still dispersed camping in the Buffalo Creek area. Head south on CO 126 past Pine and Buffalo Creek. Turn right on FSR 550. Dispersed camping along the road over the next six or eight miles. This area is popular with mountain bikers, so spots fill quickly on weekends. This area isn't quite so high in elevation so late fall camping is a possibility.
Head up US 285 and about three miles past Kenosha Pass, turn left on Lost Park Road. After three or four miles, you'll get out of the private ranch land and into the forest. There are side roads all over the place with boondocking locations. Eventually you reach Lost Park CG. I don't know how it is now, but there didn't used to be a gate at the CG entrance. There are several access points to the Lost Creek wilderness from this road.
Further afield, try some of the canyons on either side of the upper Arkansas River valley. Once you're over Trout Creek Pass on US 285, there are a variety of NFS roads on either side of the highway before you get to Buena Vista. With some research, pick one and head out. Some spots have great overlooks of the valley with several 14,000' peaks as a backdrop. This area is in the rain/snow shadow of those tall peaks so camping is possible much of the year. On the west side, if you venture above Cottonwood Lake outside of BV, there are a number of (well-known) boondocking locations. Likewise, a variety of locations up Poncha Creek SW of Salida (don't go up the Marshall Pass road but stay along the creek.) However, not much boondocking opportunities up the Chalk Creek Road out of Nathrop. All of these areas get earlier snows, but are still OK at this point.
As the snow line drops, there are some BLM CG's along the Arkansas River from north of BV down past Salida. Low in elevation, they are accessible much of the year.
As far as CG's being closed, it is quite variable. Some have no gates, many have gates that are closed Labor Day evening. Others are still open. On my way to the Wet Mountains last week, I noted that Hornsilver CG along US 24 was still open, as were the CG's at Lake Isabel. Now they are talking about more weather moving in later this week, but as of last Friday, the snow line in the Sawatch Range was above 12000'. One could easily of climbed any of the non-technical routes to the summit of any of the 14,000'ers.
As noted, close to the Front Range means crowds, even this time of year. We used to boondock in the Red Feather Lakes area way back when (Maybe off Prairie Divide Road??)
I think there is still dispersed camping in the Buffalo Creek area. Head south on CO 126 past Pine and Buffalo Creek. Turn right on FSR 550. Dispersed camping along the road over the next six or eight miles. This area is popular with mountain bikers, so spots fill quickly on weekends. This area isn't quite so high in elevation so late fall camping is a possibility.
Head up US 285 and about three miles past Kenosha Pass, turn left on Lost Park Road. After three or four miles, you'll get out of the private ranch land and into the forest. There are side roads all over the place with boondocking locations. Eventually you reach Lost Park CG. I don't know how it is now, but there didn't used to be a gate at the CG entrance. There are several access points to the Lost Creek wilderness from this road.
Further afield, try some of the canyons on either side of the upper Arkansas River valley. Once you're over Trout Creek Pass on US 285, there are a variety of NFS roads on either side of the highway before you get to Buena Vista. With some research, pick one and head out. Some spots have great overlooks of the valley with several 14,000' peaks as a backdrop. This area is in the rain/snow shadow of those tall peaks so camping is possible much of the year. On the west side, if you venture above Cottonwood Lake outside of BV, there are a number of (well-known) boondocking locations. Likewise, a variety of locations up Poncha Creek SW of Salida (don't go up the Marshall Pass road but stay along the creek.) However, not much boondocking opportunities up the Chalk Creek Road out of Nathrop. All of these areas get earlier snows, but are still OK at this point.
As the snow line drops, there are some BLM CG's along the Arkansas River from north of BV down past Salida. Low in elevation, they are accessible much of the year.
