I have another thread going about an upcoming trip from Phoenix to Lehi Utah, and then to Bernardo New Mexico.. Got some great tips on the Phoenix to Lehi leg.Now I gotta get some info on the Lehi to Bernardo leg.When I mapquest it, it comes out to 620 miles, so I would like have midway camp. Monticello Colorado has a couple of semi primitve campgrounds a little ways east that would probably do in a pinch, but that would be a little short of the halfway mark.I noticed if I drug the route from Monticello over to Durango. that it only added 5 miles to the trip, and went thru some of the San Jaun National Forest... But I can't seem to find likely looking boondocking spots on the map... From the sattelite view, it looks like a lot of it may be private land... Not used to seeing much of that in NF in AZ...Any help will be much appreciated

1) Never heard of Monticello Colorado. If you mean Utah, then it is about 100 miles from Monticello to Durango, not five as you stated. 2) Most of the land north of hwy 160 around Durango is USFS, not private. There are numerous CGs and other areas for camping.

If you're thinking of taking US 491 from Monticello southeast, you're right, there's not much along that stretch. A couple of possibilities. There's an underutilized CG at McPhee Reservoir near Dolores that has 15 sites (out of 95) with electrical hookups. This isn't a heavily used CG, esp. on weekdays. I think it generally been much less than a quarter full most of the weekdays we have camped there, so a little more privacy. If you don't need hookups, some of the sites are fairly far apart. The nearby Anasazi Heritage Center is a bonus.If you want a boondocking location, you might check out Google Earth and look for Dolores, CO. Head north out of town on 526/31. If you go north a few miles, you'll see various side roads heading into the brush. For instance here: 37.542116, -108.462735 or here: 37.565129, -108.456461 We've never boondocked there, Allison likes the flush toilets at McPhee ;) But we have mountain biked up in that area and it seems like you should be able to find someplace that meets your needs.

First, it's Monticello, Utah, not Colorado. :)We've stayed at Bradfield campground about a mile off 491 just before Cortez, CO. It gets very little use. Nearby is also Cabin Canyon campground. Both are below the dam of McPhee Reservoir. Here's a link and note there's a place to click for the campground map directions:http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/sanjuan/recarea/?recid=44031If you're taking 491 from Cortez south into New Mexico you'll be traveling on Navajo Reservation land just about all the way to Bernardo. There won't be many camping options along the way so it's best to stop around Cortez for the night.

IDman wrote:1) Never heard of Monticello Colorado. If you mean Utah, then it is about 100 miles from Monticello to Durango, not five as you stated. 2) Most of the land north of hwy 160 around Durango is USFS, not private. There are numerous CGs and other areas for camping.You are right abour Monticellos location. But dragging the route in Mapquest from Monticello to Durango changes the overal length of the route from 620 miles to 625. And the route then goes thru the San Jaun NF,,,, which I think SHOULD have some boondocking opportunities.

Huntindog wrote:IDman wrote:1) Never heard of Monticello Colorado. If you mean Utah, then it is about 100 miles from Monticello to Durango, not five as you stated. 2) Most of the land north of hwy 160 around Durango is USFS, not private. There are numerous CGs and other areas for camping.You are right abour Monticellos location. But dragging the route in Mapquest from Monticello to Durango changes the overal length of the route from 620 miles to 625. And the route then goes thru the San Jaun NF,,,, which I think SHOULD have some boondocking opportunities.I guess you should be a little more specific as to your route. Are you taking US 491 to US 160 to Durango and then US 550 south from there? If so, you'll only skirt along the edge of the San Juan NF for about six miles and almost all of that is private property. I gave you some ideas for boondocking in my post above that are all within the SJNF. In fact you can take CO 184 as the shortcut between US 491 and US 160 and it will take you right by Dolores. Boondocking around Durango isn't easy to find. For instance, if you take US 550 north of town, you'd think there'd be opportunities up there, but for the first 25 miles, it's private property on both sides of the road. Once you're above the private property, the land rises very steeply and the roads have few options for camping (unless maybe for a tent in places).

boondocking sites in southern Colorado | Good Sam Community

12 Replies

4runnerguy
Explorer
Apr 03, 2016
2oldman wrote:
EsoxLucius wrote:
2oldman wrote:
37.484498, -108.624058try that
Nice boat ramp parking lot.
Nothin' wrong with that for one night.. huge area, water. I like those kinds of places. Of course it's a gamble.. could be unlevel, posted no camping..etc. Always good to have a Plan B, C, and maybe D.
A state wildlife area. No camping allowed.
2oldman
Explorer II
Apr 02, 2016
EsoxLucius wrote:
2oldman wrote:
37.484498, -108.624058try that
Nice boat ramp parking lot.
Nothin' wrong with that for one night.. huge area, water. I like those kinds of places. Of course it's a gamble.. could be unlevel, posted no camping..etc. Always good to have a Plan B, C, and maybe D.
EsoxLucius
Explorer
Apr 02, 2016
2oldman wrote:
37.484498, -108.624058

try that
Nice boat ramp parking lot.
2oldman
Explorer II
Apr 01, 2016
37.484498, -108.624058

try that
EsoxLucius
Explorer
Mar 27, 2016
Get the Motor Vehicle Use Map for the National Forest of interest. Most MVUMs show where dispersed camping is allowed along National Forest roads.

BLM lands open to dispersed camping can be discovered through contact with local BLM offices.

Often Google Maps or iMaps satellite views will then reveal likely camping spots as they have been actively used.
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Mar 27, 2016
Huntindog: Did you notice the suggested place to stop midway that I gave in the above post? Wouldn't it work out?
Huntindog
Explorer
Mar 26, 2016
I am pretty open on the route. I just need to go from Lehi,UT to Bernardo NM with a overnite about halfway there. The route can be adjusted within reason to make for more possibilities.
4runnerguy
Explorer
Mar 26, 2016
Huntindog wrote:
IDman wrote:
1) Never heard of Monticello Colorado. If you mean Utah, then it is about 100 miles from Monticello to Durango, not five as you stated. 2) Most of the land north of hwy 160 around Durango is USFS, not private. There are numerous CGs and other areas for camping.
You are right abour Monticellos location. But dragging the route in Mapquest from Monticello to Durango changes the overal length of the route from 620 miles to 625. And the route then goes thru the San Jaun NF,,,, which I think SHOULD have some boondocking opportunities.
I guess you should be a little more specific as to your route. Are you taking US 491 to US 160 to Durango and then US 550 south from there? If so, you'll only skirt along the edge of the San Juan NF for about six miles and almost all of that is private property. I gave you some ideas for boondocking in my post above that are all within the SJNF. In fact you can take CO 184 as the shortcut between US 491 and US 160 and it will take you right by Dolores.

Boondocking around Durango isn't easy to find. For instance, if you take US 550 north of town, you'd think there'd be opportunities up there, but for the first 25 miles, it's private property on both sides of the road. Once you're above the private property, the land rises very steeply and the roads have few options for camping (unless maybe for a tent in places).
Huntindog
Explorer
Mar 26, 2016
IDman wrote:
1) Never heard of Monticello Colorado. If you mean Utah, then it is about 100 miles from Monticello to Durango, not five as you stated. 2) Most of the land north of hwy 160 around Durango is USFS, not private. There are numerous CGs and other areas for camping.
You are right abour Monticellos location. But dragging the route in Mapquest from Monticello to Durango changes the overal length of the route from 620 miles to 625. And the route then goes thru the San Jaun NF,,,, which I think SHOULD have some boondocking opportunities.
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Mar 26, 2016
First, it's Monticello, Utah, not Colorado. :)

We've stayed at Bradfield campground about a mile off 491 just before Cortez, CO. It gets very little use. Nearby is also Cabin Canyon campground. Both are below the dam of McPhee Reservoir. Here's a link and note there's a place to click for the campground map directions:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/sanjuan/recarea/?recid=44031

If you're taking 491 from Cortez south into New Mexico you'll be traveling on Navajo Reservation land just about all the way to Bernardo. There won't be many camping options along the way so it's best to stop around Cortez for the night.

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boondocking sites in southern Colorado

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