Colorado Campgrounds,

We stayed at Glacier Basin, at RMNP, I had put out a hummingbird feeder, that night a bear got into it then tried to get in our fifth wheel, we had red paw prints all over the side and door of the RV. scarey thing was there was a tent with a family from Germany that was closer to that hummingbird feeder then our RV. thank god the bear did not bother them. I can no longer put up hummingbird feeders in RMNP

duck_eater wrote:
We are looking to camp within 4 hours of Denver the first week of August. I have found several attractive campgrounds such as Olive Ridge. But did see some big notes on bears, are there really any issues?

There is a 'bear' statement on the reservation site.

Also note that there is no water available.

http://www.recreation.gov/camping/olive-ridge/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=70578

Thom02099 wrote:

Just returned from a weekend at Moraine Park in Rocky Mountain National Park. The ranger at the check in station told me that there had been bear sightings in the general area, and that during the previous season in 2015, there were sightings nearly weekly during the camping season in Moraine Park. And while hiking, there was evidence of bear presence in the form of scat seen near the trail as well as near the amphitheatre for the CG.

In the campsite adjacent to ours, there was a hybrid trailer. The residents of it left a cooler out when they went to go fishing. A park ranger patrolling around, stopped at their site, confiscated the cooler, and issued a "violation notice". When the occupants got back, they found the notice and missing cooler. The occupants were able to retrieve the cooler by going to the ranger station there at the entrance. No idea if they had to pay a fine, and if so, how much.

There are approximately 35-40 bears within the park borders. An article in the Fort Collins Coloradoan from 2015 found that the black bear population was booming in an area of around 240 sq miles from the Estes Valley to the Poudre Canyon to the north. The same article cited bear encounters in town in Fort Collins and Loveland, and I am personally familiar with the frequent sightings in Fort Collins during my employment there. In all of Colorado, there are approximately 19000 black bears, according the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife.

Weekend before last, we were at Camp Dick/Peaceful Valley, which is fairly close to Olive Ridge (all of which are wonderful campgrounds, by the way). Host at Camp Dick, where we stayed, said there had already been bear sightings in the area and evidence of their presence along the trails. In all 3 of these CG, there are bear storage vaults for placement of food and related items. Same thing within RMNP CG; numerous bear storage vaults.

In both trips over these past 2 weekends, tent campers have outnumbered folks in trailers/hybrids/motor homes. In the cases that I observed, these tent campers used safe practises and put food items in the storage vaults. Following the rules posted at ALL of the campgrounds that I've ever stayed at in the Colorado mountains is the best, most practical means of lessening the chance of a bear encounter. You stated that you've camped in Colorado before with a PUP and no problems. Just follow common sense practises with your hybrid, and you'll likely not encounter problems.

If you're looking for places to stay within 4 hours of Denver, that's a very broad area, and encompasses most of the urban corridor of I-25 from Cheyenne/Laramie WY area down to Raton Pass, east to Kansas and Nebraska, and a goodly portion of the mountains on both sides of the Continental Divide. A lot depends on whether you prefer amenities (you stated you were looking for places with restrooms as well as utilities) or can get by with less.

Olive Ridge does not have amenities as you described. Vault toilets and common water outlets (non-threaded IIRC). Neither do any of the CG I mentioned above; Moraine Park does have some "comfort stations" with flush toilets however.

There are quite a few State Parks, County Parks, and commercial parks within that 4 hour range you're looking for. If you could narrow down a specific area, and what you're looking to do while out here, that would be helpful. Also, how much time do you have available? Also, keep in mind that for August, you're likely going to need reservations at a goodly number of locations, as they are already booked/booking. There are some first come/first served locations, but you'll need to search them out. Commercial parks may be a bit easier to get reservations, depending on location.


As always spot on especially about the bears in Rocky. I was just getting ready to respond to previous post about "no bears in Rocky" when I read your post. I was a guide in Rocky for many years. A few years ago, two idiots were probably storing food in their tent. One got mauled pretty badly. The bear was shot dead on the Fern Lake Trail on a Sunday afternoon. You just have to be "bear aware" and follow the guidelines. Bears only become a problem when they associate people with food.

As for places to camp, take a look at beautiful Buena Vista. World class rafting, fishing, highest concentration of 14K mountains in Colorado, hiking, ATVing, Jeeping and a lot less crowded than Rocky. Lots of campground choices. About 2 - 2 1/2 hours from Denver and Colorado Springs.


If you argue or disagree with these two on this I really not sure you Know Colorado

Cherry Creek State Park in Aurora, Colorado

Thom02099 wrote:
Just returned from a weekend at Moraine Park in Rocky Mountain National Park. The ranger at the check in station told me that there had been bear sightings in the general area, and that during the previous season in 2015, there were sightings nearly weekly during the camping season in Moraine Park. And while hiking, there was evidence of bear presence in the form of scat seen near the trail as well as near the amphitheatre for the CG.

In the campsite adjacent to ours, there was a hybrid trailer. The residents of it left a cooler out when they went to go fishing. A park ranger patrolling around, stopped at their site, confiscated the cooler, and issued a "violation notice". When the occupants got back, they found the notice and missing cooler. The occupants were able to retrieve the cooler by going to the ranger station there at the entrance. No idea if they had to pay a fine, and if so, how much.

There are approximately 35-40 bears within the park borders. An article in the Fort Collins Coloradoan from 2015 found that the black bear population was booming in an area of around 240 sq miles from the Estes Valley to the Poudre Canyon to the north. The same article cited bear encounters in town in Fort Collins and Loveland, and I am personally familiar with the frequent sightings in Fort Collins during my employment there. In all of Colorado, there are approximately 19000 black bears, according the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife.

Weekend before last, we were at Camp Dick/Peaceful Valley, which is fairly close to Olive Ridge (all of which are wonderful campgrounds, by the way). Host at Camp Dick, where we stayed, said there had already been bear sightings in the area and evidence of their presence along the trails. In all 3 of these CG, there are bear storage vaults for placement of food and related items. Same thing within RMNP CG; numerous bear storage vaults.

In both trips over these past 2 weekends, tent campers have outnumbered folks in trailers/hybrids/motor homes. In the cases that I observed, these tent campers used safe practises and put food items in the storage vaults. Following the rules posted at ALL of the campgrounds that I've ever stayed at in the Colorado mountains is the best, most practical means of lessening the chance of a bear encounter. You stated that you've camped in Colorado before with a PUP and no problems. Just follow common sense practises with your hybrid, and you'll likely not encounter problems.

If you're looking for places to stay within 4 hours of Denver, that's a very broad area, and encompasses most of the urban corridor of I-25 from Cheyenne/Laramie WY area down to Raton Pass, east to Kansas and Nebraska, and a goodly portion of the mountains on both sides of the Continental Divide. A lot depends on whether you prefer amenities (you stated you were looking for places with restrooms as well as utilities) or can get by with less.

Olive Ridge does not have amenities as you described. Vault toilets and common water outlets (non-threaded IIRC). Neither do any of the CG I mentioned above; Moraine Park does have some "comfort stations" with flush toilets however.

There are quite a few State Parks, County Parks, and commercial parks within that 4 hour range you're looking for. If you could narrow down a specific area, and what you're looking to do while out here, that would be helpful. Also, how much time do you have available? Also, keep in mind that for August, you're likely going to need reservations at a goodly number of locations, as they are already booked/booking. There are some first come/first served locations, but you'll need to search them out. Commercial parks may be a bit easier to get reservations, depending on location.

As always spot on especially about the bears in Rocky. I was just getting ready to respond to previous post about "no bears in Rocky" when I read your post. I was a guide in Rocky for many years. A few years ago, two idiots were probably storing food in their tent. One got mauled pretty badly. The bear was shot dead on the Fern Lake Trail on a Sunday afternoon. You just have to be "bear aware" and follow the guidelines. Bears only become a problem when they associate people with food.

As for places to camp, take a look at beautiful Buena Vista. World class rafting, fishing, highest concentration of 14K mountains in Colorado, hiking, ATVing, Jeeping and a lot less crowded than Rocky. Lots of campground choices. About 2 - 2 1/2 hours from Denver and Colorado Springs.

When I was in graduate school, I commuted for one year from Ft. Collins to the university in Boulder and saw bears along the road almost every day (I was up and out at dawn usually) at various locales. I took the back roads, this wasn't along the freeway.

Thom02099 wrote:

In the campsite adjacent to ours, there was a hybrid trailer. The residents of it left a cooler out when they went to go fishing. A park ranger patrolling around, stopped at their site, confiscated the cooler, and issued a "violation notice". When the occupants got back, they found the notice and missing cooler. The occupants were able to retrieve the cooler by going to the ranger station there at the entrance. No idea if they had to pay a fine, and if so, how much.

We volunteered at Glacier Basin campground in Rocky Mtn.Nat'l Park and this happened also. Except the offending party came by our place at 11pm demanding his cooler. We told him the rangerer will return it in the morning. The party left that morning with a big fine to pay! Note: There are huge signs right on the picnic tables not to leave stuff out.

Same season there was a group of Girl Scouts with tents. One had left a candy bar in her backpack in the tent. The bear broke through the tent in daylight for that candy.

Yes, there are bears in Rocky Mtn. Nat'l Park. Just keep a clean campsite. Many other tenters had no problem.

So many great places to stay within that radius. Start with Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. Cheyenne Mountain State Park near Colorado Springs, but reservations are a must and hard to come by. We just had to put together 2 days on our upcoming trip, but even that is worth it. We are also including Mueller State Park in the same general area.

The Area around Buena Vista (between Leadville and Salida) in the Arkansas Valley has many good commercial campgrounds. We will be spending the Fourth of July there.

From there we move on down to Vallecito Resavoir area at Blue Spruce RV Park. That doesn't fit your "four hours from Denver" but it is where we are going.

We liked Cheyenne Mountain State Park last year. Just south of Colorado Springs. We were in a tent and had no problems. The most ferocious animal we saw was a rabbit.

After we left there we went over to Ouray and stayed at the KOA. Same vicious animals there.

within 4 hours of Denver covers almost the entire state, except the far NW & SW corners. Must be 2,000 campgrounds within that area; would help to be a bit more specific.
Bears, yes we have lots of bears in Colorado. Bears are more common in some areas of the state than others. My summer homebase is next to Rio Grande National Forest and I see bears every few weeks while camping or hiking or ATV'ing in remote parts of the forest. Just last Fri while I was riding the ATV down a steep hillside, as the trail leveled out on a bench halfway down, there was a big black bear 25 ft in front of me, busy digging grubs out from under a fallen tree. He looked over his shoulder at me, kinda gave me a look like, hey bud you interrupted my lunch, then took off down the hill.
Unless you're careless with food around the campground, they're usually not aggressive. One of our local NFS campgrounds was closed by the rangers last summer for 2 months because a momma black bear with new cubs were living nearby. We also have mountain lions and moose in the state and you'll read more news reports about mountain lion & moose attacks than bear.