First time boondocking near RMNP w/ "the view"

[jeffcarp]

We will be spending a week in Fraser Colorado in the summer. We are traveling in a small Class C RV but staying in a condo. We have never boondocked before but are interested in spending one night somewhere in the area to experience it.

Our goal is not necessarily to be off the grid I guess but we want that uncrowded, open experience where we don't have other campers 10 feet away from us. We also want that awe-inspiring view rather than being contained in dense woods. A combination of a lake or stream view with open mountain views would be ideal. Can anyone provide any suggestions within a few hours of Fraser that we should look into?

[reed_cundiff]

There are a couple of National Forest Campgrounds near Long Draw Reservoir (Cameron Pass) but far better are the dispersed sites at Long Draw and also down along the Laramie River on Colorado 103 (Laramie River Road). If you check with the Forest Service in Fort Collins (or elsewhere), you can find a lot of dispersed sites which have several real advantage:\
1. Dispersed and no one around
2. Consequently lots of wildlife
3. Free

Reed and Elaine

[avoidcrowds]

If you are looking for dry camping, which it sounds like you are, to focus-in on a campground that I would go to, try Willow Creek Campground, which is in the list in the link, above. It is a National Forest campground, no hookups. You can pick your route from Fraser, as you can get into it from either side, and it appears to be about the same distance either way. $19 a night, it says.

For true boondocking, you could head up the Corona Pass Road out of Winter Park. There are a couple of dispersed sites near treeline (put coordinates into GoogleEarth: 39.901168° -105.702400°). More site optinos lower on the mountain, also. The Forest Service road has cars on it frequently, so it is not too rough. Free.

Good luck, and have fun!

[Thom02099]

jeffcarp wrote:
We will be spending a week in Fraser Colorado in the summer. We are traveling in a small Class C RV but staying in a condo. We have never boondocked before but are interested in spending one night somewhere in the area to experience it.

Our goal is not necessarily to be off the grid I guess but we want that uncrowded, open experience where we don't have other campers 10 feet away from us. We also want that awe-inspiring view rather than being contained in dense woods. A combination of a lake or stream view with open mountain views would be ideal. Can anyone provide any suggestions within a few hours of Fraser that we should look into?

There's some great camping on "that" side of RMNP! Within the park itself, there's the Timber Creek Campground. Paved roads, good selection of sites to choose from. Used to be in a forest of trees, but beetle kill destroyed the trees and they were all cut down, so it's rather open. Still a very nice place to stay and less crowded than the CG on the Estes side of RMNP.

Also some wonderful places to camp around Lake Granby, about 45min or so from Fraser. Particularly fond of Arapaho Bay CG, but there are others in the area. Check out this link for places around Granby, Fraser, and Winter Park:

Arapaho NF CG

[scrubjaysnest]

Grand Mesa NF, A lot of nice places to boondock.

[2gypsies1]

Get a campsite in Rocky Mtn. Nat'l Park. They are all 'dry' camping. You'll have the best views you can imagine.