northern colorado

[MMarty]

Hey all, I'm planning my summer vacation. I live in Nebraska and am thinking about a camping loop starting in Loveland and looping around up by steamboat and around to Wyoming ending up in Vedauwoo campground Wyoming. What I need is some info about rv camping along hwy 14. I am pulling a 26ft travel trailer and am not afraid to dry camp some. I was wondering if I could just wing it and camp wherever since there's so many places. I will be travelling in mid June for 7 days. Thanks.

[4runnerguy]

A few things about camping up near Chambers Lake:

This area typically doesn't open up until mid to late June due to lingering snow, so if your plan is mid-June, I'd call the district ranger station just before you go to see what the status is.

One can often be treated to seeing moose in some of the swampy areas along CO 14 or on the Laramie River Road.

There is some dispersed camping in this area. Check along the Laramie River Road. There are also designated dispersed camping sites on the road up to Long Draw Reservoir. Here is a map showing dispersed camping restrictions. Again, snow might be an issue in mid-June.

Mosquitos can be a problem up there with all the standing water, but we find that generally isn't an issue until July when most of the snow is gone.

As for the Wyoming portion of your trip, are you planning on driving the Snowy Range Scenic Byway (WY 130)? Well worth the time to drive it, although the upper parts may still have snow closing the CG's in mid-June. There are NFS CG's on the lower elevations on either side that should be open at that time. Amazing scenery along this drive.

[MMarty]

Hey thanks for the info. That will get me in the right direction. I haven't cruised around NW colorado before. I have been to Vedauwoo several times and my kids love the rocks right next to our campsite so thats a must. I've seen Curt Gowdy before and it didn't really do it for me although it's a very nice park. It probably would be different if I had a boat though.

[Thom02099]

MMarty wrote:
Hey all, I'm planning my summer vacation. I live in Nebraska and am thinking about a camping loop starting in Loveland and looping around up by steamboat and around to Wyoming ending up in Vedauwoo campground Wyoming. What I need is some info about rv camping along hwy 14. I am pulling a 26ft travel trailer and am not afraid to dry camp some. I was wondering if I could just wing it and camp wherever since there's so many places. I will be travelling in mid June for 7 days. Thanks.

If you are planning on stopping during the week, your chances are improved on finding a variety of places to stay in the Poudre Canyon/CO 14 area. There are many areas that will accommodate a 26ft trailer.

This link will give you the selection of CG in Poudre Canyon, under "Rustic" (the community, NOT a descriptor!):

Poudre Canyon USFS Campgrounds

As mentioned previously, Mountain Park is a very nice CG with some electric hookups (those sites are not along the river). They may or may not be available, even during the week on FC/FS basis, so you may want to consider reservations if that locale interests you.

Chambers Lake is another to consider. Dry camping, but it's a very nice place. Ditto for the Tunnel CG, which is a couple miles north of CO 14 on the Laramie River Rd. It too is a very popular dry camping area, may be a bit easier to find FC/FS space during the week.

For any of these, if you're planning on being at any of them over a weekend, reservations are a must, throughout the Poudre Canyon area.

On the west side of Cameron Pass, there's the Colorado State Forest SP, and the Ranger Lakes CG, near the visitor's center. It's a good campground, has all electric sites there, water from a common faucet, vault toilets. Was in a beetle kill area so most of the trees have been removed, but that actually opened up the vistas a bit. Only problem there is that, even in mid-June there can be some snow still in the area, some sites may not be available. They do try to get the full campground open as much as possible, as soon as possible. The link below provides info and pics of some of the campsites:

Colorado SF SP/Ranger Lakes area

Something to also consider in Wyoming, instead of Veedauwoo, consider Curt Gowdy State Park, just a few miles east of Veedauwoo. Some sites with electric, and pay showers there, between the two, Curt Gowdy is preferable.

[4runnerguy]

We really like Mountain Park NFS CG. It's across the river from the highway so a little quieter than others along CO 14. Some sites have 30 amp elec. There are pay showers in the CG also.