Your Favorite Boondocking Pics

[Rubiranch]

[nebmike]

monakayk wrote:
Mike,

Thanks for the detail directions. DH and I have been up driving around Chambers Lake...so I am very familiar with that area. That area really is beautiful! BTW---do you get much noise from the road at these boondock campsites? They look like they are pretty deep into the forest area.

None at all. All of those sites are probably within 1/4-1/3 mile from the main road - but the trees really help.

[monakayk]

Below is another boonndock spot we camped out this summer....also located near Red Feathers Lakes, Co. As you can see, some of this area has been infested with the Pine Beetles. Sure wish we could kill those beasts before they kill all our beautiful Pine trees!

[monakayk]

OK---been awhile since I posted some of our latest boondocking photos. We went camping in June below...located up near Red Feathers Lake, CO. NO one around....loooved our peaceful time here!

[monakayk]

nebmike wrote:

monakayk wrote:


nebmike,

Looks like the CO we live in during the winter in all those 'snow' photos....BRRRRRR!:E

BTW....where did you camp in the above photo....looks great! Thanks for sharing.

Hwy 14 west of Fort Collins is Poudre Canyon... at mm71 is Chambers Lake. County Road 103 (also known as Laramie River Road) goes north from there, and that camp site is 3/10th of a mile past mm9. There are several points along Laramie River Road that are good for boondocking -- tent or small camper (like pop-up size) camping can be had from mm1 thru mm3, then from about mm4.5 to mm9.5 there are several places you can get bigger rigs into (my 5'er is 35'). Not organized campgrounds, just places where people have worn trails back into the trees.

Elevation along there is around 8,500ft give or take. LOT's of moose in the area. A drive along that road around dusk will pretty much guarantee you'll see at least one, if not several. Its not uncommon at all to have them right in your campsite -- so be on the lookout. There are also black bears in the area, but its remote enough that they rarely encounter or bother people.

Be aware though, the closest diesel fuel is at least a 1 hour drive (either into Red Feather or west into Walden), so anybody venturing into this area should fill up when leaving Fort Collins if coming from the east or in Walden if coming from the west. Gasoline, propane and groceries are available at a couple spots near Rustic which is approximately mm90(ish) on Hwy 14, along with a couple more small shops that have limited groceries and supplies (but no gas) a little farther up the canyon near mm78 or so.

There is water available (to fill water jugs) at the Chambers Lake campground which is just off of Hwy 14 at mm71, as well as at the Tunnel campground (which is the only organized campground along Laramie River road -- at approx mm6). The closest dump station (that I'm aware of) is at the Ranger Lakes Campground which is on over the west side of Cameron Pass along Hwy 14 at (I'm just guessing) approx mm60.

Also, once you leave Fort Collins, there is no cell phone signal anywhere along Hwy 14 until you get clear over the pass to around mm58 or so, then there is spotty service on into Walden. If you go into Red Feather (which is north of Rustic), there is good cell service there (along with groceries, hardware, gasoline, diesel and propane... and an ice cream shop!). The only emergency call box anywhere near Chambers Lake or the camping areas I described above is on Hwy 14 at mm78 -- so if you have an emergency, you're about a 20-25 minute drive to call for help.

Come to think of it... all of those pictures (except the beach pic) were taken at various spots along / off of Laramie River Road. It seems to be where we camp most often.

Have a great weekend everybody!
Mike

Mike,

Thanks for the detail directions. DH and I have been up driving around Chambers Lake...so I am very familiar with that area. That area really is beautiful! BTW---do you get much noise from the road at these boondock campsites? They look like they are pretty deep into the forest area.

[EMD360]

Looks like your boondocking secret is wintery cold, and the photos are breathtaking! For us the secret may be blistery hot, this was at only 4800 ft on the road to the north side of the Grand Canyon but on a side road to a wildlife area called House Rock and it was pretty warm but not as hot as Phoenix at 110. We happened upon a rare spring and pond overflow in the desert landscape. The Vermillion Cliffs are behind this photo and the House Rock Wildlife area somewhere in the distance. Our campsite was just off the road, one truck drove by in the morning before we left for home.

[nebmike]

monakayk wrote:


nebmike,

Looks like the CO we live in during the winter in all those 'snow' photos....BRRRRRR!:E

BTW....where did you camp in the above photo....looks great! Thanks for sharing.

Hwy 14 west of Fort Collins is Poudre Canyon... at mm71 is Chambers Lake. County Road 103 (also known as Laramie River Road) goes north from there, and that camp site is 3/10th of a mile past mm9. There are several points along Laramie River Road that are good for boondocking -- tent or small camper (like pop-up size) camping can be had from mm1 thru mm3, then from about mm4.5 to mm9.5 there are several places you can get bigger rigs into (my 5'er is 35'). Not organized campgrounds, just places where people have worn trails back into the trees.

Elevation along there is around 8,500ft give or take. LOT's of moose in the area. A drive along that road around dusk will pretty much guarantee you'll see at least one, if not several. Its not uncommon at all to have them right in your campsite -- so be on the lookout. There are also black bears in the area, but its remote enough that they rarely encounter or bother people.

Be aware though, the closest diesel fuel is at least a 1 hour drive (either into Red Feather or west into Walden), so anybody venturing into this area should fill up when leaving Fort Collins if coming from the east or in Walden if coming from the west. Gasoline, propane and groceries are available at a couple spots near Rustic which is approximately mm90(ish) on Hwy 14, along with a couple more small shops that have limited groceries and supplies (but no gas) a little farther up the canyon near mm78 or so.

There is water available (to fill water jugs) at the Chambers Lake campground which is just off of Hwy 14 at mm71, as well as at the Tunnel campground (which is the only organized campground along Laramie River road -- at approx mm6). The closest dump station (that I'm aware of) is at the Ranger Lakes Campground which is on over the west side of Cameron Pass along Hwy 14 at (I'm just guessing) approx mm60.

Also, once you leave Fort Collins, there is no cell phone signal anywhere along Hwy 14 until you get clear over the pass to around mm58 or so, then there is spotty service on into Walden. If you go into Red Feather (which is north of Rustic), there is good cell service there (along with groceries, hardware, gasoline, diesel and propane... and an ice cream shop!). The only emergency call box anywhere near Chambers Lake or the camping areas I described above is on Hwy 14 at mm78 -- so if you have an emergency, you're about a 20-25 minute drive to call for help.

Come to think of it... all of those pictures (except the beach pic) were taken at various spots along / off of Laramie River Road. It seems to be where we camp most often.

Have a great weekend everybody!
Mike

[monakayk]

nebmike,

Looks like the CO we live in during the winter in all those 'snow' photos....BRRRRRR!:E

BTW....where did you camp in the above photo....looks great! Thanks for sharing.

[nebmike]

Here are a few... all from Colorado (except the beach pic - thats Nebraska).

[CyberSanford]

Taylor River on BLM land Gunnison National Forest Colorado. Right on River surrounded by Snow capped mountains.

Trying to load a couple pictures. Have not figured thatout yet.

[MelinProv]

WOW same -nice spot!

[bukhrn]

1stgenfarmboy wrote:
HOLY-MOLY.....thats a beautiful spot.

lucky dog i gota drive 2 days to see something like that.

Darwin

And even when I get there, I can't get there with my class C:(

[GOrsted]

camperfool wrote:
A++++++ spot. I cant breath!!!!!

X2!!!!

[camperfool]

A++++++ spot. I cant breath!!!!!

[1stgenfarmboy]

HOLY-MOLY.....thats a beautiful spot.

lucky dog i gota drive 2 days to see something like that.

Darwin

[insp1505]

This is my favorite place to boondock. Not too far from home and because the road is very rough there isn't many other RV's. I've never seen a towed RV or motorhome (I'm not sayin someone wouldn't be crazy enough to tow or drive one in there, I've just never seen it yet) only TC's but mostly tents.

This last week my two kids and I had the lake all to ourselves, probably because the weather wasn't the best until Monday when we had to go home. The reservior is at 7600' elevation so we got snow on Thursday afternoon and overnight temps in the mid to high 20's, daytime highs were high 40's to low 50's until Monday when it got into the low 60's.

Even though the weather wasn't the best we still had a blast and the fishing was great!! We tried, but didn't see any elk this trip like we normally do, just deer and antelope. The Arctic Fox did a wonderful job of keeping us warm for 5 days and 4 nights.