The Centennial State of Colorado is wealthy with numerous wildlife and various geography that makes tenting a exceptional expertise! From nationwide forests and grasslands to scenic wildlife areas, Colorado has loads of tenting choices.
The most effective campgrounds on this colourful state, nevertheless, are those that don’t require cost to commune with nature. When you’re searching for a free Colorado tenting spot, you’ve come to the proper place.
Learn on to find out about our numerous alternatives at no cost tenting in Colorado!
Free Tenting in Colorado Nationwide Forests
1. Alta Lakes Campground
Telluride
The Alta Lakes Campground consists of three alpine lakes within the Norwood Ranger District of the Uncompahgre Nationwide Forest. They’re good for fishing and angling, they usually present stunning alpine and San Juan Mountain views.
As a result of tough roads, it’s safer to go tent tenting than RV or trailer tenting right here. In fact, you’ll nonetheless must drive a high-clearance car to entry the three lakes, particularly in case you’re transporting non-motorized boats.
This free Colorado campground has 20 dispersed and pet-friendly websites, and campers could keep for as much as 7 days. Vault bogs can be found apart from potable water, making this a dry tenting spot. Pack out and in as you keep right here, and to keep away from crowds, come right here on weekdays.
Close by are climbing, horseback using, and mountain biking trails. If Alta Lakes is your winter tenting vacation spot, the paths are good for snowmobiling, cross-country snowboarding, and snowshoeing.
2. McClure Campground
Somerset
When you want silence and loads of shade whereas free tenting in Colorado, the McClure Campground is the very best place. Surrounded by aspen timber are 10 pet-friendly single websites which are nice for tent and RV tenting.
Every web site has a picnic desk and a fireplace ring or grill. They’ll additionally accommodate 35-foot-long RVs and trailers. A vault bathroom is close by, however there are neither RV hookups nor potable water right here.
Perceive that this free campground in Colorado is positioned in bear nation. Hold bears away by storing your meals and different odorous tenting gadgets in your car or safe containers.
3. Priest Lake Campground
Telluride
Close to the Uncompahgre Nationwide Forest’s Lizard Head Wilderness is the pet-friendly Priest Lake Campground. Within the pine and aspen forests are 9 tent websites with each containing a fireplace ring and picnic desk. Campers are allowed to remain right here for as much as 7 days.
Although there isn’t any potable water, you possibly can purify the lakewater through the use of a tenting water filter or different purification strategies. No different providers can be found right here apart from a vault restroom.
Similar to the Alta Lakes Campground, Priest Lake isn’t for RV campers who search free tenting in Colorado. The reason being that there isn’t any parking appropriate for such automobiles.
The artifical Priest Lake affords fishing and non-motorized boating. For hikers, horseback riders, and mountain bikers, they’ll trek the close by 17.6-mile Galloping Goose Path. And as you’re wildlife watching, you should definitely snap footage of elks, grouses, crossbills, and different animals!
4. Stillwater Cross
Grand Lake
The pet-friendly, year-round Stillwater Cross close to the Arapaho and Roosevelt Nationwide Forests is a well-liked free tenting spot in Colorado. To get an excellent dispersed campsite for RV and tent tenting, come right here early in the course of the week.
There are quite a few websites with vault bogs and loads of room to your 32-foot-long RV on the giant gravel parking zone. You could not get potable water or trash service right here, however close by Granby has these facilities if you want them.
Stillwater Cross’s shared trails are good for hikers, off-highway car drivers, and grime bikers. Within the winter, campers can take pleasure in cross-country snowboarding, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.
Moose, elks, and mule and whitetail deer make for good wildlife viewing, however you might even see bears, too. Don’t neglect to safe your meals and different odorous gadgets tight!
Free Waterfront Tenting in Colorado
5. Cowdrey Lake State Wildlife Space
Cowdrey
The reservoir of the Cowdrey Lake State Wildlife Space is the centerpiece of this free Colorado tenting spot. All types of cruising are permitted on this 80-acre artifical lake apart from surf sailboards.
Fishing and angling, in addition to waterfowl and small-game looking, are the world’s foremost actions. Although tenting right here is free, you have to have a sound state license for looking and fishing available earlier than you arrive. Nonetheless, campers youthful than 16 years outdated don’t want one.
Tent and RV campers and their pets are welcome to remain right here for as much as 14 days. There may be loads of room for giant RVs and trailers, particularly for ones so long as 26 toes. Different facilities embody vault bogs and parking services.
6. Two Buttes Reservoir
Lamar
Although the artifical Two Buttes Reservoir is shrinking, there’s nonetheless loads of water so that you can go boating and fishing. Campers over 18 years outdated can keep right here at no cost supplied they’ve their fishing or looking licenses.
This free Colorado tenting spot is pet-friendly and has restrooms, parking areas, potable water, a dump station, and a rifle vary. Above and beneath the reservoir’s dam are tent websites that campers can keep at for as much as 14 days.
Whenever you’re not out on the reservoir, you could go climbing, looking, picnicking, capturing, and mountaineering. Wildlife viewing right here is a chance to see numerous animals corresponding to snakes, coyotes, antelopes, pheasants, and waterfowl.
7. Lake Henry
Orday
Lake Henry is a 1,100-surface-acre reservoir that’s set in an open space. If stargazing is your favourite exercise at no cost tenting in Colorado, that is the place to do it. Better of all, crowds at this family-friendly campground are uncommon.
The designated first-come, first-served tent and RV websites accommodate pets and 37-foot-long RVs. Onsite is a vault bathroom however no different facilities. Packing out and in is required, however lower than 3 miles away, JR’s Nation Retailer in Ordway affords trash providers.
On the lake, campers can go boating, paddleboarding, swimming, fishing, and angling. Land actions embody waterfowl looking, birdwatching, and wildlife viewing. Moreover the various fowl species right here, campers may even see cattle, prairie canines, foxes, and coyotes.
Although there are not any boating restrictions, the lake’s common depth is barely about 6 toes, so watch out on the water. Additionally, test the climate earlier than coming right here, as heavy rainfall makes the lake’s dam harmful.
8. Williams Fork Reservoir
Parshall
Free tenting and water recreation are assured on the peaceable and secluded Williams Fork Reservoir. Pets are additionally welcome to camp right here, however they have to keep out of the lake.
A majority of the websites are finest for trailers and 34-foot-long RVs. Websites on the reservoir’s east aspect and peninsula are finest for tent tenting. It doesn’t matter what sort of tenting you select, you could keep for as much as 14 days.
Facilities embody hearth rings, picnic tables, dumpsters, and vault restrooms. There isn’t a potable water except campers convey a water filter or convey their very own water. They’d additionally must convey their very own firewood.
This free Colorado campground’s foremost actions embody fishing and boating, and campers could use both motorized or non-motorized boats. Ice fishing can also be allowed when the lake fully freezes. Land actions embody big-game and waterfowl looking in sure areas.
Free Tenting in Colorado Public Lands
9. Hartman Rocks Recreation Space
Gunnison
The Hartman Rocks Recreation Space is the very best free Colorado tenting spot for leisure campers. There are as much as 45 miles of roads and a singletrack path for mountain bikers, grime bikers, hikers, and path runners.
Different actions campers can take pleasure in listed below are horseback using and mountaineering. Kayaking and paddleboarding are additionally obtainable on the close by reservoir. Even within the winter, campers are handled to groomed roads for cross-country, basic, and skate snowboarding.
If campers must restock or take a break from tenting, Gunnison is simply outdoors of the recreation space.
On the tenting aspect, there are 50 designated first-come, first-served campsites for tent and RV campers. The websites supply neither RV hookups nor potable water, however they’ve accessible restrooms and accommodate 45-foot-long RVs and trailers.
10. Little Molas Lake Campground
Silverton
The Little Molas Lake Campground is a free tenting spot in Colorado that’s fashionable for fishing and birding. A wide range of fish is stocked within the lake, and birdwatching campers will see waterfowl, jays, and lots of woodpecker species.
Campers are handled to numerous first-come, first-served websites in a spruce-fir forest. 4 of them are double websites, three have hitching rails for livestock, and 5 accommodate RVs. All are primitive and dispersed, so depart no hint whilst you keep for as much as 14 days.
The campground has no potable water, picnic tables, or trash service, however it has vault bogs, hearth pits, and grills.
Moreover fishing within the lake, there’s non-motorized boating, however swimming isn’t allowed. Campers can even take pleasure in views of Molas Lake and the close by San Juan Nationwide Forest and Weminuche Wilderness.
11. Sacred White Shell Mountain
Mosca
The pet-friendly Sacred White Shell Mountain, or Mount Blanca (or Blanca Peak!), is as dispersed because it will get. This free Colorado tenting spot isn’t even first-come, first-served; simply come and arrange camp any time of the 12 months! It’s fashionable with boondockers, hikers, and mountain climbers.
The campsites are divided into 4 sections, with three of them large enough to every maintain 4 40-foot-large RVs. The final part is on the mountain’s peak, the place campers obtain an excellent Verizon sign and scenic San Luis Valley views.
The roads round listed below are tough, so watch out when driving. We additionally suggest coming right here in the course of the week to keep away from crowds of automobile campers and van dwellers on weekends. And in case you want a dump station and potable water, close by is Nice Sand Dunes Nationwide Park.
12. Shavano Wildlife Administration Space
Salida
One other fashionable boondocking spot at no cost tenting in Colorado is the Shavano Wildlife Administration Space. Although it’s not likely secluded, the handfuls of acres present sufficient area and privateness. The world is even large enough for 40–50 giant RVs (so long as 48 toes)!
Like Sacred White Shell Mountain, Mt. Shavano is right for hikers and climbers as they camp on the mountain’s southwestern base. Campers with Verizon as their provider get good a cell sign right here, too. And moreover stunning views of Mt. Shavano, you’ll see loads of deer roaming the world.
The roads listed below are simply as dangerous because the earlier free Colorado campground. Drive rigorously in your two-wheel-drive car, however additional up the steep and twisted highway requires driving a four-wheel-drive car.
For additional security on the roads whereas driving, park your car and discover the world to search out your preferrred campsite. There are not any facilities right here, however Salida is barely 7 miles away if you might want to restock gadgets. The closest dump station and potable water are additionally 2 miles away!
Gear up for Some Free Tenting in Colorado!
Colorado has many animals and pure sights to behold. What higher strategy to take pleasure in them than to see them up shut out of your campsite whereas saving cash? Select your free tenting spot in Colorado and expertise the state’s ecosystem in methods you wouldn’t get to at conventional campsites!
For extra concepts on the place to camp at no cost within the Centennial State, go to our dispersed tenting in Colorado submit. Try our free tenting web page to find extra locations to camp at no cost in the US!
