BLACK FRIDAY

Confirm the Agency First

You should identify the land manager before you treat a pullout as a legal campsite. BLM public lands in Colorado limit your stay to 14 days in any 30-day period at any one location, including campgrounds. After you reach that limit, you must move at least 30 air miles away from the previously occupied location.

Your BLM plan also needs a clean exit. You must not leave any personal property or refuse after vacating the campsite. BLM developed campgrounds may include restrooms, potable water, picnic tables, fire rings, garbage receptacles, tent pads, electrical hookups, or group shelters.

Places and Rules to Check

PlaceAccess or statusSites or limitMove or note
Caribou Townsitefive miles northwest of Nederland11 numbered, designated campsitesA four-wheel drive high clearance vehicle is recommended.
Gordon Gulch Dispersed Camping Areafive miles north of Nederland15 numbered designated campsitesSnow and mud can persist through most of the year.
White River National Forestfree and undevelopedno more than 300 feet from the road centerlineat least 100 feet from any body of water
BLM public lands in Colorado14 days in any 30-day period at any one location, including campgrounds30 air miles away from the previously occupied locationCampers must not leave any personal property or refuse after vacating the campsite.
Grandview CampgroundRecreation.gov facility 241113not reservable on Recreation.gov (first come or check the forest)17 miles from Rocky Mountain National Park
Medano Pass Primitive Road CampsitesRecreation.gov facility 10088154not reservable on Recreation.gov (first come or check the forest)10 miles from Great Sand Dunes National Park

Values from the official sources listed at the end of this page. "-" means not published.

Use Nederland Marked Sites

You should choose Caribou Townsite only if your setup fits numbered, undeveloped sites. The area sits five miles northwest of Nederland and has 11 numbered, designated campsites along National Forest System Road 505. You get no facilities in this area.

Your campsite at Caribou must sit at a clearly marked campsite within 50 feet of a numbered marker. A four-wheel drive high clearance vehicle fits the road recommendation. The Eldora side gives you a technical, narrow, and steep route, and the shelf road barely fits even small SUVs.

You can also consider Gordon Gulch Dispersed Camping Area, five miles north of Nederland, where NFSR 226 turns east off Colorado Highway 72. The area has 15 numbered designated campsites scattered within 1.5 miles east of Highway 72. Bring your own water, plan without restrooms, leash your dog by hand, and expect snow and mud through most of the year.

Compare the Stay Clocks

You need to separate Nederland rules from the BLM rule. Caribou and Gordon Gulch limit your stay to 14 consecutive days in one location, then require you to move the campsite at least three miles. Those areas restrict your camping to 28 days in any 60-day period.

White River National Forest uses a different system for dispersed camping in Colorado. You should choose already impacted sites no more than 300 feet from the road centerline and at least 100 feet from any body of water. Unless a local notice says otherwise, you can stay 14 days within a 30-day period, then you must relocate outside a 20-mile radius.

Expect Designated Site Rules

You should not assume every National Forest road follows the same dispersed rule. White River National Forest allows some locations to use designated sites only, and some locations set shortened 7-day stay limits. Your legal site may depend on a posted order or a marked spur.

White River National Forest treats dispersed camping as free and undeveloped. You need drinking water, food storage plans, human waste plans, and trash removal before you leave pavement. That preparation matters more than finding an open flat spot.

Keep First Come Backups

You should keep agency campgrounds in your plan when marked dispersed areas fill or road conditions look poor. Recreation.gov lists Grandview Campground and Long Draw Campground as first come or check the forest options near Rocky Mountain National Park. Grandview sits 17 miles from the park, and Long Draw sits 18 miles from the park.

Medano Pass Primitive Road Campsites give you another first come or check the forest option near Great Sand Dunes National Park. Recreation.gov lists that site 10 miles from Great Sand Dunes National Park. Near Crested Butte, scout Oh Be Joyful Campground before you take a low clearance vehicle or larger RV down BLM Road 3220.

Go Deeper on Each Place

Rocky Mountain National ParkGreat Sand Dunes National Park

What People Ask About Free and Dispersed Camping in Colorado

Where can you dispersed camp for free in Colorado?

You can use BLM public lands and some National Forest land, but your exact road controls the rule. Caribou Townsite, Gordon Gulch Dispersed Camping Area, and White River National Forest all set specific site or spacing rules.

How long can you camp on BLM land in Colorado?

You can camp on BLM public lands in Colorado for 14 days in any 30-day period at any one location, including campgrounds. After that, you must move at least 30 air miles away from the previously occupied location.

Does Colorado require designated dispersed campsites?

You must use designated campsites at Caribou Townsite and Gordon Gulch Dispersed Camping Area. In White River National Forest, some locations allow camping only at designated sites, and some use shortened 7-day stay limits.

How far should you camp from water in White River National Forest?

You should choose already impacted sites at least 100 feet from any body of water. You also need to keep your site no more than 300 feet from the road centerline.

How do you find dispersed camping in Colorado near Nederland?

You can use numbered designated campsites at Caribou Townsite and Gordon Gulch Dispersed Camping Area on a first come, first served basis. Bring your own water and match your vehicle to rough roads, snow, and mud.

More Ways to Camp in Colorado

← Camping in Colorado

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