Looking for the best options for tent camping near Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests? You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. Each tent site offers quick access to one or more of Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests, Colorado's most popular destinations.
Alta Lakes is a popular dispersed camping area that offers fishing and camping in a spectacular alpine setting. There are 20 designated campsites that are completely undeveloped. The access road to the area is narrow and rough, requiring a high clearance vehicle. Trailers and RV's are not reccomended.
Accessibility is not guaranteed, always scout ahead before driving down dirt roads.
Our 45 acre, COMPLETELY SMOKE/PET FREE, Ranch sits on the Uncompahgre Plateau at 7,500 ft. above sea level in the Rocky Mountains, 30 minutes’ drive from Montrose, Colorado. We offer panoramic views of the San Juan Mountains, 2 million acres of magnificent national + state forest + BLM land within walking distance so activities like trial bike / horse back riding, fishing, hunting, white water rafting etc. are available! USA's best ski resort, "Telluride" is within 90 mins drive. Locals call this area "Paradise! "
Our COMPLETELY SMOKE FREE secluded and remote campsite offers 1 new 12ft X 20ft wooden level platform on which you pitch your own tent for $45 per night. It includes 1 table, 2 or more complimentary chairs, fire ring and free firewood for up to 2 nights. We suggest you bring liquid firelighter and paper to start your fire. Thereafter, firewood is $1 per log for which you pay me cash on arrival because Airbnb does not provide this option. You’ll probably need around 9 logs per night.
You may have up to 3 tents on 1 platform. We have a limit of 6 people
( including babies and children ) on 1 platform due to weight restrictions. However, after the 2nd person in any tent or platform on our Ranch, we charge $10 per 4yrs old and over person, per night. This covers the extra peoples’ use of our amenities such as shower and toilet etc.
All accommodation includes your shared use of a 20ft bathroom facility, located approximately 300ft from your platform, which has 1 toilet, 2 showers and 3 hand sinks with running hot and cold water. A separately located compost toilet is also provided within approximately 60ft from your platform. Please refer to pictures.
No power, WIFI or bedding is supplied. You can access the internet on our Ranch via your personal hotspot. Verizon provides the best phone connection. Other providers are unreliable.
Horse petting any of our 11 horses is available by appointment.
National / State forest and BLM land surround our ranch… I trailered 10 mins to a trail head yesterday and enjoyed a 3 hour horseback ride with spectacular views.
Wildlife you may see or hear includes deer, elk, coyote, chipmunks and eagles. Although it is unlikely you will encounter a bear or cougar, we recommend you bring bear spray.
After your reservation is confirmed, I will provide you our address and convenient information.
Since my husband Monty is a professional horseman and hunting guide, please don’t hesitate to ask to speak with him if you have questions.
Thank you,
Susan Moss.
$45 / night
Angel Creek Campground is a primitive campground requiring high clearance vehicles. There are 8 designated camp sites with tent pads and fire rings/grills. Port-a-potties are available.
This is a staging area for OHVs no more than 50" in width. Site amenities include loading ramps, shade structures, picnic tables, trailer parking, training area, beginner loop, skills course, and vault toilets. The site is within the 900-acre Peach Valley OHV Open Play Area. Outside of open play areas all vehicles are required to stay on designated routes. For more information, please contact the Gunnison Gorge NCA or Uncompahgre Field Office.
Thistledown Campground is adjacent to the historic site of Thistledown and the Weehawken Trailhead in Canyon Creek near Ouray, CO. There are 9 designated campsites with tent pads and fire rings/grills. A vault restroom and trash service is available. There is no water. This campground is heavily used by people planning to hike into Mount Sneffles & on other nearby trails, enjoying the wildflowers in Yankee Boy Basin or driving on the local jeep trails. Tent camping is recommended.
We got a FCFS campsite here around noon on a Tuesday. The campground was full by late afternoon. We did a quick loop behind the campground on some harder trails. There are many more trails nearby. We had a lovely view site with views of the valley and mountains. Would stay here again. Very clean vault toilets. Steve, the camp host, was super nice and helpful.
We stayed here for 1 night after visiting Orvis Hot Springs and it was perfect for what we needed. We camped on a flat pull off right after the bridge about 2 minutes before the pin. Great sounds from the flowing river. We arrived at the 10p so just went for something easy. On our way out we saw some cool spots down below by the river.
Has both tent and rv sites and facilities were very well taken carry of and clean.
Beautiful campsite surrounded by aspens and views of Wilson and Sunshine peaks nearby. Clean, quiet, right off of highway 145 but little road noise at the campground.
Made camp here for 1 night traveling west. Many sites available both by the highway and down in the canyon. Canyon road was in good shape and even the largest RV could go down it. Sites were pretty level. No toilets, etc.
Very nice campground with mature trees. Nice bathrooms. Lots of sites. Good location.
Nice campground with spacious sites. Concrete pads under the picnic table and fire pits. Water access nearby. Bathrooms were super clean and the showers were nice and hot. Laundry facilities available. We stayed on D-183 and had a nice view of the mountains and the lake. Definitely one of the best state park campgrounds in Colorado.
I got in on a Wednesday around noon and was able to get one of the first come first serve spots in the C loop. Some are a little more secluded then others, but quite a few didn’t seem to have good shade. Fire pits, picnic table, and bear box in every site. There was a fun campground program that night that lasted about 40 minutes and around 30-35 people were there.
Beautiful 1 mile hike to the visitor center. Super convenient if you’re planning to do anything inner canyon
I camped for 2 nights a few days apart in different sites. The first one was WG30 and it had an amazing view. I forgot to take note of the second one, but it was a little bit more down the road. Fire pits here which is nice. There’s a few spaces in the wide open and some nestled into some trees.
Both nights that I stayed here there was a site that had a tent and table, but no one came back that night. Tuesday night and Friday night and nothing had changed. Kind of a bummer when someone snags a nice spot like that and isn’t there for multiple days.
Loved this spot! Many spots along the road. Wildlife viewings were great. Starlink works amazing. 10/10
I was going to head 11 miles down the road but decided I’d rather have WiFi. It was a good call. Just past Labor Day, there were three of us last night about 1/2 mile off the main drag. Enough places to pull off though you can still hear some main road traffic.
The area was clean except one site with broken glass. Clear skies with great stargazing.
No amenities here whatsoever but that’s just fine. Comes with the free price.
Mid week after Labor Day. Site d92. Quiet. Flush restrooms are clean. Water spigots close. Power in site. Close to 550 for easy stop. However sites are small and close together. Somewhat level paved driveway. But site is terraced into the hill. 1 bar lte for T mobile If you were here for the lake it would rate higher.
I did not stay here. Got up to the entrance (turnaround) to find signs warning of overall length limitations. In my case with a pickup plus tow camper I was beyond the advised maximum length—which was noted as both 29’ and 35’ accordingly.
It was beautiful but SO buggy in June on the lake. Probably better later in year.
We stayed here Thursday through Monday over Labor Day Weekend. It is in an absolutely beautiful spot and the campground is kept immaculately. It is right on the river so my husband was happy to be able to fish right behind our RV. We stayed in#33 which is on the end so we had more privacy and room. It was a concrete pad so easy to level and fire pits were great. They have everything you could think of-ninja lines, playset, zip line, hammocks, jenga, frisbee golf, etc. There were tons of kids that had a huge time. Mine loved it! There is a trail to hike up to a beautiful meadow. They have a general store/liquor store on site with a really good selection of items. We were able to make a short drive to Black Canyon National Park as well as some really nice local produce stops. The town of Hotchkiss is 15 mins away and has propane/restaurants/etc. Highly recommend staying here.
This site is easily accessed from the highway; I think even sedans could get to the first few sites if they went slowly. Sites 1-5 are close enough to the highway to get some road noise, but have good tree cover and great views of Grand Turk Mountain! The sites further in are more sheltered from road noise. Beautiful area to camp!
This site is very accessible and has tons of spots. It also seems to be the closest place to legally disperse camp south of Ouray. However, there's a ton of road noise from both the highway and the unpaved roads used to access campsites. Conditions were also very dusty from traffic on the unpaved roads. Lastly, it's tough to find private areas to pee that are also a safe distance away from the creek. Nice views, though!
Amazing views and a heck of a ride in describe this place well. We came on Labor Day weekend and somehow managed a spot at the campsites; only 20 available sites at the lakes so get there early.
Very close to Black Canyon park, nice private spots, road was a little gutted out but the corolla made it through no problem 🤟. some coyotes howling at night and my site was pretty close to the road
Simple and nice !
Beautiful spot and clean! just really cold at night.
This is a great campground - the lake is beautiful and there are several trails that leave from here. Friendly hosts and clean / well maintained! We arrived midday on a Saturday in late August and there were still several open sites, plus there are a handful of dispersed sites along the road in which were all empty.
I will say that views of creste butte rival any spots I have camped at in Az, Montana, Utah or Wyoming. I would rate this place is 1 of the best camping views in all of the US that you can get your car too.
I took the upper road from 62 and yes, it was a bit rocky, but I read that the other way from Telluride was rutted out as well. It's only 3mi of true 4x4 road to get up to the bluff. I was in a Tacoma TRD Sport 4x4 and pulling a 13' off road trailer. Nothing too crazy but caution if it has been raining.
If you stay at the coordinates it has an amazing view. A thunderstorm did roll in over night with 50mph winds so that wasn't much fun. I left the next morning incase the dirt roads got too muddy.
I saw multiple people coming from both ways with 4x4 vehicles so it can't be too bad. AT&T service was good
Not an actual site. Pin took me to a feild with horse/cows (pics attached for cuteness). The actual site is in the campground on Google Maps, but IT ISNT ALLOWED!!!
VERY CLEARLY SIGNED CAMPING IN CAMPGROUND SITES ONLY!!!
There is a small fire ring by the trailhead, as description says, but the signs on the road are VERY clear. Also lots of rangers patrolling, so don't risk it!!
So, unless you wanna pay a RIDICULOUS fee for a night, not worth it at all. Would've given it one mark, but figured someone later might find a touch of value.
Site 23. Best place in a long time as far as view and quiet. Good sites all around. But when is recreation resource management of America going to.get it's literal s#@t together and have water and actual toilets? Porta pottys don't last that long and the ones near us are scary full! Only one dumpster and the other trash receptacles are taped over. Come on rrmofa makes millions!
This place is close to Telluride Mountain and fairly close to Telluride. You can take two gondola rides from Telluride Mountain down into Telluride. The campground is nestled in the trees with a few open sites in the middle. The camp hosts were very friendly and kept the place tidy. There is firewood for sale. The main bathroom has running water, flush toilets and hot showers, which I honestly can say was pretty great. We were at site 15 which was pretty small but we were able to get in there with our rooftop tent on a truck. Some sites are next to a stream but also close to the highway. There are a few pull through sites.
What was not mentioned in other reviews is there is a dirt road above the campground called Priest Lake Road which leads to Priest Lake that has tent sites on the lake and then further up is Trout Lake. Trout Lake has a boat ramp and you can paddle board there. I wish I had known that, as I would have brought my paddle board.
The Galloping Goose Trail is right behind site 15 and apparently goes all the way to Telluride.
Camping near Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests, Colorado, offers a mix of stunning views and outdoor adventures. Whether you're pitching a tent or parking an RV, there's something for everyone in this beautiful area.
Camping near Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests, Colorado, is a fantastic way to enjoy nature and create lasting memories. Just be prepared for the unique challenges and joys that come with it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests is Black Canyon Dispersed Camping with a 4.2-star rating from 42 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests?
TheDyrt.com has all 49 tent camping locations near Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests, with real photos and reviews from campers.
