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Dispersed Camping

Beaver Park Reservoir - Dispersed

23 Reviews

About

USDA Forest Service

Welcome to Beaver Park Reservoir - Dispersed, a hidden gem in Colorado. This spot is perfect if you're looking to get away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy some peace and quiet. The area offers stunning views of the mountains and the reservoir, making it a picturesque place to set up camp.

There are about ten designated sites scattered around, so you have some options to choose from. The drive in is pretty straightforward, even if you're not in a rugged vehicle. One camper mentioned they managed just fine in a Honda Civic. However, be prepared for some wind, especially at night. It can get pretty gusty, so maybe pick a spot a bit further from the reservoir if you want a more peaceful sleep.

One of the best things about this place is that it's free to camp here. You can have a campfire, and pets are welcome, so feel free to bring your furry friends along. Just remember, there are no amenities like toilets, showers, or drinking water, so come prepared. Pack out what you pack in, as there's no trash service either.

For those who love hiking, there are some great trails nearby. And if you're into wildlife, keep an eye out—you might spot a moose or two. Just a heads up, there's no cell service, so make sure to check the weather before you head out and let someone know your plans.

Overall, Beaver Park Reservoir - Dispersed offers a beautiful, rustic camping experience. It's a fantastic spot to disconnect and soak in the natural beauty of Colorado. Enjoy your stay!

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Location

Beaver Park Reservoir - Dispersed is located in Colorado

Coordinates

40.117007477618046 N
105.51577807132736 W

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Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site
Walk-In
Park in a lot, walk to your site.

Stay Connected

WiFi
Good
Verizon
Unknown
AT&T
Unknown
T-Mobile
Good

Site Types

Tent Sites
RV Sites
Standard (Tent/RV)
Dispersed

Features

For Campers

Alcohol
Pets
Fires

For Vehicles

Pull-Through Sites

Enjoy dispersed camping on government land and leave no trace. Pack in and pack out. No (or limited) services at this camping area. Permit may be required.

PERMIT might be REQUIRED

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Contact

General Info

Visit Website

Reservations

(970) 295-6600

Mitchell F.

Scout

Reviewed May. 27, 2024

pretty good for dispersed camping

Stayed for 3 days. The location is great, there’s about 10 designated camp sites to choose from and great hiking trails nearby. The drive in is easy. Only downsides are that people vandalize the camp sites and don’t take care of them. Pulled up to our campsite and found broken glass, beer cans, cardboard boxes, bullet casings, and toilet paper around our campsite. Very unfortunate but not much you can do. The wind was a huge issue during our trip as well. Our campsite was in a heavily wooded area near the reservoir and we were still hit with 20+ mph wind. From 10PM to probably 5AM there were gusts well over 40MPH. Wind seems to be an issue here, but didn’t think it was this bad. Overall would stay here again, would probably just pick a campsite further away from the reservoir to have a more peaceful night sleep.

Month of VisitJune

Kevin

Guide

Reviewed May. 17, 2024

Quick stop

Easy to find, especially in the dark. Found a spot about 1m from the lake. Backed in and slept. Nice and quiet!

Month of VisitJune

Mark W.

Traveler

Reviewed May. 11, 2024

Fantastic views for campsite

This was a wonderful campsite, incredible views, fairly easy to access(we did it in a Honda civic), and was an overall great environment. Not much out there, except what appears to be a small town on the other side of the lake. Lovely place, just be sure to check the weather before you get there as there is no service, and a storm with high wind caused us to have to tear down camp in the middle of the night.

Month of VisitJune

(4) View All

Alyson M.

Legend

Reviewed Jul. 19, 2022

Busy but Great Views

This site was absolutely stunning. Awesome views of the mountains and the reservoir. The drive there was beautiful as well. I would’ve stayed much longer if there weren’t 40 mph winds. 🙄 Sites are very spread out, but you can easily see the campers around you. When we went in May it was pretty full for how cold it was, so I’m assuming the summers get pretty busy.

Month of VisitJune

(5) View All

Timothy H.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 23, 2022

First times a charm

At time of writing, it’s summer. So while there were easily about 10-20 families on the hill. There was still plenty of space for everyone. Camp sites were free of liter. Most spots already had a fire pit, though I can’t confirm if burning was allowed or not.

The drive up the hill could be challenging for cars with low clearance. Specially twards the top where the reservoir is located. The road is smoother at the bottom near the beginning. There are plenty of camping spots regardless of your vehicle’s ability though. Rain or slicker conditions during winter could be difficult with out 4x4 capabilities.

The reservoir is truly the crowning moment of your stay there. It’s absolutely beautiful.

SiteAbout middle of the way up road to the reservoir.

Month of VisitJuly

(12) View All

Marshall W.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 10, 2022

Great view but busy busy

It just takes one annoying neighbor. The sites can be a little close together and one guy was a bit loud.

I’m not sure if I would go back to this site but it did have a great view of the mountain.

No Verizon or T-Mobile We used Starlink

Siteclose to reservoir

Month of VisitJuly

Hannah W.

Guide

Reviewed May. 10, 2022

Beautiful views

We camped in the dry lake bed area to the left of the dirt road right up by the tree line. The views were stunning. Woke up to a sleet blizzard the next morning but it didn’t bother us. Got great pictures the night before of the mountains. We saw a moose down closer to the lake when we first arrived as we were looking for a place to park. No one bothered us. Didn’t see anyone else the whole time. Great spot. FYI: no cell service.

Month of VisitJune

(4) View All

Brittani M.

Traveler

Reviewed Apr. 28, 2022

Just what I needed

There were a couple spots before the reservoir; the one I picked was very close to the connecting trail to Sourdough. Nice and shady but also some sun. Not too windy. A bit cool at night but expected for the time of year. Definitely the bare bones of camping which I wanted.

Month of VisitMay

Wren H.

Guide

Reviewed Apr. 23, 2022

Pretty but private and windy

We went in April 2022 and it was so so so windy at night we could barely sleep. Absolutely stunning view of the mountains, though. We were supposed to have a 4 night trip but it ended up being not very worth it. We were right up on the lake but turns out it's private property and you cannot even go up to the water. There was a spot just down the road and hidden that may have been more sheltered from the wind but we didn't stay to find out. Permit required June 1-Sept 15. No water access unless it's full past the private property line. GORGEOUS views.

Month of VisitMay

(9) View All

Aspen H.

Guide

Reviewed Apr. 22, 2022

Close to Boulder

Awesome spot. The lake was frozen. That’s okay other comments say that you can’t swim or drive nearby or the locals will be at you. We had no issues though. There’s some cool boulders to climb. Definitely explore the area on the road going towards the lake. The frozen lake was pretty. There was still snow on the ground and it ended up snowing while we were there lol. We didn’t use a rain fly. Easy to find wood to burn. You’ll pass a Boy Scout camp to get there.

Month of VisitMay

(5) View All

Cory G.

Scout

Reviewed Oct. 5, 2021

Great spot with plenty of pull outs along the way

We boondocked up here early October and was a great time. Plenty of pullout spots for smaller travel trailers and tents on the road up to the Reservoir itself. Once you get to the Res there is a large pullout spot with several areas that you can use. FYI, DO NOT GO farther than this spot and keep going on the road to the right of the reservoir. It turns into a private road that is very difficult to turn around on. Especially if you have a large pull behind.

I also would just give a heads up to those with small children or dogs. There was one campsite that we parked at that had a ton of glass bottles broken all over the place. I cleaned it up for about an hour before moving to a nearby area.

Overall, great location for boondocking for a few days and catching views along the peak to peak highway.

Month of VisitNovember

emily

Traveler

Reviewed Sep. 19, 2021

beautiful location!

I loved the night I spent here! I stayed in one of the first 5 sites I saw, and only maybe 20 feet away was an amazing view of the mountains.

It's about 50 minutes from Boulder, and you lose service about 40 minutes out, so it's great if you plan on staying for a least a couple days. I had no problem driving on the dirt road leading up to the sites in my cr-v.

Would definitely stay again!

Heather E.

Ranger

Reviewed Sep. 3, 2021

Amazing views!

This is one of my favorite spots. It does seem very popular on the weekends but slower during the week. A lot of quads having fun out there too. Not only are the Mountain View’s stunning, but we also saw Bald Eagles and a moose.

Sitetop

Month of VisitSeptember

(8) View All

Lindsey B.

Scout

Reviewed Aug. 12, 2021

Open sky

Went out here to watch the Perseid meteor shower, parked in an area near the lake and there were 3 other camps set up nearby. beautiful views at dusk and perfect for stargazing! the area is fine, it’s right next to the road and the lake is super low. there are a couple hiking trails once you turn on to the county road - didn’t have time to hike but looked fun!
i think technically this is in indian peaks wilderness and you’re supposed to have a permit june-october but i was out of service by the time i saw the signage. would double check before going again!

Month of VisitSeptember

Paula

Scout

Reviewed Jul. 24, 2021

Secluded and serene

we were able to pull up in our little volkswagon without a problem on the dirt roads. beautiful views. fire pits but no bathrooms.

Month of VisitAugust

Abbie M.

Scout

Reviewed Jul. 6, 2021

Nice stay overall

Good, flat piece of land with privacy. We didn’t get to use the man-made fire pits because of the fire ban.

Things to mention: Bring 4 wheel drive because there are a lot of potholes on the gravel road to the campsites. We came during/after a rainstorm and the potholes filled up with water and made it extremely difficult for our compact car to make it through.

There’s no cell service (at least for us, Verizon).

Bears. We saw a bear roaming by the private lake. It was unphased by us, but still made it hard to sleep knowing a bear was roaming about. Bring bear spray for sure.

Month of VisitAugust

Hannah L.

Guide

Reviewed Jan. 2, 2021

Nice dispersed campsites

Free dispersed camping with zero amenities but man made fire pits. Windy and cold but beautiful!

(5) View All

Anthony P.

Ranger

Reviewed Aug. 11, 2020

Quick stay over camp spot

We stayed here a few nights ago, the first major thing to point out is the location and its ease to access for front rangers. Only about 30 minutes form boulder, these are great spots to get you out in the wilderness but with that comes crowds. We arrived on Friday mid day and found one spot left. Some people looked like they had been there for a while.

That being said, this was a great spot for a quick stay over. We were looking for a free spot just to spend one night to get an early jump on a hike the next morning. Each spot is spaced apart even though we could still hear out neighbors. This is dispersed so no metal pits, tables or anything like that but they are free! As you can tell by my pictures, our spot was tight. bIg enough to park one car but have multiple tents if placing them around the parking spot. Other spots are huge, easily big enough for an RV.

Access is easy, just off the main highway and then onto a well maintained dirt road. The first few miles are private but the signage is easy to read. There is some hiking nearby, lots of people on ATV's and a decent amount of car traffic so not the most quiet but overall we like this spot. Not much to do on this exact road except a one hike out past the reservoir. This is a great quick stay spot.

Month of VisitSeptember

(7) View All

Celeste W.

Scout

Reviewed Aug. 5, 2020

Private Lake, Really Crowded, ATVs everywhere

It's got a feeling like you're not supposed to be there. The lake is private. The locals will hassle you of you're too close to the lake. Don't go on the weekend, there's a lot of people. If you find a space that's farther from the lake, you'll have more privacy

It's got a pretty view, except that there's keep out and private property signs everywhere. There's ATVs constantly driving right next to you. It's not very remote and the sites are pretty open to everyone the closer to the reservoir that you get. Between the camp site and the reservoir, at least at this time right now, there's a massive space of dirt that has tire tracks all over it. On the other side of the reservoir there's a bunch of buildings.

My friends had a great time, and they're still new to camping, but I felt like we were not separated from anyone, and the view was hindered by all the private property signs and buildings on the other side of the lake. I won't be camping there again.

Kenneth V.

Scout

Reviewed Jul. 6, 2019

Great area, easy to get to.

Several sites with rock fire pits. Close to beaver reservoir but apparently it is a private reservoir. Still great option for free camping

Ralitsa K.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 15, 2019

Free Dispersed Camping with a Lake

Pretty average dispersed campsites. Far enough apart that you can’t see or hear your neighbors which was nice. Fire pits existed on the sites but no grates or bathrooms. A short walk down the dirt road leads you to a beautiful lake.

Karl G.

Ranger

Reviewed Jun. 1, 2019

Kind of boring

I’d say the pros to camping at Beaver Park is that it is free, the sites are large, and maybe 2 sites have lake views. Most of the sites are spaced really far apart too - excluding the 2 by the lake. Cons are that the lake is private so basically you can look but can’t touch. If you continue down the road past the lake you end up in a community, so I don’t think there is any hiking back there. I didn’t try though because I felt sort of like I wasn’t supposed to be there. The site I stayed at was ok. It was forested and had privacy from the road. It also had a lot of good firewood just there, but I’m sure not every site is always like that. One problem we had was that our site had a lot of tree stumps, and that made it hard to park our car where we wanted it since we were car camping. Overall a just ok dispersed site. I found myself bored here and wished there were more things to do/see.

(8) View All

Andrew G.

Ranger

Reviewed Apr. 8, 2019

Free Dispersed Camping in the Rockies

Beautiful spot with a gorgeous view of a couple of mountain peaks (Thunderbolt Peak?) with the reservoir in the foreground.

-Camping is on the left as you approach the lake, there is nothing past the first big area you see.

-Many spaces available, just pick a primitive firepit and setup around it.

-Lake is technically private and the locals WILL hassle you if they catch you fishing/swimming/boating.

-We easily made the drive up in a low clearance car, and Rv's should have no problem.

- In total I'd say around 15 separate campsites could operate here comfortably on a busy weekend.

Month of VisitOctober

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the elevation of Beaver Park Reservoir - Dispersed?

Beaver Park Reservoir - Dispersed is located at 9157 feet.

Are fires allowed at Beaver Park Reservoir - Dispersed?

Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Beaver Park Reservoir - Dispersed, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

Does Beaver Park Reservoir - Dispersed have wifi?

No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Beaver Park Reservoir - Dispersed does not have wifi.

Is there cell phone reception at Beaver Park Reservoir - Dispersed?

According to campers on TheDyrt.com, Verizon signal is unknown, AT&T is unknown, and T-Mobile is good.