Chaffee County Road 390 Dispersed
Tommy S.
Reviewed Jul. 11, 2020

BEST primitive dispersed camping

Take County Road past the campground into the valley and you’ll find plenty of roadside sites. They vary in size, distance from the road, access to the creek, privacy, etc, so its worth a scout to find one that best suits your needs! 

It was Saturday night when we arrived, and many were taken, but we found one just before the hairpin turns in the road before the Missouri Gulch trailhead, about 5-6 miles in. The road is VERY bumpy. We parked on the side of the road, and the site is about 50 feet down the hill and mostly hidden from the traffic. You could see the roaring Creek, and walk down to it in 30 seconds. Mountains tower over both sides of this site. There were pines everywhere and aspens down by the water. I saw a couple hummingbirds and one small snake in the bushes. The mountain scenery is just incredibly breathtaking, as is the altitude. We attempted a hike up Mt Belford (a 14er) but only made it around 12k feet before turning back as it was too cold and windy (and difficult!). Pace yourself and drink A LOT of water if you’re not accustomed to the altitude; I was prepared but it still caught me off guard. Bring your poop shovel.

Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Chaffee County Road 390 Dispersed by Tommy S., July 11, 2020
  • Review photo of Chaffee County Road 390 Dispersed by Tommy S., July 11, 2020
  • Review photo of Chaffee County Road 390 Dispersed by Tommy S., July 11, 2020
  • Review photo of Chaffee County Road 390 Dispersed by Tommy S., July 11, 2020
  • Review photo of Chaffee County Road 390 Dispersed by Tommy S., July 11, 2020
  • Review photo of Chaffee County Road 390 Dispersed by Tommy S., July 11, 2020
  • Review photo of Chaffee County Road 390 Dispersed by Tommy S., July 11, 2020