## Overview

 Located 5 miles southeast of Aspen, Colorado, Difficult Campground sits on the banks of the Roaring Fork River on the western slope of the Colorado Rockies. Campsites are nestled in a mixed forest of aspen, cottonwood, pine, fir, scrub oak, and spruce, and several are at the river\'s edge, offering an ideal setting for guests seeking recreation and relaxation.
## Recreation

 Renowned for its fly fishing, the Roaring Fork River sustains populations of large rainbow, brown, cutthroat and brook trout. The nearby peaks and soothing sounds from the river offer anglers a perfect backdrop for an afternoon of fishing. Whitewater adventure seekers may want to raft portions of the Roaring Fork, as it is navigable by small craft throughout most of its length to its confluence with the Colorado. Hikers can access trails near the campground.
## Facilities

 Difficult Campground has 47 standard sites, including a group site. It is important to note that vehicles over 35 feet in length are prohibited over Independence Pass but can access the campground via Aspen. The campground is equipped with picnic tables, campfire rings, vault toilets, and drinking water. Electrical hook-ups are not available. Firewood is available for sale at the site. Campground radius turns are tight for large RVs, and brush encroaches on roadways and spurs.
## Natural Features

 In the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the 2.3 million acre White River National Forest is a place of serenity and adventure, boasting 8 wilderness areas, 4 defined seasons, and 10 peaks surpassing 14,000 feet in elevation. Wildlife in the area abounds. Bighorn sheep navigate rocky ridges and bull elk bugle at dusk. Scenic rivers sustain populations of cutthroat, rainbow, and brown trout. Alpine regions provide habitat for pika and ptarmigan. These species, along with many others, depend on surrounding undeveloped wilderness, clean streams, and diverse forests to live. The Roaring Fork River flows by the campground, a tributary of the mighty Colorado. Deep, swift and clear, the Roaring Fork rises in the Sawatch Range on the west side of the Continental Divide and drains an area of the Colorado Western Slope called the Roaring Fork Valley. 
## contact\_info

 For facility specific information, please call (801) 226-3564. 
## Nearby Attractions

 The nearby town of Aspen is a popular destination for visitors to the area. From downhill skiing and world-class fly fishing, to dining and resorts, there is a multitude of outdoor and indoor opportunites in this mountain town.
## Charges &amp; Cancellations

 Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.

Difficult Campground

We stopped here after a late drive from golden, CO. independence pass was beautiful! The site is on the left as your are driving from independence pass to Aspen and could be missed if you arent paying attention. There;s some really nice(but hard) rock climbing just before the campsite as well.

Campsite was right next to the Roaring Fork river and we saw tons of wildlife, rafters, and fly fishing. Sites were pretty basic, but worked. the fire ban was on, so no campfires but we could use our stoves. Vault toilets, running water and great hiking trails nearby!

Beautiful campground on independence pass!

Decent distance to Aspen & Maroon Bells. Campsites are well maintained, but rudimentary. No showers, but close enough to Maroon Bells to get there for sunrise (since campsites near Maroon Bells are very limited and crowded). Beautiful hikes around Maroon Bells and also hiked the Ute Trail which overlooked Aspen (tough climb, but quick and nice view.

This place was gorgeous. It's tucked away anf surrounded by lush trees. The camp host were super nice and helped us find some really cool trails. The campsite was really clean and well taken care of.

Difficult campground wasn't difficult at all. 

We camped at Difficult CG and really enjoyed our stay. Even though the sites were close to each other, there was a lot of shrubs and trees between sites so it cut the noise way down and gave you privacy. Bear boxes were at each site and we saw moose both days on the drive into the site!

Difficulty Campground - watch for moose!

Campground managed by the Forest Service. we went on the first weekend it was open, which was the weekend before Memorial Day. the campground has access to the roaring fork river, the flow was too high to fish but i’m sure in a few weeks it would be prime for some fly fishing. we stayed at campsite 41 which features a new. fire pit and nice bear boxes. this site was surrounded by trees but open with plenty of space for tents. The bathroom was a short walk and the water spout was right next to the site. We really enjoyed the site and the sounds of the river to put us to sleep. 

Beautiful Aspen Campground. 

You can fill up your RVs water tank at this location! Town is real close by like 6 miles. Great bike paths hang out areas. And the sound of the creek is nice. I've camped there twice and love it! We took the bikes and explored we also took the dogs for a bunch of little mini hikes to Tire them out the Water Creeks were easily accessible with a short hike. We've been here before and we definitely will be back.

Good place to camp

This Forest Service campground is just outside of Aspen in the White River National Forest. We hadn't planned to come as far south as Aspen, but fires kept us from getting to another campground and a dispersed camping area. Sites are reservable, but we were able to get a site on a rainy Sunday evening for two nights. The campground filled up both nights (although there were no shows for reserved sites both nights.

This campground is tucked away east of Aspen in a beautiful forest of aspens between mountains covered with pines. For the most part, the sites are carved out with plenty of space and cover between you and your neighbors. Everything is lush and green, but no campfires and no outdoor smoking are allowed (July 2018) because of fire danger.

Our site (#9) must have had a 20 foot buffer between us and our neighbors. (See 360 degree video.)

Cool sites in addition to #9:

12 and 13 - there is a steep boulder field behind these sites which looks like a fun climb

18 and 40 - pitch your tent way back, or the driveway is good for a camper and tow vehicle

43 - nice view, deep site

Activities:

1) Difficult River runs along one side of the campground, and the Difficult Trail begins near the entrance. The trail starts at about 8,000 feet and is not maintained after 3 miles (according to the camp host) but continues on for 3 miles up to an elevation of more than 10,000 feet.

2) Bike the paved/packed stone bike path known as the East of Aspen Trail Extension into Aspen. It's an easy ride and goes through a wetlands area with viewing stops. There's supposed to be a moose in the area, but I only saw a fairly large fox early one morning. The host had warned us that the fox would go after anything you leave out.

3) In Aspen, you can connect with the Rio Grande Trail, a 42 mile paved trail (with a small portion of gravel somewhere that I didn't see). This trail connects Aspen to Glenwood Springs and goes through the towns of Basalt and Carbondale. It follows an old railroad bed, so it doesn't have steep climbs although the trail brochure mentions some short, steep climbs into Aspen from the north. We didn't bike that part. The trail between Carbondale and Arciero/Old Snowmass Trailhead has great scenery - Roaring Fork River, Cottonwood Pass, Basalt Mountains, ranches. There are several points where you can catch a bus if you want to do a one way ride. Here is the URL for an excellent brochure: [https://www.rfta.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/trailmap.pdf](https://www.rfta.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/trailmap.pdf)

Tucked away between mountains - cools off nicely at night

So much of Colorado is impressive, let me just start with that. I wanted to swing through Aspen to check out the John Denver Sanctuary before heading to Denver and found the Difficult Campground on a listing for the area.

Like many campgrounds in Colorado, facilities are limited in fall and winter as they prepare for cold weather. The campground itself was no exception. CLOSED! I was so upset, however I stumbled upon a ranger in the area and he said I could stay if I parked and walked in from the entrance and would not have access to toilets.

Seemed fair, backcountry style camping with some amenities like a fire ring and table. I thought Indeed it would be a winning experience!! Boy was a right!!

The river flows alongside the campground and makes for such a relaxing sound throughout the evening. I saw several small animals as I hiked in, mostly squirrels, birds and a small fox.

The tree coverage of the area cut the wind in the evening just enough. I had the campground to myself and it was one of the coolest feelings ever!

There was no cell service at the campground.

I had to bring in my own small firewood because they discourage you from foraging for fallen branches at the campgrounds typically. I have seen that during the regular season there is a small store that has firewood available near the entrance area.

I look forward to getting back to this site during the summer season!!

TIPS:

* Bring your own firewood. While sometimes it is available in the area, you will want to bring your own just in case to make sure you are keeping it in the fire ring.

* Check the website first. I was looking online at this campsite and discovered if they have weather related closings or fire bans they list them very vividly on their site which can be very helpful in helping you determine if you would like to stay here.

Views For Days!!!

#40- the campground exceeded my expectations! This site is perfect for easy access to all the outdoor activities in the area. We enjoyed biking and walking on the nice trails that lead from the campground directly to Aspen (approx 7mi round trip). There is also a calm river nearby for fishing and SUP. The campground was well maintained with plenty of trees for privacy. 

Memorial Day Weekend at Difficult

Definitely one of the better sites we've camped at. Plenty of space between sites (we could only see the site across the street from us, all others were behind tree cover), so lots of privacy. Bathrooms were immaculate and had no odor whatsoever. About a 15 minute drive into Aspen, so easy to get into town…but if you want to catch Maroon Bells at sunrise, I'd suggest staying at Silver Bells or Silver Queen as it's a good 30-45 mins to get to the Bells from here.

Firewood is available for $7/bundle (cash only)

Great, spaced out and clean site

We have stayed at this campground several times as it is convenient to Aspen and Maroon Bells, gives great access to Independence Pass, and each site has a secured bear box and tends to have some privacy.  However it has come to our attention that the information in the online reservation system regarding this campground is incorrect.  The Camp Host does nothing to alleviate the confusion, if fact she seems to take pleasure in adding to it, then announcing to campers they must depart once they have paid for their campsite and set up camp.  We witnessed this happen to about a half dozen campers over a recent weekend trip.  She behaves more like a Land Baron than a Camp Host, the title of her job.  
I would take great care before setting up here, even if you have confirmed a reservation online.

Close to Aspen - Information about available sites may not be accurate

Due to the location and reservations are accepted, this a convenient backup plan for some of the first come - first serve campgrounds on nearby Maroon Creek Road. I think some of the better campsites at Difficult are 4, 8, 19, 21, 33, 43, and 46. In June the columbines start blooming and in September the mountain ash trees are looking great. There are tons of Aspen trees here. This campground is equipped with bear bins to store your cooler and stuff.

Difficult has nice Aspen trees and the sound of a river in the distance.

Quiet private sites lots of tree close to town lots to explore

Perfect

We stayed here Oct 1-Oct 4 in sites 9 and 43. The campground is in a rather narrow, scenic valley with beautiful views. The sites all seemed good and well-spaced with trees between for privacy. The bathrooms were clean and the camp hosts were hospitable. 

Site 43 was wonderful! It’s a very large, private site with room for an RV and multiple tents. There is a path from the site to the creek, and we saw a bear across the creek one evening! 

I’ll definitely stay here again.

Perfect for fall foliage!

Small campground with two loops located on Difficult Creek. The sites are a mixed bag– some more appropriate for tents while others are pull-through or have very long driveways. Our site (7) would have been better suited for a tent, but we made it work in our campervan. It would not have accommodated a large RV. Some of the sites (32-38) are more private and you can hear the creek. Did not hear road noise from any sites. 

  

There is a day-use area with picnic tables scattered around, some very near the creek.

  

Vault toilets only and at least the one we used was clean. Fortunately, the issues with the “mean” host mentioned in previous reviews were not an issue when we were there! In fact, with Covid, we had no contact with the host at all during our stay. 

  

This campground is about 20 minutes from the town of Aspen and convenient if you want to visit Maroon Bells (and cannot get into the smaller, closer campgrounds). Sadly, although the campground indicated it was full, there were many empty sites. This campground (with vault toilets only) is what I’ve come to expect from a basic forest service campground, and it suited our needs perfectly.

Basic forest service campground in a nice setting

We stayed here for two nights. The campsite is well maintained and the the aspens help make each site feel secluded.  A little on the pricy side for rent camping ($30/night). Close to many activities such as biking, fishing, and trailheads. 

Clean, wooded, calm campground 

Nice setting.  Very Narrow roads. There are no showers and only pit toilets. Only two, somewhat inconvenient and narrow spots to fill us RV water tanks. 

No cell service (AT&amp;T or Verizon)

Suprisingly Primitive

Like everything in the Aspen area, Difficult Campground is beautiful but tricky. We entered the Aspen area from the north on 82, and the instant we hit the town we were greeted by numerous signs visually screaming at us to proceed no further on 82 with a rig longer than 35’ because rigs longer than that are banned from Independence Pass. We were quite alarmed, as our truck plus trailer measure out to about 37’, and we had no idea where the campground was in relation to the pass. We weren’t sure what to do or who to ask, and we ultimately decided to risk it. We found that the campground is RIGHT at the bottom of Independence Pass, and you are allowed to get your rig up to that point. 
The campground itself is beautiful and private (each site is enveloped in aspens and you’ll see features like massive rock walls, a creek, and marshland). It is quite tricky to navigate through; the drives are VERY narrow, and backing our 19’ trailer into our site (12) was an adventure. Some of the sites are definitely not suitable for RVs, so do your research. The campground is primitive but spotlessly clean. Getting water into an RV can be a real pain as the water spigots don’t have threaded connections. The campground is close to numerous trails, a nature preserve, and the town of Aspen. There are definitely bears in the campground; I saw scat right across from our site. There is no cell service or WiFi whatsoever. I’d recommend staying here, but it’s not without its challenges! 

Beautiful But Tricky!

I rooftop tent camped here before hiking Maroon Bells Four Pass Loop. The campgrounds have easy access to the hike/bike trail into Aspen. Restrooms were clean, my site had shade and bear boxes and was easy to get into. I will definitely be back.

Cozy with bike trail access 

The sites are spread out and private. Bears are active so it is important to use the bear boxes but they have plenty of space for storage. One of the best campsites I have ever been to.

Very spacious and fresh pit toilets 

Clean, well organized, insanely well kept/managed, great amenities, and of course breathtaking views and surroundings. Was easy to find coming down Independence Pass and upon pulling in found out spot in a cinch. Each lot is marked by name which made it easy. Wood is sold here for $7 per
bundle. Difficult Trail is within walking distance. There was a bear sighting a few days prior to us but nothing to speak of personally. Did see a moose though in the early morning!

Amazing campsite that's well managed and in a great location!

What a beautiful campground in a beautiful location! Cleanest vault toilets I have ever seen. There are good amounts of trees between sites for privacy and the hiking trail nearby is great. Only problem is that it books up super fast!