Five miles north of Nederland, National Forest System Road (NFSR) 226, commonly known as Gordon Gulch, turns east off of Colorado Highway 72. NFSR 226 intersects other forest roads: NFSR 314, 228, 233 and their off-shoots. There are 15 numbered, designated campsites scattered along the road system within 1.5 miles east of Highway 72. Camping is permitted in designated sites only. Take care when driving in this area. Snow and mud can persist through most of the year. The free [Boulder Ranger District Motor Vehicle Use Map](http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5165768.pdf) displays National Forest System (NFS) routes open to motorized travel and is available online and at the Boulder Ranger District offfice.

Streams; treat water for drinking.

Gordon Gulch Dispersed Area

**Campground Review**

This dispersed camping area allows for a more secluded, private camping experience for those willing to venture off the beaten path a little with their (recommended, certainly not required) 4 x 4 vehicles. While this review applies for the specific campground area on the map, readers should know there are many access points along this road for camping. This place is also very difficult to find at night, so plan your trip with enough day light to find these not-so-well marked turn offs and fire pits.

In general, you're "roughing it" here for the views and hikes. There's no water or facilities or garbage receptacles - so leave no trace is in place to ensure these primitive sites stay open. There's lot of brush and spots are dispersed well enough for privacy. Elevation in these parts is near +9,000 ft, so be aware nights are still cold even in summer. Camp here for closer access to various hiking and exploring, or find some streams nearby for fly fishing, but not for those used to creature comforts typically found at designated campsites.

**Gear Review**

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products from time to time - today I am testing the [Primus ONJA camping stove](https://primus.us/products/onja-stove-4). As far as portable camp stoves go, this is a fantastic purchase if you're looking to cook at camp and stay within a respectable budget. The price tag may seem a bit high for camp stoves, but not based on the quality. The value is here. In my experience you get what you pay for when it comes to camping gear, and this is such a versatile, well made and compact design it has allowed me to expand my cooking options on so many activities. Before I was limited to carrying the backpacker, single-serving, water-boiling stoves for day hikes and road trips to keep my stove from becoming a huge space waster in the car. That meant freeze dried, basic meals. Now I have an actual stove that is relatively lightweight and very portable. Pro Tip: Take this thing with you when you wake up early to get parking spots at your favorite ski hill and with your parking now secured, bust this out and make some breakfast while you wait for the lifts to open. Watch how many new friends you make thanks to warm breakfast burritos.

The burners themselves are very easy to control with the adjustment knobs, and the temperatures are easy to control. The gas canister connections to the burners are well threaded to securely handle your gas bottle - something pretty important if your putting this over your shoulder as you walk. May want to keep them disconnected during transport in a car though, just for the peace of mind. The pot supporter is durable and I was able to put two medium-sized pots on without any worry. I made a pretty basic spaghetti one night, and to have the assurance to let the water boil and the sauce simmer while I used the included wooden cutting board to prepare the sauce. You usually need a cutting board when camping anyway, so to have this included and not add to my footprint of supplies was convenient. It also protects the burners and port supporter when not in use, which I thought was pretty clever.

I would have liked to have seen a self-ignition or Piezo iginiter-type offering with this product. Having to carry a BBQ lighter just to light the thing isn't inconvenient for car camping, but it's a nuisance for a day hike when you're trying to carry as little as possible to save weight. I also wish the cutting board was a better piece of wood. I've used the stove on three tips and I've had to oil the board twice. Not a huge time or expense, just something to remember to do to extend the life of the board. Wish I didn't have to do it as often though.

Overall, solid piece of gear. Great solution for those looking for home stove top-quality stoves to take outdoors without the price tag, weight or footprint issues of conventional camping stoves.

Ranger Review: Primus ONJA camp stove at Gordon Gulch Dispersed Camping Area, CO

This was a close 1 night get away spot. Pretty area, the sites we saw were numbered. The only disappointing thing was right before dusk was about an hour of shooting, constant and annoying. After dark, very quiet even though it was close to the road. Nederland is close enough to run into town if needed.

Nice 1 night get away

There are fifteen "marked" campsites. Throughout the summer they are all frequently occupied so it may be hard to find a spot a times. Moose visitors at dawn and evening, and hungry bears scavenging for food at night is a common occurance. Luckily my car alarm scared them off pretty easily. You'll hear dirtbikes during the day. The only main complaint I had was the lack of peace due to constant checks from boulder sheriffs.

Alright dispersed camping 

So the Gordon Gulch dispersed camping area has around 15 numbered sites that are ok... but if you keep driving further down 233.1 you will find many more unnumbered campsites. I am reviewing one of these unnumbered campsites in particular, because this one had the best view. Before you read too far, I can't guarantee you will be able to reach this campsite without a 4X4 high clearance vehicle. We got to the site with a Jeep Wrangler and Toyota Tacoma TRD so we had no problems... I can't definitely say a Subaru would make it though. In the pictures I have included a map of the Gordon Gulch trail system. Entering through the Gordon Gulch entrance and taking 226.1 to 233.1 is the hardest route - there is one very steep and washed out spot. Entering via 120J/Switzerland Trail from the Peak to Peak Hwy and then turning right onto 233.1 is the easier option. On that map I have marked the general area of the campsite with a pink dot and here are the coordinates.

DMS: 40°01'18.5"N 105°28'37.6"W

DD: 40.021814, -105.477103 - if you type this into Google Maps it will locate it

As for the actual campsite, it is a great option for spring/fall camping in Colorado. The elevation is about 8,800 ft and it is on the south side of a hill so it gets a lot of sunlight and is protected from northern winds. In terms of privacy, there are no other campsites that can be seen from this one. However, Gordon Gulch is a popular off-roading area so dirt bikes and Jeeps pass by frequently. This campsite is set up high above and away from the road though, so it is really not that bad. Another thing to point out is that this is a popular area for shooting as well, so if you absolutely hate guns it may not be the place for you. Also, as stated before, this is a dispersed campsite the only thing it has is a fire ring. Pack it in, pack it out!

Dispersed Campsite with Views - Gordon Gulch (4x4 recommended) 

We have camped here for years as large groups. There are plenty of places to camp for just 1 or 2 people but group camping is a bit tougher up there. There is a big wind shielded area that fits about 30-40 people easily. We have camped there in snow, Spring, Summer, and Fall. It's easy to get to and close to Nederland.

Great for all Seasons

The drive to this site from Boulder was phenomenally beautiful and an adventure in itself. There’s a small town about 5 minutes from the campsite. The sites were a good distance away from each other so it was quiet for the most part and you couldn’t hear other campers. The roads around the campsite were very rough, so I didn’t adventure too far in to check out the other sites further from the road because I have a tiny car and didn’t want to get stuck. Occasional could hear sound from the road but it’s not a heavy traffic road so it wasn’t a bother. At night it got incredibly windy, but I was there only one night so I’m unsure if that’s a regular thing. 

Beautiful and quiet

Get there early! It's a campsite close to Denver and Boulder, so spots can fill up quickly with people wanting to escape the city for the night/weekend. Great views of the higher peaks facing west. Some campsites face Boulder, so depending on preference, get a campsite that faces west. There are fire pits in several of the sites, and sites are clearly marked. Even with all the campsites full, it doesn't feel like you're on top of people. There's plenty of open space. Leaving around 6pm on a Friday night from Denver took about 60 minutes from central Denver to the campsite.

Great getaway close to Denver

We arrived late (3pm) on a Saturday and all of the numbered sites were taken. Luckily, we stayed on 233 and found an awesome spot at the top of a very steep and rocky hill. Our Nissan Rogue handled it pretty well, surprisingly. Highly suggest a vehicle with high clearance that can handle sharp rocks and steep incline. 

The view was amazing at the top! Felt very “secluded” with the exception of an occasional child yell or music from a nearby site. 

Also - tons of trash! Our site was littered with shotgun shells and casings. 

All-in-all pretty good spot for a last minute trip. 

Skip the numbered sites

Camped here for one night in August. Like the title suggests, this campsite is typical for a free forest service campground. Prior campers have left some trash, bullet casings and obviously neglected to dig cat holes. After a quick clean up, the site was fine for my purposes. I hammock camp and  I was happy to see that many of the sites here have more than adequate trees for hanging. The roads can be a bit rough so the further back you go the necessity for a high clearance vehicle increases. There are several off road and hiking trails directly attached to the camping areas. I noticed that the forest service had erected wooden barriers at several of the campsites in an effort to control where people park. At my campsite #6 someone had obviously pulled off road vehicles into the campsite and tore the ground up pretty good. Tent camping at this particular site would be difficult due tot he lack of flat spots. Other sites seemed to be flatter. All in all this was a great place to camp for free with several nearby hikes and attractions.

Typical for a Free Forest Service Campground

Served a purpose  

This is a great dispersed camping area if you're lucky enough to snag a spot.  The weekends are very full.  The roads to some of the more remote sites are very rough and AWD is recommended.  There are a few sites where it appears people are living there permanently,  but overall it was pretty clean.  The sires are big and you can fit multiple tents and vehicles on many of them.  Will definitely be back.

Nice area close to Denver

The drive was beautiful and the map/directions were very clear. The roads within the dispersed camping area were pretty intense with dips, rocks and potholes but we got through just fine with a Subaru Forester. 
The permitted sites are marked which are easy to find. We chose to not go too far because it was getting dark out by the time we arrived. The first 5 or so campsites are pretty close to each other which limits privacy but I can not speak for campsites further into the campsite. 

Great area!

This place is a bit of a drive but it’s perfect. In the trees and away from people! We stayed here for one night and there wasn’t very many people. The road is muddy and you do need a high clearance truck/car. 

Perfect spot

Great spot for dispersed camping.
Road a little rough especially with snow; 4x4 is probably necessary to avoid getting stuck. Really pretty, spread out spots.

Great Spot!

This is my go to when I need to escape the city whether it be a night during the week, or adventure weekend, it never fails me. Quite, beautiful, definitely good use of your overlanding vehicle and skills. 

Favorite place

Went up for some close Winter camping back in March. There was still a decent amount of people camping around us but it was super nice and quiet. Spaces are very private the farther back you go. there are 12 numbered sites spaced well apart the farther back you go. I have been here before in the spring time, and It can for sure fill up quick due to it's location being close to Boulder, and Nederland. Expect heavy use in the summer months. Also the road after the snow melt and rain can be very muddy. It's often used out due to heavy driving use. So some of the farther out sites might require a 4x4 vehicle depending on weather and road use. two people got stuck with light snow in March. So it's a strong recommendation because the farther sites are much nicer.

Location is nice. But it can get packed quick.

If your looking for diverse people, a good time and completely free  this is your spot . Decent size spots, not as big as west magnolia but decent size . No amenities.

More of a party spot , but completely free, and lots of fun

We arrived looking for a spot on a Friday evening and managed to find a spot way back in the dispersed area beyond the permitted camp sites . Great area to pull in with a truck but not needed on the main road in . Many rock fire rings around to find spots . It is an area of four wheelers and off road riding so that does create some noise by camps if that bothers you or you want yo partake that . 

Easy access off Peak to Peak highway 

We lucked out with a south facing spot overlooking the town of Nederland. The unfortunate part of our stay was the group that decided to throw a rave until 6am, disturbing what I can only imagine to be the entire Arapahoe region. Completely uncalled for - and a microphone to go along with a speaker already blasting terrible music????? Almost ruined our night, but the visitors (pictured) and views made up for it. 

Plan for other groups close by that can be incredibly rude. 

Great views if you can find them! 

We loved this campsite. Super close to home for us , yet felt so far away! We had a great campsite with amazing views.  We continued driving down Switzerland trail to find our campsite.  There were still a decent amount of sites here when we arrived around noon on a Saturday. Need at least AWD for the road.  Decent amount of ATVs and dirt bikes, but not enough to be annoyed. We will absolutely camp here again.  

Great campsite   Close to boulder

All in all its a decent\* place near Boulder to camp for free and is mostly easy to get to. There are 15 spots that, when we arrived on pre-Labor day Friday afternoon, were almost all taken, no surprise. We saw 1 spot available - site 12 I believe - that we could have taken but decided to kept going further to see what our other, more secluded options might be … The sites of the actual campground were far enough apart for visual privacy, but close enough not to offer audible privacy. We noticed~ 4 or 5 of the 15 spots had tents but no other sign of use like they might be abandoned ?!? (we wondered if these were 'placeholder' tents to guarantee someones spot if they leave and come back weeks/months later... edit: external article postulates that due to GG's proximity to Boulder, it has become inundated with abandoned drug camps littered by hypodermic needles. yikes). We ended up getting a dispersed site outside the confines of the campground, and as others have noted - the road isn't as well maintained beyond the campground borders and not super conducive for low clearance vehicles. Lots of off road vehicles use the trails in/near Gordon Gulch but were still respectful of our space. We only stayed one night, but the view in the morning of the sunrise was gorgeous. Our spot was East of the intersection of 233.1 and 228.1B roads. There were several other folks camping dispersed through the woods… few were loud (one had a chainsaw) but most were very respectful and quiet. Bear country. Bring your own firewood.

decent free camping near Boulder 

Stayed here in my awd van and everything went fine, but the trail loop beyond the main sites is extremely bumpy and can only be traversed with high-clearance vehicles which limits your options for finding a site. But if you're one of the first 15 people there, I'd say you'll be able to find a spot. Might be a bit more difficult with a large trailer. Nothing spectacular but it certainly did the trick for the night

Adequate Free Spot Above Nederland

To be honest we were at the farthest site which was nice cause we have a rowdy group. We made sure we left nothing behind when we were done with the site. You mate pass it up if you aren’t paying attention, we only found the site cause we saw the number on the ground. It have stone fire pits and you are allowed to shoot via following the posted rules. Medium traffic at some points, stayed for 2 days and nights and everything was great. It’s the most opened site, so lots of wind traveling through at some points. 


Had a great time!

Husband found this spot, it has some of the most breath taking views. The site was great for putting up a projector screen. Camp fires were awesome.  Loved the off roading to get to the spot. Great people around camping also. 

Breath taking

You'll hear some OHV activity, but we always enjoy camping here. Bring lots of water in the summer, or a filter in the spring when the snow is melting. 

Scout out the area ahead if you don't have a high clearance AWD/4X4.

You could find yourself on a washed out road in a hurry. 