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Free Camping Collection

Dispersed Camping

Last Dollar Road

Last Dollar Road, near Telluride, Colorado, is a stunning location for those who appreciate the beauty of dispersed camping. This area offers breathtaking views and a chance to immerse yourself in nature, with plenty of spots to pitch a tent or park your RV.

Visitors rave about the incredible vistas, making it a prime spot for photography and relaxation. One camper mentioned, “The views you get from the campsite are stunning!” Just keep in mind that the access road can be rough, so a 4x4 vehicle is recommended for a smoother ride.

While amenities are minimal—there's no drinking water, toilets, or trash services—this location provides a true back-to-nature experience. Campers have noted the peacefulness and seclusion, with some sites nestled among trees and offering homemade fire rings for evening gatherings. If you're looking for a place to escape the hustle and bustle, Last Dollar Road is worth the trip.

Description

National Forest

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests

Please note that 4wd may be necessary.

In areas closed to the use of vehicles off forest roads, where developed parking sites are not provided, and where not otherwise prohibited, direct access to a suitable parking site within 300 feet of the road is permitted. Such travel must not damage the land or streams. Please select your route carefully, and do not cut live timber. Off road travel should be limited to when the ground is dry. The public is encouraged to camp in locations where others have previously camped and utilized existing routes to those camp areas. Campers are required to leave a clean camp, not to damage vegetation or pollute streams and lakes on the National Forest and implement “Leave No Trace” practices

Finding a site to camp and enjoy dispersed recreation activities in remote areas or in relative solitude has become a popular form of camping throughout the Forest. At some more popular areas,toilet facilities may be provided. Contact the local Forest Service office for current information and refer to the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) for each forest (Grand Mesa, Gunnison, and Uncompahgre National Forests). Dispersed camping is permitted in most areas of the Forest. Some caution should be used in selecting a site because of intermingled private lands within the National Forest. Recreation maps are available at all local Forest Service offices. Personnel at each office can answer questions on specific sites. Unlike developed campgrounds which are designed and maintained to protect the vegetation, soils, and natural setting, camping in undeveloped areas require more from the camper to help keep the site in the condition in which it was found. Dispersed camping must not occur within 100 feet of water sources (rivers, streams, ponds, or wetlands) or within 100 feet of any road or system trail. In some areas, dispersed camping is restricted to specific sites, contact the local Forest Service office for current information. Campsites can be occupied for no more than 14 days, then the site must be moved at least 3 miles away. Camping is also limited to a total of 28 days in a 60 day period.

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Location

Last Dollar Road is located in Colorado

Detail location of campground

Coordinates

38.00802486 N
107.96681518 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
    Unknown
  • Verizon
    Poor
  • AT&T
    Good
  • T-Mobile
    Good

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Dispersed

Features

For Campers

  • Phone Service
  • Alcohol
  • Pets

DISPERSED CAMPING

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

We curate permit requirements across the US for our PRO members. Try PRO to see if Last Dollar Road needs a permit.


Reviews

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4.5

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21 Reviews

Reviewed Aug. 22, 2024

Minimal campground

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

Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by brian C., August 22, 2024
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by brian C., August 22, 2024
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by brian C., August 22, 2024
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Jun. 23, 2023

DO NOT GO WITH 2WD or a low sitting vehicle

Do not go if you have a 2WD or a low sitting vehicle. We learned the hard way and had to back down a steep hill for half a mile with a cliff on one side of us and nowhere to turn around. Our van started over heating but fortunately a few guys helped us out!

Beautiful views though:)

Month of VisitJune
Reviewed Jul. 4, 2022

Amazing vistas

Amazing scenic drive with camp spots that have great vistas! Dispersed camping at its best!

Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by Sahmon F., July 4, 2022
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by Sahmon F., July 4, 2022
Reviewed Jun. 19, 2022

Worth the trip

The road getting here was a little rough for my 2WD but wow…the views you get from the campsite are stunning! Worth the trip up!

There are not a lot of spots at the place I’m at (the best view spot imo) so if your looking for privacy idk if it’s for you

Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by Louis W., June 19, 2022
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by Louis W., June 19, 2022
Reviewed Jun. 14, 2022

Beautiful!!!

This was one of the most beautiful places you can imagine! The views are spectacular! We had decent Verizon cell phone service which was a huge plus. The area was pretty full and there was traffic coming in and out of Last Dollar Road but it stopped at dark.

Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by Kathy W., June 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by Kathy W., June 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by Kathy W., June 14, 2022
Reviewed Jun. 11, 2022

Great site and very secluded

Perfect weather and actually some cell service. There are a few sites along Last Dollar Road, about 0.7 miles from the pin like the other reviewer mentioned. Most of the sites are wooded and have homemade fire rings. Only 1-2 would likely fit an RV. One set of 3 sites is clustered together off the left side of Last Dollar Road as you’re heading down towards Telluride (before Alder Creek Trailhead) - this would be for group camping with 2-3 families. No water and no toilets, this is truly dispersed and secluded.

Be sure to pause and walk out on the overlook where the pin is. You can also pose your Jeep on the ramp for some majestic shots if that’s your thing.

Month of VisitJune
Reviewed Jun. 2, 2022

Amazing sites, with amazing views

This is some of the greatest dispersed camping that I have ever been to. The sites and nice and spread out and the views are amazing. The drive up to the main summit area is about 45min from the main road. It is some very rough terrain, so don’t plan on taking anything other then a 4x4 vehicle. There are a few spots where you can get Verizon LTE. Overall 10/10

Month of VisitJune
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  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by Griffen J., June 2, 2022
  • (6) View All
Reviewed Apr. 22, 2022

Amazing that a spot like this is available next to a ski resort!

My friend told me about this spot when he lived in telluride. They have a bad housing crisis for the ski resort employees. If I was an employee there I would live at this spot lol. There are beautiful houses on the way up here. This was my second year coming up here. Looks like a lot of aspens fell/got chopped down. Take the road all the way up. The directions to it are accurate. Windy. It’s pretty muddy now. My partner did not want to set up a tent or do yoga here :p the view is amazing anyway. Everything in telluride was closed beside the burger resturaunt. So cool. And an awesome underground tavern bar hole in the wall. We played free pool. Everyone was friendly. We made a new ski bum friend. Elk migration happens during April and it was spectacular. I tried to count how many elk and by my calculations at least 200 were in the same field

Month of VisitApril
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by Aspen H., April 22, 2022
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by Aspen H., April 22, 2022
Reviewed Oct. 24, 2021

Beautiful views

We stayed here for one night on our way to Telluride. The views here are unbeatable. We drove a little further then the marked site and found a great little dispersed campground that was partially sheltered with a fire pit. Since it is at the top of a mountain, be prepared for wind especially in the fall months. My only reason for knocking off a star is because the road is very rough. It took us about an hour to go 10 miles. If you have a 4x4 it shouldn’t be an issue but we were also lucky to have good weather. Otherwise, it was a beautiful free place to camp.

Month of VisitOctober
Reviewed Sep. 27, 2021

Perfect Fall Weekend Getaway

We had an amazing time camping out on lost dollar road. We took our time getting there from the Springs which ended up making us find a spot in the dark. We entered from the Ridgway side and had to drive past several ranch’s before crossing into the dispersed area. Every turn off we approached on the north side was already taken but we took a side road less traveled (not sure how or why we decided it was a good idea) and ended up at a site with amazing views of the valley on the south side. The north side will give you some amazing sunsets so we’ll probably try to get one of those next time. But the spot we got was absolutely perfect.

Sitedispersed
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by MaryBeth V., September 27, 2021
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by MaryBeth V., September 27, 2021
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by MaryBeth V., September 27, 2021
Reviewed Aug. 16, 2021

Incredible Views

Spent two nights up on Last Dollar Road.  Some of the best views in Colorado! Easy to get to, as others have noted, from the Telluride side.  As you get up the road, there's a larger spot for campers and then the road turns up (with a warning that you're headed into remote wilderness with less access to emergency services, etc…).  The road gets a bit more rough at that point - would not be an issue for a 4WD.  I, however, was not in a 4WD.  I was in a big Nissan van - I made it up fine but did have a couple of "I wonder if this was a good idea" moments.  There are several dispersed spots along the road & a "main" lookout point that a lot of folks stop at for pictures.  I stayed at a spot about .4 miles BEFORE this spot and it was amazing.  I was there for a Tuesday night / Wednesday night and it was not crowded.  

Also, about .7 miles down the road is the trailhead for Alder Creek…which was a nice hike.

I have AT&T and had good coverage here.

Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by David , August 16, 2021
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by David , August 16, 2021
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by David , August 16, 2021
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Jul. 17, 2021

Amazing Views

Easy to get to from the Telluride side, amazing views, and not overly crowded when I was there. Easy access to Telluride and used the City Park’s facilities since this obviously has none.

Month of VisitJuly
Reviewed Jul. 9, 2021

The BEST

One of the most beautiful spots I’ve camped. The road is very doable, gravel, but fine. After about 15-20 minutes from the start of the road on the Telluride side you’ll find the spot. We didn’t venture down the 4x4 trail after the main camping area, but the views were plenty wonderful right from there. No bathrooms, tables, or fire rings, but it’s worth it for the sunset and stars. Amazing, free place to camp.

Sitemain area
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by Kurtis M., July 9, 2021
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by Kurtis M., July 9, 2021
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by Kurtis M., July 9, 2021
  • (8) View All
Reviewed Jun. 29, 2021

Amazing views and good cell service

There is not a ton of campsites once you get up here. But there are a handful that have absolutely amazing views . Some of the best in Colorado. I had good cell service too (working remotely). There are some larger dispersed campgrounds near the top trailhead that are more in the woods. Road from Ridgeway was well maintained but definitely a little rocky getting closer to the top of the road. Road gets washed out in the rain so heads up. But just go slow if you’re in a lower clearance vehicle and you’ll be fine if it’s dry.

https://www.colorado.com/articles/colorado-hidden-gem-last-dollar-road

Month of VisitJune
Reviewed Jun. 22, 2021

Amazing view and free!!

We drove up from route 145 and the road was pretty easy. Last Dollar Road was more difficult for our car, but we just camped at one of the front sites. The view is spectacular and completely worth it. It’s primitive camping, but it’s free and there are spots with fire pits and room for tents. I would come here again just to see the view because it was amazing to wake up to.

Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by CJ C., June 22, 2021
Reviewed Jun. 14, 2021

Amazing view

Very long dirt road, well maintained. 35 minutes from downtown Telluride. Very primitive camping and huddled trailers hogging the view. Stargazing is awesome here.

Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by gabe , June 14, 2021
Reviewed Oct. 30, 2020

Beautiful but rough

As another reviewer stated, I would not recommend coming from Route 62. It took us over an hour for I believe 10 miles on very rough road in a Subaru Outback. It was beautiful but there was miles of ranches and private properties before you got to campsites.

Reviewed Aug. 29, 2020

Full of RVs

A site with amazing views that were all blocked by large RVs and campers, no privacy for tent camping or between sites, it was also very crowded by early morning. 4WD and high clearance is needed to continue on Last Dollar Rd if you’re hoping to find more dispersed camping up the mountain.

Reviewed Jul. 13, 2020

Epic place to stay when visiting Telluride

This has to be one of our top 5 boondocking camping views ever! We are grateful that another review recommended not driving here from Route 62, but instead coming up on the road by the airport (route 145). The airport route was unpaved, but well maintained. The other way I don’t think I’d recommend unless you have high ground clearance and 4WD and the road is not muddy.

At the top of the road is a huge open area where you can pull up to this view. Some of the ground is more level than others. The road goes up from there to more spots, but the road stops being maintained and is very bumpy/rocky.

We also heard that there is a laundromat in the parking lot of the Telluride Brewing company down the hill. We didn’t utilize it, but that’s the kind of info I am so grateful to read in reviews.

38.005950927734375, -107.95989227294922

  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by The School for  Y., July 13, 2020
  • Review photo of Last Dollar Road by The School for  Y., July 13, 2020
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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the elevation of Last Dollar Road?

    Last Dollar Road is located at 10433 feet.

  • Is there cell phone reception at Last Dollar Road?

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