Lizard Head Pass Dispersed Camping

Great spot that is convenient to the road, set up well with a few fire pits already. Convenient access to Telluride. Pretty bare bones though, but that’s to be expected in a dispersed spot.

Nice area at the hwy summit. Great views, good solar and StarLink works great. No cell signal up here. Free dispersed, access road is a bit rough and the camping area has been defined (and reduced) by large boulders so folks have to camp closer then they may be used to for dispersed camping. Most spots are out in full sun but one site at top has tree cover. No toilets (except across the hwy at the summit TH parking and also a dumpster at TH!), However there is NO water, but scenery of surrounding peaks is awesome. Some hwy noise but goes away at night. Note the drop off from the hwy to the gravel access road will give some pause but just go slow if you are pulling a TT. Note there are more sites down the FS #626 gravel road around Trout Lake but most are side pull offs close to the road. Once you venture down #626 with a TT you are likely committed to drive the loop all way around Trout Lake to get back to HWY #145.

This dispersed camping site could be improved greatly with some basic improvements. The "road" is very potholed and rock-strewn. There are not a lot of flat sites. It's basically an area next to a highway that has been cleared of trees. The weeds are about 12 inches high.

There is no toilet at this site, although there is a pit toilet across the highway at a trailhead, within sight. Walking over there isn't a direct shot as the road to the highway, and then the road to the toilet, wander back and forth. Still, it is there and that's better than nothing.

We spoke with some fellow campers that had previously camped there years ago. They said that it wasn't as nice now and the authorities have severely reduced the available area for camping through the placement of large boulders that define the perimeter.

Keep in mind that the altitude is above 10,000 ft here. All three of us had headaches and sleeping was therefore not great. It was fairly quiet at night until the highway traffic picked up at dawn.

In summary, it will do fine in a pinch if you can't find something elsewhere.

Convenient location to stay overnight near Telluride. Close to the road, but also close to a vault toilet across the road at lizard head pass trailhead. Nice views and plenty of room to spread out from other overnighters.

When you first pull in you will see several dispersed sites up and to your right. These are nice, but they fill up quickly. Instead, take a left onto Galloping Goose Trailhead road and pick one of the sites that back up to trees and have gray Mountain View’s. Be careful though as further down the road it becomes private property with no camping. Also, watch for winds if you want a fire. This is dispersed, so no toilet (tho there is one across the highway at the entrance) and no picnic tables. Fire rings made of stacked rocks mark sites. Also, be bear aware and keep your food inside your locked car.

I'm sure I will get a bunch of laughs for considering the fact I could camp around Telluride in March.. after hours of driving I get to the location and there's 2-3 ft of snow everywhere and people are riding on their snow machines.

This entire area is quite beautiful and stunning, especially with the snow capped peaks. I would definitely like to return again in the future.

I wouldn't consider camping here unless you like camping in 2-3 feet of snow. It would probably melt by end of May and beginning of June.

Nice simple site. Road is a touch rough watch dropping off the pavement with an RV. I have Verizon and didn’t have service. Bathrooms a crossed 145 at the lizard head trailhead. Not much level ground so bring things to get creative. Picture is from the top of the ridge a crossed the street looking down.

Nice spot off the road to boondock, with great views both directions. We pulled in on a Thursday afternoon and didn’t have any problems finding a good spot (make sure you have your levelers packed!) But it did get VERY crowded on Friday night. Lots of tent campers as well. We drove down “Galloping Goose” road/trail (turn off to the left after you turn into the Lizard Head Pass camping area) on the way to hike to Lake Hope (highly recommend!) and there were some great pull offs on this road as well. Some will accommodate a trailer, but I wouldn’t recommend pulling anything really large back there.

Lodging isn’t always easy to find in the Telluride area especially if you find yourself passing through as we were but this is an absolutely amazing free camp spot 11 miles out of town. If you want a no frills but off the grid easy in and easy out spot fine for a tent or a trailer this place is an amazing option. Beautiful views at 10k+ feet. Fires are allowed in the fire rings as long as you stay at a previously disturbed spot you are good. There are toilets across the road at the trailhead. The road in is a bit rough but if you’ve got a high clearance vehicle you should be fine. If your pulling a trailer this is perfect. The night views are stellar. Like I said, this is a no frills spot but we loved it. I’ll probably stop here again if I’m in this area and thankful it is available and free. Had a great night here. Check it out

This is a great dispersed camping option near Telluride. It’s an open grass area surrounded by trees and views of the mountains. There are no designated sites but there are a few fire rings and it is pretty easy to see where others have camped in the past. Access is right off the highway with a bit of a lumpy road but you really don’t notice the highway noise. There were tents, motor homes, trailers, etc. It can accommodate some small groups of tents but really only solo or maybe groups of two RV’s due to the changes in the elevation. There was a 40’ 5th wheel, a bike packer, and everything in between. There are a few tucked away sites if you are lucky enough to get one otherwise you will be more in the open but the views are still amazing. The trail head to Lizard head pass is across the highway and there is a vault toilet and dumpster there. Your only 20ish minutes to Telluride so it’s a great option if you plan to spend some time there.