Searching for a dispersed campsite near Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG? Dispersed camping means that no facilities or amenities are provided, so that you can truly disconnect and get back to nature. Search dispersed campsites you've visited before, or discover new spots and read camper reviews.
Free camping (dispersed) is allowed on most national forest lands except in highly developed areas - such as trailheads, campgrounds and picnic sites - and in some of our most visited places. Be sure to check for regulations in advance and look for signs in the area to indicate if camping is allowed.
Some areas allow camping in designated sites only.
Know Before You Go
Check the weather and road closures before heading up. Follow Leave No Trace principles. There are no facilities or trash receptacles. Pack out what you pack in. Make sure camping is allowed. Many lands within the national forest boundary are private or otherwise owned. Check that you’re on National Forest lands: maps. Don't stay too long. Camping is limited to 14 days within any continuous 30-day period at any location within the same 20-mile radius. See Order Plan on building a campfire? Campfire restrictions can occur any time of year. Check for fire restrictions and if you build a campfire, know how to extinguish it.
With a few exceptions, dispersed camping is allowed on National Forest System lands. Restrictions protect resources, minimize road damage, and reduce conflicts between landowners and visitors. Camping is limited to 14 consecutive days in one location. After 14 days, the campsite must be moved a minimum of three miles. Camping can then continue for another 14 days. Camping is restricted to 28 days in any 60-day period. Some areas may require the use of designated campsites, and some areas, such as Indian Peaks Wilderness, require camping permits. More than 40% of lands within Boulder Ranger District's boundaries are private property. It is your responsibility to know if you are on private or public land.
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 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.
Free camping (dispersed) is allowed on most national forest lands except in highly developed areas - such as trailheads, campgrounds and picnic sites - and in some of our most visited places. Be sure to check for regulations in advance and look for signs in the area to indicate if camping is allowed.
Some areas allow camping in designated sites only.
Know Before You Go
Check the weather and road closures before heading up. Follow Leave No Trace principles. There are no facilities or trash receptacles. Pack out what you pack in. Make sure camping is allowed. Many lands within the national forest boundary are private or otherwise owned. Check that you’re on National Forest lands: maps. Don't stay too long. Camping is limited to 14 days within any continuous 30-day period at any location within the same 20-mile radius. See Order Plan on building a campfire? Campfire restrictions can occur any time of year. Check for fire restrictions and if you build a campfire, know how to extinguish it.
Located on the southern end of the Medicine Bow Mountain Range in north central Colorado, Rawah Wilderness was designated by the Wilderness Act of 1964 and now contains 73,868 acres. "Rawah" is a Native American term meaning "wild place."
Elevations in the Rawah Wilderness range from 8,400 to 13,000 feet. The high peaks were carved by glaciers, resulting in spectacular cirque lakes and moraines. There are twenty-five named lakes, ranging in size from five to 39 acres. This high alpine area contains the headwaters of the McIntyre, Rawah, and Fall Creeks, as well as the Laramie River.
The Rawahs are host to mammals such as elk, moose, mule deer, black bear, bighorn sheep, marmot and beaver. There are many species of birds including the red-tailed hawk, white-tailed ptarmigan, golden eagle, raven, Steller's Jay and a variety of warblers. Lakes and streams are inhabited with lake, cutthroat, rainbow and brown trout. Graylings are also found in this area.
The Rawah Wilderness is very popular with summer backpackers, hikers and anglers. It is also popular with hunters in the fall. To encounter the fewest people, plan your trip for mid-week and use less popular trails.
Always use Leave No Trace techniques to help keep this area wild, clean and pristine.
Motorized equipment, or mechanized transportation is prohibited, including motorcycles, chain saws, bicycles or carts. Wheelchairs are exempt. Group size is limited to 12 people and/or livestock combined. Camping and campfires are prohibited within 200’ feet of all lakes, streams and trails to protect water quality, sensitive vegetation and to help assure solitude. Thin soils and mountain vegetation are easily damaged by fire and fires scar rocks and soil. Use a stove, a fire pan or an existing fire ring when and where fires are allowed. Campfires are prohibited in the alpine areas above 10,800 feet. Campfires consume scarce vegetation and leave permanent scars on the fragile soils of the area. Pets must be on a handheld leash at all times if hiking. Equestrian riders can have dogs under voice control.
Comanche Peak Wilderness, named for its prominent 12,702 foot peak, was added to the National Wilderness Preservation System by the United States Congress in 1980. Elevations within the Comanche Peak Wilderness range from 8,000 to 12,702 feet.
Located within the Roosevelt National Forest, this 66,791 acre wilderness area features lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine and spruce-fir forests below expanses of alpine tundra. Many scenic trails provide access to the area that borders the north and east sides of Rocky Mountain National Park.
Camping and campfires are prohibited within 200’ feet (or more if posted) of all lakes, streams and trails to protect water quality, sensitive vegetation and to help assure solitude. Thin soils and mountain vegetation are easily damaged by fire and fires scar rocks and soil. Use a stove, a fire pan or an existing fire ring when and where fires are allowed.
Guide
Stayed 5 days here (stat limit 16 days). Close to Summit Rest Area (potable water March-October, flush toilets), Laramie for restocks, and the Vedauwoo Recreation Area. So much free camping here, only downsides are wind, & road noise. Absolutely beautiful views of the valley. Would stay again 100%
Traveler
Bumpy ride up, but we were able to do it in our car SLOWLY. Absolutely beautiful place. Lots of campsite options. I was under the impression fires were allowed, as there were fire pits, but signs everywhere stating no campfires. Columbine Lake is a pretty hefty hike from the trailhead, but so worth the view. Had the entire place to ourselves pretty much all Friday. Beautiful beautiful beautiful
Guide
The place fills up on the weekend. I drove through most of the trail system and did not find a spot. Came back during the week and took a closer spot so as not to risk it. Trash is everywhere. Multiple poop spots are within 100ft of the fire pit with copious amounts of used tp lying around. Trees are slashed, cut, and the forest is not doing well. There are multiple long term campsites here so watch out for squatters. I stayed near the start and then a bit deeper, which prompted me to take photos. I forget the site numbers but honestly it’s not looking good in most places. At the very back are what look like a few nicer spots because they are hard to get to with a non off-road vehicle. It breaks my heart how this campground exists.
Guide
Couldn’t find any spots over the weekend. Drove through the whole campground. There is an absurd amount of trash everywhere, especially at closer campsites. There are multiple ‘long term’ campsites by the looks of the trash, gear, and supplies left out. The forest is not in good shape either.
Came back mid week and stayed at site #4 because it was close and I did not want to roll the dice on not securing a spot again.
Keeping it brief: -I thought someone had been through my campsite when I was sleeping due to things moved -I might have met the squatter at the site. Couldn’t be sure, but determined there were red flags after talking to the guy and did not want to stick around to find out -so much trash it breaks my heart
The county needs to do something about this campsite and the similar one North of Ned.
TravelerGreat location with single tracks for hiking and mountain biking. Camping spots are well-marked. WiFi was decent. The sad part was the trash left behind from former encampments in some of the camping spots.
Guide
Two beat up, broken down cars at the entrance. Road is very rough, full of potholes from the start. Did not feel comfortable staying here.
Guide
Beautiful, but really need a compact 4x4 to get into and out of parking lot and there are tent sites only. We almost didn’t make it out with our 24 ft van (checked it out but didn’t stay overnight). Very crowded on a Saturday at 4:30pm.
Guide
This spot was really easy to get to and had at least one bar of service for Verizon and T Mobile. The spot was nice and secluded, but there was some trash left behind from previous campers:(
Traveler
-Moderate to heavy foot traffic -Busy, mostly big groups staying at sites having their own fun but plan ahead for finding a site -Friendly and respectful people -Very well maintained sites, trails, signage, and other infrastructure -I’d recommend at least AWD but 2wd should absolutely be able to go on the main road and access most sites (2-4) wil require awd/4wd
GuidePlenty of spots available. But land and trees are decimated from fire in 2020. But hey it’s a free spot to sleep
TravelerWe camped a very short walk from the parking lot. Amazing camp site with not many people around.
Scout
Overall a very fun spot if you have a vehicle with some ground clearance to get to the nice sites by the reservoir. My Peak Edition Atlas handled it well. Only complaint is the damn project at Gross reservoir is a 24 hour site and the lights are ridiculously bright.
Scout
I went up Pole Hill road in a 2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD off-road and it took everything in me to not scrape or bottom out. Lifted 4x4 is highly recommended.
Once you get past the off-road portion, the camping is amazing.
ScoutI have lived in the Boulder/Nederland area for over 30 years and have always enjoyed this part of the state. The West Magnolia area has great potential for dispersed camping. My wife and I tried to camp here this past week after not having camped at this location for many years. As others noted, it could make for a convenient base camp for tons of activities in the area.
Unfortunately, we were unable to find any usable campsite. All sites were occupied, even during the middle of the week. Many of those sites were occupied by long term campers as made clear by the multiple tents and bags of trash piled up. A couple primo sites had been abandoned by long term campers who left their trash, broken tents and chairs, food containers and other refuse in the campsites. It was really creepy coming upon these sites. Sadly, West Magnolia has become an extreme heavy use/abuse area. As someone who has spent years in the outdoors for days and weeks at a time, I would even question the health and safety of staying in some of these heavily used sites due to obvious lack of care and stewardship (think human waste close to camp). If you decide to camp here, and can find a suitable site, please be mindful of keeping yourself and gear away from potential health hazards.
West Magnolia is still a nice place to hike and bike, but I cannot recommend it for overnight camping.
Scout
We parked in the parking lot and walked into the valley. After a while we found quite a lot of options with fireplaces already there. So you should mostly find something.
It is quiet, but also a popular spot for hikers so early in the morning, some people arrived. But you can camp far enough in the valley and away from the trail. Water is available if you have a purifier or filter system.
ScoutGreat campsite, enough room for 2 maybe 3 vehicles at campsite 21. Road is not too rough, would recommend 4wd if raining or snowing. There are some deep holes when coming in if raining. We did air down due to the rain and snow while we were there.
Traveler
No one around
ScoutThere is no discernible reason that the road is closed 2 miles before where this app says the site is. Internet search says it should be open til middle of November unless there is some weather or other issue. Lovely weather, locked gate.
Scout
There are tons of options along the shore of the lake in this area. We kayaked into our campsite from Sunset Point campground on Labor day weekend and didn't have any issues finding a spot. There was lots of boat activity during the day but it slowed down in the evening.
Traveler
Stayed here 2024/09/11. Easy access, well marked and well separated dispersed campsites. Good views. Only downside was distant traffic noise from I-80. Would stay here again.
Scout
The road is still closed
Scout
It can get a little windy, don't expect to do anything with the lake other than look at it. Locals are protective of it. Drove my Class C with no problem. A truck and trailer will also get down here with ease. I don't believe a Class A would be able to find anything. But the view is beautiful. There are a few spots coming in. Keep driving until you hit the lake and there is a large open area with several spots to park.
Guide
Found a nice big spot with sun and shade and a great overlook. Was a touch concerned that it would get ATV trafficy over the weekend as it was at a junction where 3 roads jet off. However upon inspection on mountain bike, they all dead end and aren't very long, so fun for a little bike ride but not much of an ATV or dirt bike adventure.
Being towards the end we saw very few people and it was quite and serene. We did it in our sprinter camper van with 2WD and pickup.
Only issue we had was due to the nature of disbursed camping not the site or area. A car with 3 men showed up Saturday evening. In the morning one of their dogs wandered over to our site (my husband had run into town so I was alone). Owner meandered over and retrieved her, without a word. Later the 3 of them started walking up one of the roads, them one walked across and just with the dog on the rock outcropping technically on our site. He eventually went back to their site. A while later one of the walkers returned and decided to use his metal detector on the road 30 from our site and right behind where I was sitting. There was oddles of space to explore so it was creepy that's he chose to be that close to me. As I got up to walk back to my van, the second dog came running at me barking. The guy eventually called it back and it left me alone, but again not a word.
I LOVE dogs, but I'm not a fan of their humans who don't keep them within their boundaries and let them charge after "the neighbors"
Except for the creepers, it was a wonderful place
Scout
We showed up at night and it was very quiet, no problem finding a spot to camp. However, during the day the gnats, bugs, and ants were everywhere. Literally crawled up our boots and bodies. Great place to over night, but terrible place to hang out during the day unless you have a bug net.
TravelerThis was our first time dispersed camping and it was definitely an adventure. There wasn’t a single person alive around us and we were hidden in trees so it was a little scary at first but once all the stars came out, it was so beautiful. The lows reached 40° so it definitely got chilly at night, but you can’t beat that sunrise over the mountains.
Guide
You really want a 4x4 in this area to get to good spots. It’s crowded and can be sketchy in my experience as a fire fighter up there. Bike riders take offense to people shooting and vice versa. Can be loud at night and day with motorized vehicles.
Guide
Stayed here over a weekend and wanted to stay longer. Pulled our 33’ travel trailer and there were good spots off the road.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland in Colorado. This area offers a variety of stunning landscapes and secluded spots for outdoor enthusiasts looking to escape the hustle and bustle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG is Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest Dispersed Camping with a 4.2-star rating from 13 reviews.
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