Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Aspen, CO

Silver Bell campground has stunning views and although the campsites are kind of small without an abundance of privacy, the view and the sound of the river really makes up for it. I’ve camped here twice, once in site 9 and once in site 10 and I’ve camped here in June and in September. I think the best campsites here are the walk-in tent sites and specifically sites 9, 10 and 11. The scenery is magnificent and it gets even better if you drive up the road and go for a hike at the lake. Reservations are not accepted and this is a major tourist destination so what I do when I want to camp here is I make reservations for a nearby campground(Difficult campground) and I stay there until a campsite becomes available at Silver Bell and then I let the host at Difficult know they can release my site because I’m moving to Silver Bell. Bear bins are provided in each campsite. If you come here in the fall, temperatures at night can be cold. A nice treat about camping near Aspen is getting take-out from one of the great restaurants in town.

The Gunnison KOA is in a beautiful setting with large trees that is about 75 yards from the river. The spaces are generously sized, although the camping sites could use power outlets. They are very kid and pet friendly; and have a dog park. There is a friendly donkey who roams the grounds, so make sure your 4 legged friends are okay around bigger animals. The bathrooms are clean and functional. The same could not be said for the dishwashing station that is outdoors. It is in horrible condition, including a dripping faucet. Also, be aware that you are very close to the river and there is a mosquito and moisture problem. Even with these minor problems, this is still a great place to stay.

Campsite nestled amongst aspen trees, moose regularly passed through, but all five minutes from Aspen. Sites are exactly as they look in the pictures providing seclusion with nice fire pits.

As with CO state campgrounds it is about the nature/privacy of the campsite so minimal additional features perfect for those that want to camp in the Colorado. Easy to incredible hiking and town.

We just finished a month-long camping trip and this was one of our favorite locations.

I spent one phenomenal afternoon and night here, it is just after you come down the mountain pass. The views were literally surreal! My dog and I spent some time down on the beach throwing the tennis ball and then the evening up on the mountain site.

Things to know: •Verizon has service there •There is a general store close but it was closed fairly early and I wouldn’t rely on that, make sure your cooler is full! •There are some vault toilets down the road 10 min near the general store. •Roughly an hour (20 miles) from Aspen. •Rough terrain but not for long, paved up to the sites then rocky as you pull off into your spot. •I saw small pull behinds there.

This was a stunning campground tucked away high up in the mountains on Independence pass. You take the turn to Lincoln Creek Campground, and instead of going into that campground, you drive 6 miles on a dirt road to get to Portal Campground. During your drive on the dirt road you will pass free dispersed campsites that are more secluded compared to a campground feel. Portal Campground is on a resevoir (very cold as its at about 10,000 feet).

From Aspen, Colorado travel eleven miles southeast on Highway 82 toward Independence Pass to Lincoln Creek Road. Turn right and travel seven miles south on Lincoln Creek Road.

CAUTION: high clearance vehicles recommended for Lincoln Creek Road.

WARNING: No vehicles over 35 feet long are allowed on Highway 82 to access this campground.

There are two vault toilets at this campground. You can camp literally feet away from the water if you get a good spot. Be aware of the weether moving in here as its at a high elevation. Also be aware of food storage etc. with wildlife.

All in all, this is a great campground that is somewhat hidden and well worth the travel. Bring the paddle boards!

Some spots close to the road but it gets quiet at night as Independence pass is not heavily trafficked after dark.  It is in a great location, close to Twin Lakes but also all the hiking up the pass.  All first come first serve.  Pets are allowed, we had our dog with us.

Easily one of my favorite places to camp in Colorado! It’s a must stay every year for me. Killer views, great hiking, beach days and a peaceful location.

Ashley here with The Dyrt. I want to extend a warm welcome to your host, Greg. Life on their ranch includes horseback riding, guided white water rafting, fly fishing excursions, zipline adventures, mountain biking, and as much down time as you need. This is the perfect experience for everyone from families to couples to solo travelers. This is a working ranch, so no pets please. Book your stay today and leave a review here!

This area is beautiful with access to Halfmoon Creek and tucked away under groves of pines. It’s just over a half-hour drive from Leadville so if you ran out of supplies or just want a better breakfast than oatmeal with boiled water, you’re in luck. There’s designated fire rings and many of the campsites can fit multiple cars if you decided carpooling wasn’t an option. When I camp here again, I will definitely be looking for campsites that are away from the road a bit more. There’s a few that are down a modest hill closer to the creek. The reason for this is this area is super popular for hikers climbing Mt. Massive and Mt. Elbert. (The tallest and second tallest peaks in Colorado) You will experiences cars driving through late at night and even super early in the morning to get to the trailheads. I’m talking starting at 3:00am…I know because my tent was blasted with headlights from numerous cars rolling through. Be aware if you bring kids or pets as well because some cars do not drive through at a respectful speed. Overall it’s a great place to camp, especially if you need a quick weekend getaway.

Gore Creek Campground is a true gem of the National Forest Service. If you are looking for a great boondocking location that is close to great trails and breathtaking views, this just might be the place for you. The entrance to the campground is ~2 miles off of I-70 Exit 180 on Bighorn Road. Only 10 minutes from Vail Village and 25 minutes from Frisco.

We stayed in Site #8, which provided plenty of room for our 22’ travel trailer and pickup. The sites each have a large picnic table and fire ring.

Pit toilets are spread through the campground and were very clean and well maintained. The campground hosts do a great job of keeping everything tidy and looking great. They also have bundles of firewood for sale for $7 at their site just inside the entrance to the campground.

I can’t say enough about this place. It’s probably my favorite spot to camp in Colorado. I almost didn’t post this review for fear of the secret getting out.

Gateway is a great headquarters for Aspen, to Glenwood Springs and Marble. FHU, friendly hosts, right on the bike path and next to the Roaring Fork River. It is not a destination campground, it is a the best place to park and explore the best of Colorado.

To be fair, I didn't choose this camp ground for any other reason than I was backpacking the Colorado Trail and wanted to be able to meet up with my family some place close to the trail. This suited my needs perfectly. I was able to walk into camp for my second night on Segment 8 and that was fabulous. The history of the valley is fascinating and my family would love to come back and explore some more. The campground sites seem best suited for RV's, however we managed just fine in our tent. We had no shade in our spot (#13), so any time at camp was spent mainly under our canopy. This was the case for many of the other sites, but we did note a few sites that were well shaded. The views from our site were spectacular!
I feel the biggest drawback of this campsite is its proximity to Hwy 24. The traffic noise is very noticiable and loud at times. It did quiet down quite a bit at night and I didn't notice it much at all. Usually we like to be a bit more removed from the human population when we go camping, but again, I has other reasons for choosing this campground. There is no water, but we made sure we brought plenty. There is a river nearby if you need non-drinking water. The sites were spacious and clean. The vault toilets were immaculate. The host was nice and had a cat! I really recommend this spot for history buffs. We want to come back and do more exploring and maybe do a ATV tour of the area. So yeah, just an average campground...nothing really wrong with it, just not as remote as we usually like and it is nice to have access to potable water.