Ault is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Ault, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
$25 / night
"This would be a perfect first backpacking trip for beginners! Once you park, you sign in to the backpacking log to the right of the main entrance by the kiosk. The sites are first come first serve."
"Great sunrises and away from traffic noise tho you may have to deal with a little bit of noise from the hiking trail but other than that horse tooth has 3 back country sites that are perfect. highly recommend"
$18 / night
"We did a quick overnight backpacking trip to one of the backcountry sites at the top of the Timber trail. It’s a beautiful meadow with wildflowers in the summer."
"We did a quick overnight backpacking trip to one of the backcountry sites at the top of the Timber trail. It’s a beautiful meadow with wildflowers in the summer."
$35 / night
"Best place to camp in Estes Park/Northern Colorado! Wooded sites mean privacy from your neighbors and shade during the day. Vault toilets are very clean, well kept."
"Very conveniently located, only a short drive into Estes Park. Lots of trails for hiking and biking in the park. Each campsite had a bear box, picnic table, and fire ring."
"Our spot was near the creek, the sound was beautiful. The only downside was absolutely no cell service."
"Fire ban was in effect when we went, but lots of fire circles available otherwise. Bring bug spray, the flies are bold."
"The camp sites near the top of Longs Peak in the Boulderfield are worth the long hike (6 miles up steep terrain)."
"Amazing hikes and plenty of wildlife. The spaces are small but accommodate an RV or a single tent. Bear boxes and toilets close to everything."
"Clear skies at night, but tree cover if you prefer. Quick drive to Estes Park. No Verizon cell service."
"Awesome scenic drive, great spacious spot. But only for one party. If someone else is there, you're outta luck. Fire road is gated off so no other options."
$1 / night
"My son and I joined a friend from Longmont and headed to this trail to camp for a couple days."
"We went here with our 2 dogs for a quick overnighter-only about 45 minutes outside of Boulder. It was a Sunday morning and the lot was almost full when we got there around 9am."
TravelerThis Rocky Mountain National Park campground is fantastic. I tent camped with my husband for 3 nights in Loop B. We saw tents and all sizes of campers many with families. Our tent site included a nice tent pad, picnic table, fire ring, and a shared bear box. The fire ban had been lifted and we could buy fire wood each evening-and ice cream! Clean bathrooms with flush toilets. This campground is very close to a number of trails. We hiked the Sprague Lake Trail. It’s 2 miles round trip and pretty easy. Breathtaking views. If you don’t hike, you can drive all the way to the Trail Ridge gift shop and cafe at the top. This park fills up quickly-amost 3 million visitors a year-so plan to get started early. We love RMNP. We will be back this fall!
LegendThis campground is in the middle of Rocky Mountain NP. Our site was in loop D. The sites are a little packed but give you enough space to spread out. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring with a shared bear box. The tent pads are level as d have plenty of shade. The bath rooms have no showers and are a little dated but adequate for a national park. It is centrally locates to bear lake and Estes Park. We will be back.
LegendStatus: Open year round
Reserve mid spring through September 877-444-6777 or recreation.gov
weekend reservations recommended
70 sites including 10 walk-in tent 30 sites year round $24.00 tent sites $32.00 electric $64.00 double sites
Vault toilets, water during season ,tent sites have bear boxes, picnic table, fire ring/grill, trash no sewer or water hookups The campground has beautiful Ponderosa Pines but the Pine beetle is beginning to take its toil.
The back loop closes early fall. all sites have electric except the tent sites. There are 5 double sites. The campground can accept various size rigs. The day use area with a boat ramp and pit toilet with a nice size parking lot. There were a lot of people fishing from the shore. The lake is beautiful with small islands and rock formations. The road to and in the campground is gravel and rather dusty. Potholes
Directions: Drive 21 miles north of Fort Collins on US Highway 287. Turn left (west) onto the Red Feather Lakes Road (County 74E) and travel approximately 22 miles. Turn right (north) and travel another mile to signed campground entrance on the right.
LNT
Better than when you found it
Stay safe Happy travels
ScoutThis campground is beautifully designed. The spaces are slightly spread out and staggered to offer more privacy than others in the area. Lots of trees and big rocks to add to the privacy. Very clean facility, with easy access to bathrooms, water and bear boxes. We were very pleased with the quality of the tent space and table. (Technically we tent camped at a site for an RV, but it still has a level tent spot). It was one of the best in the area we have camped at. Also walking distance to a shuttle that will take you to nearby touristy trailheads (like Bear Lake). Only disappointing thing is the full fire ban currently in effect- so no campfire.
RangerAspenglen is located just inside the Fall River Entrance Station. Once you have entered the park it is the first left that takes you down to the Aspenglen campground. There are a few more trees in this area, so you are more likely to find shade. There are some sites that are specifically for tents and others that accommodate small to medium RV's. There are no hookups for electricity or water and cellphone service is mostly non-existent. The sites are spaced more widely apart than at Glacier Basin. There are bear boxes to store your food, fire rings, and tables. Three loops, and some walk-in sites compose the layout. There was a host at the campground. They did sell firewood near the check-in post.
LegendI had the fortune of being invited along on a backpacking trip this past weekend in Rocky Mountain National Park. I say fortune in particular because obtaining Wilderness Permits for popular backpacking destinations can be difficult during the high season of tourism at RMNP. Thankfully, my friend had reserved this permit months in advanced so we were all set for our adventure!
To get to this campsite, backpackers typically park at the Lawn Lake Trail Head and hike the beautiful Ypsilon Lake trail. The site is located 4.2 miles from the trailhead just past Chipmunk Lake. The hike is moderately strenuous in my opinion, and is made more difficult with a full backpack of course. The approach to the site is all uphill (2100 feet of elevation gain) but that makes the hike out quite easy as your tired legs will be going downhill the entire way! From the campsite, the hike to Ypsilon Lake isn’t far and makes for a great additional day hike once you’ve set up camp. We also pushed on to the higher Spectacle Lakes, which is a very strenuous hike which requires some scrambling and route finding but 100% worth it. From the top there are amazing views of Long’s Peak, Estes Park and the Spectacle Lakes themselves which have the most magnificently glacial blue water.
About the campsites-
There are two designated sites, we stay at the one on the right. At the site there is a designated space for tents which is relatively flat and free of rocks. There is plenty of shade from the dense surrounding pines. No fires are allowed at this site so a camp stove is necessary for cooking. Bear canisters are required and leave no trace ethics should be strictly followed. I was surprised to find that this site also had access to a privy. The privy itself was decently clean and signs indicated that no toilet paper should be thrown into it, although this rule was clearly not being followed as there was a good bit of trash in the toilet. Overall, the site itself was spotless and free of any trash. The views from the site were limited by the trees, but the nearby scenic lakes offer plenty of panoramic views. This is a great backcountry camp site and a fun backpacking trip overall. I would highly recommend this trip for anyone that enjoys the solitude of backpacking and has the time to obtain the necessary permits!
For more info, check out this site specific informational PDF: https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/upload/019-Upper-Chipmunk-2017-2.pdf
TravelerCampsites were nice sized, large food storage cabinets and the comfort station was new and cleaned well. Rangers were very helpful and happily answered questions for our kids. No electric at the campsites and no showers-par for the course at a National Park. Had a great stay
TravelerThis would be a perfect first backpacking trip for beginners! Once you park, you sign in to the backpacking log to the right of the main entrance by the kiosk. The sites are first come first serve. From the parking lot, it’s only about a mile and a half. The site is off the main trail and is secluded enough so you don’t see hikers or bikers. It has a nice view of Horsetooth Reservoir and you are surrounded by the trees/rocks. There isn’t much shade coverage though. This site would be a perfect base for exploring Horsetooth rock/Horsetooth falls! There’s a wooden table about 50 yards from where you set up your tent so no need to bring chairs. There isn’t a water source close by so you’ll have to pack all your water. Also leave no trace and pack all your trash when you leave!
LegendGlacier basin is one of our favorite campgrounds in RMNP. Our June 2019 site was in loop b. The site didn’t have any shade but it had spectacular views all around. The site was level and had a picnic table, fire ring and a bear box. The campground is close to sprague lake and an easy walk to the park and ride to bear lake. The bathrooms were clean but had no showers.
Tent camping near Ault, Colorado offers a variety of scenic spots perfect for outdoor enthusiasts looking to immerse themselves in nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Ault, CO is Backcountry Campground — Horsetooth Mountain Open Space with a 5-star rating from 3 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 21 tent camping locations near Ault, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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