Best Tent Camping near Ault, CO
Looking for the best options for tent camping near Ault? The Dyrt helps you find campsites near Ault with tent camping. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Ault, Colorado's most popular destinations.
Looking for the best options for tent camping near Ault? The Dyrt helps you find campsites near Ault with tent camping. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Ault, Colorado's most popular destinations.
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.
The scenic 2,711-acre Horsetooth Mountain Open Space (consisting of Culver, Soderberg, and Hughey Open Spaces) covers elevations from 5,430 to 7,255 feet. Its 29 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails connect to the Blue Sky Trail and Lory State Park trails.
The outstanding Horsetooth Rock is a familiar local landmark visible from the plains. This open space is also known for Horsetooth Falls in the spring, and for tremendous Front Range views. Drinking water is available at the trailhead. Please carry enough for your hike or ride.
Horsetooth Mountain Open Space requires entrance permits, is open year round, and is located west of Horsetooth Reservoir, 4 miles from Fort Collins and 12 miles northwest of Loveland. Horsetooth Mountain Trailhead is open 24 hours a day; Soderberg Open Space Trailhead is open sunrise to sunset.
Camping is allowed in the backcountry only at designated sites and is prohibited in the parking lot. You must register using the backcountry logbook near the Horsetooth Mountain entrance. (First come, first served.) Check in with a ranger if you have any questions.
$10 / night
Longs Peak Campground is closed for the 2024 season. This campground opens in early July and closes each year in early September. Located about 20 minutes south of Estes Park on Hwy 7. This small, tents-only campground is located in a forested area that is 9,500 feet above sea level (3000 m). This campground has vault toilets and there is no water available. Campers must bring their own drinking water when camping at Longs Peak Campground.
Lory has six back country campsites. All six campsites are a minimum 1 hour hike from the nearest parking lot. All campsites are now available for reservations. Remember that Lory DOES NOT ALLOW CAMP FIRES, however camp stoves are okay. All campsites are primitive and you must pack in and out all necessary items, including water.
Camping at Lory State Park is in the back country only, meaning there are no campgrounds, car camping or RV camping available. These primitive sites can be accessed by at least a 2-mile, one-way hike. The back country sites are a good training ground for Scouts and other groups who want to train for longer backpacking and camping trips. There is no water, restrooms or tent pads at these sites and fires are prohibited. Small camp stoves are permitted. Call the park at (970) 493-1623 for back country camping information.
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.
The Cache la Poudre is Colorado's only nationally designated Wild and Scenic River. Starting high in the peaks of Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park along the Continental Divide, the river flows down a rocky canyon through the Roosevelt National Forest, dropping 7,000 feet in elevation along the way. Many recreational opportunities abound along and on the river, incluidng scenic drives, camping, picnicking, fishing, rafting, hiking, mountain biking and wildlife viewing opportunities.
Dispersed camping is prohibited within ¼ mile of either side of South St. Vrain Creek beginning at the Ceran St. Vrain trailhead and ending ¼ mile from the intersection of South St. Vrain Creek and National Forest System Road 252.1. MAP: https://trails.colorado.gov/trailheads/ceran-2341
The easy Ceran Saint Vrain Trail follows the South Saint Vrain Creek downstream for 1.9 miles. The trail ends at National Forest System Road 252, a rough four-wheel drive road. This road climbs 0.5 miles northwest to a four-way intersection from which it is a steep half-mile to the left up to Miller Rock. Miller Rock is a scenic high-point that offers 360-degree views.
Motorized vehicles prohibited. Dispersed camping is allowed at sites that are least 200 feet away from the trailhead, trail and creek. Campfires are permissible unless seasonal restrictions are in effect (contact district office). Fishing and hunting are allowed in accordance with regulations established by the Colorado Parks & Wildlife.
$1 / night
Great trip. Beautiful campground. Beautiful scenery
Great trip. Beautiful campground. Beautiful scenery
This place is a fantastic spot to lay your head! It is exactly as represented in the description. We did have a bit of noise from some very late arrivals that set up nearby, but it was otherwise an absolute joy to stay here. Any food your heart could desire is a short and easy drive away.
I stayed out here for a dove hunt, and it was nice enough. Typical state park setup. Nice big fire ring in the group sites. Bathrooms are functional though definitely a little dated. Kind of odd so close to a trailer park, but it was quiet during my stay.
-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
Staff were super friendly. The place did everything we needed for an overnight stay the drive in from RMNP was fantastic. Showers were clean(dated who cares, they worked. I’m not an instagrammer)
This is not a campsite this is mishawaka owned land. There is a campsite there for employees by the flags in the trees
Busy and right off highway
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.
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.
Loved the location inside Rocky. We were lucky to get two nights from cancellations and were happy even though we had 2 different sites so had to move. Our favorite was the B loop - small and quiet with very close restroom. We could hear the elk bugling and deer walked through often. The second night we were at the end of the C loop, site 42. Very large site next to the water spigot and right next to the walking path that goes a few miles towards Estes. Not a big deal, but after 3 days of hiking in the park, it was tiring to walk uphill to the restrooms and to the trash dumpster! Beautiful view of Deer Mountain and there is also a city open space at the end of the campground. Heard owls while walking here early in the morning. Hope to go back next year and stay in one spot!
We loved this campground for the stunning views, super clean bathrooms, and the easy access to hiking in RMNP. So many trails to choose from, either directly from the campground, or across the Bear Lake Road to the Park N Ride. Can't say enough about the views, especially if your site is in the open center area like ours was at C119. There are lots of sites with shade as well. Sites are pretty close together but since we did not take our pups (they can't go on the park trails) we didn't mind.
Very difficult to snag a reservation but daily persistence paid off and we got one night which was the last night of their season. So glad we did. Will try again for next year!
Sites are fairly close together strung out along the lake edge. In September, lake level is purposefully lowered about 20 feet from summer levels. None the less, you can still launch a canoe from your campsite or fish. Just need to walk down to water edge. Pit toilets. Water available. Flush heads at launch ramp (third of mile walk) and visitor center(about 2 miles) T-Mobile coverage nearly non existent with just sporadic 1 bar LTE. 5G at visitor center. Camp store across road. Fair amount of traffic on road, but not annoying.
Calm during week. Busy on weekend. Sites are level. Few tents. Some sites better than others for tent on grass. Electricity to help keep camper cool. T-Mobile 5G. Very good coverage. Free showers and clean restrooms make this a good place to hang out near Loveland. Bike path runs past camp. Lake launch ramp and swim beach in season. Playgrounds. Could use more shade.
Strenuous hike to Upper Chipmunk from Lawn Lake TH. Approximately 4.2 miles to the campsite. Water was not close. You will have to hike down to Ypsilon Lake then back up to the site. Overall, it was quiet no complaints but not my favorite site.
The road is still closed
3 nights starting Thursday after Labor Day. Was able to get the reservation 2 weeks ahead as it was released for use. Camping at this campground also gives you a time+ entry permit good for bear lake road. After 1 pm the first day and then anytime on following days. They have planted many new pine trees a few years ago to replace the ones destroyed years ago. Even then the shade in much of C loop is nonexistent. Thus a tarp is a good thing. Sites are reasonably well separated. In a few years as the new trees mature the privacy between sites will be good or very good. Restrooms were clean. Their time actuated lights makes the campground dark if no one is using the head. That is very good because star watching was excellent (near a new moon). Evening ranger program was held in the amphitheater each night. Hiking trail to sprague lake is about a mile with plenty of birds and other critters. We saw a weasel and a flock of turkeys. At sprague lake around 9 am the local moose goes wading to eat. And of course you are in the park, so you can drive to see elk, coyotes, pika, marmots and more. Great place. T-Mobile varied from 2 bars LTE or 2 bars 5G. Sufficient connectivity
Amazing campsite. Plenty of spots directly next to the river and beautiful views all around.
The fishing is excellent on this stretch of water as well.
Lots of room to spread out but some weird regulations. Like only 3.2% alcohol?
Beautiful views and a great spot of Bear Lake Rd.
Just stayed here as our Basecamp for our RMNP adventures. This has moved to the top of my list of favorite campsites! Some sites are smaller, but several are good size and spaces far enough apart for the perfect amount of privacy. The vault toilets were the cleanest we have ever seen! Basically no cell service unless the wind blew just right. Also, they do charge an additional $15 to use the dump station. That felt like a rip off considering what we already paid to stay here with no services, but wasn’t much we could do about it.
This campground has everything. Full hook up, shower, restrooms, a great playground and a fantastic river.
It’s a place I’ve camped so many times. Just beautiful and in the park so don’t deal with timed entry.
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.
Stayed here over a weekend and wanted to stay longer. Pulled our 33’ travel trailer and there were good spots off the road.
Clinging to the side of the mountain, each well appointed site fits the camper's needs, from basic tent pads up to full water and electric connections for RVs. Common bathroom, shower, dish and clothes washing facilities centrally located, clean and well maintained. Sites are spread out a bit if also a little small. Every day I had mule deer visiters. I would definitely stay here again.
Good spot. County was in a burn ban so no fires or charcoal grills allowed. Lake had some weird rules. You have to buy a county park pass when making reservation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Ault, CO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Ault, CO is Allenspark Dispersed Camping with a 4.7-star rating from 21 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Ault, CO?
TheDyrt.com has all 22 tent camping locations near Ault, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.