Looking for the best Avon dispersed camping? Here you'll find a diverse selection of places to camp, including remote dispersed camping to boondocking, and everything in-between. Search dispersed campsites you've visited before, or discover new spots and read camper reviews.
There are many dispersed camping opportunities on the forest ranging from backpacking to car-camping along designated Forest Roads. Visitors are encouraged to minimize resource impacts by utilizing established sites rather than creating new ones. Dispersed camping sites along Forest Roads are shown on Motor Vehicle Use Maps, which are available free of charge at ranger district offices. Visitors are permitted to drive vehicles up to 300 feet from designated routes for purposes of dispersed camping as long as no resource damage is incurred in the process. Dispersed camping within 100 feet of lakes, streams, and forest system trails is prohibited unless otherwise designated. Campers may stay for a maximum of 14 days. Some areas may have additional special restrictions. This dirt road begins at the paved Red Sandstone Road near Vail and ends at either Piney Lake or Hwy 131 north of Wolcott: This road gets heavy vehicle traffic and also a fair number of mountain bike riders, so please share the road. The climb is gradual and steady, and all but the very lowest of passenger cars can handle this relatively easy dirt road. The road winds its way up along Red Sandstone Creek and then Indian Creek with occasional views south over Vail Mountain, before reaching its high point near the trailhead for Lost Lake Trail. Here you can choose to head west toward Muddy Pass and Hwy 131, or head toward Piney Lake as your destination. Enjoy the peace and beauty here or take a hike up the Upper Piney River Trail, but remember that the lake is surrounded by the Eagles Nest Wilderness and is closed to bikes.
** Due to recent drought conditions, bear activity has been increasing. For this reason a "food storage order" is in effect at the Yeoman Park Campground, requiring all food and refuse to be stored in hard-sided vehicles or approved bear-resistant containers, or supended at least 10 feet clear of the ground at all points and four feet horizontally from any supporting tree or pole. This order has been issued to provide for public safety and wildlife conservation. Hopefully it will reduce wildlife habituation problems. ** At an elevation of 9,000 feet, Yeoman Park Campground is located on the edge of a wetland meadow near Brush Creek and is partly within a mature spruce forest. There are beautiful views of Craig peak (11,902 ft). Yeoman Park campground has 24 campsites with picnic tables, fire ring grills and 11 sites have tent platforms; 15 of the sites are within a forested area while the other 9 are in the open. Eighteen sites can accommodate RV's 15-30 feet long and 6 sites have room for vehicles longer than 30 ft. Part of the campground has been redesigned to accommodate visitors with disabilities. Two campsites, one on either side of the accessible vault toilets in Loop A, are equipped with a modified picnic table and a low fire grill. There is also a fishing platform on Brush Creek near the park entrance. Yeoman Park is a good place to view an extensive beaver colony. There are many opportunities to watch small mammals such as tree and ground squirrels and to see birds of prey like the red-tailed hawk. The Yeoman Park Discovery Trail (200 yards) is accessible to those who have disabilities. There are interpretive signs encouraging visitors to use their senses to experience the nature of Yeoman Park. The Lake Charles Trail #1899 (5.35 miles) begins near the Fulford Cave Campground and goes into the Holy Cross Wilderness. From this trail you can also connect with Ironedge Trail #1873. Fulford Cave Trail #1875, will take you to the entrance of Fulford Cave. A visit to the historic mining town of Fulford is just a few miles up Forest Road 418. Foundations of an old Civilian Conservation Corps camp built in the 1930's can be seen in the meadow northwest of the campground. View a printable Recreation Quicksheet (.pdf) for this campground.
$8 / night
There are 22 dispersed campsites for car camping along Lincoln Creek Road. High Clearance required and 4x4 recommended to access all campsites. All sites are first come first serve. No facilities such as toilets or water are available. Maximum 5 day stay limit.
There are many dispersed camping opportunities on the forest ranging from backpacking to car-camping along designated Forest Roads. Visitors are encouraged to minimize resource impacts by utilizing established sites rather than creating new ones. Dispersed camping sites along Forest Roads are shown on Motor Vehicle Use Maps, which are available free of charge at ranger district offices.
Visitors are permitted to drive vehicles up to 300 feet from designated routes for purposes of dispersed camping as long as no resource damage is incurred in the process. Dispersed camping within 100 feet of lakes, streams, and forest system trails is prohibited unless otherwise designated. Campers may stay for a maximum of 14 days. Some areas may have additional special restrictions.
Reduce Resource Damage
Avoid making new impacts. Whenever possible, use an existing campsite rather than creating a new one. Dispose of human waste, including toilet paper, carefully. Use self-contained waste disposal systems whenever possible. When unavailable, deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 – 8 inches deep and at least 200 feet from water, camp sites, and roads or trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished. Properly manage sanitation. Dispose of waste, gray water, sewage, and sewage treatment chemicals from self-contained toilets at authorized facilities provided for that purpose. Pack it in, pack it out. Do not leave behind any waste or litter. Leave no trace. Leave established sites in better condition than you found them. Leave new sites in as natural condition as you found them. Don’t move firewood. Moving firewood long distances can help spread harmful pests. Use only locally sourced or dead or downed firewood. Be bear aware. You are in bear country. Leave food, trash, and all items with fragrance (e.g., toothpaste, deodorant) in vehicle, bear-proof canisters, or suspended in bear bags. Do not eat in your tent. Visit the Colorado Division of Wildlife's web site for more information.
Accessibility is not guaranteed, always scout ahead before driving down dirt roads. Learn more: https://www.campendium.com/camping/boondocking-101/
Accessibility is not guaranteed, always scout ahead before driving down dirt roads. Learn more: https://www.campendium.com/camping/boondocking-101/
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
Traveler
This was a great camping spot. There are several campsites by the water and other campsites, not by the water. The campsites are kind of close together, but not terrible. I went early on a Friday and got a beautiful spot by the water. By the end of the day, all the sites around the water were full. So if that's important to you, be sure to get there early. There were still plenty of other gorgeous campsites, not by the water available all weekend. There are also hiking trails located here. One of which is called "Interlaken Trail." It's about a 5 mile hike total and takes you to a "Ghost Resort" called "Inter-Laken" that was abandoned around WW1. You can even go inside one of the buildings, and there are Historical Marker plaques that talk about the abandoned resort. The signal is great so I had cell service and data the entire time. Highly recommend!
Scout
I came on a Sunday afternoon before Columbus Day and there were plenty of spots open. Super close to town and stunning views.
Traveler
Multiple sites up here for camping. Trailer/RV friendly.
Scout
Not super busy! Lots of open spaces when we arrived around 6pm.
GuideI came in October when the aspens and birch still had some leaves .
Guide
Just one mile further up the road or so you will reach Destinated camp sites which I prefer.
Although I saw 5 camp cars parked on the side of the road (this is a Monday night) facing the cliff that night and like 2 the next morning when I left for work. I was jealous a little bit of their views
Scout
Definitely would advise 4x4, and not for travel trailers at all. Bringing one up could lead to a serious situation , since there are no places to turn around whatsoever. That said, views were absolutely breathtaking. We also lucked out and saw the northern lights while at site.
Traveler
My husband bought a new tent so we just wanted to find something kinda close to Denver but still beautiful for just a quick overnight trip. Our goal was Chinns lake but stupid Apple Maps took us here instead. It was still beautiful and there were a handful of spots still open for us. I wouldn’t recommend for a big group unless you get there early and claim the whole top but we really enjoyed it! The lake was low but still beautiful.
Traveler
We camped here after a Red Rocks show. The spot is a great area. About 20 minutes off of I-70. There are many pull offs along this road that could theoretically be good camp sites. However there are “no camping” signs, which is why I gave it 3 stars. Everything is great besides that: beautiful stars, good tent site, safe parking area.
The spot we chose is a bit farther down the road than the one listed here. It’s in between the bend in the road. We parked at the pull off and walked down a small hill to find a good tent site and a fire ring.
Also be aware it’s pretty chilly compared to just a few miles up the road. It was in the mid 30s at night.
Traveler
We had a blast with this spot, arrived late at night and woke up inside an aspen grove. There is a lot of hiking trails and some cool spots to visit down by the lakes.
Guide
The road has been closed and there is no longer access to this camp area.
Scout
Site 4 featured 3 well established campfire rings, one with a lean-to. The three spots are separated enough to enjoy with seclusion, also had plenty of parking. There are a number of easily accessible trails nearby. Surrounded by pines there weren't a lot of Aspens turning for the season visible from camp, but the hikes in the area led to some beautiful vistas and meadows that afforded opportunities to see seas of leaves turning. This site required AWD and good clearance to get to, but well worth it and offered a good out of the way camping experience and great star gazing opportunity as there was a new moon when we went, so saw plenty of shooting stars and the milky way!
Scout
We stayed one Saturday on Hoosier and we were able to find a spot. Not super private and lots of off leash dogs but beautiful walking trails!
Scout
Went out late on a Friday night. My timing was wrong to get a good spot, but I was hoping there would be at least one spot left, unfortunately all the established sites I could reach were taken! I couldn't get more than a few miles up the road, the first few were manageable in my Impreza but having a higher clearance vehicle is definitely ideal. I was able to find a spot to pitch my tent for the night, but it was far from level or smooth. Still, incredible views of the stars and absolutely gorgeous to see the Aspen leaves changing!
TravelerWe stayed on site 21, arrived around 5pm on a Thursday night and it was amazing! We were shocked the site was still available, a couple other sites also had great views but 21 was definitely impressive. We read the previous reviews which made it easy for us to find. Sunset was beautiful, it was quiet and peaceful, and the moon lit up the entire area. Each site had a stoned fire pit and there are marked site numbers. The road up was busy with people leaf peeping so drive carefully, as of Sept 19th aspens were bright yellow and leaves were changing beautifully.
Guide
We came here after failing to find a dispersed location closer to Silverthorne. It turned out to be a hidden gem with lots of secluded sites. Plus the drive in/out is super easy (apart from the final road to the campsite; that requires a 4WD vehicle, without question) - it was more-or-less the same drive time as original choice. Just without the hassle of navigating a busy one-way dirt road.
ScoutEasy to get to from metro Denver and it's super close to Silverthorne. Dispersed camping sites are still somewhat close together. We could definitely hear other campers around us talking and such. The road to get up was easy (we stayed in #9 - not sure about the ones farther up the road). I had to come in later as I had a work appointment, so I drove up in my Jetta to meet up with my husband. If my little Jetta can make it, almost any car can! Timing wise, we were up Sept 21 & 22 (2024) and the fall colors were GORGEOUS.
Scout
We loved this campsite — still open in late September and already had a fire ring waiting for us. There were lots of dispersed spots right off the road and it was quiet and peaceful!
GuideGreat campsite overall! You park and then walk to your site which is set back and surrounded by gorgeous trees. Lots of flat ground. It did get very chilly here, so beware! Also, lots of moisture in the air. The fire pit was fantastic!!
Scout
Great views and easy enough to get to with any vehicle. Near some foot trails and some offroading, but there were signs of homeless people that had been there all summer. Trash scattered in areas and some semi permanent camp setups that were kinda trashed. Trains pass at all hours of the day, so be ready for that. Beautiful area, though, and would go back even with the trash. No fires allowed, but definitely signs of fireworks..
TravelerThis campsite was gorgeous and fairly easy to get to. We drove a 2WD SUV with average clearance up and as long as you go slow and avoid the divots you’ll be fine. We got our campsite on a Friday morning, most/all campsites were gone by Saturday so it’s definitely a good idea to get there early. Our campsite was a short walk down the hill from the road and it did a good job and keeping our site private.
Scout
This dispersed camping area was extremely small but a convenient place to camp the night before summiting Sherman. It was a bit tricky to find/decipher what was dispersed and what was the intentional campground. Honestly not even sure if the place I found was the actual dispersed area. By other reviews left, it felt right to me. My friend and I car camped here, we had a quiet night. The neighbors were all very quiet and respectful of quiet hours and personal space. The vault toilet was extremely clean with no odor. I enjoyed the washboard road! During our time there were advisories for bear activity in the area.
Guide
My partner and I hiked the McCullough Gulch Waterfall trail and camped at this campground. Couldn’t have been a better location for the hike! No problem getting a site and the roads were fine to get to with our non-4wd rental car. There were a few sites (I’m assuming the ones with the valley view that we couldn’t access in our car though). Highly recommend overall though!
Scout
Went here on a Saturday in Sept after reading all the great reviews. Drove for miles and every site taken. There aren't many sites like people would make you think. Have these people been to the San Jaun Mountains - so much better. Had to drive home because just nothing available.
TravelerThe pulloff is one of many along the road. It's big, gets you quite far back from the road. Very little traffic on the road at night, I didn't notice any. Peaceful area. Not sure you could get a tent set up off of the pavement, but you could set one up on the gravel. I slept in my car.
Guide
Pretty good spot with ok views. Used starlink with no issues. Driver further up the road and found a good spot on the side of the road with a fire pit.
Camping near Avon, Colorado, offers a fantastic mix of stunning scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Avon, Colorado, has something for everyone, from families to RV enthusiasts. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Avon, CO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Avon, CO is Red Sandstone - Primitive Dispersed with a 4.4-star rating from 11 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Avon, CO?
TheDyrt.com has all 118 dispersed camping locations near Avon, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
