481 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Dispersed sites and developed campgrounds spread across the South Platte River corridor here, with Bailey sitting squarely in the middle of Pike National Forest access roads that feed a lot of weekend traffic from Denver. The Dyrt check-ins for this stretch run heaviest from May through September, and reviewers consistently flag the river-adjacent sites as the fastest to fill on Friday afternoons.
Bailey's dispersed camping spots cover the free national forest sites for those willing to trade services for no reservation requirement. Road conditions on the less-traveled forest tracks vary, and some require high clearance after wet weather. Deckers and Buffalo Creek to the south have additional dispersed and developed options if Bailey-area sites are gone.
"The lake is quiet, there is plenty to explore, and it's usually not crowded. I will note that this location is maybe 20 minutes outside Bailey though...."
"Well-kept lake campground with lakefront sites available. You must book 3 months in advance and they can fill up quickly."
from $40 - $120 / night
Check Availability"We stayed here a couple weekends in a row and we were able to try out some different spots and trails close to those spots. This free campground is perfect! "
"There's several creeks that run through the area and a network of trails that intersect the Colorado Trail and the road. The area is popular with mountain bikers."
"Each of them have a parking area right along the road with a fire ring a short distance away surrounded by awesome rock outcroppings."
"A large number of established roadside dispersed camping spots to choose from. All spots have metal fire rings, so campfires are allowed even with Stage 1 fire restrictions in place."
"The easy access to the trail around the lake, the spread out sites, the clean bathhouse and laundry room, the sunset over the mountains, the location close to town, and they don’t have any breed restrictions"
"Chatfield State Park is a great mixture of access to the outdoors with availability of many of the benefits of a metro area close by."
from $36 - $200 / night
Check Availability"We headed out to get to the backroad of Buffalo Creek through Bailey and found this spot."
"Welcoming campground, spur trails connecting it straight to the Colorado Trail and other connections in the Buffalo Creek Recreation Area."
from $28 / night
Check Availability"Peaceful and nice walking/hiking all around."
"Nice area for Starlink and solar and dog walks. It’s a burn site."
"This site is just north of Bailey, about 20 minutes. Beautiful views. Sites are far enough apart to get a decent amount of privacy. RV trailer friendly. The creek provides a tranquil environment."
"You can hear the water and the creek is right next to your site. Bathrooms were very well maintained. You are close to your neighbors. I just wish they had a dumpster for your trash."
from $28 / night
Check Availability"The pit, very clean are at base, and there is a porta-potty by site 14, far enough away from 14 to not be a problem."
"We brought out the bike and did some trails to find the perfect spot and since we went in the middle of the week we had our choice of spot."
from $28 / night
Check Availability"Spruce Grove Campground is a beautiful location approximately 2 hours Southwest of Denver."
"This is a very popular spot for families with easy access to the South Platte for tubing and swimming, but not ideal for fisherman as many people playing in the river."
from $24 / night
Check Availability"Kirby Gulch is a fantastic spot for anyone seeking a peaceful, off-the-grid camping experience near Grant, Colorado."
"We were able to get a site further back from the entrance, so traffic was to a minimum."
ScoutNice area with lots of spots, and a few that will work for a camper van. Gravel road that’s well maintained on the way up. Some road traffic but not too bad. No major views, but peaceful and easy to get to!
RangerBathrooms were very nice and clean. Lots of sites with minimal privacy. Pretty packed and noisy in October. Our site had electrical hookups and its own water. Picnic tables and fire rings available as well. Looks like a very family friendly campground. Stayed one night.
ScoutLake Wellington is a beautiful family and dog friendly campground just about 90 minutes from Denver. There are 75 sites, and even when it's pretty full they are decently spaced out that you don't feel too on top of other guests. We brought our dogs and a group of friends and had a great few nights, even seeing Bald Eagles mating!
ScoutNot the nicest but the owners have helped me out a lot.
ScoutI want to start on a positive because that is the type of person I am, and because this review is going to have a lot of negative. This park is a great location for sightseeing, especially if you are going to Pikes Peak by way of the Cog or shopping in Manitou. My GM and I worked hard to make the park as great as we could with the very little funding that we got. As seen in the reviews we had excellent customer service and had high standards for keeping the park clean. I was very good at my job and I loved doing the work until the new owners took over. When the park was sold, we had high hopes that the new owners would be good people and want to put real work into the park. We were very disappointed that they turned out to be money grubbing horrible people. Ken, one of the owners, treats people and his business very Trump like. He and his wife must state that they are religious more than a few times when having a conversation; I personally think this is to make themselves look good to cover the toxicity that truly lies under the surface. When they meet people, they put on a façade and lie and say whatever they think people want to hear to get what they want; proven to me by the broken verbal promises they made to me. They are not community driven; they are money driven; you can make money and still be good people, but they chose not to be. They practice wage theft just like big corporations by over working employees and under paying them; in their words“you must wear all hats”. They are the type of people that use others until they don’t need them then throw them away like garbage. I was bullied into quitting on a phone call where Ken was very disrespectful and unprofessional with me. The phone call was me trying to explain that I could no longer do the FB post due to our deferent ethical viewpoints, and he would not let me talk by saying“you are not doing your job, are you going to quit” repeatedly. I found out that I was not allowed to post about Manitou Pride parade because he said,“it is not family friendly, and the company and I do not promote the LGBTQ+ community”. I am a proud member of that community and so I should not be the one to post on FB for the company. The groundman quit a day later because of disrespect and broken verbal promises. Then a few days later my boyfriend was fired and then Sheryl the GM was fired.(I believe they were fired for retaliation) Ken only wants employees that are easy to exploit or controlled, because he is incapable of managing people without fear and bullying. He boasted that he is called the grim reaper in business, but I don’t think that is the flex he thinks it is. But yes, he was the destruction of the community we put so much work into. I also want to voice my disappointment in Dana, who Sheryl worked hard getting to be allowed to come back as an employee. Dana did great work her first summer with us, so it was a shock to see her true colors show when she started to brown nose Ken. She spread multiple rumors, I feel the worst one was about Melinda’s daughter and the things she wrote about in her diary. I also did not like how she used David, the guy that does the golfcart tours in Manitou, was nice to his face then talked so badly about him when he was not around. I truly think Jesue and her father would be ashamed of her for how she acted to get her new position.
TravelerSo beautiful, dispersed camping at 11,200 feet surrounded by mountains. Area is busy with day hikers, go past the parking lot and set up at one of the handful of spots. Definitely for small rigs or tents, don’t come up here with a non 4x4 vehicle, and trailers would be close to impossible.
TravelerIf you are going to camp at a lakefront spot definitely have something you can sit in else you will be attacked by flies. Super quiet during the week - got busy over the weekend.
GuideI was pulling a camper and couldn't make it to the higher up spots. the spots near the entrance are littered with gross trash. I cleaned my area but there's too much . Hiking around has beautiful views.
GuideTakes you to a private road. After walking around probably someone parking towards the back pinned the location Follow the coordinates on the other Gordon Gulch and its easy to find
Pike National Forest surrounding Bailey, Colorado contains numerous dispersed camping opportunities at elevations between 7,000-9,000 feet. Nights remain cool even in summer, often dropping into the 30s at higher elevations. The area features a mix of forested campsites with creek access and open mountain sites with rock formations that create natural boundaries between camping spaces.
Kayaking and paddleboarding: Castle Mountain Recreation Area at Wellington Lake offers non-motorized water recreation. "Great for paddleboarding (rentals available), kayaking, canoeing & kid's floats," notes Heather L. The lake has restrictions that enhance the paddling experience: "No motors allowed on lake," which creates a peaceful environment for water activities.
Mountain biking: Buffalo Creek Recreation Area serves as an excellent base for cyclists. "Great camping spot, esp. if you like mountain biking... Not whistler in terms of terrain but plenty of trails for various ability levels," explains andrew B. The area has become popular with the biking community as Sierra T. confirms: "Welcoming campground, spur trails connecting it straight to the Colorado Trail and other connections in the Buffalo Creek Recreation Area."
Hiking: Several connecting trails around Bailey link to the Colorado Trail system. "The trail is well maintained as is the campground and sites," reports Amanda M. about Kenosha Pass Campground. For serious hikers, "the trailhead for section 6 of the Colorado Trail is right next to the campgrounds," adds Steve C.
Creek access: The sound of running water enhances many campsites near Bailey. At Green Mountain Campground, "we had 4 adults, 2 tents, and a pup on #2, walked our gear across an adorable bridge making the whole experience seem like a fairy tale," shares Stefan. The creek provides natural cooling: "The creek wasn't too high and was perfect for us to relax with our feet in," adds Hayley K.
Rock formations: Unique geological features surround many campsites. "The surrounding area is filled with hiking and biking trails, including the Colorado Trail," notes Hayley K. about Buffalo Creek Campground. At Spruce Grove Campground, "You are on the river, nestled amongst gorgeous boulders, easy to get in and out of even with a large travel trailer," Aaron M. explains.
Privacy between sites: Many dispersed camping areas offer good separation between neighbors. "The sites are pretty far apart from each other. Depending where you camp you can hear the water from the stream," explains Alexandra M. about Deer Creek Campground. At Redskin Creek Road, "Sites are spaced well apart, some sites are covered in trees while others are wide open," according to David H.
Fire restrictions: Fire bans are common during dry periods. "Currently they don't have day-use open, so there's plenty of space at the lake to set-up and spend the day playing with the kids," notes Heather L. about Castle Mountain Recreation Area during COVID restrictions. Always verify current fire status before your trip.
Road conditions: Many sites require planning for rough roads. "The road is a bit of a washboard, but that is nothing compared to most of the forest roads in Colorado," says Rebecca L. about Redskin Creek Rd. Some areas have improved access: "Finally, a nice campsite on a road that isn't horrible. There are 30+ designated, numbered, dispersed campsites on this road."
Crowding factors: Sites fill quickly, especially during summer weekends. "Beautiful spot with easy access to lots of trails and Wellington lake. Only downside is that it is very difficult to find a spot on a weekend," warns Keiko F. about Buffalo Creek Recreation Area. Similar patterns occur at most free sites near Bailey.
Water availability: Not all campgrounds provide drinking water. "According to the camp hosts the Government didn't approve for them to be turned on this year... I tried to turn on but no water came out," reports Amber M. about Buffalo Campground. Always bring adequate water supplies when camping near Bailey.
Kid-friendly water access: Spruce Grove Campground provides excellent opportunities for children to enjoy water safely. "This is a very popular spot for families with easy access to the South Platte for tubing and swimming," notes Amanda M. The variety of water depths accommodates different ages: "There are calm, protected shallows along the creek for supervised play as well," adds Jennie R.
Wildlife education: Turn animal sightings into learning opportunities. "The only critters we saw around were Magpies. They were 'worming' their way through the grounds and had breakfast with us each morning," shares Hayley K. at Buffalo Campground. Teaching children about proper food storage is essential as "there are black bears in the area."
Group site selection: For family gatherings, look for specific site configurations. "There is a big loop with a field in the middle for larger parties," notes Hayley K. about Spruce Grove Campground. Sites on outer loops often provide better family experiences: "The outer circle sites are better and some like 11 even have cool rock boulders to camp by," suggests Laria S.
Leveling challenges: Finding flat parking at dispersed sites requires preparation. At Redskin Creek Road, "The parking areas tend to be very unlevel and there are only a few that you can pull right up to your campsite. #6 had a level spot large enough for my van," notes Rebecca L. Site research before arrival helps avoid difficulties.
Site size considerations: Chatfield State Park Campground offers more developed options for larger vehicles. "Great layout and facilities. This is one of our favorite spots to stay when visiting Denver area. Great for biking and all kinds of water sports. Laundry facility on each loop sites are spread out giving plenty of room between sites," reports Rick.
Campground access: Many roads leading to dispersed sites present challenges. "The road to get up here is a pretty rough and I would say that RVs and small cars might have a hard time but it is doable," explains Hayley K. about Green Mountain Campground. Buffalo Campground offers easier access with "sites for RV's, tent, or van stay."
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dispersed camping allowed in the Bailey, Colorado area?
Yes, dispersed camping is allowed in several areas near Bailey, Colorado. The Pike National Forest surrounding Bailey offers numerous dispersed camping opportunities. Gordon Gulch Dispersed Area features both numbered sites and additional unnumbered sites further down Forest Road 233.1, some with exceptional views. Fall River Reservoir Dispersed Camping Trail is another option, though it requires 4x4 vehicles to navigate rocks and water crossings. Dispersed campers should follow Leave No Trace principles, camp at least 100 feet from water sources, use existing fire rings, and check for seasonal fire restrictions before visiting.
Where are the best campgrounds near Bailey, Colorado?
The Bailey area offers several excellent campgrounds within a short drive. Handcart Campground is a hidden gem with 11 first-come, first-served sites ($22/night) featuring beautiful river access and scenic views. Just north of Bailey, Deer Creek provides tranquil sites with enough spacing for privacy, trail access, and is RV-friendly. Other notable options include Horseshoe Campground with its smaller, tree-covered sites ideal for tent camping, and Buffalo Campground in nearby Buffalo Creek Recreation Area. For a lakeside experience, Castle Mountain Recreation Area at Wellington Lake offers a peaceful setting about 20 minutes from Bailey.
What amenities are available at Bailey campgrounds?
Bailey area campgrounds offer varying levels of amenities. Horseshoe Campground provides access to beautiful hiking trails that connect to Fourmile campground, with sites nestled among trees. Colorado Campground near Woodland Park (a short drive from Bailey) offers proximity to Manitou Lake and central access to the Pikes Peak wilderness trails while remaining close to town conveniences. Most established campgrounds near Bailey typically provide vault toilets, fire rings, and picnic tables. Some have potable water available seasonally. Amenities at dispersed sites are minimal to non-existent, so campers should bring their own water, pack out trash, and be prepared for primitive conditions.
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