Best Campgrounds near Buena Vista, CO

Rlly nice and quiet at night but even in march expect other cars and dogs. People were getting stuck and having to push so use common sense in the snow

We arrived here on a Friday afternoon in late August 2024 and were pleasantly surprised to find several spots still available, even later in the day. While many of the campsites are quite small and located right along the roadside with limited parking, we were lucky to find a fantastic, more spacious spot. It had plenty of room for our truck, a large tent, and a canopy —perfect for spreading out and relaxing. 

One of the best parts was the privacy. Our site was far enough from the neighboring spots that we couldn’t see or hear other campers, making it feel peaceful and secluded. From our site, we could easily walk down to a peaceful little valley and open space.

The views were absolutely breathtaking, with sweeping mountain scenery that made every moment feel special. Being at a higher elevation, one person in our group did experience some mild altitude discomfort, even though we’re from the Denver area—something to keep in mind if you’re sensitive to elevation changes. 

Wildlife was another highlight—there were clear signs of moose activity nearby, and fellow campers just up the road mentioned seeing a moose wander around their site. It added a sense of adventure to the trip, and we’ll definitely be returning to this area again for another camping getaway.

Stayed here multiple times, and it has been great every time! Many, many sites as you continue down the road. Road is not perfect, but even with a low clearance vehicle, it's doable if you take it slow. Not a whole ton of foliage cover so you are kind of exposed to other campsites, but not a huge deal.

Very beautiful view of Mt. Elbert Forebay. Road is a bit rough in a couple of spots, but doable if you take your time, even with a small vehicle. Does fill up fairly quickly.

Very pretty area with well maintained road. Comfortable distance between campsites, yet still many to choose from! Convenient hiking just down the road as well.

Portal campground is a very secluded off the beaten path campground. There are number of designated camping spots on the way to the reservoir lake that include fire rings. The road is a high-clearance road that is fairly rutted out with tight turns and very small sections to pass people. I didn't see a single RV/trailer and most everyone was driving a 4Runner, Tacoma, or Jeep. 

Keep in mind that the campground at Portal is 10,500 feet so if you aren't used to the altitude or familiar with altitude sickness you'll want to do a little research before camping here as it's a long bumpy drive out. 

All this being said, Portal campground is a beautiful place to camp and has pit toilets available for use. We camped here in Early July and it was pretty busy but were able to snag a spot by the Lake. This is definitely worth the trip!

Coordinates: 38.702830,-106.160280

This dispersed camping area offers stunning mountain views, spacious sites perfect for large groups, and easy access to excellent hiking trails. The September weather was ideal—cool and crisp without being too cold. While the site feels fairly secluded, beware of grazing cows from local ranches that wander through; be sure to secure food and belongings you don’t want damaged. Dog owners should be mindful of cleanup, as cow and dog waste can be an issue. There are two porta-potties onsite that are cleaned weekly, but campers must pack out all their trash to maintain the area’s natural beauty. Overall, it’s a fantastic spot for those looking for a peaceful escape with plenty of room to spread out.

Originally quite nice, tent camping, clean area, nice sites, water available, bathrooms, and access to fishing. Weekends tend now to religious services... :( Been 4 times but now prefer less commercial/church interuptions. RV crud makes for noisy generators, bouncy houses, karaoke... :( Some people swim. Boating. Good perimeter trail, biking allowed.

Drove straight to the back, not many others camping. Can hear a few cars passing in the distance and not a ton of tree coverage but a great spot nonetheless

Great location with full hookups for RVs. The description mentions back-in sites only, and while our electric hookup was conveniently on the same side, we had to run our water and sewage lines underneath the RV since those hookups were on the opposite side—this seems to be the case for all sites. The campground is perfectly situated at the intersection of the Gunnison, Taylor, and East Rivers, making it ideal for fly fishing. They offer cabins, RV sites, and long-term housing options. There's a small store with basic items, beer, and merchandise, plus a fly shop in the same building. There's also a restaurant, though it was closed during our stay, and coin-operated laundry facilities. Overall, a great stay!

I stayed here for 1 night of car camping and will definitely go back. I only went about 4 miles in on the rocky/rutted road (vs the 5 miles that the directions say) and thought the sites were great. I stayed at a big site on the right with beautiful views and a fire ring. Aside from hearing some (maybe - not sure) coyotes at night, I wasn't aware of any other wildlife. I was in a 4Runner and my friend that I was with was driving a Highlander. As another poster commented, I saw a small sedan in one of the sites but wouldn't drive way out in anything but an SUV or truck. I have AT&T and had 2 bars of service.

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!

I came on a Sunday afternoon before Columbus Day and there were plenty of spots open. Super close to town and stunning views.

I came in October when the aspens and birch still had some leaves . Beautiful colors on bareus pass

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

The road up to the campground is pretty rough for the first 100 ft or so but then it gets a lot better. Quite a bit of space but no privacy. I would definitely not suggest for large rvs. I’m in a van and didn’t have much problems at all.

The FR611 is narrow and requires a high clearance vehicle. I had to go to 4LO multiple times. I went up Boreas Pass and turned down FR611 which made it down hill most the way. The spot it self is open enough for multiple vehicles had three old fire pits. Very pretty spot but no fall colors all pines in this valley.

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.