Searching for a place to camp with your dog near Buena Vista? Find the best information on pet-friendly camping near Buena Vista, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your RVing experience. Each pet-friendly spot offers quick access to one or more of Buena Vista's most popular destinations.
Part of Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
$28 / night
Cascade Campground is located in beautiful Chaffee County,__Colorado. This popular facility sits near Cascade Falls and is within 5 miles of a private hot springs resort, making it an ideal location for rest and relaxation. "First come, first served" does not necessarily mean that the site will be available when you get there. Someone may get there before you. This is a popular campground and is normally full starting on Friday, sometimes as early as Thursday, so plan accordingly.
Stream fishing is best above Cascade Falls, just accross the road from the campground. Nearby Chalk Lake is heralded as a great family fishing lake with rainbow, brook and brown trout. Plenty of off-road vehicle trails are a short distance away.__Recommended rides include Mount Antero, Baldwin Lake, Tincup Pass, Hancock Pass, Pomeroy Lakes, Hancock Lakes. Hiking in the area includes the Colorado Trail, The Narrow Gauge trail and the Cascade Loop Trail (Across from Chalk Lake Campground)
The campground is situated in a dense forest of Douglas fir and aspen at an elevation of 9,000 feet in Chalk Creek Canyon, which gets its name from the soft, white, chalk-like kaolinite canyon walls. Kaolinite is a clay mineral that was deposited by percolating hot springs. Chalk Creek is just across the road from the campground. It flows 27 miles eastward from the Collegiate Peaks before joining the Arkansas River. Chalk Lake is a mile east of the campground.
For facility specific information, please call (661) 702-1420.
Take a day trip to the historic ghost town of St. Elmo, just 15 minutes from the campground. An old saloon, county courthouse and many other historic structures remain from the days of its mining glory. The city of Salida and Town of Buena Vista are only a short drive away where visitors can enjoy distinctive restaurants, unique shops, incredible art galleries and a large selection of antique shops. The area boasts more than 100 miles of Arkansas River to raft, fish, float or kayak in. as well as fifteen 14,000 ft mountains. Visitors choose from recreational activities like hiking, biking, ATVing, kayaking, rafting, fishing, horseback riding, zipping, swimming
Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee. A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite. Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. No-Shows A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite. Refunds Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended. Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay. For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive. In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.
$25 / night
Picturesque White Star Campground lies at the foot of Mt. Elbert, Colorado's highest peak, among fragrant ponderosa pines. The campground provides convenient access to Twin Lakes Reservoir for plenty of water recreation opportunities. It also works as a base camp for hikers and mountain bikers who love to explore nearby trails such the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail and the Mount Elbert Trail.
The Continental Divide Trail, which runs from Canada to Mexico, passes by the White Star Campground. The hiking trail is open to mountain bikes in the section from Halfmoon Road South to Twin Lakes. About 300 miles of the trail is within Colorado's borders. Twin Lakes are Colorado's largest natural glacial lakes, and sailing and water skiing are among the popular activities there. Fishing includes lake, rainbow and Mackinaw trout.
The campground, at an elevation of 9,200 feet, sits on the north side of the Twin Lakes Reservoir near the base of Mount Elbert. The Twin Lakes Reservoir spans 2,805 acres and Mount Elbert stands tall at 14,433 feet. Nearby is the Mount Massive Wilderness area, a stretch of 30,540 acres that encompass Mount Massive, Colorado's second highest peak at 14,421 feet. Much of the wilderness is above timberline with many alpine plant communities and permanent snowfields.
Drive on the Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway to Independence Pass, one of the highest paved passes in Colorado. Or continue over the pass for a day trip to the town of Aspen, a well-known ski resort town.
Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee. A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite. Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. No-Shows A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite. Refunds Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended. Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay. For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive. In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.
$28 / night
Located just outside of downtown Buena Vista, BV Overlook offers a variety of nightly accommodations with an amazing view of the Collegiate Peaks. We welcome you to stay with us in your RV or van, enjoy tent camping, or cozy up in one of our tiny homes, cabins, or glamping accommodations. All accommodations include access to the bathhouses, community fire pits, recreation room, laundry, outdoor games and Wi-Fi. We look forward to hosting you.
$40 - $180 / night
Collegiate Peaks Campground is located 11 miles west of Buena Vista, Colorado, along Middle Cottonwood Creek near the top of Cottonwood Pass. The campground offers well-spaced campsites and scenic views of the surrounding mountains. Visitors enjoy fishing and exploring local trails. A commercial hot springs inn and spa is located about 5 miles east of the campground. "First come, first served" does not necessarily mean that the site will be available when you get there. Someone may get there before you. This is a popular campground and is normally full starting on Friday, sometimes as early as Thursday, so plan accordingly.
Hiking and fishing are among the most popular activities. The Denny Creek Trailhead is less than a mile away and it take hikers through Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area to destinations such as Kroenke Lake and Mt. Yale. The Ptarmigan Lake Trailhead is less than 3 miles from the campground and boasts views of vivid wildflowers. Middle Cottonwood Creek is small but fairly well-stocked with brook trout. Determined anglers can often pull rainbow and cutthroat trout from the beaver ponds west of the campground.
The campground sits at an elevation of 9,800 feet, tucked in a dense stand of mixed conifers__and aspen. Some sites sit alongside the creek while others are tucked back in the woods. Afternoon thunderstorms are common during summer months.
For facility specific information, please call (661) 702-1420.
Cottonwood Pass is a high mountain pass across the Continental Divide in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains. The road reaches the divide at an elevation of 12,126 feet. The Collegiate Peaks Wilderness offers challenging trails and prime backcountry fishing lakes. The Town of Buena Vista is only a short drive away where visitors can enjoy distinctive restaurants, unique shops, incredible art galleries and a large selection of antique shops. The area boasts more than 100 miles of Arkansas River to raft, fish, float or kayak in, as well as fifteen 14,000 ft mountains. Visitors can choose from recreational activities like hiking, biking, ATV/UTV riding, kayaking, rafting, fishing, horseback riding, zipping and swimming.
Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee. A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite. Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. No-Shows A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite. Refunds Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended. Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay. For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive. In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.
$25 / night
Ranger
Nestled just outside of Aspen, Portal Campground offers a serene and scenic retreat in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. With its proximity to the Roaring Fork River and sweeping views of surrounding peaks, it’s a perfect spot for campers seeking both tranquility and adventure.
The campground features well-maintained sites surrounded by towering trees and lush greenery, providing ample shade and privacy. Each site comes with a picnic table, fire ring, and nearby vault toilets, making it a comfortable, rustic camping experience. The sound of the river nearby adds to the peaceful atmosphere.
Portal Campground is an excellent base for exploring the Aspen area, with plenty of hiking, fishing, and wildlife watching opportunities. The famous Maroon Bells are just a short drive away, and there are several trails nearby offering breathtaking views and alpine scenery.
Ranger
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.
Traveler
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.
Traveler
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
Traveler
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!
Traveler
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.
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.
GuideI came in October when the aspens and birch still had some leaves . Beautiful colors on bareus pass
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
Legend
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.
Guide
The host, Margaret and her husband and few others working very hard to maintains this campsite.
Shower room have heat and hot water, environments are so peacefully and pretty, shops are close by, hot springs, rafting, nearby, my favorites is cottonwood lake!
TravelerThe 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.
TravelerWe 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!
Guide
Great location for area activities, nice pretty green grass for dogs, bathroom and showers are clean but definitely need an over haul. Positive and negatives are livestock are cute walking around, down sides are poop paddies every where gets annoying.
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.
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 were charged $170 for a site in the middle of a gravel parking lot. It included dinner, breakfast and use of the hot springs. The WiFi didn’t reach us, but worked in the buffet style cafeteria-like dining area. Way overpriced for the experience!
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!
TravelerHard to find a spot. Even in shoulder season. Was busy 3 weeks ago too. Nearly no privacy. Nice view, but hardly worth it.
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!!
Guide
Went with the family and had a great time. We got a site because of a cancellation and, unfortunately it was next to the bathroom. Didn't bother us though. It was our first trip using our new popup and it was def a learning experience. That all being said we were able to hit up Mount Princeton hot springs AND visit the St. Elmo ghost town. By the end of the trip the kids were begging to go back asap.
Guide
We had a great time. Our family and another reserved two sites next to each other. The pools on site were perfect for the kids. On site mini golf was a blast. The views in the campground were awesome. Aside from the aforementioned, there was a small store on site with ice and wood (can't bring your own wood) and the food they served at the mess hall was fire.
Traveler
This is the go to place in this area. Just past Oh Be Joyful campground, there are a few miles of posted sites, fist come first serve.
If you're looking for a great getaway with your furry friend, Buena Vista, Colorado, offers several pet-friendly camping options that cater to both you and your pet's needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Buena Vista, CO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Buena Vista, CO is Turtle Rock Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 35 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Buena Vista, CO?
TheDyrt.com has all 262 dog-friendly camping locations near Buena Vista, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
