Best Campgrounds near Collbran, CO

The Grand Mesa area near Collbran, Colorado provides diverse camping options ranging from established campgrounds to dispersed sites across high-elevation terrain. Vega State Park offers multiple campgrounds including Pioneer, Aspen Grove, and Early Settlers, with amenities for tent campers, RVs, and cabin users. The surrounding Grand Mesa National Forest contains additional primitive camping areas like Cottonwood Lake and Crag Crest, situated among forests and alpine lakes at elevations exceeding 8,000 feet.

Road conditions vary significantly by location and season, with many forest roads requiring high-clearance vehicles. "We had difficult in our smaller car going up the hill to more dispersed spots," noted one visitor about Cottonwood Lake. Most campgrounds in the region operate seasonally from late May through September or early October due to snow at higher elevations. Vega State Park campgrounds typically open in mid-May while remote forest sites often remain inaccessible until June. Temperatures can drop significantly at night even during summer months, with visitors reporting overnight temperatures as low as 31 degrees in early June at higher elevations.

Waterfront camping represents a significant draw throughout the region, particularly at Vega Reservoir and the numerous small lakes across Grand Mesa. Sites near water tend to fill quickly, especially on summer weekends. A camper at Pioneer Campground described their experience: "Most sites were nicely shaded to provide privacy, but the one we stayed in had a beautiful view of the lake." Campgrounds vary in size and development level, from the larger, more developed sites at Vega State Park with electric hookups and showers to primitive areas with vault toilets or no facilities. Wildlife encounters are common, with visitors reporting deer sightings at multiple campgrounds. Bug protection is advisable, particularly in early summer when a visitor noted "mosquitoes are pretty rampant in June-July" at Pioneer Campground.

Best Camping Sites Near Collbran, Colorado (161)

    1. Island Acres Section Camping — James M. Robb Colorado River State Park

    40 Reviews
    Grand Junction, CO
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 464-0548

    $26 - $41 / night

    "Great walking path along the river for evening or morning stroll. Tucked in the canyon, surrounded by cliffs."

    "Add $9 daily for Colorado State parks. Full hookups (near I70/some road noise), and Electric only, and, Tent Pit long-drop toilets (fly haven)

    Lovely park on banks of Colorado river."

    2. Palisade Basecamp RV Resort

    27 Reviews
    Palisade, CO
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 462-9712

    $43 - $137 / night

    "Located on the Colorado River. Winery’s & Distillery’s close by. Clean restrooms & laundry, a general store with just about everything you might have forgotten."

    "Super clean and close to endless Colorado adventures!"

    3. Pyramid Rock Camp

    15 Reviews
    De Beque, CO
    17 miles

    "It is a designated OHV area so no worries about people stopping you from ripping around and exploring."

    "Nothing extreme or crazy with this site, you get privacy, open space and 360 views of the surrounding scenery and free range cows. Road relatively easy to pass through"

    4. Jumbo Campground

    10 Reviews
    Mesa Lakes, CO
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 268-5579

    $26 - $72 / night

    "They’re positioned a little close together for my liking but, the immediate access to two beautiful lakes, endless hiking and mountain biking trails more than made up for the close proximity to other campers"

    "This is a beautiful small hosted Forest Service campground just off Colorado Hwy 65 (Grand Mesa National Scenic and Historic Byway) in the Grand Mesa National Forest https://bit.ly/3iywM8z."

    5. Twin Lake Dispersed Area - Grand Valley Rd

    9 Reviews
    Cedaredge, CO
    14 miles
    Website

    "You can camp at a designated campground right on the lake, or you drive up 24 and find a lot of dispersed camping available - all the way up to the little lakes (great for fishing too)."

    "While it's easy in the Chaffee County and Arkansas River area to get your dosage of mountain beauty and river time, Twin Lake gives you the opportunity to combine STELLAR mountain views and the calm of"

    6. Pioneer Campground — Vega State Park

    4 Reviews
    Collbran, CO
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 487-3407

    $15 / night

    "The cabins are HA and have nice sidewalk paths from the parking lot. Inside a mini fridge, coffee maker, and a microwave are provided."

    "We used a walk-in tent site. The trail for the sites was clear, clean, and the sites were the same. Bathroom was clean and did not smell at all, water from the spigot was clean and cool."

    7. Ward Lake Campground

    7 Reviews
    Mesa Lakes, CO
    14 miles
    Website

    "Campground Review: We stayed at Ward Lake on Colorado's Grand Mesa. Ward Lake sits at about 10,000 feet. So, depending on time of year, it can get a little chilly."

    "A very nice camp ground for tent campers, very few people, beautiful scenes and within a very short distance of good hiking."

    8. Cottonwood Lake Campground

    5 Reviews
    Mesa Lakes, CO
    12 miles
    Website

    "A lush forest surrounding beautiful Cottonwood lakes 1 &4 great fishing access good for kayak / small boats ."

    "We found we had privacy and still had great hiking spots near by. May need a car that has AWD if you’re going up the hill to more dispersed spots as we had difficult in our smaller car."

    9. Aspen Grove Campground — Vega State Park

    4 Reviews
    Collbran, CO
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 487-3407

    $20 / night

    "Well Managed, well patrolled set of camp sites around one of the largest lakes in western Colorado. Our site was 209 which was a pull-in site with fire ring and picnic table."

    "The lake is really pretty and lots of fish were pulled out. Each person made their bag limit on trout. The sites were spacious. It's a bigger campground but there were tons of wildlife."

    10. Little Bear Campground

    7 Reviews
    Mesa Lakes, CO
    14 miles
    Website

    "We went searching for a free camping spot near Gunnison and got horribly stuck in mud on roads that were too awful for our car, even with 4wheel drive."

    "I pulled up early on a Friday morning and managed to snag a spot pretty close to the lake. Fantastic view and right next to the walking trails."

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Recent Reviews near Collbran, CO

874 Reviews of 161 Collbran Campgrounds


  • Michael S.
    Oct. 8, 2025

    BLM Cottonwood Grove Campground

    Cottonwood Campground

    The road here is a bit rough but it is manageable for most vehicles its just sections that are rocky, the campsite is awesome you get some signal a bathroom lots of trails on the road and there's a river right beside you. Also firepits and not busy at all. There is no water hookup but thats fine

  • j
    Oct. 4, 2025

    Island Acres Section Camping — James M. Robb Colorado River State Park

    Loud

    This is a beautiful location right on the Colorado river. My girlfriend and I decided it would be a beautiful place to camp and we were only 20 feet from the river. There was a beautiful cliff on the other side of the river. There was a beautiful cliff behind us. Unfortunately, we discovered that we were about 100 feet from a railroad track on the other side of the river. Trains went by all night every half hour or so. On the back side was I-70. Semi trucks went by all night long. In the middle of the night we had jets flying directly overhead. Being as we were between two cliffs, we were sleeping in a giant echo chamber. It was, without a doubt, the loudest campground I have ever been in. If you want a good night’s sleep, I would suggest you find a campsite elsewhere.

  • Donnie B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 27, 2025

    Lands End Camp

    LONG views from the edge of the mesa

    Only 2 spots out here at lands end that are actually on the edge of the mesa. No tree cover out on the edge of the mesa. Alt is around 10.5k so won't get super hot. Glow of the city lights from below at night is pretty. During the daytime in clear weather, you have 100+ mile views.

  • wayne H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 26, 2025

    Lost Lake Campground

    Spread out sites amongst the woods

    We love staying here. The campsites were well laid out among the woods. The hiking trails are amazing. The views of the mountain ranges though are a bit limited based upon the location. We are here in late September and it was full but we were lucky enough to get a space after a couple people left

  • J
    Sep. 25, 2025

    Saddlehorn Campground — Colorado National Monument

    Gem on the Mesa

    Beautiful campground in the Colorado National Monument. Sunrise vistas over the Grand Valley. No water hookups or electric but clean, flush toilet bathrooms, water spigots around the campground. Bring levelers! Sites are not level.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 22, 2025

    BLM Camping off 139

    It’s ok

    This works for an overnight place to pull off and sleep. There are at least a dozen deer carcasses throughout the camping area and bones everywhere. Trash has been dumped in the ravine. Lots of flies.

  • Chris C.
    Sep. 19, 2025

    Four Mile Road Dispersed

    Big Areas, Long Access Road

    Four Mile Park is in the White River National Park, accessible by AWD/4WD/RVs with easy off-road access using County Road (CR) 300.  It is a big place with many open spaces and turnouts (I went over Labor Day weekend).  

    The Dyrt's coordinates did not work for me, so I'm posting a photo of the Long/Lat I took 5.6 miles off the main paved road at the entry signpost.

    The road is long, so plan to stay without fresh water, utilities, etc. There was a brackish creek this time of year which could be filtered, treated and boiled with some work.

    My campsite was remote and safe for me to do some target practice with my pistol.  (Coordinates for my campsite, 13 miles on the CR are: 39.404077970907224, -107.35463653617066).

  • Chris C.
    Sep. 19, 2025

    Harvey Gap BLM Dispersed

    Quick Access, Great View

    This is an elevated, dispersed site with a great view of Grass Valley Reservoir, located in the Harvey Gap State Park. Partial shade with privacy on most sides, the east side has a rural residence.  Take Forest Road (FR) 8126 to the site located very close to Harvey Gap Road (0.3 mile). The FR road is dirt, 4-WD, fairly narrow (no turnaround).  There is a good campfire ring and space for more than 1 vehicle (see photos).


Guide to Collbran

Camping near Collbran, Colorado, offers a mix of stunning landscapes and outdoor adventures. Whether you're looking to pitch a tent or park your RV, there are plenty of options to explore.

What to do:

  • Hiking: There are numerous trails around the area. For instance, at the South Rim Campground — Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, you can enjoy a one-mile hike to the visitor center along the rim. One reviewer mentioned, "Great location for exploring the park. Just a mile from the visitors center."

  • Star Gazing: The dark skies in places like the Black Canyon Dispersed Camping make it perfect for star gazing. A camper noted, "This is a dark sky area for those interested in star gazing/photography."

  • Fishing and Boating: At Rifle Gap State Park Campground, you can enjoy fishing and boating. One visitor shared, "This campground is great for a family site. Has a lake to swim/boat in as well as plenty of hiking trails around."

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained restrooms and showers. A review for Saddlehorn Campground — Colorado National Monument highlighted, "Restrooms were very clean. Recycle and garbage close by."
  • Scenic Views: Many campgrounds offer breathtaking views. One camper at Palisade Basecamp RV Resort said, "The location is good since it’s by the wineries and the Colorado river."
  • Friendly Hosts: Campground hosts often receive praise for their hospitality. A visitor at Amis Acres Campground mentioned, "Super friendly hosts and no problem finding a spot without reservation."

What you should know:

Tips for camping with families:

  • Bring Shade: Many campgrounds have limited shade. A reviewer at Saddlehorn Campground advised, "Bring a shade tent or shelter!"
  • Plan for Activities: Look for campgrounds with nearby activities. One family at Rifle Gap State Park Campground enjoyed, "Great views regardless of site."
  • Pack Mosquito Repellent: Some areas can get buggy in summer. A camper at Bogan Flats Campground warned, "Bring mosquito repellent in summer!"

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Sizes: Make sure your RV fits the site. A review for Palisade Basecamp RV Resort mentioned, "The Van sites have almost no space to put out an awning."
  • Be Prepared for Rough Roads: Some campgrounds have rough access roads. A visitor at Black Canyon Dispersed Camping noted, "The road was a little gutted out but the Corolla made it through no problem."
  • Look for Full Hookups: If you need full hookups, check campground features. A camper at Grand Junction KOA appreciated, "Well maintained facilities. Great for kids."

Camping near Collbran, Colorado, offers a variety of experiences, from serene nature to family-friendly activities. Whether you're in an RV or tent, there's something for everyone!

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Collbran, CO?

According to TheDyrt.com, Collbran, CO offers a wide range of camping options, with 161 campgrounds and RV parks near Collbran, CO and 42 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Collbran, CO?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Collbran, CO is Island Acres Section Camping — James M. Robb Colorado River State Park with a 3.8-star rating from 40 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Collbran, CO?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 42 free dispersed camping spots near Collbran, CO.

What parks are near Collbran, CO?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 18 parks near Collbran, CO that allow camping, notably Gunnison National Forest and Colorado National Monument.