Dog-Friendly Camping near Como, CO

Dispersed camping opportunities abound in the mountainous regions surrounding Como, Colorado, with elevations typically ranging between 9,000-11,000 feet. The area experiences significant temperature fluctuations, with summer days in the 70s dropping to the 30s-40s at night even in July and August. Most dispersed sites lack facilities, requiring campers to pack in water and pack out waste.

What to Do

Hike the Colorado Trail access: The Kenosha Pass Campground sits right on the Colorado Trail, providing immediate trail access. "This is one of our favorite campgrounds near Lake Dillon! This was our first time staying in site 105 for a single night in between stays at other campgrounds... It is a short walk from the site to the pit toilets and the trailhead for the Windy Point and Ridge trails," says Jason F.

Explore mountain lakes: McCullough Gulch offers waterfall and alpine lake access within walking distance of camping areas. "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," shares Brittany R.

Mountain biking options: Peak One Campground provides direct access to biking trails. "Convenient to town and all that Frisco/Dillon has to offer, but also right on the perimeter trail (6-mile dirt) and also the Dillon Reservoir loop (18-mile paved). Our site had a small path right to the beach," notes Hillary B.

What Campers Like

Solitude and privacy: Many campers appreciate the secluded nature of sites at Bruno Gulch Dispersed. "Plenty of spread out spots with trees. Spots near the stream are awesome, and plenty of great hiking trails from here/nearby," writes Allison B. The campground offers free sites with varying levels of tree coverage.

Quick access to amenities: For those wanting convenience, Middlefork RV Resort in Fairplay offers modern facilities. "The grounds are well kept, the washing facilities are clean and updated, and the price wasn't too bad. The area itself has a lot of construction and it was harder for large rigs to get into the campsite but I had no problems with my smaller 20ft rig. Grocery store is a 3 minute walk away," reports Landon C.

Higher-elevation experiences: Hoosier Pass Dispersed Camping sits at over 11,000 feet. "With dispersed camping on Guanella Pass now closed, Bruno Gulch and Kirby Gulch are very popular. There are 19 sites at Bruno. Sites 19-14 are on the creek. Sites 1-8 are massive and can accommodate anything," explains Chris P.

What You Should Know

Road conditions vary widely: Many dispersed sites require appropriate vehicles. At McCullough Gulch Designated Dispersed Camping, "The road to sites 8-10 gets tricky in a few spaces but we were able to make it up and down with an AWD SUV," advises Jeff A. Not all sites are accessible to all vehicles.

High altitude preparation: The elevation affects both people and pets. "It's also very high altitude like over 11k feet so if you haven't adjusted to elevation I would not recommend this as a first stop," cautions johny R. about Hoosier Pass camping.

Weather extremes: Temperatures drop significantly at night even in summer. "Temps were high 70s in the evenings and low 40s at night in mid July so prepare with layers," advises Justin J. about camping at McCullough Gulch.

Tips for Camping with Families

Waterfront options: Heaton Bay Campground offers easy lake access for families. "We camped at E70 and there was a trail right to the lake. It was beautiful! It was a little noisy from the highway but we were far enough away that it was really white noise," shares Sarah G.

Pet-friendly considerations: Most dog friendly campgrounds near Como require leashes. "While many reviews mention the road noise, but it is nothing compared to campgrounds in the Vail area with semis on I-70," notes Amanda M. about Kenosha Pass Campground, a popular pet-friendly option.

Wildlife awareness: Educate children about wildlife safety. "This area was extremely nice! Beautiful area, seen a moose and goats close to our campsite," reports Kylie B. about Bruno Gulch, highlighting the importance of wildlife awareness for families with pets.

Tips from RVers

Site selection for RVs: At Hoosier Pass Dispersed Camping, site options vary significantly. "As the other reviews describe, it's a groomed dirt road entrance near the parking lot for the Mount Quandary trail. Most sites would be tricky with a trailer because of the lack of turn around space (sites 6 & 7 would work for this)," advises Jeff A.

Water and waste planning: No hookups means bringing adequate water. "You get a spot and that's it. There is no water to fill your tank unless you're a lucky one who got loop C. There also isn't a dump anywhere and of course no power," warns John H. about White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground.

Alternative campground options: For those needing more amenities, consider established campgrounds. "We stayed here in August for 10 days or so and besides struggling at first with how to get into the actual campground (there is a small road off the parking lot for the stores there that leads down into it) we absolutely loved it!" shares Todd W. about Middlefork RV Resort, a pet-friendly option with hookups.