Planning a dispersed camping trip near Crestone? With The Dyrt, it's easy to find peaceful dispersed camping near Crestone. You're sure to find the perfect dispersed campgrounds for your Colorado camping adventure.
Explore any part of the 30 square mile dunefield you wish; there are no designated trails in the sand. A dunes-accessible wheelchair is available for free loan at the Visitor Center. Summer air temperatures are pleasant at this high elevation, but during afternoon hours the sand surface can reach 150F degrees, and dangerous thunderstorms can develop. Plan to hike the dunes in early morning or evening to avoid heat exhaustion, burned feet, or fatal lightning strikes.
Roadside camping is permitted at 21 campsites in Great Sand Dunes National Preserve beginning 5.2 miles from where the road begins near Pi__on Flats Campground. These designated sites are free of charge and first-come, first-served. All 21 sites fill on summer weekends. Passable only in the warmer months and only with high-clearance 4-wheel drive vehicles. This road crosses areas of deep sand, traverses Medano Creek nine times, and passes through excellent habitat for bighorn sheep.
The Cotton Creek Trail is 13.1 miles long. It begins at Forest Road 962 and ends at Forest Trail #745. Trail is well marked and maintained. It follow the creek through a rugged, steep canyon and diverse scenery, with views of high peaks and many beautiful wildflowers in season. Some stream crossings can be tricky if water level is high. Attractions are fishing in creeks and lakes, and many good campsites. Teacup Lake presents an opportunity for primitive route finding.
The trail is open for the following uses: Hiking, Backpacking, Horseback Riding, Dispersed Camping, and Wildflower Viewing
The Wild Cherry Creek Trail is 5.7 miles long. It begins at Forest Road 961 and ends at Wild Cherry Lake. This trail offers the opportunity for a long day trip or a pleasant overnight. It is easy to follow and easy access to fishing in the lake and big game. Several good campsites exist along the route.
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.
Scout
Lots of open spots in mid October. Slow going on rocky and bumpy dirt road but Chevy express 2wd did fine. Low clearance vehicles take extreme caution. Stayed in loop A, also a B&C.
Traveler
Was able to find a really nice open spot with amazing views of the mountains. Was big and spacious enough for me and my friend to camp in our vans. No one around for miles!
Scout
Gated off. Not accessible
Traveler
The sky is GORGEOUS. The road is very rocky & very rough, so you'll want to have decent clearance and be prepared to take it slow. I've never seen so many stars!
Scout
Couldn’t get to trail head due to private gate blocking the road.
Traveler
Got here on a Saturday night in September and found a spot right away. It had been raining for awhile too. No issue on the road with a kia sorento.
ScoutLocked gate at indicated entry point.
GuideA lot of stuff if the road. I was pulling a popup trailer so we didn’t go too far up the road just in case it got choppy. Seemed like there is quite a few spaces. Talked to a few people who had been staying there for around a week.
GuideNot much tree cover at a lot of these spots. Great location to be close enough to the dunes.
Was pretty windy and sandy while we were there
Scout
My friend and I are roadtripping around a couple states and found this cute little camp site!! There is no running water or toilets but we didn’t mind :)) absolutely gorgeous place!
Scout
Amazing vistas! Big private sites. Tough road that gets progressively technical as you go farther up towards trail head.
TravelerDispersed sites start about 1 mile east of Hwy 150. Very quiet! T-Mobile 5G at 4 bars.
TravelerSeveral good spots with fire pits right near the trailhead. A few bugs in late August but nothing terrible. Very quiet except for the sound of the rushing creek. Verizon cell service was between 1 and 3 bars LTE depending on your line of sight to the tower. Road in is rougher towards the end but definitely doable in any SUV
Traveler
This is a terrific find! level, shaded, right by nice size creek. perfect for exploring and quiet. we were in tent but saw several largeRV. some traffic but never heard another person. were a few spots right next to us but we were the only ones there . several a long road though nicely spaced out. small gas station close for gas and ice if needed otherwise about 45 min for supplies. ark river couple miles great spot to enjoy also rafting close etc.stayed couple extra days we just enjoyed the quiet. was also very clean and maintained. will definitely be back!
Guide
The directions from this app didn’t exactly take me to the campsites. The campsites are along Lake Deweese Rd at the NE end of the reservoir. There are several sites all in very close proximity. There is virtually no privacy from neighbors but it worked from me for a night. It looked like some campers may be permanently occupying the sites.
Traveler
There’s plenty of spots off the main road, but seems like you need to get there early. We showed up around 6 pm. The road does get pretty rough eventually, and we didn’t trust our minivan going through the “unmaintained” section, we turned around and were able to find a connecting side road that had plenty of open space out there. When entering the road initially, the side road would be about half way up to your left. Pretty close to Great Sand Dunes National Park, so we were happy with this location! Nice mountain view.
ScoutIt's a nice spot with a spectacular view but it's very windy and there's a lot of sand.
Guide
Loved hearing the creek roaring in the background and feeling the sun on my skin surrounded by cactus - an I in Texas!?
Traveler
Great for a quick overnight stop. Woke up to people unloading there side by sides.
Traveler
There are more than one listing for places to camp along FS 949. I stayed on a pad that was build along with the road. Loved the views, The area is very interesting. Crestone is a tiny town with just about anything you might want within a walk from where I parked. Plenty of camping spots all the way up to the end of the road where there is a fairly busy trailhead.
GuideQuick and easy to find. Area was easily accessible. A great option for those on a budget and attempting to avoid paying fees for one night stays. Nice views of the valley and mountain behind. Sites were not the most level going up the mountainside and a bit rocky. Would stay there again!
ScoutThis place is good for those who have clearance and a 4WD. Road can be rough but pretty much all pickups are good. Don’t need a jeep. If it rains, you could get in trouble. The views are beautiful. Especially higher up. Some spots, I didn’t find tons of spots. I was the only one here on a Friday night last week if July 🤷🏼♀️. Or if there were others I didn’t know it. You get cover of some trees quicker than the sacred mountain location farther south on same road. You have to open a gate to get in. I would recommend it, and will probably be back at some point.
GuideThis campsite is very popular, I would definitely recommend arriving early morning time to secure a spot. We got in fairly late in the night from Texas and had to drive in a ways. Many people left early in the morning so sites opened up fairly quickly. The road is graded and then turns into a rocky road that is manageable in a crossover for a ways then high clearance will be needed. There was a small flooded portion that is next to the helipad but we just drove up onto the helipad to get around it as to not risk getting stuck. There are plenty of sites available and even a circle drive in the front of the road if you don’t feel like venturing in during the night. There are A TON of flies! Lots of bug spray and loose clothing to avoid those pesky biting flies. We had a beautiful view of the mountain and Great Sand dunes is a short 20 minutes away. Our pups loved the large open spaces but beware of cacti and tiny burrs.
ScoutQuite a few flat tent spots right by the creek although there are boulders from preventing you from driving too far into the woods. The water was flowing well in July and we loved the sound overnight. Very clean and lots of fire pits. A few cars drove by but otherwise it was super quiet, even arriving on a Friday afternoon. No T-Mobile service. We will definitely be back!
GuideThe site I found has great views and other sites are far. Can see Salida from site. Very rough road.
Traveler
My dad and I embarked on an adventure into the Colorado Mountains, initially planning to stay at the 228A Dispersed Campsite. Upon arrival, we decided to explore other options and discovered two additional sites nearby. Unfortunately, we couldn't check out the second site as it was already occupied.
The third site, however, turned out to be a gem. It's worth noting that a vehicle with good ground clearance is necessary, although we did spot an Audi compact SUV making it up there. The campsite boasts a spacious area, approximately 20'x30', ideal for tents with only minor rocks. It features a well-built fire pit and ample space to park our Jeep Gladiator.
To the west of the campsite, there is a road marked 'no motor vehicles' that leads to two more sites. While these are accessible, they require a bit of a hike, which wasn't what we were looking for. One potential drawback is that to access these sites, you would have to walk through someone's campsite to reach them.
For an in-depth review of the site and the surrounding area, visit OTKUnlimited.com. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us through the contact page on our website!
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Crestone, Colorado, where stunning landscapes and serene environments await outdoor enthusiasts. This area offers a variety of spots for those looking to immerse themselves in nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Crestone, CO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Crestone, CO is Sacred White Shell Mountain with a 4.5-star rating from 53 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Crestone, CO?
TheDyrt.com has all 59 dispersed camping locations near Crestone, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
