Fran K.
Scout
ScoutEast Ridge Campground - Royal Gorge
Primitive but very clean with lots of trails and great views of the canyon. Only 5 mins from the Royal Gorge Bridge.
Tent Camping near Divide, CO
3 campgrounds with availability this weekend
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Pike National Forest contains several tent-focused dispersed camping areas near Divide, Colorado, including the Pike National Forest Divide sites and Rampart Range Area dispersed campsites. These primitive tent locations offer free camping with minimal infrastructure on Forest Service land. Sites are spread across various elevations and forested terrain, with some providing views of Pikes Peak and surrounding mountains.
Most dispersed tent camping in the area requires visitors to bring their own water and pack out all trash, as facilities are nonexistent. Campsites typically feature rock fire rings but no picnic tables, bathrooms, or potable water sources. Road conditions vary significantly, with some sites accessible by passenger cars while others require high-clearance vehicles or 4WD. Many locations off Rampart Range Road offer multiple pull-offs and tent pads with flat, forest duff surfaces. Fire restrictions apply seasonally, particularly during summer drought conditions.
The dispersed tent areas provide substantial separation between sites, offering privacy not found at developed campgrounds. Sites farther from main roads provide more seclusion and less dust from passing vehicles. During summer months, OHV and dirt bike traffic creates daytime noise in some areas, though this diminishes at night. Cell service is surprisingly available at many higher-elevation tent sites. According to one visitor, "There are lots of places to walk and explore and there was still phone signal! Each spot is far away from another, especially if you drive further down." Wildlife encounters occur regularly in these primitive tent camping areas, with campers reporting moose and deer sightings during morning hours.
Best Tent Campgrounds near Divide (39)
1. Lone Duck Campground and Cabins
"Our site had grass, shade, a picnic table, and a fire ring - everything you need for a basic campsite."
"Lone Duck Campground was a good home base for us during our visit to Colorado Springs. The campground is several miles down from Woodland Park and about the same down to Manitou and the Springs."
27 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $40 - $87 / night
2. Rampart Range Area Dispersed Campsite
"Some have pre existing fire rings. Would definitely come back."
"Most spots are taken by the weekends but if you’re fine with a more sloped spot, there can be some open ones for late arrivals."
3. Dispersed Camping - Pike National Forest Divide
"There are a lot of dirt bikes and atvs driving during the day however I didn’t find it overly disruptive."
"Restrooms at base of road. Found our spot 2.5 miles up the road, definitely needed AWD."
4. Matukat Road Dispersed Camping
"Rock fire pits, wood around. No water, garbage, nor toilets. Cool temps, road in is rough go slow. Nice shady trees. First few spots you encounter left, then right seem ok."
"We drove a couple of miles up the decently maintained dirt road and found the second dispersed camping spot and decided to set up our roof top tent for the night. "
5. Mt. Herman Road Dispersed Site 2
"I recommend not attempting road with 2WD… seems quite rough in spaces. Having the extra support made me feel better. A bit of an incline but I found plenty of space to set up my tent!"
"Found a great little campsite and had a fox as a neighbor! Only downfall was there was broken glass everywhere 😔"
6. "Glamping" Pike's Peak Camping Spot- Reservation Only Site
"Camp site has everything you need without the hassle of pitching your tent and packing it up."
from $99 - $150 / night
7. Mydnyt Mountain
Check Availabilityfrom $125 / night
8. Truman’s Rock
9. Rocky Mountain Oasis!!
Check Availabilityfrom $150 / night
10. Phantom Canyon Road BLM Sites
"Driving down to this campsite I was happy to have a small car because the road is very narrow to say the least. I cannot imagine the feeling of driving a large rig here."
"We arrived the Phantom Creek Road around 4:30pm. 10miles and 30 minutes later we found our spot."
Drive Time
- 41 min from Colorado Springs, CO
- 1 hr 1 min from Pueblo, CO
- 1 hr 30 min from Denver, CO
- 1 hr 53 min from Boulder, CO
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Divide, CO
147 Photos of 39 Divide Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
"Glamping" Pike's Peak Camping Spot- Reservation Only SiteA
Dispersed Camping - Pike National Forest DivideC
Mydnyt Mountain
Rampart Range Area Dispersed Campsite
Lone Duck Campground and Cabins
Truman’s Rock
Shelf Road Sites
Turkey Roost Group Camp — Cheyenne Mountain State Park
Platte River Campground
Phantom Canyon
OspreyM
Tent Camping Reviews near Divide, CO
1503 Reviews of 39 Divide Campgrounds
Daniel H.ScoutMountaindale Cabin & RV Resort
Great spot for relaxing weekend getaway for our family. Plenty of room for the kids to explore and they even had a blow up bouncy house for them during the day. Hot tub under the stars at evening time. Very clean bathrooms!
Juliana J.
RangerPhantom Canyon
Love a little history/camping combo!
Cool spot. I like there were different sized spots and a clearly marked line where a 4WD/AWD vehicle is needed and no large rigs. I found a spot that was visible by the road, but there was water access and cool surroundings. The main road was well paved, but turning into my site was a bit rough and I needed the 4WD. There were large animal (I assume black bear) prints to give that extra bit of camping excitement, but no actual sitings (one day, Juliana. One day). Some mosquitos but not overwhelming. The scenery was gorgeous. Definitely a bit desert-esque but it was legitimately perfect weather in mid September. Cool creek rocks and a stunner of a sunset. Would absolutely return again. No numbered sites. Toilets about 1/4 mile beyond the drive through boulder.
Kevin H.ScoutCastle Mountain Recreation Area at Wellington Lake
Beautiful family and dog friendly campground!
Lake Wellington is a beautiful family and dog friendly campground just about 90 minutes from Denver. There are 75 sites, and even when it's pretty full they are decently spaced out that you don't feel too on top of other guests. We brought our dogs and a group of friends and had a great few nights, even seeing Bald Eagles mating!
Lauren P.
TravelerFive Points Campground — Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
Very close to the highway
Basic amenities, but clean and easy to find. The campsite is very close to the highway, so if you're looking for something more off the beaten path, keep looking. However, if you just need a place to sleep with great views, this is a solid spot. We saw bighorn sheep and even heard what sounded like a bobcat possibly mountain lion at night.
Shannon F.ScoutPikes Peak RV Park
New owner are not good people
I want to start on a positive because that is the type of person I am, and because this review is going to have a lot of negative. This park is a great location for sightseeing, especially if you are going to Pikes Peak by way of the Cog or shopping in Manitou. My GM and I worked hard to make the park as great as we could with the very little funding that we got. As seen in the reviews we had excellent customer service and had high standards for keeping the park clean. I was very good at my job and I loved doing the work until the new owners took over. When the park was sold, we had high hopes that the new owners would be good people and want to put real work into the park. We were very disappointed that they turned out to be money grubbing horrible people. Ken, one of the owners, treats people and his business very Trump like. He and his wife must state that they are religious more than a few times when having a conversation; I personally think this is to make themselves look good to cover the toxicity that truly lies under the surface. When they meet people, they put on a façade and lie and say whatever they think people want to hear to get what they want; proven to me by the broken verbal promises they made to me. They are not community driven; they are money driven; you can make money and still be good people, but they chose not to be. They practice wage theft just like big corporations by over working employees and under paying them; in their words“you must wear all hats”. They are the type of people that use others until they don’t need them then throw them away like garbage. I was bullied into quitting on a phone call where Ken was very disrespectful and unprofessional with me. The phone call was me trying to explain that I could no longer do the FB post due to our deferent ethical viewpoints, and he would not let me talk by saying“you are not doing your job, are you going to quit” repeatedly. I found out that I was not allowed to post about Manitou Pride parade because he said,“it is not family friendly, and the company and I do not promote the LGBTQ+ community”. I am a proud member of that community and so I should not be the one to post on FB for the company. The groundman quit a day later because of disrespect and broken verbal promises. Then a few days later my boyfriend was fired and then Sheryl the GM was fired.(I believe they were fired for retaliation) Ken only wants employees that are easy to exploit or controlled, because he is incapable of managing people without fear and bullying. He boasted that he is called the grim reaper in business, but I don’t think that is the flex he thinks it is. But yes, he was the destruction of the community we put so much work into. I also want to voice my disappointment in Dana, who Sheryl worked hard getting to be allowed to come back as an employee. Dana did great work her first summer with us, so it was a shock to see her true colors show when she started to brown nose Ken. She spread multiple rumors, I feel the worst one was about Melinda’s daughter and the things she wrote about in her diary. I also did not like how she used David, the guy that does the golfcart tours in Manitou, was nice to his face then talked so badly about him when he was not around. I truly think Jesue and her father would be ashamed of her for how she acted to get her new position.
- HHeidiTraveler
Castle Mountain Recreation Area at Wellington Lake
Great spot - except for flies
If you are going to camp at a lakefront spot definitely have something you can sit in else you will be attacked by flies. Super quiet during the week - got busy over the weekend.
- VVincent V.Scout
Red Canyon Park
Great secluded spot
Found a great spot a bit further in surrounded by Juniper trees and a bit of grassy patches and rock fire pit. Love the open space and secluded spots! Definitely not ideal for the cacti. Our pup ended up sniffing one and got the needles in her muzzle. 😬 Weather is pretty nice with highs in the 80s and lows in the 40s
- LLori M.
GuideMueller State Park Campground
Nice and well kept
Our Campsite was nice, very clean and well kept. It did seems like the sites were a bit to close together and every spot filled. Pads were level, area around the picnic table spacious. Pit toilets were clean. The dump station was very nice and easy to use. We were driving down through Colorado to view the Fall Aspen leaves. I wish we would have stayed longer at this campsite. We stayed at the Conifer Ridge loop site 46 ...
Guide to Divide
Pike National Forest dispersed camping near Divide, Colorado offers remote sites at elevations between 8,000-10,000 feet with varying seasonal accessibility. Most tent campsites near Divide remain snow-covered until late May, with summer high temperatures averaging 75°F and nighttime lows frequently dropping below 45°F even in July and August. Winter camping requires specialized cold-weather gear and vehicles capable of navigating unplowed forest roads.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: 1-2 miles from camping sites, several locations have small stocked ponds or access to flowing creeks. At Lone Duck Campground and Cabins, campers can fish in the property's pond. "We have stayed here twice once in campsite 46 very nice 47 even nicer two best lots here for us cuz we like being the by the water. The rush go by all night let's just sleep so good," reports Chester R.
Wildlife viewing: Dawn and dusk provide optimal times for spotting native animals from your tent site. "We only stayed two nights but we absolutely loved it! We tent camped right next to the little stream and saw so much wildlife! It was awesome!" shares Lindsey M. about her experience at Lone Duck. Similarly, at Matukat Road Dispersed Camping, "Cattle roam freely throughout the property and you can hear coyotes at dusk and dawn. Plenty of exploring and climbing around," notes Chelsie B.
Rock exploration: Several dispersed areas feature unique geological formations perfect for non-technical scrambling. "We spent 10 days at the top of the mountain. The views are breathtaking! I am from NY. Drove all the way here just too camp. Was not disappointed!!!" writes Lesa L. about Matukat Road. At Red Canyon Park, "The area also has some really cool rock formations - but only to look at unfortunately as they are on private property. However, there are plenty of rocks to scramble up on for a view of the formations that are public," advises Marissa K.
What campers like
Cell service availability: Higher elevation sites often provide surprisingly good connectivity despite remote locations. At Rampart Range Area Dispersed Campsite, one camper noted, "Quite a few people on a weekday night, but not bothering. Very good network coverage (T-mobile). Aprox. 1 mile of the road was bad, other quite good." This contrasts with Red Canyon Park where "You will lose cell service about 10 minutes before getting to the park," according to Emily.
Privacy between sites: Most tent areas provide significant space between campers. At Pike National Forest Divide, Brianna K. notes, "Each spot is far away from another, especially if you drive further down. We didn't hear anyone late into the night due to the distance." Similarly at Matukat Road Dispersed Camping, Chris P. shares, "Matukat rd dispersed - nr Lake George. People seem to really like it yet it's incredibly quiet. No OHVs, no gunfire - so refreshing."
Morning wildlife encounters: Early risers frequently spot deer, moose, and small mammals. "The staff was super friendly and helpful! The facilities were always very clean. They had breakfast for you in the morning if you wanted for $5. We woke up one morning at our tent site with deer walking and eating down the creek right next to us," writes Tessa S. about Lone Duck Campground.
What you should know
Fluctuating noise levels: OHV and dirt bike traffic creates daytime activity in certain areas. "This dispersed camp site has numerous spots with rock fire pits. There are a lot of dirt bikes and atvs driving during the day however I didn't find it overly disruptive," explains Brianna K. about Pike National Forest Divide. However, some visitors have different experiences: "It is a nice spot to make camp. We had plenty of spots to choose from. We thought it was perfect at first. Then the people with the ATVs started showing up and it got loud," reports Kevin C.
Road conditions: Access difficulty varies significantly by location and recent weather. On Mt. Herman Road, Seanna M. advises, "But so worth it. There were other spots along the road on the way up but most were taken or uneven. I ended up at the top of the mountain and the view is gorgeous. Gets a bit windy and definitely colder but a great site to spend some time at."
Site cleanliness concerns: Some popular areas show signs of previous use including trash. "There is evidence of some parties and broken glass so watch out for that but mostly clean and taken care of," notes Seanna M. about Mt. Herman. Similarly at another location, Amanda D. shares, "Found a great little campsite and had a fox as a neighbor! Only downfall was there was broken glass everywhere."
Tips for camping with families
Bathroom facilities: Most dispersed areas have no toilets or designated facilities. At established sites like Lone Duck Campground and Cabins, Amanda M. notes the convenience: "Lone duck had a pool, free wifi, and CLEAN, HOT, COIN-FREE showers! After sweating in the summer sun all day, returning to camp and showering is the best feeling in the world."
Entertainment options: Some campgrounds provide amenities for children. "All of the amenities. Pool, laundry room, gift shop/Grocery. Arcade, pond, clean bathrooms. Best place every. And surrounded by mountains!" shares Cody K. about Lone Duck Campground.
Wildlife safety: Food storage requires proper planning in all sites. At Rampart Range, one visitor observed, "We had a moose and deer at our campsite during the mornings so I suggest being weary of wildlife." Similarly, at Red Canyon Park, Abby D. warns, "BRING BUG SPRAY! Mosquitos were a bit annoying but DEET helped. BE SMART ABOUT FOOD! We did have a bear encounter as we were driving out of the park."
Tips from RVers
Site selection: Leveling challenges exist at many tent campsites near Divide, Colorado. Sue B. notes about Red Canyon Park, "This is a beautiful park with great dispersed sites! We went quite a ways in and found a site for our campervan. Needed leveling blocks but saw several occupied sites more level. Very secluded!"
Road clearance requirements: High-clearance vehicles fare better on remote forest roads. "The dirt road felt well maintained and the spots felt very ample and spacious," reports Taylor B. about Red Canyon Park, but cautions, "We took one of the first spots we saw because the view was nice and we were a bit unsure of what the roads were going to be like If we kept going with our trailer."
Generator use: Most dispersed areas prohibit or restrict generator use. At established campgrounds, hookups may be limited. "Great place goos service only negative things are theyre missing sewer attachment," notes Luca L. about Lone Duck Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
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campsite near Divide, CO?
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Divide, CO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Divide, CO is Lone Duck Campground and Cabins with a 4.2-star rating from 36 reviews.
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Divide, CO?
What is the best site to find tent camping near Divide, CO?
TheDyrt.com has all 39 tent camping locations near Divide, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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