Duane V.
Traveler
Travelerpike national forest (CR 511)
Not to far off of a paved road. You do have to open and close 1 gate. Just a lot of people walking dogs on the nearby trail.
Dog-Friendly Camping near Florence, CO
23 campgrounds with availability next weekend
Search destinations
Add dates
Phantom Canyon Road BLM Sites allows pets at all dispersed camping areas along this scenic route northwest of Florence, Colorado. The free campsites offer primitive camping with established fire rings but no hookups or drinking water. Both tent and RV camping are available, though larger rigs may find access challenging on the unpaved mountain roads. Campers report finding secluded spots by driving further into the canyon, with the most desirable sites located near Eight Mile Creek. Many sites feature handmade log benches and existing fire pits. Two vault toilets are located along the route, though reviewers note these are basic facilities. Royal Gorge-Canon City KOA provides a more developed alternative with full hookups, showers, and cabin options for pet owners seeking amenities. The farther you go down Phantom Canyon Road, the better the spots and the more distance from road traffic.
The well-maintained gravel road through Phantom Canyon offers numerous pet-friendly campgrounds with stunning canyon views and creek access. Many campsites are located right beside the water where dogs can splash and cool off. Four-wheel drive vehicles access the more remote spots, while standard vehicles can utilize roadside sites. No cellular service exists throughout the canyon, creating a truly disconnected experience. During summer months, campers should prepare for biting flies and mosquitoes that can be particularly bothersome to pets. Weekend visitors should arrive early as the most desirable spots fill quickly. The area features impressive rock walls, tunnels to drive through, and excellent stargazing opportunities. For those seeking more amenities, East Ridge Campground at Royal Gorge provides pet-friendly campsites with picnic tables and trash service while still maintaining a natural setting.
Best Dog-Friendly Campgrounds near Florence (203)
1. Phantom Canyon Road BLM Sites
"There was 5 different camp site areas at the bottom right next to the water. The worst and only bad part was the insane amount of biting flies."
"I kept it around 20 mph the whole time and was pretty shocked at how fast some people were driving. There are a lot of blind corners and narrow roads, so be careful!"
2. East Ridge Campground in Royal Gorge
"Hiking: What we really loved about this place was its access to some great hiking trails! Once in the south loop, you'll see a wooden sign that says "trails" near campsite 7."
"Paved & gravelled roads, hiking trails, free camping, sightseeing, off roading, atv, handicap accessible, dogs off leash, picnic tables, firepits, kid friendly."
Check Availabilityfrom $20 / night
3. East Ridge Campground - Royal Gorge
"Tucked away and very nice campground close to the Royal Gorge and Canon City if you need to get camping supplies. Get water and ice at the filling station by the Goodwill store for a great price."
"Watch your dogs for cactus thorns."
Check Availabilityfrom $20 / night
4. Red Canyon Park
"Fun to explore by day through the little canyon or along the rocks above, there's a walk for everyone here. Best enjoyed in fall and spring, summer is quite hot. The campsites are basic and roadside."
"Rock formations and hiking around was absolutely beautiful! About 3 group sites and quite a few smaller ones. The only downside was I think we went at the worst time for gnats."
5. Royal Gorge-Canon City KOA
"They are great for 1-2 people, but we are a family traveling with pets, so we have a larger tent. Nice community feel. Lots for kids to do. Close to rafting, Royal Gorge and other attractions."
"Beautiful views and a great walking path for my dog. I could have gone for miles. People are super friendly and it’s clean! Close to hiking. Well worth the visit"
6. Haggards RV Campground
"The views are great (Pikes Peak nearby). Close enough to Pueblo and 35 mins to Colorado Springs. A few horses, and dog park in this park are great."
"There's a seasonal pool, walking trails and a HUGE fenced dog park. Most spots are pull thru, and it's worth the short, easy drive from I-25."
7. Arkansas Point Campground — Lake Pueblo State Park
"This was first camping trip staying in a Colorado State park and it was great! We had an electric only back-in site next to the bathhouse which was clean and had 4 separate bathrooms with showers."
"The lake is beautiful. The most beautiful sunsets and electrical storms. It's quiet. The only hookup is electric for me or camper. The water and dumpstation is on your way in and on your way out."
60 Sites AvailableAvailable next weekend
from $36 / night
8. Mountaindale Cabin & RV Resort
"A great midpoint basecamp location for going up to Colorado Springs area or down to Canon City(Royal Gorge) areas. The campground was always quiet in the evenings and felt secure. "
"This is a lovely park about 30 minutes south of Colorado Springs. We camped here for 5 nights in a back in spot with full hookups, site 51."
Check Availabilityfrom $69 - $79 / night
9. Phantom Canyon
"It is a bumpy road, but we had an F150 and a Santa Fe, that both made it in fine, though some spots are walking only."
"I’m a rooftop tent camper and the views are amazing but was hoping to be close to the water and isolated from other campers."
10. Penrose BLM sites
"It was far enough away from civilization yet close enough at the same time.
This is after all, and OHV site, so you have to expect OHVs.""I was the only one around camping when I was there. Super peaceful! The reservoir is 10 minutes away too which is great for fishing and paddle boarding."
Drive Time
- 32 min from Pueblo, CO
- 52 min from Colorado Springs, CO
- 1 hr 44 min from Denver, CO
- 2 hrs 8 min from Boulder, CO
Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos near Florence, CO
167 Photos of 203 Florence Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Phantom Canyon Road BLM Sites
Penrose BLM sites
East Ridge Campground - Royal Gorge
Haggards RV Campground
East Ridge Campground in Royal Gorge
Phantom Canyon
Royal Gorge-Canon City KOA
Manifest Ranch PrivateCamp
Red Canyon Park
Shelf Road Sites
The Bank CampgroundG
Northern Plains Campground — Lake Pueblo State Park
Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Florence, CO
1655 Reviews of 203 Florence Campgrounds
N. Cole P.TravelerStarlite Vintage Resort
Super cute campground, well kept, beautiful views, very close to the Royal Gorge. Camp hosts were very responsive, we got in a little late and they were quick to help us out. A few things that are important to know: they have a lot of stickers, the super sharp prickly ones and the super sticky ones. They have a decent size dog run(dog park) area that is great because of the stickers. It’s a good spot to take your dogs let them run off some energy. I would suggest a small cover down there due to all the weather. We really thought the sauna and hot tub should be available to the patrons staying here at the facility and so we went to go check it out and it cost $29 for an hour. Which was a bummer.
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.
- Juliana J.Ranger
Cripple Creek BLM Area
Worth the trek! Stunning landscape right on the creek
Quite the drive but worth it. They were repaving some of the road and I personally had no issues getting to a site. It’s gravel, but doable for most vehicles. There was a propane tank and some trash left behind when I got there (always disheartening to find), but it didn’t feel “lived in” like some other spots have so I ultimately felt pretty safe. It was truly beautiful. I got a spot right at the creek that was tucked away from the main road. Maybe a handful of cars passed throughout my stay, so very peaceful and quiet. Zero amenities, so come prepared. No Verizon cell service. Lots of milky quartz laying about, beautiful birds and minimal bugs. Would make the trek here again in a heartbeat.
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.
Keith P.ScoutWillow Creek Trail
Small pullouts along road
Easy access with a Honda. Chilly nights
- KKurt R.Traveler
Pinon Flats Campground — Great Sand Dunes National Park
One of my Favorite Places
Great camp with several trails starting there. Set back from the dunes by a short trail, but that gets you away from the crowd at the main parking area.
Go barefoot on the sand!
Guide to Florence
Phantom Canyon Road offers multiple dispersed camping areas in a dry canyon environment northwest of Florence, Colorado. These free Bureau of Land Management sites sit at elevations between 5,500-7,000 feet with seasonal temperature variations. Camping sites range from roadside pull-offs to secluded creek-adjacent spots, with varying road conditions throughout the canyon that can challenge some vehicles.
What to do
Creek exploration: Access Eight Mile Creek at various points along Phantom Canyon Road where creek-adjacent campsites allow for water activities. "We camped next to Eight Mile Creek and the tunnel. The flies and mosquitos were bad but our bug screens did their job until dark then we had to close up the van," shares one camper at Phantom Canyon Road BLM Sites.
Rock climbing: Find established routes near several camping areas. "Sweet spots along the creek side. Dispersed area that is very spread out so you are not near others. Also has access to climbing walls right by sites," notes a visitor to Phantom Canyon.
Mountain biking: Ride the trails at East Ridge Campground for moderate terrain with canyon views. "Lots of nice trails nearby that are rated easy. Beautiful spot to watch a sunset," reports a visitor at East Ridge Campground in Royal Gorge.
Stargazing: Take advantage of dark skies away from city lights. "Stunning... nice and warm for the elevation, especially at night, which was especially nice considering the other campsites we stayed at that were about 20 degrees cooler at night," a camper explains about their East Ridge experience.
What campers like
Seclusion from crowds: Many campsites throughout Phantom Canyon offer privacy even during peak seasons. "We found an amazing camp site that was down a slope. We parked up top and lugged everything down the slope. It was tough but so worth it," explains a reviewer at Phantom Canyon Road BLM Sites.
Wilderness wildlife encounters: Observe local wildlife near camping areas. "Lots of mule deer. Very clean sites with views to the east," describes a visitor to East Ridge Campground - Royal Gorge.
Pet-friendly environment: All dispersed sites along Phantom Canyon welcome pets, though specific challenges exist. "During our stay of Tuesday March 2nd, 2021 I saw less than 10 vehicles come and go. The road is loose gravel, long and winds through large cliff rock faces on both sides, which block out the sun so your daylight is limited," reports a camper describing the pet friendly camping near Florence, Colorado.
Natural swimming areas: Creek access points provide cooling options during hot months. "There was 5 different camp site areas at the bottom right next to the water. The worst and only bad part was the insane amount of biting flies," notes a camper about creek access in summer.
What you should know
Insect preparation is essential: Biting flies and mosquitoes are prevalent during summer months, particularly near water. "We saw one more camper drive by the entire weekend. Other than that, it was completely quiet and we felt nice and secluded," shares a visitor to Red Canyon Park.
Pack in all necessities: No services exist in Phantom Canyon. "I found no running water, had to melt snow. Pack in your stuff and pack it out!" advises a camper about winter conditions.
Road conditions vary seasonally: Some areas become challenging after rain or snow. "The road is dirt and goes for 7+ miles if you keep going to exit the park a different way. Be warned that after 2/3 miles the road get extremely rough for several miles to a point that we considered turning our 4Runner around," reports a Red Canyon Park visitor.
No cell service: Communication requires preparation. "There is no signal so get your communication out of the way before entering," warns a camper about connectivity at these remote sites.
Tips for camping with families
Child-friendly sites: Look for creek-adjacent spots with natural boundaries. "Also great to utilize this if you have young children who like to wander. We didn't have to worry about them being near the roads," advises a parent at Phantom Canyon Road BLM.
Bathroom accessibility: Some sites have vault toilets, though limited. "The bathrooms were a bit of a drive from our site. They are nothing lavish (bring sanitizing wipes) but they were nice for the kids who weren't comfortable going outside," explains a family camper about facilities at Mountaindale Cabin & RV Resort.
Wildlife education opportunities: Many sites offer animal sighting chances. "We saw deer wander around the campsites every morning and evening. The sites are terraced so that everyone has a beautiful view," reports a visitor at Mountaindale.
Arrival timing: For family spots, arrive early on weekdays. "Camped along this canyon road a few time and will never forget it. It is magical, always visit during the week, weekends spots are gone," advises an experienced camper.
Tips from RVers
Site selection for larger rigs: Avoid deep canyon areas with RVs. "We were so excited for our vacation we showed up 4 hours early for our reservation, and they had us in ASAP! Thanks y'all! The gentleman that backed us in and shared some secrets to the fishing in the area was very cool," reports an RV camper at Royal Gorge RV Resort & Cabins.
Water management: No hookups in dispersed areas require preparation. "Starlink worked great as there is no Verizon cellular for miles. It took us three attempts to get our overweight 2-wheel drive van up the hill and back onto the road," shares an RV camper about their canyon experience.
Level site considerations: Many canyon sites require leveling blocks. "This area is a good (free!) alternative if the campground close to Shelf Road are full," advises a camper about nearby options when seeking pet friendly camping sites near Florence, Colorado.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly
campsite near Florence, CO?
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Florence, CO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Florence, CO is Phantom Canyon Road BLM Sites with a 4.6-star rating from 40 reviews.
What is the best site to find
dog-friendly camping near
Florence, CO?
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Florence, CO?
TheDyrt.com has all 203 dog-friendly camping locations near Florence, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring