3 campgrounds with availability next weekend
Dispersed tent camping dominates the landscape around Florence, Colorado, with BLM sites along Phantom Canyon Road offering tent campers numerous free primitive options. Located approximately 15 miles north of Canon City, these sites provide backcountry tent camping experiences with minimal development and management. Red Canyon Park offers additional tent camping with picnic tables and drinking water, while Phantom Canyon hosts numerous walk-in tent locations along a scenic creek-side setting with variable privacy depending on site selection.
Access to tent-only sites along Phantom Canyon Road requires navigating a graded dirt road with occasional washboard sections and narrow tunnels. Sites closest to the main road fill quickly on weekends, while more secluded walk-in tent locations require driving further into the canyon. According to one visitor, "Look for the off-trail spots to find a more private campsite." Most tent areas feature previously established fire rings but lack amenities like trash service or potable water. Vault toilets are located at mile markers 8 and 18, providing basic sanitation for backcountry tent campers. Bear activity is common throughout the area, with multiple reports of sightings and tracks, requiring proper food storage.
Areas deeper into Phantom Canyon offer tent campers greater seclusion and scenic views. The creek that runs alongside many sites provides both ambiance and a water source (requiring filtration). A review mentioned that "sites had kind of a driveway to a large and cleared area/loop" with direct creek access for exploration. Surface conditions vary from level dirt to rocky terrain, with some sites requiring high-clearance vehicles to access. During summer months, temperatures can be intense in exposed areas, while spring brings seasonal runoff that increases the creek's flow. Fall offers cooler temperatures and typically less crowded conditions for tent camping. Winter access becomes challenging due to potential snow and ice accumulation on the canyon road.
"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."
"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."
"It is in a canyon so you won't have any cell phone signal, though I had my Starlink set up and it worked flawlessly. We will go back, and I hope to get that spot before any other!"
"Every summer I go on a road trip , camping ,backpacking and visiting national parks , while driving through Colorado we drove through phantom canyon road and we stopped about 20 times through our drive"
"We're happy to have this property on our platform. Check them out and come back here to leave them some love!"
from $50 - $200 / night
"Did the shelf trail from cripple creek to canon city. Was good place to camp for the night quite a few spots, flat, big. Amazing views! Incline getting up to isn’t bad, TT’s might have some trouble."
"There are vault toilets that are clean and have toilet paper. One vault toilet part way on the hike to the walls did not have TP."
"Wonderful access to Shelf climbing. Very peaceful."
"Good tent sites. Have to carry gear to camp site but only shoeRt hike to campsite. Maybe 50 yards. Has a couple of sires with shelter. Picnic tables are big and heavy."
"Has a fire pit with grill, picnic table, and sites 2, 5, and 9 have the log covering. The sites are pretty close together, but we had no problem with our neighbors."
Campground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $25 / night
"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."
Available next weekend
from $40 - $87 / night
"It’s an easy drive from Westcliff. Too easy. I expected crowds of out of state tourists and maybe a few locals."
"Plus you can hear the traffic from the highway but again not enough to disrupt anything."
"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."
ScoutGreat 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!
RangerCool 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.
TravelerBasic 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.
ScoutI 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.
ScoutEasy access with a Honda. Chilly nights
TravelerGreat 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!
ScoutFound 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
GuideOur 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 ...
LegendThis middle section of the road has mixed spots some are wooded some are wide open it really just depends on whats available. People pour in around dusk so get there early and get a good spot with a mountain view and maybe you will see a moose like i did. Road is good cell is 1-2 bars in this secrion
Tent camping near Florence, Colorado offers high-desert camping experiences with elevations ranging from 5,400 to 6,500 feet throughout the region. Summer daytime temperatures typically reach the upper 80s to low 90s, while nights cool considerably, often dropping into the 50s. The area receives minimal rainfall during summer months, making campfire restrictions common between June and September.
Rock climbing at Shelf Road: Just north of Canon City, Shelf Road features limestone cliffs with over 1,000 climbing routes. According to one climber, "The Banks campsites are perfect if you're climbing at Shelf Road. You can hike from the campsite. There are vault toilets that are clean and have toilet paper" at Shelf Road Sites.
Stream exploration: Eight Mile Creek runs alongside many campsites in Phantom Canyon, providing cooling opportunities during hot days. One camper shared, "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. There was 5 different camp site areas at the bottom right next to the water" at Phantom Canyon Road BLM Sites.
Wildlife viewing: The canyons and creeks support diverse wildlife including deer and bighorn sheep. A visitor noted, "I hadn't been able to get water from the stream to put out the campfire because a bighorn sheep loved the stream" at Oil Well Flats, suggesting early mornings and dusk offer the best viewing times.
Complete disconnection: The canyon areas provide true digital detox with minimal to no cell coverage. One reviewer mentioned, "No service, no noise, just the sound of the creek and an occasional car driving by" at Phantom Canyon. Another noted, "Starlink worked great as there is no Verizon cellular for miles."
Secluded sites: Many campers appreciate the ability to find isolated spots away from others. A visitor stated, "We took a cavas wagon for the heavy items and let it roll backwards down the slope with the help of two people. Not easy but highly worth the hard work as you're secluded from the road and have a lot of tree coverage for hot days."
Stargazing opportunities: The minimal light pollution creates exceptional night sky viewing. One camper at Red Canyon Park shared, "At night the site was amazingly dark. This was my first real time seeing the Milky Way. It was so amazing I am glad my friend was there so I have backup to my story."
Access challenges: Roads to many dispersed sites require careful driving. A visitor reported, "The dirt road took us up through the mountains with plenty of options to pull off and set up camp. Spots were already there to build a campfire." Another noted, "It took us three attempts to get our overweight 2-wheel drive van up the hill and back onto the road. There are a lot of loose rocks."
Bug protection essential: Biting insects are prevalent, especially near water sources. One camper warned, "The worst and only bad part was the insane amount of biting flies. It was unbearable at times and our dogs were very stressed from them all over them. Bring those fly bags that attract them away from you unless you're prepared to get eaten up by the flies."
Extreme weather preparation: Temperature swings are significant between day and night. A review from Davenport Campground shared, "Gets warm during the day but it does get pretty cold at night." Pack accordingly with both warm and cool weather clothing.
Child-friendly locations: Look for sites away from steep drops or fast water. One parent mentioned, "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."
Toilet accessibility: Vault toilets are limited to specific locations. A family noted, "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."
Educational opportunities: Red rock formations provide natural geology lessons. A visitor at Lone Duck Campground and Cabins commented, "The drive is nice and sometimes iffy, 4WD not necessary but always recommended in Colorado. My little Toyota did just fine, there was snow in the areas which was shaded but tires did not slide."
Site selection critical: Many areas have limited level spots for larger rigs. One RVer advised, "Fairly steep and rough road up into the campground. Once you're in, the roads are decent. Some sites had broken glass and trash and some were clean and decent."
Water management: No hookups mean planning your water usage carefully. A camper mentioned, "I found no running water, had to melt snow. Pack in your stuff and pack it out!" Another said, "Wish it hadn't been dry because there wasn't any water nearby."
Turn radius concerns: Navigating narrow roads requires planning. An RV owner noted, "The sites are all a fine size though. Has a fire pit with grill, picnic table, and sites 2, 5, and 9 have the log covering."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Florence, CO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent 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 tent camping near Florence, CO?
TheDyrt.com has all 36 tent camping locations near Florence, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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