Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Fort Collins, CO

Great spot with lots ofspace, beautiful views and only a little over an hour west from Fort Collins

Me and a buddy camped here one night on our way to Yellowstone. Only a little over an hour from Fort Collins Colorado and boy were we impressed with this place. Beautiful hills and rocks for good wind blockage and plenty of trees for great cozy scenery. Definitely one of our most favorite Wyoming spots from the trip.

We loved this little campground! It is the perfect getaway from Fort Collins being easy to find and not too far. We loved going in the winter and enjoying the sounds of the river lack of cell service for a weekend. Lots of hiking, mountain biking and rafting opportunities nearby.

This spot was nice and just a quick drive outside of Fort Collins. There was tons of shade and easy access to trails. Loved the river nearby to play in and let dog swim.

Easy access just outside of town, clean toilets and fresh drinking water easily accessible. Stayed for two nights whilst visiting Fort Collins region.

If you need to be close to Fort Collins or early in the season this is an ok campground. To close to the road and usually very busy. Sites are nice and shaded though and really close to the river. But there are much better camp grounds on up 14.

Came here for two days and loved it.  Nice staff, clean campground and facilities and a nice set of scenery to match.  Fort Collins is a nice college town and has restaurants, shopping and a nice downtown.  The campground has a ton of activities for families to do on site.  A nice store and everything you need right there.  A great place to hang out.

Good Sam’s RV park with full amenities. We booked a water/electric online, but got bumped up to full hookups. Beautiful river going beside many of the sites. Newer bathrooms. Huge park with playground for kids. Our site was very wide and open, but we might just have been lucky. Most are tree covered sites and not packed in. Dog park. About 45 minute beautiful drive to Rocky Mountain National Park entrance.

This is a great campground if you want to be close to be close to Fort Collins, and/or enjoy the lake. Horsetooth Reservoir is a very long lake great for boating, and with some gorgeous inlets to explore. The campground itself is clean and well laid out. The only downside is the road is fairly close and creates a bit of noise, even late at night as there is some local traffic to access the neighborhoods behind the reservoir.

Open: All year 

Reservations: 877-444-6777 or recreation.gov 

Out of season FCFS 

Fees: Reservation on line $9.00 call enter $10.00 

water, pit toilets, picnic table, trash, bear box for tent sites, fire ring/w grill 

No sewer hookups The sites are on the small side and a bit cramped. The Cache La Poudre River runs along the back side of the campground and provides a beautiful backdrop along with the tumbling towering rock bluffs. The drive along the canyon is a delight. 

Directions: Drive 11 miles north of Fort Collins on US Highway 287. Turn left (west) onto Colorado Highway 14 (Poudre Canyon) and travel approximately 13 miles.  

LNT 

Better than when you found it 

tay safe and travel happy

Fees: $23.00 standard single $7.00 for 3rd vehicle 

Reservations: 877-444-6777 or recreation.gov 

Out of season: FCFS 

Firewood for sale by camp host located at Upper Ansel Watrous Campground. The Upper Loop stays open during the winter. Picnic table fire ring/grill pit toilets water trash There is a very sharp turn into the campground so watch your trailer length. 

This campground has a beautiful back drop to the National Forest and the Cache La Poudre River. Great spot for fishing and hiking. The drive along the Poudre Canyon is well a visit to this campground. The drive in the valley is truly beautiful.

Directions: Drive 11 miles north of Fort Collins on US Highway 287. Turn left(west) onto Colorado Highway 14(Poudre Canyon)and travel approximately 13 miles. LNT Better than when you found it Stay safe and happy travels

Boyd Lake State Park is situated near the city of Fort Collins with distant views of the mountains. It has a large lake that is used by boaters, fishermen and sandcastle builders all summer. The campground consists of several loops. Trees were planted years ago and several are larger, creating a reasonable amount of shade at some campsites. We stayed in campsite 126 our first time camping there and it was ideal. Located at the end of a camping loop, the level, paved site provided a view of the lake and reasonable shade from a distant cottonwood tree during dinner. The sites here are generally level and spacious with full bathrooms in each loop. Electric is at each site, with a water and dump station located near the entrance of the campground. Bike trails for the city intersect this campground, so you can bike to Loveland or Fort Collins on paved, wide paths. Kayaking is easy with several inlets, or if you have a boat, bring it and enjoy the water. A newer, large picnic area and new playground are a quick bike ride from the campground next to the swim beach. There is an event area that can be rented and several opportunities for recreation throughout the park. We visited in both June and September. Both were busy, but the campground was quiet at night and the staff was helpful. There are horseshoe pits, small playgrounds, and a volleyball area in various camping loops. I definitely would stay again if in this area. Learn More: minnieoutwest.com

We stayed here only one night but it was amazing. it was not the destination but it came upon us when we needed it. we got a spot and the guy with the huge RV came over and gave us a warm welcome and told us he sells bundles of wood for 5$. it was a great campsite, with the river running right next to it. we saw a guy on a mountain bike. this spot was relatively close to fort collins where we got coffee in the morning. i would go back to this campsite anyday.

So thankful we stumbled upon this campground! The sites are a bit small and the walk-up tent sites are pretty close together, but overall it was a great stay. The bathrooms were very clean. While it is right off of the highway, the sites are down an embankment so you're not right next to the road and the sound of the river really drowned out a lot of the traffic noise. There is great hiking right down the road (we did the Greyrock Trail) and it was not that far of a drive into Fort Collins. Overall, we were very happy! 

Side notes: Site 10 does not have water access nor a great view of the river, but it was really nice to be at the end of the walk-in sites having two dogs. Also, one of the nights was very windy and it was a little scary, so be sure to bring rope to tie your tent down somewhere. And lastly, I saw other reviews about rattlesnakes being an issue. We didn't see any nor did the camp host mention them as being problematic, but we stayed vigilant just in case.

Definitely a gorgeous area, but the Pets Allowed designation is misleading. RMNP has serious restrictions on dogs inside the park, like not letting them on any trails. If you intend to stay in a campground, and never leave it, then no problem. But if you want to hike, you'll need to have a plan for your furry friend. It gets very hot in any vehicle, because of the intense sunshine, so you absolutely cannot leave your pet in a vehicle, unless you are able to leave the A/C on for them. They also must be on leash at all times. There are lots of dispersed camping areas in CO, so I wouldn't go here if I want to take my dog camping with me.