Best Tent Camping near Fort Collins, CO

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

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 was my first time staying at a KOA campground and I was blown away by the amenities offered here. Upon first pulling up to the campground, I was met by a security checkpoint and was directed to the main office to register and obtain a car pass. The attention to detail and security measures were another surprise to me, as I have always been more accustomed to primitive campgrounds. As previously mentioned, I was astounded by the variety of amenities offered to guests including wifi, a pool, mini golf, a massive playground, arcade, volleyball and basketball courts, horseshoe pits and more. This all in addition to the usual premium campground amenities such as showers, laundry facilities, RV dump station, camp sinks, an office store with basic goods and snacks, etc. 

This campground is super family friendly and seems to be much more focused on offering RV sites and cabin type lodging. As I am a tent camper, my review will be focused on what is offered for those at a tent site. There are 5 tent sites, which are only available from May 1stto September 30th. The sites are rather close together but in a lovely location right along the lake. The sites cost $45/night on week days and $50/night on weekends for one or two people with a single vehicle, additional guests cost $10/night, additional car $5/night and fire ring rentals are $5/night. Tent sites include a parking spot, a raised and level tent platform, picnic table and grill. Open fires, hammocks and clotheslines are not allowed even at the tent sites. 

Overall, this campground provides a very family oriented environment with luxurious amenities. This campground would be a great option for those wanting a camping experience without having to “rough it” whatsoever. The RV sites and cabin lodging also provide unique options for those not wanting to sleep in a tent. The price for tent camping seemed a bit steep for me, but made sense considering all of the facilities offered. The location just outside of Fort Collins provides easy access to town while still allowing for a more rural experience.

Glen Echo is an exceptional one-stop Poudre Canyon camping experience.   While they do offer large and small cabins, long and short term RV spots, we tent camped for two nights on two different riverside sites - numbers 1 and 6 - and both were awesome!  Both spots offered amazing rushing water views, a nice mixture of sun and shade, picnic tables, and fire rings.  One of the spots - site 1 - had electric hook-up.  Aside from the great tent sites, they have on-site a general store/market, fuel, a liquor store and restaurant/cafe, which made life super convenient because it's located about mid-way through Poudre Canyon and there's not a lot out there.  Also, clean showers, which was a nice surprise.  Cannot recommend this chill camping destination enough!

This Rocky Mountain National Park campground is fantastic. I tent camped with my husband for 3 nights in Loop B. We saw tents and all sizes of campers many with families. Our tent site included a nice tent pad, picnic table, fire ring, and a shared bear box. The fire ban had been lifted and we could buy fire wood each evening-and ice cream! Clean bathrooms with flush toilets. This campground is very close to a number of trails. We hiked the Sprague Lake Trail. It’s 2 miles round trip and pretty easy. Breathtaking views. If you don’t hike, you can drive all the way to the Trail Ridge gift shop and cafe at the top. This park fills up quickly-amost 3 million visitors a year-so plan to get started early. We love RMNP. We will be back this fall!

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

We camped here on a Sunday night on our way back to Fort Collins after a multi-day backpacking trip. We were one of only two groups of campers at the campground. Not only is this campground incredibly beautiful, but it is very clean and well appointed. The sites have plenty of parking space for a car or two each, fire pits with grates to cook on, wooden picnic tables and flat gravel tent sites as well. The restrooms are very clean at this campground and there is a cool old water pump on the north end of the campground. As the name suggests, the campground is sorrounded by Aspen trees which provide amazing fall foliage scenery. There are multiple sites right by the rivers edge, which was quite nice to listen to at night. There are plenty of hiking, fishing, backpacking, and outdoor opportunities galore nearby! We were even lucky enough to spot a group of mountain goats from our campspot in the early evening.

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.

When traveling in this area and looking to explore Rocky Mountain National Park or the surrounding areas finding camping ahead of time is very important. During summer months campground fill quickly and overflow camps like this become your backup plan which sometimes can be difficult to squeeze into last minute. 

From May until September this campground opens its doors to the masses for only$12 per night. Clearly a lot less expensive than some of the campgrounds offered in the area, this camp is quite appealing for those who wish to find inexpensive camping and can enjoy their time in nature without all the frills of an improved campground. This campground is first come first serve which is very important to know if you are wanting to stay in the area and will be arriving later in the day or near a weekend. 

When I visited the season had just opened, literally the day of and there was no one on a weekday at the campground early in the day. I took a stroll around the campground and noticed there is an honor box for paying camp fees and that rangers were in the area driving through the various properties placing kiosk signage up and checking sites. 

This campground offers no running water for those camping here. There are toilets but they are primitive and non-flushing. The sites looked comfortable and like they would be great for camping in a tent or mid-sized RV however they could become a little cramped if visiting in larger units. 

The floor of the campground is blanketed with pine needles which give a fragrant welcome. 

Each campsite has a picnic table and bear box on the site in addition to a fire ring with a small grill on top. You are encouraged to bring your own fire wood and not collect the fallen and absolutely cannot cut firewood in this area. 

Just across from the campground is a pull off and picnic area for Roosevelt National Park which does not offer camping but does have additional areas for hiking and enjoying the nature of the area. There is also another restroom in this area. 

One of the things I found to be very helpful about this campground for controlling traffic and also for accommodating groups was the placement of a few larger sites with additional parking toward the front of the campground. I noticed when I pulled in that in the front portion of the loop there were wider areas which made navigating a bit easier for RVs and also near the dumpsters in this area there seemed to be additional parking. Again during the first part of the season with no traffic passing through this might have been deceiving but it looked to be a great option. 

TIPS: 

• Check out Lucy Lake and the Camp Church in the area. The lake is an amazing location to see some of the picturesque views of Long’s Peak and hike without having to actually go into the park. The church is an actual Catholic Church build originally for a summer camp, its unique design and location are worth a pull off. 
• Bring everything you might need with you. The closest store is more than 15 miles away so you will not be able to pick up last minute supplies without running into the larger community. Make sure you bring plenty of water for everyone and anything you might need for your stay. 
• Check the reports for the area before you tent camp. This area has bear and upon occasion they have a few rogue bears visiting camps. You can find information in advance by checking out tourism centers in Estes Park or by looking at the Rocky Mountain National Park site.

We went into the office and asked if there was tent site available and they said."Yes!" We got a nice tent site in the corner of the park. We were close to the showers and bathroom. There are laundry facilities and free wifi. It was a little spendy, but worth it.

We needed a stop on the way out of Colorado and grabbed a quick night here in a tent site. Water was off for weather but stoves made much needed coffee in the cold.

I checked in. The wind was blowing. Too cold for tent camping. Will be back. 🎃

Great tent camping nice space. Beautiful area! The camp host was very nice made us feel welcome.

Nice site. Reasonably clean and flat. Electrical hookup didn't work, but I was tent camping so I didn't mind. Water was great and easily accessible.

I tent camped at Ranger Lakes. I was the only one tent camping among all the RV’s. I didn’t mind that the spaces were visible from each other since I was camping alone. The pads were very spacious and flat. The lakes are very pretty and are a short walk from the campground. The trails around the lakes were nice to walk around. I wish there were facilities since there really aren’t any within most of the campgrounds of State Forest State Park. But Ranger Lakes is just a short drive from Cameron Pass as well as several beautiful trails. I’d definitely stay here again.

Called 10/15 to inquire about rates, but they do not have any tent sites, only RV sites