Best Tent Camping near Gardner, CO

This campground used to be free when I first found it years ago while visiting the Royal Gorge. Since the city has invested money into fixing up the campsites with fire rings, tent pads, and what seems to be pretty good county road maintenance, it’s definitely understandable why they charge a fee.

No water is available. There are vault toilets.

There are NO bear boxes.

Rules worth nothing (according to the sign upon entering camp):

1. no alcohol (that didn’t seem to stop anyone from enjoying themselves at their site)
2. You can only stay for 72 hours per visit unless otherwise noted.

There’s lots of hiking and mountain bike trails near the campground, which brought lots of mellow mtb riders in during my stay.

Because of the rules/amenities, i felt the price was a little steep as others have mentioned. However it is clean, close enough to Cañon city that you can go to town if needed, but far enough away to “unplug” from the world in a beautiful location. Overall I’d recommend visiting this campsite! I’ll happily return.

Stayed here 1 night with the backcountry permit through recreation.gov to see the stars and stay the night in the dunes. The hike in over the dune to a camp site with all your gear is frankly not easy, but it's short distance so it's manageable. Climbing in the sand is challenging with the extra weight of the pack and if the wind picks up you get whipped with sand BUT it is 100% worth it. We hiked in around 5/5:30pm at the end of the heat and were set up eating dinner around 8pm. Took a lot of breaks hiking in and went through a lot of water. In total we brought about a gallon of water each, and by the time we hiked out the next morning we were down to the last couple of ounces. Just the tent, no rain fly and using our sleeping bags as quilts was perfect in June. Even if you don't camp out the dunes are open for star gazing, and I highly recommend that. I tried hiking in both sneakers and just socks. Just socks was much better keeping your feet light and reducing cramping. Note: bugs come out at dusk so be ready with lots of spray and cover your limbs and bring good sunblock, you will get toasted.

Backcountry dispersed camping in Great Sand Dunes National Park offers an unforgettable and truly unique wilderness experience. If you’re seeking solitude and raw, untamed landscapes, this is the perfect spot to pitch your tent. With no designated sites, you have the freedom to find your ideal spot beyond the busy dunes and under an expansive star-filled sky.

The journey begins with a hike deep into the park’s rugged terrain, where you’re surrounded by towering sand dunes, alpine forests, and sweeping views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The lack of light pollution makes stargazing an absolute highlight—this is one of the best places to witness the Milky Way.

Keep in mind, this is true backcountry camping: no facilities, no water sources, and you must pack out all waste. Permits are required, so be sure to plan ahead. The environment can be challenging, with extreme temperature swings and strong winds that shift the sand beneath your feet. Good preparation and Leave No Trace practices are a must.

The rewards are well worth the effort. From sunrise hikes to the serene sound of nothing but wind across the dunes, this camping experience immerses you in nature’s raw beauty like few others can. It’s an adventure you’ll carry with you long after you’ve left the dunes behind.

Highly recommend skipping the tent and sleeping under the stars!

This campsite is located in the Great Sand Dunes National Park. A well maintained campground with asphalt roads throughout, including the campsite parking area. Each campsite includes a level dirt area delineated with a low rock wall, a large metal bear proof food storage locker, a metal fire ring with grate and an aluminum picnic table. There is no water, sewage or electric at any of the sites, although at only $20 a night that is quite acceptable. Plan to pick and reserve your site about 6 months in advance as this national park is very popular.

Campground Review:

This campground was recommended to us due to its’ proximity to the Great Sand Dunes National Park that we were visiting. Not only did this campground have a convenient location (15 minutes west of the park), it was absolutely beautiful and so fun to explore! We woke up early and hiked along the wetlands nature trails, catching an amazing sunrise with panoramic views over the lake, Great Sand Dunes and surrounding mountains.

Luckily, I have a current Colorado annual dishing license which covered the camping fee. Otherwise, an annual access permit ($36), Colorado hunting or fishing license is required to camp here. Reservations are not accepted here so everything is first come, first serve. We were surprised to find so many sites available even on a beautiful summer weekend, we had the entire loop of camp sites to ourselves. There are 51 camp sites available spread across multiple loops. The first loops (A) we encountered was quite full, but the additional loops were almost entirely empty.

The sites were decently spaced apart and each offered electrical hookups, sheltered picnic tables and fire pits with grills. The free electrical hook-ups were quite helpful for charging up our electronics. Thankfully we had a power converter and power strip provided with our Escape Campervan. The picnic tables at the sites each have unique shelters that provided a nice break from the hot sun and strong wind gusts we encountered during our stay. Unfortunately, during our visit we were unable to use the fire pit due to fire bans that were in effect in this area. Along with the rest of the campground, the restrooms were spotless and well-maintained. Thankfully the pull-through parking spaces at each site made it super easy to park the 17.7-foot long campervanwe were driving! The parking spots were also all quite flat and level, which was an added comfort bonus to the whole experience.

Due to the proximity to the San Luis lakes and wetland areas, bugs were plentiful this time of year. Our headlamps and lanterns drew some of the largest moths I have ever seen! I would definitely recommend bug spray for visitors to this campground during warm months.

Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I occasionally have the opportunity to test and review products from outdoor companies. On this camping adventure, I was able to test out a Mavericks Campervan, which is the signature campervan model offered by Escape Campervans. This was a unique experience for me and my adventure partner, as we typically car camp or backpack into the backcountry for camping. Renting one of these campervans provides many potential benefits for both nature newcomers and the most seasoned campers. They have locationsall over the country making them available to most geographic regions, we picked ours up in Denver, which gave us access to all of the fantastic camping Colorado has to offer! A few of my favorite things about the Escape Campervans:

Convenience– This van provided more than a means of transportation…we also had a kitchen, living room, and bedroom all rolled into one well-appointed vehicle. This meant that everything we needed was readily available and easy to use with minimal set-up both on the road and when parked overnight. For instance, at one point, we start craving s’mores so we stopped at an 11,000-foot mountain pass overlook and simply opened up our kitchen stove and toasted some marshmallows in the parking lot! From a more practical stand-point, after a long day of hiking and driving, it was really great to be able to put our bed together in just a few minutes rather than going through the hassle of setting up a tent, sleeping pads, etc. plus the bed in the van was super comfy! The two-burner Coleman stove, sink, and fridge allowed us to cook pretty much anything without the usual compromises one must make while camping. Additionally, plenty of equipment is included in your rentalincluding; cookware, utensils, a space heater bed linens and even camp chairs. Additional accessoriescan be added on to your rental as well, so all of your needs are really covered. This was a huge added bonus and cut down on packing, which would be great for those coming from out of town or people that do not own much camping equipment.

Drivable– I was a bit intimidated to get behind the wheel of such a large vehicle, especially on Colorado’s curvy mountain roads. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the Maverick handled very well. We encountered some serious wind and rain on our journey and always felt quite safe behind the wheel of our trusty van. It was also not too bad on gas, especially compared to other larger campervan and RV options. Another perk of renting through Escape Campervans: they do not charge for additional drivers, so my friend and I were able to split up the burden of driving without being hindered by additional fees.

Design– The layout of these vans are definitely optimized for comfort and functionality. There was plenty of storage throughout the van which made it easy to organize all of our belongings in despite being in such a small space. It also easy to move around and reach everything while on the road and while parked. The pull out bed was very easy to use and took only a few minutes to transition from the table and seating to the super comfortable bed. The curtains in the van were also a nice touch and gave a great sense of privacy and also kept things quite dark for sleeping.

The #vanlife–Social media sites like Instagram are full of jealous- inducing travel photos of those that have converted their lifestyle to travel and live by campervan. I have always been plagued by wanderlust and this van camping experience totally let me live out that dream for a weekend! Furthermore, the fun paint job of our van (lovingly nicknamed the Fish-O) was certainly noticeable and we got tons of attention from other adventurers out on the road. We met quite a few fellow van campers that were excited to share tips and tricks and compare the set-ups of their campervans with ours. Being part of the #vanlife provided a unique sense of community that I can’t wait to join again!

A note about the Escape Campervans company as a whole – I cannot say enough good things about my experience with this fantastic company. Every interaction we had with them, from initial booking to van return, exemplified nothing short of outstanding customer service. The staff was very well-informed about their services and vans but also had tons of personalized recommendations to offer about the potential adventures along our road trip. It was very evident that their staff is made up of fellow outdoor enthusiasts who also value the importance of professionalism and quality customer service.

We booked this site last minute and it was perfect! The grounds were quiet and people respected the Quiet Hours curfew. Each site has a covered picnic table to block the wind. The site we booked had electricity hookups. We stayed in a car tent, so we needed non-concrete ground to anchor our tent stakes - the sites are all concrete and gravel with a lot of grass surrounding the main driveway. We were able to park our SUV so that we had access to the grassy area without being intrusive to other folks. The showers are in their own bathroom - toilet, sink, trashcan, bench, towel hooks, and shower. I strongly advise to NOT place clothing or towels on the bench near the shower. The shower has a strong spray and it will get your items slightly wet if too close. The showers are included in your camping fee (aka free to use). There isn't anything to block the wind (except at the picnic table) so be advised weaker tents won't be comfortable.