Pet friendly camping near Gateway, Colorado offers convenient access to Denver with nearby mountain retreats just a short drive away. Most campgrounds sit at elevations between 5,000-7,000 feet, creating cooler summer nights even when days reach the 90s. Water access varies significantly between locations, with some offering full hookups while others maintain more primitive conditions.
What to do
Hiking with dogs: Buffalo Creek Recreation Area trails welcome leashed pets with multiple options for day hikes. As one camper notes, "Great place to spend a day to a few weeks depending on lifestyle... fire pits and hiking near" with good cell service available at sites near the highway.
Mountain biking: Buffalo Creek Recreation Area offers extensive trail networks popular with cyclists. A reviewer mentioned it's "a mountain biker's dream" with "plenty of trails for various ability levels" and "much of the area still shows scars from the 1996 fire here, but the sprouts and smaller trees show you a preview of how nature heals."
Water activities: The reservoir at Chatfield State Park Campground provides swimming and boating options for families and pets. One camper states it's "popular for fishing and boating. So many people come out for the weekend so they can get up early with the fish."
Urban exploration: Golden's downtown area is accessible from several nearby campgrounds. Clear Creek RV Park offers great access as one camper notes it's "located perfectly a walk, or bike ride, away from the town of Golden" making it "a great overnight stop or a destination."
What campers like
Access to Denver metro: Clear Creek RV Park provides urban camping with easy city access. A camper shared: "This small, but clean, campground is located perfectly a walk, or bike ride, away from the town of Golden. Not too far from hwy 70 it's a great overnight stop or a destination. The staff was great!"
Clean facilities: Many campgrounds maintain exceptional bathroom cleanliness. At Chief Hosa Campground, a visitor mentioned "the bathrooms were VERY clean and seemed to be pretty new - plenty of bathroom stalls, sinks, and large showers. They were quarter showers for 2 minutes of hot water."
Spacious sites: Rampart Range Recreation Area offers dispersed camping with privacy. One camper was "surprised at how far spread the sites actually are" and found their site "AMAZING! No trail directly near the site, no sites surrounding, we could see the road but from the road the site area was mostly secluded."
Wildlife viewing: Natural settings around campgrounds provide wildlife sighting opportunities. At Chief Hosa, campers "saw a deer" while at Chatfield State Park, visitors reported Magpies that were "worming their way through the grounds and had breakfast with us each morning."
What you should know
Reservation timing: Popular campgrounds fill quickly, especially during summer. One reviewer advised arriving Wednesday morning to secure spots at Rampart Range, while another noted the campground hosts "stay up to date on all of them regularly and can point you to the best views."
Highway noise: Several campgrounds near interstate highways experience traffic sounds. Chief Hosa Campground sits close to I-70, and campers report "even with the fans on at night in the pop-up we could still hear some of the highway noise, but it wasn't a big deal. I'm sure it would be a bigger deal to tent campers."
Shooting areas: Some dispersed areas have designated shooting zones. One Buffalo Creek visitor noted "we found a safe spot for us to go shooting clays the next day and we had a blast just releasing some energy."
Elevation and weather: The foothills location means rapid weather changes. At Rampart Range, a visitor enjoyed "a peaceful quiet night and crisp sunny morning" in mid-March despite expecting crowds due to the area's proximity to Colorado Springs.
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly activities: Jellystone Park™ at Larkspur specializes in family camping with extensive amenities. One visitor called it "Kid Heaven" explaining: "So much to do for the littles!! Recently completely redone the entire park and it is all so wonderful! The campsites are amazing and the activities are so much fun."
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature play areas for children. At Chatfield State Park, campers appreciate "nice campground, well kept... with decent facilities and a playground for kiddos."
Water park options: When temperatures rise, consider campgrounds with water features. Jellystone Park features "water slides" while another visitor described it as the "Disney World of Camping" with "a water park, a bounce pad, cabins, golf carts, putt-putt oh my!"
School break planning: Holiday weekends see maximum capacity at most campgrounds. At Buffalo Creek, a visitor warned "it was the Thursday before Labor day and the area was busy with a lot of campers probably setting up for the weekend."
Tips from RVers
Site leveling needs: Many RV sites require leveling equipment. At Dakota Ridge RV Park, one RVer noted their "Class C++ Leisure Travel Van Unity Model at 25'" found "the A3 site chosen is gravel with a hole or two and significantly tilted low to the front left....requiring a 4 high stack."
Hook-up options: Full-service sites vary widely in availability and quality. Some campgrounds like Chatfield have "no 'tent only' sites. The minimum has electric ($26). There are 3 different areas - each has multiple bathhouses, which have coin-laundry available."
Water pressure considerations: Some parks have high water pressure. One RVer at Applewood RV Resort warned: "Be sure to have a water pressure regulator or you'll come back to a flooded RV."
Dump station access: Many campgrounds offer dump stations but with varying convenience. At Chief Hosa, campers appreciated the campground's "great pricing with only about a $20 premium to dump/fill at Love's and electric/water hookups with dump station included."
Traveler
