Best Campgrounds near Grant, CO

Primitive camping sites can be found in multiple locations surrounding Grant, Colorado, situated along Highway 285 in Pike National Forest. The region includes both dispersed camping along forest roads and established campgrounds like Geneva Park Campground, Bruno Gulch Dispersed, and Kirby Gulch. Options range from remote sites requiring high-clearance vehicles to more accessible campgrounds with basic amenities. Tent campers, RVs, and dispersed camping enthusiasts have multiple options between 9,000-10,000 feet elevation throughout the area, with the Kenosha Pass area serving as a popular starting point for both overnight stays and day hikes on the Colorado Trail.

Many forest service roads in the region become impassable during winter months and spring snowmelt, typically restricting full access until late May through October. The high elevation brings cool nights even in summer, with temperatures frequently dropping below 40°F overnight regardless of season. Most dispersed sites near Grant operate on a first-come, first-served basis with standard 14-day stay limits, while established campgrounds like Geneva Park may require reservations during peak season. Road conditions vary significantly, with routes to sites like Bruno Gulch and Kirby Gulch requiring vehicles with higher clearance. A reviewer noted that Kirby Gulch is "worth the rough drive" with "well-spaced sites providing plenty of privacy."

Campers frequently mention the proximity to hiking trails as a major benefit of the Grant area, particularly access to the Colorado Trail which runs through Kenosha Pass. The surrounding Pike National Forest provides abundant wildlife viewing opportunities and access to fishing in streams and small lakes. Developed campgrounds like Geneva Park offer toilet facilities and trash service, while dispersed sites require strict adherence to leave-no-trace principles. Several visitors noted the impressive stargazing conditions due to minimal light pollution in the area. Reviews consistently mention the area's tranquility and scenic mountain views as primary attractions, though sites can fill quickly on summer weekends and holidays when visitors from nearby Denver seek mountain escapes.

Best Camping Sites Near Grant, Colorado (517)

    1. Boreas Pass Road Designated Dispersed Camping

    45 Reviews
    Blue River, CO
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 468-5400

    "Roadside pull off areas. Mostly one lane dirt, can be tight and bumpy. Best for truck camper, small RV or tent. Don't get discouraged if the 1st spots are full just keep driving."

    "While many of the campsites are quite small and located right along the roadside with limited parking, we were lucky to find a fantastic, more spacious spot."

    2. Kirby Gulch

    14 Reviews
    Montezuma, CO
    7 miles

    "Kirby Gulch is a fantastic spot for anyone seeking a peaceful, off-the-grid camping experience near Grant, Colorado."

    "We were able to get a site further back from the entrance, so traffic was to a minimum."

    3. Bruno Gulch Dispersed

    13 Reviews
    Grant, CO
    7 miles
    Website

    "Absolutely stunning area of Colorado with camping next to a beautiful fresh mountain stream. Very popular - try to come up early on a Friday if possible.

    Equestrian friendly!!"

    "Had lots of fun hiking around and playing in the river. Only negative was that you are under DIA flight path and you hear airplanes all night so you are reminded how close to the city you are."

    4. Guanella Pass

    19 Reviews
    Silver Plume, CO
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (801) 226-3564

    $26 / night

    "There are 4 sites that are down by the creek in the trees that are walk-in only but have the most space between them and are right on the creek. They are my favorite spots on site."

    "Close hikes near by including one of Colorado’s 14ers."

    5. Kenosha Pass Campground

    13 Reviews
    Jefferson, CO
    6 miles
    Website

    $28 / night

    "This was a great stay, conveniently located just down 285 for a short get away during the work week.  We stayed for 3 days and during that time there were only a few other campers here."

    "Super easy access for a quick trip to hit the Colorado Trail. We stayed in sight 22, and realized the map on the reservation system was a bit skewed as it is very close to the bathrooms."

    6. Geneva Park Campground

    11 Reviews
    Grant, CO
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (303) 275-5610

    $27 / night

    "This campsite is nestled in a wooded area very close to beautiful vistas and trailheads. Campsites were reasonably well spread out with fire rings."

    "Despite how busy it was we landed a site that felt secluded and was only a short walk to the shelf lake th."

    7. Prospector Campground

    50 Reviews
    Dillon, CO
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 468-7681

    $27 / night

    "Located on Dillon Reservoir, Prospector Campground offers a nice balance of feeling remote while being conveniently near some really neat towns."

    "Great views of lake dillon and each spot is tucked into trees so you don’t see neighbors even if you can hear them. Short Hiking trail connected to the campground plus so many trail options close by"

    8. Kirby Gulch

    9 Reviews
    Montezuma, CO
    7 miles
    Website

    "About 15-20 of us camped at this site (#19) the weekend after the 4th of July, and it was an incredible, mostly private location."

    "When you pull in off the main road, the road turns into a washboard and you drive up into a meadow with multiple sites for RV’s and tents. 

    The sites surround the outside of the meadow."

    9. Echo Lake Campground

    14 Reviews
    Georgetown, CO
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (801) 226-3564

    $26 / night

    "Echo Lake campground is situated off Squaw Pass Rd next to Echo Lake and the start of Mt Evans Rd."

    "RV sites are VERY close together and a little close to the main road. That is the only downside. Beautiful and spacious sites surrounded by spruce trees. Camp host was friendly and helpful."

    10. Deer Creek

    7 Reviews
    Shawnee, CO
    7 miles
    Website

    $28 / night

    "You can hear the water and the creek is right next to your site. Bathrooms were very well maintained. You are close to your neighbors. I just wish they had a dumpster for your trash."

    "This campsite is just outside of Denver, good for new campers or those who want to be more in town. Lots to do nearby"

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Recent Reviews near Grant, CO

3255 Reviews of 517 Grant Campgrounds


  • Rachel S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 26, 2025

    North Boulder Creek Dispersed Camping

    Gorgeous, spacious

    Surprising amount of availability for a Friday night after work, big well spaced sites, beautiful views, quiet, and private!

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 24, 2025

    Rapid #6 Dispersed on Arkansas River

    Easy Spot with Large Truck Canper

    Running a Ram 5500 with large truck camper. Lots of spots on the road to pull off. Nothing fancy but great views! Large campers no bigger than 35ft should have no problem.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 24, 2025

    Herman Gulch Trailhead

    Highway noise, but car camping friendly

    Lots of car noise from the highway but otherwise a good spot to park overnight and sleep in your car. Gravel/asphalt road, easy access, porta potties.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 23, 2025

    Sawmill Gulch

    Drive in + makeshift firepits

    Loved this spot because it felt like a secret. Only 4 or 5 designated camping spots, but you can drive your car into the spot as well. I came from Kenosha Pass ($24 to camp there and you can’t drive your car to your campsite). The road up to the campsites starts out like a regular dirt road, but then it gets a tad rocky and then it gets slightly rough with several potholes. I drive a 2008 Prius and I went slow and it was not a problem for me at all, I cannot speak for the road coming from the other side though. There are bear signs so please be careful. There are also a couple spots along the way to park but not camp. Each of the campsites had makeshift rock style firepits as well. No bathrooms, no water, no trash cans. Private property on most of the rest of the land. No cellphone service for Verizon until you get to the highway again. Highly recommend!

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 22, 2025

    The Lost Site - Dispersed Campsite

    Good place to stop

    We saw neither picnic table nor toilet as mentioned in the introductory paragraph. Still, it is a good place to pull over for a night or two of dry camping. It is close to the highway but not much noise at night. It does seem to be frequented by locals walking dogs, mountain biking, pitching a tent or car camping. No privacy to speak of. It’s mostly pulling over to the side of the road. The dirt road was quite smooth.

  • Lauren M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 17, 2025

    Delmonica Gultch BLM Dispersed

    dispersed sites

    right off the highway you pull onto a dirt road, path is pretty rutted but my van made it no problem. Bigger rigs would have issues. Some highway noise but to be expected so close to the road. Open space for dogs to roam while at site. Good Mountain Views! Decent place about 10 min from Leadville.

  • MThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 17, 2025

    A-Lodge Boulder - Car Camping

    Quiet, cozy, very close to Boulder. Only 3 van/car spots

    Overall vibe and convenience to Boulder rate 4 stars. Although there was a wedding one evening, it was mellow & over, with folks dispersing, by around 8pm. Minimal bugs so we did not use screens for a good part of the time, the overall land the site is on, is long and narrow and so parking/car traffic can be a little tight. We did go out the exit on far side and drove down the hill back to the entrance which necessitated more than 180 degree turn, so try to avoid that. Three clean bathrooms, 1 men's with 2 toilet stalls and shower (toilet stall were very small--knees bumped against door), 2 co-ed bathrooms (one with toilet/sink/shower, one with toilet & sink only). One sink in co-ed had very hot water coming out of both faucets (no cold from this sink). Paper towel dispensers ran out and were empty for a day but then roll of paper towels appeared. 

    Wifi was spotty & disconnected regularly, no Verizon service. There is a small 'store' in office: A fridge with drinks and burritos, some shelves with some Mountain House dinners, and snack bars. There is a pool, dry sauna with great LARGE window looking at creek, and hot-tub (sauna worked great). Did not get a chance to see any of the rooms. Tent sites are up a VERY steep path and on platforms on side of hill (perhaps 50-60' up the hill?). There's an area with some slack lines set up, as well as electric vehicle charging stations.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 15, 2025

    Twin Lakes Up Hill Dispersed

    Amazing 👏

    The best campsite we have found in a long time. We went up the weekend after Labor Day and we were the only ones at this site. You can see how this site gets very busy during the summer but early September was simply impeccable. Great views, big campsites, and you can have fires. the main camp ground was closed for the season so there wasn't any dumpsters or trashcans so definitely think about that if you do non seasonal camping.


Guide to Grant

Dispersed camping opportunities near Grant, Colorado range from high-clearance vehicle sites to more accessible spots at elevations of 9,000-10,000 feet. Fall temperatures at campsites drop significantly at night, with campers reporting "around 55 degrees at night" even in August at 10,000 feet elevation. Most dispersed areas become inaccessible during winter, with peak season running from late May through early October.

What to do

Hike nearby mountain trails: Shelf Lake Trailhead is accessible from Geneva Park Campground, making it convenient for day hikes. "Area was clean even without host currently present. The only issue is that it's advertised as having drinking water but there is currently no functioning potable water access nearby," notes a July 2024 visitor.

Explore 4x4 trails: Beyond standard camping at Kirby Gulch, adventurous visitors can access remote areas. "Went up the 4x4 trail up to the salt mine at the top. If you have a vehicle with 4wd You should be fine," reports one camper who stayed at site 26.

Fish in mountain streams: Multiple campsites provide creek access where kids can play, though fishing opportunities vary. "The creek is a great place for kids to splash and play. When you first pull off Guanella Pass there is a great place to stop by the creek. We did not see any fish in it," observed a visitor at Bruno Gulch.

What campers like

Dispersed privacy: The spacing between sites at some locations offers genuine seclusion. At Bruno Gulch Dispersed, campers appreciate that "sites are really nicely spread apart and flat. Had lots of fun hiking around and playing in the river."

Wildlife sightings: Many camping areas provide opportunities to spot native animals. One visitor to Kirby Gulch 2 reported, "Spent three nights here... had moose visitors right by camp each day which was cool but be sure to respect the wildlife and give them space."

Affordable alternatives: While established campgrounds charge fees, dispersed options remain free. At Boreas Pass Road, a camper noted, "I came in October when the aspens and birch still had some leaves. Beautiful colors on bareus pass," making it a budget-friendly fall destination.

What you should know

Vehicle clearance requirements: Many dispersed sites require appropriate vehicles. "Trail continues pretty far down, but opens up to 48 spots or so near the tree line. Great spot! Highly recommend 4WD for anyone going. Stock jeeps/broncos will be fine past 30s," advised a Kirby Gulch camper.

Weekend congestion: Popular areas fill quickly during peak times. A visitor to Boreas Pass Road Designated Dispersed Camping observed, "I can see this area being busy all year around, definitely on 4th of July weekend. Wish I could've found an open site to spend a night!"

No facilities: Dispersed camping means no amenities. "Since it's a dispersed site, there are no amenities like water or toilets, so make sure to come prepared," warns one camper about Kirby Gulch, emphasizing the need for self-sufficiency.

Tips for camping with families

Consider temperature swings: Prepare for cold nights even in summer. At Kirby Gulch, a camper warned, "It did get pretty cool at night, and our kids definitely let us know about it. Luckily we have extra blankets to insulate their bags and another person in our party had a small heater. But even in July, plan for cooler night time temps and rain!"

Look for creek-adjacent sites: Children enjoy water features at several campgrounds. At Deer Creek, visitors appreciate that "you can hear the water and the creek is right next to your site. Bathrooms were very well maintained. You are close to your neighbors."

Arrive early for better spots: Family-friendly sites go quickly. "We arrived Sunday afternoon to a pretty empty campground. Some sites have a little tree cover and others have none at all. It was a relaxing night. We left early Monday morning to hike Mt Bierstadt," noted a Kirby Gulch 2 visitor who managed to secure a good spot.

Tips from RVers

Road condition awareness: RV access varies significantly between sites. "Pulling the trailer up to the campsites was easy and we took a ride up Mt Evans (scary road but beautiful views!). Lots of hiking trails to explore and the lake is beautiful as well," shared an RV camper at Echo Lake Campground.

Site size limitations: Not all spaces accommodate larger vehicles. A visitor to Boreas Pass noted, "We arrived late afternoon on a Sunday in July. All 23 spots were taken. We're in a van, and while some spots would have been great, not all would work for our van."

Distance from amenities: RVers should prepare for limited services. "No hookups or potable water. The host did have firewood for sale, but not sure you can always count on that," mentioned a visitor to Geneva Park Campground, highlighting the need for self-sufficiency.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best-rated campgrounds in Grant, Colorado according to reviews?

The highest-rated campgrounds near Grant include Kirby Gulch, a five-star rated dispersed camping area off Route 1038 with stunning mountain views and opportunities for hiking and wildlife watching. Twin Peaks Dispersed Campground is another highly-rated option, earning five stars for its exceptional views, excellent hiking access, and peaceful atmosphere. Other well-reviewed options in the broader area include Colorado Campground near Woodland Park and Fall River Reservoir Dispersed Camping Trail, both praised for their scenic settings and proximity to outdoor recreation.

Where is Bruno Gulch Campground located near Grant, Colorado?

Bruno Gulch Dispersed is located in the Pike National Forest near Grant, Colorado. This dispersed camping area is situated off US Highway 285, about 5 miles south of Grant. The site offers free camping with access to water and is suitable for larger RVs. The area features mountainous terrain with opportunities for hiking and wildlife viewing, making it a popular option for those looking to experience the natural beauty of Colorado without formal campground facilities.

What camping is available near Grant, CO?

According to TheDyrt.com, Grant, CO offers a wide range of camping options, with 517 campgrounds and RV parks near Grant, CO and 197 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Grant, CO?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Grant, CO is Boreas Pass Road Designated Dispersed Camping with a 4.5-star rating from 45 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Grant, CO?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 197 free dispersed camping spots near Grant, CO.

What parks are near Grant, CO?