Searching for the best camping near Idaho Springs, CO? Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Idaho Springs is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Find the best campgrounds near Idaho Springs, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
$18 / night
"area was plowed open to exactly the width of our trailer, so with more than three feet of snow on the ground we needed to get some exercise and do a bit of shoveling so we could back in and be able to walk"
"Late October is very unpredictable in Colorado for a camper who is primarily a tent camper."
"8100’ high. 7 miles off I-70 at Idaho Springs. 25 miles into outskirts of Denver. Don’t worry they have oxygen! Not kidding!!"
"This location is about 39 miles from Downtown Denver or about 45-60 mins (with traffic). They should just say Central City KOA in the title."
$28 - $90 / night
"This spot is just a quick ride outside of Golden. The scenery is gorgeous with several trails to hike or mountain bike. The campsites are clean and easy to get to."
"Stunning campground nestled right outside Golden and Boulder Colorado. We couldn’t believe it…so close but you feel incredibly removed once you get there."
$33 - $40 / night
"They use a keycode system to restrict access to the centrally-located bathhouse (there is only one in the campground), which I thought was clever. "
"The highway noise was very noticeable, but didn’t take away from the peaceful setting. It was a clean campground. The bathrooms and showers were clean and have a key code for entry."
"Just outside of Idaho Springs, take the exit for Co Rd 275 off of I-70. It's a scenic drive up a curvy paved road for about 15 minutes."
"It is about 7 miles of dirt road, and 4 miles of very challenging (for me) driving.
Be sure to follow the sign LEFT to Chinns Lake. "
"So the Gordon Gulch dispersed camping area has around 15 numbered sites that are ok... but if you keep driving further down 233.1 you will find many more unnumbered campsites."
"Getting here is easy, only a few miles away from Nederland and I had cell service (verizon) the entire time."
$26 / night
"Tons of forests to explore nearby. It was very busy- sign said campground full but after a drive around all the sites we found one that was open!"
"The proximity to Central City/ Black Hawk is crazy ( less than 2-3 miles) but the proximity to i70 is what makes it a hidden gem."
"Resources were running low on a Friday night so it was great pull off great views close to idaho springs down town , nice hiking trails as well traffic is pretty much non existent after 9pm"
"Any unpaved areas around it are not flat."
"If you’re looking for a solid RV park near Golden that’s clean and dog friendly, this place is for you. Staff were very polite and helpful."
"This park is kind of pricey even in the winter (we stayed Nov22-Jan23) but it’s Colorado and it’s all pretty pricey. Park staff is super friendly and accommodating."
$26 / night
"This was a great place for a quick getaway, as its only 14 miles south of Idaho Springs. The campground is best suited for tent or small trailers. Its high altitude, nestled in the pines."
"Echo Lake campground is situated off Squaw Pass Rd next to Echo Lake and the start of Mt Evans Rd."
ScoutGreat little find on the river next to a hot springs resort. Dry camping Great place level lots
GuideLike most of the national parks where we’ve been able to snag a campground. This one was fabulous. You have beautiful views of longs peak, and multiple other lower peaks as well as nearby glaciers. It’s on Bear Lake Rd., which is a covered place to have a reservation to drive. It’s right across the street from the shuttle if you wanna take that all the way up to Bear Lake to do some nice hiking. It’s a little less than a mile away to Sprague Lake and there is a connecting trail as well. The Rangers and camp hosts were friendly and informative. There are many sites that are open where a Starlink would work well and there are several other sites where there are many trees. There’s also a beautiful group camp area if that is your need.
ScoutGreat spot to pop up a tent, and get away from traffic. Some spots are closer to the roads than others, and some you will need 4th with some decent clearance.
TravelerThe good:
The bad
We had almost full bars thanks to the proximity to WP. Probably won’t come here again due to the highway noise, but it is a very nice place to camp.. especially if you are a mountain biker!
ScoutWe drove up on a Thursday night and there were only 3 spots take . We camped at spot 9 which is huge. You are downwind and near the bathroom so there’s a smell every now and then. Site 9 is huge, most level in some spaces for a tent and has easy direct access to the creek. This is a shady site and pretty close to site 8. I would say that sites 8-10 have the best creek access, 6 has it but not as direct.
ScoutThis is a no thrills campsites, what beautiful overlooking the mountains and the lake, $30 a night, well kept maintained. Zero hook ups.
GuideWhat a gift this site was! Went camping with a friend for 2 nights over the 4th of July. We found one of the last sites and it was lovely. Very little traffic- just a couple vans and ATVs. Things to note: the weather is incredibly unpredictable (pack a rain jacket) and with the joy of the stream comes the curse of 100000 flies. I wish I was exaggerating, but we were bombarded constantly whenever the sun was out. Still altogether wonderful!
ScoutWe arrived on Thursday 8/7/2025 at 7am looking for a spot, it was pretty well filled up but we found site #13 open so we jumped on it. After setting up we walked the grounds as site #13 goes pretty far back and down the mountian and is beautiful, here's why I gave it two stars. 30-40 yards behind our fire ring there were 5 piles of human crap with TP smushed on them and with the wind alot of used TP was scattered across the site, so I had to put on disposable gloves and walk the ground and pick other human beings used TP.
Guide8/6/2025
Got here late and left early (so no photos) but this was a solid FCFS spot for tenting. Stakes went in easy, vegetation was like a cushion. Very pleasant weather - didn't need to sleep with the rainfly, and got some great views of the stars. Arrived around 9:30pm and it was a little loud in other parts of the campground - folks with fires, music, and chatter - but that died down pretty quickly and/or wasn't audible from the loop I was in. Construction on the main road wasn't a problem either.
There's a drinking water spigot right across from this site that isn't pictured on rec.gov. Water was good.
Worth a stop at Sapphire Point Overlook for a quick view as well - maybe 0.2 miles of well-groomed gravel trails to the overlook from the parking lot.
$27 tent site + $8 reservation fee = $35/night
Camping near Idaho Springs, Colorado, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking to pitch a tent or park your RV, there are plenty of options to explore.
Camping near Idaho Springs, Colorado, offers a variety of experiences for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful getaway or an action-packed adventure, there's something for you in this beautiful area.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, Idaho Springs, CO offers a wide range of camping options, with 433 campgrounds and RV parks near Idaho Springs, CO and 143 free dispersed camping spots.
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Idaho Springs, CO is Deer Creek Campground — Golden Gate Canyon with a 4.6-star rating from 48 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 143 free dispersed camping spots near Idaho Springs, CO.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 14 parks near Idaho Springs, CO that allow camping, notably Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland and Rocky Mountain National Park.
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