Tent camping near La Jara, Colorado sits at elevations between 7,500-8,000 feet in the San Luis Valley, creating distinct microclimates with temperature fluctuations of up to 40°F between day and night. The region receives minimal rainfall, averaging just 7-10 inches annually, making it one of the driest camping areas in Colorado. Summer daytime temperatures typically reach 75-85°F, while nights cool significantly to 40-50°F even in July and August.
What to do
Mountain hiking trails: Elk Creek Trail offers primitive camping with easy access to multiple hiking paths. According to one camper, there are "Plenty of room. Two vault toilets were clean plenty if TP. Lots of trails, bridge over creek, lakes are near by foot."
Wildlife viewing opportunities: The Great Sand Dunes Dispersed camping area provides excellent wildlife viewing. As one visitor noted, "You will see amazing sunrises and sunsets and also may have some cows come visit you. There were a lot of people but it didn't feel crowded."
Night sky observation: The Dunefield at Great Sand Dunes National Park offers exceptional stargazing opportunities with minimal light pollution. A camper shared, "The views of the sky and stars are absolutely mesmerizing, one of the most beautiful Sand fields in the world."
Cactus foraging: Some camping areas have edible prickly pear cactus. A visitor at Great Sand Dunes Dispersed mentioned, "The camping spots in this site all have fire pits, edible prickly pear cactuses, and some shrubbery and trees for privacy."
What campers like
Solitude and space: Many tent sites in the La Jara region offer considerable distance between campers. At Rabbit Hole Ranch, a visitor observed, "My roommate and I reserved two nights at this spot on a whim the day before we went there. The ranch is super out of the way from many buildings or even many other people for that matter."
Protected sites: Sheltered tent locations provide relief from the valley's notorious winds. According to a Rabbit Hole Ranch camper, "We got there earlier in the day in order to get a good spot and were the first ones for the weekend. Our spot was amazing with established fire pit and tree stumps for sitting."
Cell service availability: Many remote sites maintain usable signals. A camper at Great Sand Dunes Dispersed noted, "Verizon and T-Mobile service worked well. When the wind was forecasted to be 7mph with 15mph gusts, it was enough to cancel the noise from a group of campers a few spots down."
Wildlife encounters: Camping areas frequently feature friendly local animals. One visitor at Rabbit Hole Ranch shared, "The two pups were super sweet and ended up hanging out with us for most of our stay! If you want to be in a beautiful desert with no one around and have a spectacular view of the night sky this is the place to stay!"
What you should know
Wind conditions: Prepare for significant wind, especially at exposed sites. A camper at Sanchez Stabilization Reservoir warned, "Clean washrooms. Cement picnic tables. About 4 nice camping sites around the lake. Quiet windy. The van is rocking around. Hold onto your car doors when you open them."
Road access challenges: Many tent camping areas near La Jara require appropriate vehicles. A visitor to Great Sand Dunes Dispersed noted, "The road does get pretty rough eventually, and we didn't trust our minivan going through the 'unmaintained' section, we turned around and were able to find a connecting side road."
Temperature fluctuations: Pack for both hot days and cold nights. One camper at Great Sand Dunes Dispersed advised, "The temperature almost went down to freezing at night in early June, so be prepared with layers for both hot and cold desert conditions."
Bug activity: Insect presence varies by location and time. A camper at Great Sand Dunes Dispersed mentioned, "So many options and the views are incredible. Bugs are insane so don't come without spray."
Tips for camping with families
Site selection strategy: Choose camping spots with natural barriers for child safety. At The Dunefield, a visitor advised, "We would definitely recommend setting up camp in a shielded area, as the winds blew pretty hard all night."
Water planning: Bring substantial water supplies for tent camping in La Jara's arid climate. One camper at The Dunefield reported, "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."
Kid-friendly wildlife opportunities: Several sites offer safe animal encounters. A visitor at Rabbit Hole Ranch mentioned, "Kids and dogs has an absolute blast out there," noting the spacious layout even during busy holiday weekends.
Overnight temperature preparation: Pack extra warm layers for children. A camper at The Dunefield shared, "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."
Tips from RVers
Self-contained requirements: Some sites have restrictions for RV facilities. At The Chicken Ranch, regulations specify "pull your RV (Must be fully self contained. NO hookups! No size limit on rig)."
Leveling challenges: Prepare for uneven terrain at dispersed sites. A visitor at Great Sand Dunes Dispersed noted, "We were pretty disappointed in the quality of the established areas. They were very difficult to level our smallish travel trailer and perhaps that is the problem."
Spacing considerations: RVs often find more options at lower elevations. One camper at Great Sand Dunes Dispersed observed, "There is open BLM land on either side where many RVers chose to park down the hill" rather than attempting the rougher upper areas.
Noise factors: Consider highway proximity when selecting tent camping spots with RVs. A visitor to Sanchez Stabilization Reservoir commented, "It's also loud with the 18 wheelers driving down the main road. If you're camping in a van or camper shell, it's probably not a big deal."
