Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Leadville, CO

We had an amazing time! Showed up later on a Thursday and got super lucky with and awesome site. The lake is super close and the campground is surrounded with amazing trails. It’s a short drive from Leadville as well.

This campground was super accessible. It was only 10 minutes from Leadville and the roads were easy to follow. The campsite was fairly full on this saturday 5/29 but there were still probably three or four spots open that evening. We even got one on the water even though we got there pretty late-- around 4:30. It gets a little cold at such high elevation at night, so be prepared for that. 

The only cons of this place were that it was a little noisy and we were close to our neighbors. Other than that it was a really pleasant night.

FCFS (site must be occupied the first nights 

35 sites Located at 9,600 and has amazing views on the climb up the mountain. There are trails nearby, both the Continental Divide and Mount Elbert. Be aware of the height for you might have to deal with altitude sickness. 

Check in 2 pm and check out 12 noon Quiet time 10 pm- 6 am 

Fee: $23.00 nightly fee with a self service fee tube 

Open: Late May or early June- end of Sept 

Picnic table, fire ring/grill, water, pit toilets The views are so awesome of the mountains that surround the campground. There are trails in the area. There is a great deal of separation between sites and the trees help mask your neighbor. 

Directions: From Leadville, go 15 miles south on US 24, then west on CO 82 past Twin Lakes Reservoir and Twin Lakes Village

 LNT

 Clean, Drain, Dry

Staff is accommodating and friendly, campground and facilities are clean, they are pet friendly. Have a club house, mail service, 24 clean efficient laundry room. Nothing allowed on their grass except the picnic table they provide, no shade tents, dog pens or mats we had a gravel area behind our site where we were allowed to put our dog pen, small foldable table with Our BBQ grill on it (they will allow BBQ grills on their picnic tables) and fire ring they provided for us.

Amazing view, great sites

Pizza place on site

Pet friendly

Small catch and release trout pond on site

Great location just 5.5 miles from Buena Vista downtown. Nice spacious sites (for RV) woth full hookup. Quarters required for showers. No fenced in pet area. Great spot to stop! Stayed 2 nights.

We love this spot for any size group. It’s not to far from home for us so we can even get back to work the next day. No charge for camping. Fishing, hiking, climbing and biking close by. Plenty of room for pets to run. And plenty of wood for fires.

This spot is one of the best kept secrets for dispersed camping in Colorado. The road has plenty of camping spots all the way up to the lake. Most spots are wooded and offer plenty of shade. We were lucky enough to end up right along the river. If you keep driving down the road, you will end up at a stunning alpine lake basin that offers plenty of hiking. High clearance vehicle is necessary to get down this road.

This is probably my family's favorite area to camp in Colorado. Off the beaten path enough that traffic is minimal. But nice and close to some great four wheel and off roading areas.

Great views of the mountains and some site you get to see the city below. Verizon I have 2 bars of 5g. Cows are grazing, they’re great but leash up pets. Perfect spot if you want to camp and explore the local area. 80 degrees with most sites offering shade from trees. Road can’t get difficult for cars at one spot. Easier to travel during day

Drove out with some friends from Kansas in early October this year and the views and weather was Amazing! Campsite has “fees” through an honor system so you no host to worry about you come and camp as you go here. Place has fire pits bathrooms! One of my favorite spots to camp in Colorado so far.

looking for primitive camping in the area - it was all taken by 2p on a Tuesday (#summer) - so found a spot at this off the road side.

pros off the road good size sites some are in the aspens fire pits communal bear proofed trash can good views for sunset and sunrise restrooms pets allowed

cons off the road (you will hear he cars) $19 per night little privacy between sites

if you’re driving down 24 and need a spot outdoors for the night, I highly recommend it. we stayed in spot #7 which was pleasant once the sun went down. great views of the cliffs across the street and only interrupted when a vehicle passed. for a night outside it was great! just be aware that it’s bear country however we only saw a chipmunk while there and I completely get safe with my pup there too.

This campground is best suited for campers that have no children or pets, people who will spend zero time at their campsite or folks who are in their tent/camper by 9:30 pm.

This campground has zero tolerance for children playing

Our first impression wasn’t that great. Our site was clearly not cleaned up after the last campers departed. The remnants of their half burnt logs and ash soup was still in our fire pit. The wrong name was written on our site which left me quite anxious until we could confirm with the camp host that our spot was not given away to someone else.

The camp hosts were very rude and not helpful. They made every effort to tell us what we could not do without offering solutions of what we can do. For example, you can tie your dog to a tree if you have flat straps. Thank goodness for the kind Ranger patrolling the area that told us that!

Some of the things we were talked to about on our 3 day stay:

• Our awning lights need to be turned off. They might be bothering people.
• Your dogs can’t be leashed to a tree. They can’t be left alone in the camper or outside, even if you’re just running to the restroom.
• We should go into the woods if we want to play any games such as Cornhole so we don’t bother other campers. (Meanwhile a neighboring campsite was throwing knives and axes at a log 50 feet from us and they were never told to go elsewhere)
• They WILL yell at your children. The female camp host screamed at a little girl for going too fast on her bike.
• Quiet hours between 10pm - 8am mean: No more than 8 people around the fire, even if you’re quiet. You cannot ride your bike from one campsite to another because your headlamp might bother someone. No talking. No music, even if it can’t be heard outside your campsite. No laughing. (We were yelled at for laughing when they told us there were 6 minutes and 33 seconds left until quiet time).

The lake itself is gorgeous and had it not rained, we would have spent much more time there. Sandy beach area with rocks. Bring your sunscreen and stay at a different campground!

Robbers Roost dispersed camping area near Fraser, Colorado, is an excellent spot for campers seeking a peaceful retreat close to nature. Located just outside Winter Park, this camping area offers easy access to the Rockies while still being relatively convenient to town for supplies or activities.

The campsites are well spread out, providing plenty of privacy and space to enjoy the outdoors. The views are breathtaking, with towering pines and a mountain backdrop that’s hard to beat. It’s a great base for hiking, mountain biking, mushroom foraging or simply relaxing and soaking in the fresh air.

Since it’s a dispersed site, there are no amenities like water or toilets, so campers need to come prepared with everything they need and pack out all trash. The dirt road leading to the camping area is manageable for most vehicles, though a higher-clearance option is recommended if conditions are wet or snowy.

One of the highlights of Robbers Roost is the proximity to Winter Park and stream access. You can explore the local trails by day and head into town for dining or entertainment in the evening. At night, the stargazing is spectacular, thanks to the minimal light pollution in the area.

If you’re comfortable with primitive camping and love the outdoors, Robbers Roost is a hidden gem worth discovering. Just be sure to practice leave-no-trace principles to help preserve the beauty of this spot. Finally beware of the busy nearby road, especially if you are traveling with off leash pets.