Looking for tent camping near Littleton? Find the best information on tent camping near Littleton, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. From remote to easy-to-reach, these Littleton campsites are perfect for tent campers.
Five miles north of Nederland, National Forest System Road (NFSR) 226, commonly known as Gordon Gulch, turns east off of Colorado Highway 72. NFSR 226 intersects other forest roads: NFSR 314, 228, 233 and their off-shoots. There are 15 numbered, designated campsites scattered along the road system within 1.5 miles east of Highway 72. Camping is permitted in designated sites only. Take care when driving in this area. Snow and mud can persist through most of the year. The free Boulder Ranger District Motor Vehicle Use Map displays National Forest System (NFS) routes open to motorized travel and is available online and at the Boulder Ranger District offfice.
Streams; treat water for drinking.
Mueller's campground has 136 campsites each with a picnic table and fire ring. There are 99 electric sites, many with tent pads and 22 basic walk-in sites in Prospector Ridge (sites 55-66) and Turkey Meadow (sites 100-109) Campgrounds. Sites 12 and 22 are handicapped designated sites. You must have a handicapped placard or license plate.
Campground Amenities The Comfort Station is open year-round. The Camper Services Building is open only in summer (Mid May - Mid October) Both buildings contain flush toilets. On-site accommodations include firewood for sale, a camper services building with coin-operated showers/laundry and modern restrooms, vault toilets, dump station and a playground.
Mueller offers three group campground opportunities nestled in the aspen and conifer forest, conveniently located near the Camper Services Building.
Winter Camping: Mid October - Mid May Mueller has 29 electrical sites available within the Peak View Campground and the Revenuers Ridge Campground (Sites 1 –9, 11-13, 15-22 and 81 – 89) during the winter. The Comfort Station, containing flush toilets, will remain open. Vault toilets will be open at Outlook Ridge, Peak View Campground and across from site #87. Water is available at the outside spigot at the Comfort Station; all other hydrants are closed, so we suggest bringing your own water. The dump station is dry dump only, which means you will not have water to rinse out your equipment.
$18.00 per night Mueller State Park has 4 backcountry campsites located in 2 separate groups. Both backcountry campsite groups require an approximate 1.5 mile hike from the Black Bear Trailhead to the sites. Sites are available to reserve from May 1 through October 31st.
$18 - $396 / night
Camping is allowed at numbered designated campsites. No fee is charged. Practice Leave No Trace Principles.
Camping is limited to 14 days in one location. After 14 days, your camp must be moved at least three miles away.
Maximum stay is 28 days within a 60-day period. After 28 days, all property and people must leave the Roosevelt National Forest.
NOTE: Campers who build any fires face fines up to $5,000 and/or up to six months imprisonment for open fire violations.
Leave No Trace must be observed, as in any outdoor space.
In any season this area is prone to very strong dry winds that can pick up a hot coal from a campfire that has lain dormant for as much as three days and ignite dry vegetation, causing horrific devastation. People from outside Colorado may not understand how tinder dry this area can be. 197 homes in this area have been destroyed by wildfires. All of these fires were started by humans.
Local residents overlook this area and if they see visible flame or smoke they will call the Boulder County sheriff. Any campers who require a campfire are recommended to disperse camp near Sugarloaf Mountain where fires are permitted.
We have everything you need to have a great time in the Colorado Rockies. Tent sites, RV sites, and Camper Cabins! Relax in your shady site or take a dip in our heated outdoor pool. We also have a fishing pond, stocked with rainbow trout, a retro arcade, 24/7 lounge serving locally roasted coffee each morning, playground, and laundromat.
We’re outside the city lights at the base of Pikes Peak- 7600 feet elevation – yet our proximity to all the area’s many attractions makes us an ideal location for families looking for a summer adventure or folks just passing through for a couple of days. We strive to make every stay special. You will love it here at “the Duck”!
$40 - $87 / night
Dispersed Camping information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd577265.pdf
With a few exceptions, dispersed camping is allowed on national forest public lands. Camping in the national forest at one location is limited to 14 consecutive days. The campsite must then be moved a minimum of three miles. Camping can then continue for an additional 14 days. Camping is restricted to a maximum of 28 days in any 60-day period.
More than 40% of lands within the Arapaho National Forest boundary are private or otherwise owned. A map showing land ownership is recommended. It is YOUR responsibility to know if you are on private, city, county, state, national park or national forest land.
Pack out all trash. There are no services.
Practice Leave No Trace ethics
Traveler
There were a lot of options for us to pull off and camp. We had gone the day after a snow storm and the road was decent. I guess snow plows go through often since there’s nearby residential. Each campsite was decently spaced and far enough from the road so that you can U turn it and it doesn’t feel like you’re just pulling off to the side (accommodated out RTT nicely) There were great views and the pups enjoyed it.
Traveler
Bumpy ride up, but we were able to do it in our car SLOWLY. Absolutely beautiful place. Lots of campsite options. I was under the impression fires were allowed, as there were fire pits, but signs everywhere stating no campfires. Columbine Lake is a pretty hefty hike from the trailhead, but so worth the view. Had the entire place to ourselves pretty much all Friday. Beautiful beautiful beautiful
Ranger
The road here has some gnarly washboards. I had to slow down to a crawl at points because it was thrashing my rig around so much. There is also one turn on the road where if you’re not careful, I could imagine getting stuck. However, the views are incredible and it was well worth the effort. Cell signal from Verizon is extremely good, I am getting 5G UWB and download speeds of 180mbps. There’s some cool hills to climb and many great views.
Ranger
And in fact I believe they were KOA of the year 2023 or 2024. More expensive than we're used to, but has nice amenities. Sites level with concrete pads, fairly large. Some space between with trees. Nice metal patio furniture provided at each site(chairs, table, fire pit). Has decent showers, hot tubs, and off leash dog park. Inexpensive pancake breakfast and pizza/wings to your site are available, also an onsite store. Kind of at the top of a rise, so good views but also kind of chilly for July (60s/40s). Massive thunderstorms with hail and heavy rain two evengings (CO mountains tend to get afternoon t-storms). Communicate via text to let you know about goings on. Good radio station out of Idaho Springs KYGT 102.7 and 103.9
Ranger
Stayed in spot RV24. Easy access right off freeway and convenient to TPB start. Some nice small trails in area for easy walking. Mostly pine trees. Orderly, camp hosts seem inclined to enforce rules. Quiet.No campfire pits so no burning allowed at all and most folks seem to knock off early. Showers are available for.25/2 min with a 4 min max. Appeared old, clean.
For road cyclists: Good place to stay for Triple Bypass
Food aside: Cooked Hatch green chile sausage and added to Sprouts Hatch mac and cheese and put into burritos. Ate leftovers for breakfast. Low FQ (fart quotient).
Guide
I spent the night at Base Camp because the campgrounds North and South of Ned were full and it was dark and getting late. You have to be lucky with those ones to get one of the few good spots that are there. I have been to the convenience store at BC before and it was closer to Idaho Springs (I was going there the next day to meet a friend). $39 per night for a tent site is INSANE. I could have stealth camped and there was another spot I could’ve gone too but BC was close and I was tired. I guess that’s how they make their business. Begrudgingly it worked for what I needed.
Guide
The place fills up on the weekend. I drove through most of the trail system and did not find a spot. Came back during the week and took a closer spot so as not to risk it. Trash is everywhere. Multiple poop spots are within 100ft of the fire pit with copious amounts of used tp lying around. Trees are slashed, cut, and the forest is not doing well. There are multiple long term campsites here so watch out for squatters. I stayed near the start and then a bit deeper, which prompted me to take photos. I forget the site numbers but honestly it’s not looking good in most places. At the very back are what look like a few nicer spots because they are hard to get to with a non off-road vehicle. It breaks my heart how this campground exists.
Legend
Situated of 9,400 ft. Altitude ! Not for everyone! Clean, in the forest.
Legend
Very clean, very well maintained. Large spaces near the lake.
Guide
Two beat up, broken down cars at the entrance. Road is very rough, full of potholes from the start. Did not feel comfortable staying here.
Guide
Beautiful, but really need a compact 4x4 to get into and out of parking lot and there are tent sites only. We almost didn’t make it out with our 24 ft van (checked it out but didn’t stay overnight). Very crowded on a Saturday at 4:30pm.
Guide
Not a lot of options on I 70 east of Denver for overnight parking so opted for a KOA last minute. Easy last minute check in process. Served great for a quick in and out.
Scout
Not super busy! Lots of open spaces when we arrived around 6pm.
Scout
Finally, a nice campsite on a road that isn't horrible. There are 30+ designated, numbered, dispersed campsites on this road. Each of them have a parking area right along the road with a fire ring a short distance away surrounded by awesome rock outcroppings. The parking areas tend to be very unlevel and there are only a few that you can pull right up to your campsite. #6 had a level spot large enough for my van and the camping area just a few steps away. These are great campsites and the area is really awesome. After so many horrible roads and places closed, it was a blessing to find this spot. The road is a bit of a washboard, but that is nothing compared to most of the forest roads in Colorado. Highly recommended! Cell service with At&t in site 6 is decent. Calling is 2 bars. at least half of the sites are big rig friendly. All of the sites are 100% free.
Traveler
My husband bought a new tent so we just wanted to find something kinda close to Denver but still beautiful for just a quick overnight trip. Our goal was Chinns lake but stupid Apple Maps took us here instead. It was still beautiful and there were a handful of spots still open for us. I wouldn’t recommend for a big group unless you get there early and claim the whole top but we really enjoyed it! The lake was low but still beautiful.
Traveler
We camped here after a Red Rocks show. The spot is a great area. About 20 minutes off of I-70. There are many pull offs along this road that could theoretically be good camp sites. However there are “no camping” signs, which is why I gave it 3 stars. Everything is great besides that: beautiful stars, good tent site, safe parking area.
The spot we chose is a bit farther down the road than the one listed here. It’s in between the bend in the road. We parked at the pull off and walked down a small hill to find a good tent site and a fire ring.
Also be aware it’s pretty chilly compared to just a few miles up the road. It was in the mid 30s at night.
TravelerWe camped a very short walk from the parking lot. Amazing camp site with not many people around.
Guide
Busy and right off highway
Scout
Overall a very fun spot if you have a vehicle with some ground clearance to get to the nice sites by the reservoir. My Peak Edition Atlas handled it well. Only complaint is the damn project at Gross reservoir is a 24 hour site and the lights are ridiculously bright.
Scout
We parked in the parking lot and walked into the valley. After a while we found quite a lot of options with fireplaces already there. So you should mostly find something.
It is quiet, but also a popular spot for hikers so early in the morning, some people arrived. But you can camp far enough in the valley and away from the trail. Water is available if you have a purifier or filter system.
Scout
The artwork on뉴토끼 webtoons is top-notch. Absolutely stunning!
GuideWanted to stay for two nights but only did two days, because a mountain lion tore a deer to shreds about a day or two prior to my arrival by my campsite and i was spooked. Had two dogs but had an eerie feeling and left early but it was gorgeous. Loads of OHVs tho
TravelerTons of level, large spots. Road is meant for ATV use, and was a fair amount of traffic throughout the day but tolerable. Hardly any at night. Restrooms at base of road. Found our spot 2.5 miles up the road, definitely needed AWD.
Guide
Overall Nice site. Stayed one night. Too pricey for a stopover. Propane fire pit looks nice but could not use. Must have a 20 pound tank. Store was closed as we arrived at 5 pm.
Train and traffic noise as expected for location.
Lot of stuff for kids. Nice facilities. Clean park.
Traveler
From Texas, got married in Colorado two years ago and came back again this year to celebrate. Absolutely love camping and hiking, staff was friendly and everything has been clean so far. Super worried at first about hiking up to campsite but they have carts donated to help carry gear. This is one of the farther tent campsites on this side of the park and we had no issues getting there. Other than a bloody nose from elevation change. Beautiful view lots of wildlife:)
ScoutThere is no discernible reason that the road is closed 2 miles before where this app says the site is. Internet search says it should be open til middle of November unless there is some weather or other issue. Lovely weather, locked gate.
ScoutStayed the last night with a rental RV that we needed to return to Denver by 10;30 AM. Campground has an unusual lay out with "loops" being 3 rings of sites. Sites are spread out well. Lots of privacy, Within an hour's drive of the RV rental return location (with a Costco on the way to fill the gas tank). Some sites have elec/water/sewer at the sites. Some have just electrical - this was our site. A communal water/sewer was available with ability to handle two vehicles at the same time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Littleton, CO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Littleton, CO is Gordon Gulch Dispersed Area with a 3.6-star rating from 49 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Littleton, CO?
TheDyrt.com has all 59 tent camping locations near Littleton, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
