Best Campgrounds near Manitou Springs, CO

But so worth it. There were other spots along the road on the way up but most were taken or uneven. I ended up at the top of the mountain and the view is gorgeous. Gets a bit windy and definitely colder but a great site to spend some time at. There is evidence of some parties and broken glass so watch out for that but mostly clean and taken care of. Some traffic coming through but nothing loud or obnoxious. Definitely recommend going slow on the road, the bumps are pretty bad. Enjoy!

This was a great site! Trails everywhere, lots of beautiful sites. Some have mountain views, others are more covered by trees. I stayed in a loop site that was super cozy. All sites have fire rings and plenty of dead trees/branches in the area to gather for firewood.

A beautiful and peaceful place to chill out! The spots are plenty spaced out from others. Just a heads up that many of the spots aren’t flat for parking or even for a tent.

Awesome camp spot. Met a friendly dog and a random turkey. Beautiful scenery.

We were lucky enough to arrive here during moth season and I'm talking hundreds of thousands of moths (I think they were Millers moths). No matter what we did, we had moths all over the place.

Anyway,  the park was really nice, the people friendly, the walks were cool.

I wish I took some pictures.

Great spots in here! Lots of shade in the morning at our spot. We were by a dirt road and did have a few vehicles drive by but not bad. There is bear scat, not old and not new, in the area but no wildlife was seen.

These are blm campsites. There are pit toilets right when you cross into blm land and a sign that explains that you have to camp in designated areas. Like most blm locations there is a 14 day max.

We got our 19 foot travel trailer into a spot with icy conditions, but the road does get quite a bit rougher if you keep going in. Great T-Mobile and Verizon service (2+ bars of 5g)

I started camping this area a couple of years ago and have been coming back several times a year. Over 30 dispersed campsites along a moderately smooth dirt road. Sites are spaced well apart, some sites are covered in trees while others are wide open. I haven’t seen one there yet but it’s good to stay BEAR AWEAR. Sites are clean. I camped at sites 15, 18, 22(twice), 26 (twice ), and there’s two sites close to Wellington lake that I’ve stayed three times . Yes it’s a good place to camp and only about a hour from Denver. My visits were between May to October. Only a fire ring is provided,everything else you’ll need to bring……AND PACK OUT when you leave so the next camper can enjoy the site like you did.

My first experience was a couple of years ago (2022) I paid for three days camping . It snowed and was unable to camp….no refunds… The following year I bought 6 day passes to go fishing and only used 3. They said no refunds….. told them to keep the money and give the passes to the next three people who came in and wanted one….they said that they couldn’t do that.. So, I still tell people about how beautiful the place is…..and I also tell them that they WILL keep your money no matter what happens…. I’ll camp in the dispersed camping sites on the road that takes you to the private over priced campground….. Oh by the way…it’s catch and release. So, if you want fish for supper you better bring your own.

A hidden gem in the Colorado Rockies, Rainbow Trout Ranch offers a serene mountain retreat. With its riverside setting and towering trees, this campground is perfect for anglers and outdoor enthusiasts. The sites are rustic but well-kept, and the peaceful environment is ideal for disconnecting from the hustle and bustle of Denver. Nearby hiking trails and wildlife add to the charm.

AIM for a site along the creek. And beware of the rules. No wildfires nor swimming in the creek.

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.

This is a lovely campground, overlooking Colorado Springs. There are some pull through sites and many back in. The wind can be a little fierce. The showers and other facilities are clean and well-maintained, and my only complaint is the showers are more lukewarm than hot.

Very accommodating staff. Most camping grounds in the area weren’t answering their phones after 16:00, others had automated systems and others had phone numbers that weren’t valid anymore. This camping ground not only was it open until 7pm on. Saturday but they had super friendly staff that did a great job and accommodated us last minute. We called at 18:50 and arrived at 21:00 and everything was ready for us! Would definitely recommend to anyone passing by!

Beautiful location. Clean, modern restrooms. Well maintained services building with showers and laundry. Nice level sites.