Best Tent Camping near Nucla, CO

Tent campers can choose various campgrounds near Nucla, Colorado, ranging from established sites to dispersed camping areas. Miramonte Reservoir offers tent camping with picnic tables and fire rings, located south of Norwood in Western Colorado. Priest Lake Dispersed Camping Area provides free tent sites near Telluride with designated camping spots. Alta Lakes Campground, situated high in the San Juan Mountains, features 20 designated tent camping sites with fire rings around alpine lakes.

Most tent sites in the region have minimal amenities, with vault toilets available at some locations but not all. Campers should bring their own water, as drinking water is rarely provided at these primitive campgrounds. High-clearance vehicles are recommended for accessing many tent camping areas, particularly Alta Lakes where the road includes rough terrain and occasional water crossings. Fire rings are common at designated sites, but campers should check current fire restrictions before their trip. Several campgrounds, including Yellow Circle Road Dispersed Camping Area, require pack-in, pack-out practices for all waste and trash.

In early fall, many tent sites offer crisp air and fewer crowds, making it an ideal time to visit. The higher elevation campgrounds like Alta Lakes provide stunning mountain views but can experience significant temperature drops at night. Tent campers at Priest Lake enjoy relative seclusion despite the campground's popularity, with sites spread out enough to maintain privacy. The terrain varies from open areas with little shade to forested spots that offer protection from sun and wind. A camper noted, "We were able to get our popup to these sites but not necessarily recommended to even attempt to bring a trailer. Worth the risk because, wow! Perfect lake views, snow capped mountain tops, and wildflowers for days."

Best Tent Sites Near Nucla, Colorado (25)

    1. Miramonte Reservoir

    3 Reviews
    Norwood, CO
    23 miles
    Website

    "We got up there late, the wind was blowing, it was raining and the ground was insanely hard!"

    "first come first serve with easy access to the water not too crouded, large camp spaces with daily clean up."

    2. Alta Lakes Campground (Dispersed)

    41 Reviews
    Ophir, CO
    46 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 327-4261

    "Perfect lake views, snow capped mountain tops, and wildflowers for days."

    "Beautiful views of surrounding mountains and Alta lakes as well as access to the ghost town of Alta."

    3. Yellow Circle Road Dispersed Camping Area

    33 Reviews
    La Sal, UT
    47 miles
    Website

    "This was our second night boondocking near Moab, and it was peaceful. We were the only ones out in this area camping with not a single car driving by while we were here."

    "AFTER CLEANING UP A HUGE MESS THAT SOME A HOLE LEFT, we arranged our gear and set up camp. Best time I have ever had camping. We were even greeted with 4" of snow our last day there!"

    4. Priest Lake Dispersed Camping Area

    23 Reviews
    Ophir, CO
    47 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 874-6600

    "We had plenty of room on our site to set up camp around the picnic table and fire ring.  We snagged the last site with a picnic table and fire ring around 10AM on a Friday morning."

    "Pulled into this area late one evening on a fall camping trip across Colorado. Totally expected it to be full but there were a couple areas left to setup thankfully."

    5. Private Alpine Canyon Campsite

    Be the first to review!
    Norwood, CO
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (847) 917-4261

    $50 - $125 / night

    6. Big Dominguez Campground

    4 Reviews
    Whitewater, CO
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 244-3000

    "Pretty spot with stream water right behind the sites. You have to drive over a stream when you come in but it was easily crossed when we visited."

    "As in the description, very quiet, and accessibility can be tricky when weather comes into play."

    7. Angel Creek Campground

    14 Reviews
    Ouray, CO
    50 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 240-5300

    "Nice little campground with large bear boxes for food storage. I felt it's at a good location to venture off each day from."

    "Primitive camping right outside outside Ouray Colorado. Imogene pass trail ends at the campground entrance. Trail into campground is a little rough but that's primitive camping."

    8. 4R FREEDOM RANCH CAMPGROUND

    2 Reviews
    Montrose, CO
    34 miles
    +1 (970) 901-8860

    $45 / night

    "There are canvas tents with cots and wood stoves for the colder months. The stars are beyond compare and if you’re a birder like me, you will have a magical time. Susan is an excellent communicator!"

    9. Fall Creek Camping

    3 Reviews
    Placerville, CO
    34 miles

    "We stayed here for a long weekend to go see Telluride and the surrounding area. The directions led us to the campground, would be easy to miss otherwise."

    10. Oowah Campground

    6 Reviews
    Castle Valley, UT
    42 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 259-7155

    "My sister and I recently visited this stunning campsite on our social distancing road trip. Oowah lake is absolutely stunning."

    "Ran trails for three days around Moab. It was worth the 1/2 hour drive to this wooded paradise to get out of the dust, dirt, heat and wind of desert campsites!"

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Tent Camping Reviews near Nucla, CO

706 Reviews of 25 Nucla Campgrounds


  • Matthew K.
    Aug. 3, 2020

    Priest Lake Dispersed Camping Area

    Secluded and Beautiful

    This was a great site for our group of 3 couples. We had plenty of room on our site to set up camp around the picnic table and fire ring. 

    We snagged the last site with a picnic table and fire ring around 10AM on a Friday morning. Throughout the weekend more people showed up and there seemed to be a bit more space to camp throughout. 

    The sites vary from right out in the open to being completely tree covered. Ours was right near a stream and had good shade during the day. 

    There's nothing but a vault toilet here so be sure to bring lots of water. If you're in need of a shower, head down to Trout Lake for a quick dip.

  • Carol A.
    Sep. 23, 2021

    Sunshine Campground

    Pretty spot close to Telluride!

    Sunshine is a first come-first serve campground with 15 sites. There are several sites with beautiful views and full sun, but those were taken when we arrived. We stayed in site #8 which was quite lovely, tucked in the aspen trees with a picnic table and fire ring. The small pond behind our site was dried up, probably due to the ongoing drought. There is a short viewing trail just off site #9 that provided spectacular views of the mountains. We set up a couple of chairs on the trail and watched the fabulous sunset. The vault toilets were closed and the sign said they’d be closed through the ‘22 season. Portable toilets were provided in their place. The camp hosts, Don & Linda were super helpful by providing us with info about the adjacent bike trails and a short cut to get to Telluride. The campground was very quiet and while we heard some road traffic when we first arrived we never heard any during the night. I got 2 bars of AT&T cell service, enough to stream a movie on my iPad!

    Camp fees are $20/day or $10/day with a Senior America the Beautiful Pass. We’ll definitely stay at this gem again!

  • Patricia O.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 20, 2018

    Woods Lake Campground

    Good camping in Carson Pass area

    Nice campground if you can get a spot, we've stayed at several different sites. The hosts are nice and will let you know the best one available. No running water or electricity or anything fancy. It's quiet, the stars are amazing, and there are good hikes in the area. Downsides are that it fills up fast (I think just 25 sites) and there can be a lot of mosquitoes. Bears may wander through too.

    Vault toilets, bear boxes, picnic table, fire ring.

    You can walk to the lake from the campground.

  • Heather P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 17, 2018

    Pa-Co-Chu-Puk Campground — Ridgway State Park

    Great campground if you flyfish

    The walk to the river was short and there even is a parking area for those who are not camping but want to fish.

    Sites were well maintained, restroom and showers were as well.

    Picnic tables, fire ring and grill at all sites. Deer wandered around freely and was an extremely restful night.

    They offer pull in sites or walk in tent sites. I chose a pull in even though I was tent camping. Had to check out a few sites to be sure there was level/cactus free spot to pitch the tent.

  • Chase R.
    May. 24, 2024

    Yellow Circle Road Dispersed Camping Area

    Beautiful, Remote Views

    This was our second night boondocking near Moab, and it was peaceful. We were the only ones out in this area camping with not a single car driving by while we were here. On the way up we passed several campers right near the entrance of Yellow Circle Road. The campsite provides views of the mountains. The sunset was amazing even through the shrubbery. It does get windy out here in May; however, the shrubbery provides a solid wind break and the wind usually dies down in the evening. There was already a fire ring when we got here. Broken glass was found in some areas, be sure to watch where you step. If one doesn’t have firewood, there are plenty of dead branches laying around to use as firewood. There is potential room for other campers if one decided to come in a group with a similar set up to our camping set up. To get to this campsite, one doesn’t need high clearance; however, parts of the road aren’t crushed gravel (good tires are a must). Enjoy this beautifully, remote campsite!

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 17, 2023

    Woods Lake Campground

    Camping among aspens with mountain views

    Fantastic national forest campground. Mountain views all around. Woods Lake itself was a short hike away. Enjoyed fishing there with beautiful views. The campground is over 9400 feet in elevation. I did some huffing & puffing while walking around there. Our campsite, #4, was narrow & deep; no problem for a camper van. It has a table, metal fire ring/grill, lantern poll and a tent pad set back deeper in the woods. Surrounded by aspens. Camped there in early June. Vault toilets were not yet open, but clean portable chem toilets were provided. Potable water stations were not yet turned on. Helpful camp host was on duty. Firewood was available at $10/bundle. Our site, as well as others, were private & reasonably separated from others. No shower and hookups. Deer everywhere. Saw sign of mountain lions & bears on the nearby hiking trails. This is one of the prettiest national forest campgrounds that I ever camped in.

  • Crystal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 8, 2018

    Matterhorn — Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre And Gunnison National Forest

    Glamping about as far from roughing it as Telluride Gets

    Deluxe Camping in Telluride, and by that I mean that they have flush and vault toilets, showers, drinking water, trash collection and hook ups for your RV or tent. If you have no “roughing it” bone in your body this is the campground for you!

    I went here to check out the site since I had heard it was so improved and yes indeed I was impressed by the amenities.

    Each site had the typical fire ring and picnic table and with two loops you can choose from either a more wooded feel or more open feel depending on your preference.

    Tent sites here have a nice even feel to them clear of obstructions and sharp rocks which for me meant an easy 5 minute set up of my camp. That to me means that I can immediately start enjoying my stay without having to work hard to just prepare my site.

    I chose site #12 which was an unimproved tent site, one of only a few they have. I didn’t feel just because I was at a campground that had electricity I needed to pay for it since I didn’t need it. There is a cost of $8 just for electricity. I paid $18 for my site.

    My views here were nice and there were not a lot of people at the site mid week, however when I spoke to someone in town (only about 10 minutes away) they said this campground is the weekenders destination during September before it closes and during summer is busy throughout the week with vacationers.

    At night this place was a little chilly in September but during the day the weather was ideal. I had a light jacket I carried with me for hiking and I made sure to have my 40 degree sleeping bag for night when temps dropped.

    The views here area spectacular much like all of those in Telluride area. In the distance you always will see a snow capped mountain and in September you start to see the fall leaves emerge with their golden tones.

    The only negative I could see from this campground was in cell signal for those looking to not be “roughing it” being plugged in with AT&T was a little tough. I had to leave the camp and go toward town before I picked up on signal and even then it was a bit spotty at times.

  • Alex S.
    Jun. 24, 2021

    Priest Lake Dispersed Camping Area

    Dispersed with some perks

    Pulled into this area late one evening on a fall camping trip across Colorado. Totally expected it to be full but there were a couple areas left to setup thankfully. Everything in this area was filled by 630p however.

    Clean toilet which is a bonus if needed and designated parking for each little area. Some sites needed to walk in a bit but no big deal.

    Beautiful area all around and one in awhile you could hear road noise but not an issue. In fall you can’t hear Elk as well which is really cool and obviously being surrounded by the colors is great too.

    Fire rings in most spots but double check fire bans before.

  • Kim S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 27, 2024

    Angel Creek Campground

    Good campground with some bearboxes

    Stayed for 4 nights in early Oct 2024. Nice little campground with large bear boxes for food storage. I felt it's at a good location to venture off each day from.

    Not too many sites, had leveled tent areas, pit toilets, deer went through the campground adding to the nice views there and a river by it.

    The cons were there's no trash disposal there you need to go up the road to the other campground to get rid of it, cars were constantly going by looking for a campsite which was constant noise into the evening and they went really fast making the campground road not feel very safe to walk along, not the flattest of parking spots if using a rooftop tent or car camping without anything to level with

    Enjoyed the place.


Guide to Nucla

Dispersed camping opportunities around Nucla, Colorado range from basic sites to developed campgrounds across varying elevations and ecosystems. Located in western Colorado's high desert at approximately 5,800 feet, the area experiences significant temperature fluctuations between day and night, particularly at higher elevation sites. Most camping areas require visitors to practice leave-no-trace principles with limited or no facilities available.

What to do

Fishing in alpine lakes: At Oowah Campground, visitors can enjoy fishing in a clear mountain lake. "The deep, clear, emerald lake is perfect for a quick dip after a hot day," notes Lucille W., who also mentions hiking opportunities from the same area, "We hiked about a 3 mile round trip up to Clarke Lake - which is equally as beautiful and definitely worth a visit."

Off-road adventures: Many campgrounds serve as excellent basecamps for off-road exploration. "Great spot for jeeping. The area was clean and quiet," reports Jacob B. about Angel Creek Campground, located just outside Ouray with convenient access to popular 4x4 routes.

Stargazing: The minimal light pollution makes this region ideal for viewing night skies. According to Kelsey I. at Priest Lake, "The stars were BEAUTIFUL! This is a great spot for stargazers too." The higher elevation campgrounds provide particularly clear viewing conditions when skies are cloudless.

What campers like

Alpine lake access: Priest Lake Dispersed Camping Area offers immediate water access from many sites. Kyle P. describes it as "a magical spot near Telluride" and notes "we drove our campervan in there & slept 2 nights while meeting other amazing campers." The lake provides both recreation and scenic value.

Cooler temperatures: Higher elevation camping areas provide relief from summer heat. "It was worth the 1/2 hour drive to this wooded paradise to get out of the dust, dirt, heat and wind of desert campsites!" explains Tom C. about Oowah Campground. This temperature differential can be as much as 15-20 degrees compared to lower elevations.

Wildlife viewing: The diversity of habitats supports various wildlife. Kim S. observed at Angel Creek Campground that "deer went through the campground adding to the nice views there and a river by it." Bear activity is also noted in some areas, particularly around Priest Lake where Christina A. advises "Bears (and moose) are extremely active in this area, so it is especially important to store food in bear canisters."

What you should know

Road conditions vary significantly: Access to some of the best tent camping near Nucla, Colorado requires careful vehicle consideration. At Fall Creek Camping, Mike notes "The directions led us to the campground, would be easy to miss otherwise," while at Oowah Campground, Lucille W. reports "The road up to the lake is about 3 miles of washboardy gravel. It was a bit sketchy in my 2002 Honda Civic - but she made it up just fine!"

Campground facilities: Most sites offer minimal amenities. Ben R. says of Angel Creek, "Most had bear boxes, we actually moved from our original site to a different one closer to the beautiful sounding river to get a bear box." When toilet facilities exist, they're typically vault toilets that may not be regularly maintained.

Weather preparedness: Mountain weather can change rapidly. Dalton V. advises at Oowah Campground, "Great spot to escape the summer heat in Moab," but higher elevations can experience unexpected storms and temperature drops, particularly in late afternoon during monsoon season.

Tips for camping with families

Look for protected sites: When camping with children, seeking sheltered locations can improve comfort. At Alta Lakes Campground, Melissa K. observed, "The lake is amazing, people were fishing, although I didn't see anyone pulling out fish. There are a lot of opportunities to hike and experience the history of the location."

Pack extra layers: Temperature swings are significant, especially at night. Beth W. notes about Alta Lakes, "Even at the end of July it got really chilly up on top of the mountain but I would highly recommend it."

Water safety considerations: Families camping near lakes should be prepared for water activities. Melissa K. reports at Miramonte Reservoir, "The kids swam in it all weekend. We brought our canoe so that we could try and catch lunch for the couple days we were there."

Tips from RVers

Site selection challenges: Many camping areas have limited level ground. Robert H. observed at Fall Creek Camping, "Small area of uneven ground. Not good for large campers," while Betsy A. noted about Alta Lakes, "We would have been hard pressed to find level ground for our overland tents without putting blocks on the ground."

Camper size limitations: Smaller RVs and campervans fare better than large rigs. Nathan L. reports about Yellow Circle Road Dispersed Camping Area, "We took our travel trailer (22' total) up, just have to be careful. It was a good place to stay, pretty scenic area." Vault toilets are available at some but not all locations.

Generator etiquette: Some dispersed camping areas have no regulations regarding generator use. Jeff N. notes at Yellow Circle Road, "Awesome BLM" camping with good accessibility, though adjacent campers may run generators that can affect the wilderness experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Nucla, CO?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Nucla, CO is Miramonte Reservoir with a 3.7-star rating from 3 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Nucla, CO?

TheDyrt.com has all 25 tent camping locations near Nucla, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.