Best Equestrian Camping near Red Cliff, CO

This is a bare bones remote campground with assigned sites and vault toilets. There is no potable water on site, so bring plenty of water for your stay. The 18 sites are on a first come basis and can't be reserved.

I don't own horses, but have seen some in the area so it is equestrian friendly. The campground is located in a canyon with high cliffs and there are several hiking and backpacking trails that branch off from the campground. The south fork of the white river runs through the campground affording good fly fishing.

While you can get to the campground in a standard automobile the gravel road is rutted in places as you get close to the campground and can become dicey in heavy rain or snow for the last mile or two. 

I have been there numerous times as early as July and as late as September when snow can be expected.

Located in the Arapaho National Forest, Sugarloaf is a small campground found on the Williams Fork of the Colorado River. The valley was once heavily forested but is much more open these days.

Cleared of timber a few years back due to Pine Beetle infestation, the campground is spartan with little shade or site separation. It's at the end of a dead end road making road noise minimal. The good news is that it's uncrowded and easy to secure a first come, first served site, and the trees are growing back.

There are 11 spaces many of which will accommodate RVs (we were able to fit our 30' class C), most will fit small travel trailers/pop-up campers, and all have space for tents. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring with a horse shoe pit located in the middle of the campground. There is a pit toilet and water well though the well has not been functional for some time. Trash dumpsters are on site, and water is available at South Fork campground a short distance away. While amenities are limited, activities are plentiful.

Fishing on the Williams fork is fair to good for Brook Trout with the occasional Brown Trout being caught. Pressure is generally light upstream from Sugarloaf and a bit more congested downstream where the stream is slightly larger. Once you're tired of fishing, there are numerous hiking trails to be explored.

Leaving from the the immediate area are the Darling Creek trail, the South Fork trail, the Kinney Creek trail and 4x4 road, the Ute Peak trail, and further north, the Williams Peak trail. There are also multiple Geocaches located nearby. Best bet here is to purchase a trail guide for more specifics on the area. Be sure to check with the Hot Sulphur Springs Ranger district as fires have damaged or closed many locations.

If you're looking for a laid back peaceful camping experience, Sugarloaf may just be the place for you!

This is a great place right off the interstate and through a cute little town! Close hikes near by including one of Colorado’s 14ers.

Camp here to hike one of Colorado's most climbed 14ers, Mt. BIERSTADT. This pass can get CROWDED so plan to leave Denver early on a Friday.

Finally checked out this campground and will definitely return. The campground’s location on the hillside allows for an excellent view of Twin Lakes and the surrounding mountains. Also close to the South Mt Elbert and Colorado Trail for easy hiking. Basic amenities (toilets, drinking water, trash, etc.) and no showers.

This campground is beautiful and it is right on the Colorado Trail. Several spots are large enough for a big camper, but the tight curves on the loop and thick trees make it a little questionable for maneuvering. The bathrooms were clean and the campground quiet.

My partner and i have used sugarloaf as a kind of rendezvous for my colorado trail hike. We've had packages sent here and stayed multiple times, during each stay the facilities have been very clean and the staff very friendly and conscious of covid. Fires have been fun and our pups have loved it too!!!

Great campground right on Colorado Trail section 6. Family friendly with vault toilets, potable water, and very nice campground hosts. Currently under a fire ban due to the dry conditions but don’t let that discourage you! The campground is right off the highway so there is some traffic noise and a few of the spots are close together but overall a great campground, easy location, and perfect for backpacking!

I absolutely love this campground. There are two loops on either side of the main road and I recommend the one by the creek. There are 4 sites that are down by the creek in the trees that are walk-in only but have the most space between them and are right on the creek. They are my favorite spots on site.

There are pit toilets available that are well maintained and there is water access. There is also a dumpster for trash. This site is better for large rigs too. There are multiple sites where you can easily back right in.

It is really quiet at night and the creek gives off a beautiful white noise for those that are close to it. This campground is very busy during the weekends in Colorado but you can most likely find a spot any day during the week.

This area is an absolutely gorgeous forest setting and is totally what you might have imagined for a Colorado camping experience. Easy access to the Bierstadt trail if you are a 14er hiker and a really fun road bike route up and down Guanella Pass. You are also less than 20 mins from Georgetown so it is also a good spot for you to have a basecamp.

Overall we enjoyed our stay. the bathrooms were clean and our campsite was very large. Wr loved the easy access to the Colorado Trail as well. The negatives were that we were not expecting so many generators to be running while we were there. Also, the water is drinkable, but there was a sign about how they got cited for not keeping the minimum required water records in May of 2018. We were not 100% sure if the water was safe. We would return again, but will be strategic about what site we book.

I have stayed at this campground many times over the last few times due to its’ close proximity to access points along the Upper Colorado River and one of Colorado’s best kept secrets, Radium Hot Springs. Often times, I will “backpack” into the dispersed backcountry sites located next to the hot spring itself. I say backpack lightly, as it is only about a 20-minute hike in from the main parking/O.C. Murage Campground. On my most recent stay though, I opted for car camping at the campground itself, although I still managed to hike over to the hot spring for an amazing moonlight soak. 

The campground itself is basic, but suits the needs of most backpackers. It is essentially just a large clearing near the river, with a stream running along the far side. There is plenty of parking in the dirt/gravel clearing and “campsites” are designated by stoned-lined fire pits along the perimeter of the campground. The sites are quite flat and most offer significant shade which is quite nice in the summer. Pit toilet bathrooms are located near the entrance, for both male and female. The bathrooms offer toilet paper, but definitely could use a good cleaning. The bathrooms also had a few funny signs regarding the rules (see photos). 

In general, this campground is easily accessible by most cars year-round. The road to the campground is gravel but well maintained. This area has been gaining popularity over the last few years, so if camping on the summer weekends, be sure to get there early in order to get a spot. I haven’t camped at the campground itself on the weekends, but it can get rather busy so privacy is likely limited. We camped on a Thursday and there were only two other groups camping at that time. 

The hot spring is definitely the highlight of this campground and a major draw for me. It is a beautiful natural hot spring located at the bottom of a cliff along the banks of the Colorado River.  Some call this a warm spring, as it stays around 80-90 degrees. I have heard that this can fluctuate based on the river levels, and it can become washed out in the spring when water levels are quite high. As a warning, the hot spring can get crowded and rowdy with partiers on the summer weekends…some of whom may opt for nudity after dark. My favorite time to visit the hot spring is late at night during the week, when you are most likely to have the pool to yourself and enjoy the scenery and starry nights in seclusion :)

This is a pretty popular area for camping thanks to the Colorado Trail being in close proximity and the abundant amount of aspen trees here that turn gold come September. There are 2 campgrounds to accommodate - one on each side of Hwy 285 and they can become rather crowded on summer weekends. Luckily, there is a limited amount of dispersed camping sites here as well if you are searching for some peace and quiet to go along with your camping trip. In this area the Forest Service specifically states that dispersed camping is only allowed in designated sites along NFSR 126 and 126.A on the east side of Hwy 285.

We drove along 126 and were able to snag the last dispersed site late on a Saturday. I would say that there couldn't be more than 10 dispersed sites along 126. I did not drive down 126.A. Also, on 126 you eventually come up to a gate and the road goes through private property. The very last dispersed site is right before this gate, and that is the one we got. This site required some hauling of gear from the road down to the site, but it wasn't very far. This would not be a good site if you have a rooftop tent though, because you are not allowed to drive down to the site you have to park on the road (not all of the dispersed sites were like this though). There were actually 2 fire rings at this site too - we went with the further one from the road for privacy. Overall it was a good site and much quieter than the campgrounds. Would recommend if you are trying to stay near the Colorado Trail or want to camp in the aspens in fall.

Bare bones but beautiful camping opportunity conveniently located near the trailhead to the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area in Colorado

Campground Review:

Needing a spot to serve as a staging area for a planned backpacking trip into the Collegiate Peak Wilderness Area of Colorado, my group discovered this gem. County roads (CR) that access national forests in Colorado often have primitive but established camping spots. Since we were going to start our backpacking trip from the North Cottonwood Trailhead, we searched online to make sure that the access road, CR 365 offered dispersed camping.

After a nice meal in nearby Buena Vista, Co, we headed out on the 7-8 mile drive to the trailhead. Now 7-8 miles on a CR isn’t always the same as a similar distance on a paved road. The first 3 miles on the drive from town center were paved and were navigated quickly and easily. The next few miles were not and driving became more of an adventure and slowed dramatically. While in the end we saw 2 WD vehicles at the trailhead, I would suggest that at a minimum you should have a high clearance FWD vehicle. Our Subaru Outback AWD served us well. The drive took us around 30 minutes.

2 miles away from the trailhead, you pass a Colorado Trail access point with parking and vault toilets. IMPORTANT: there are no toilets past this point on CR 365 and no facilities at the North Cottonwood Trailhead.

We ended up driving all the way up to the trailhead to know what to expect for the next morning when we would start the hike. We then headed back down CR 365 about a mile to some of the more attractive looking camping sites along the road. In all, I would suspect you pass 15-20 opportunities along the road. Some of them are small, single vehicle, single tent areas and others could handle multiple groups.

We ended up finding a pull off point that had a gravel road that accessed several campsites. You are encouraged to find sites that have been used in the past and most will have a fire pit. Always check with the ranger stations to see if fires are allowed in the area at the time.

Since this site had a gravel road that took you 50-100 yards off the CR, you really felt the seclusion. The CR is not heavily traveled (maybe 6 cars used it from 7pm to 6am the next morning while we were there), being off the road really made this a nice site. The sites that are accessed via side gravel roads do have road designations. The one we chose was 365B and was clearly marked with a reflective post sign.

The sites are adorned with pines and aspens. We were also near a stream that provided us beautiful sounds to fall asleep to. Spacing between sites is significant so you do feel remote and won’t hear much if anything from other campers. Our site had a rock fire ring but firewood is scarce so if you want a campfire, you will need to bring some with you. There is no running water at these sites but the stream is flowing and with a filtration system, you can easily fill up. No tables or benches are in the area.

Does a bear … in the woods? Well yes and you will need to as well. This area’s minimum suggested practice was to dig your “cat hole” at least 6 inches deep, 100 feet or more away from water, camping and trail locations. Degradable toilet paper, no wipes, was suggested.

The site was beautiful, primitive, remote, and convenient. Everything we were looking for. We experienced temperatures of 70’s during the day and mid 40’s at night. We did have the typical misty rain in the evening but it didn’t last long and the ground absorbed it well. You are at around 9500 feet above sea level so you may feel the effects of the altitude. It served as a great place for this “flatlander” to get acclimated.

Not a site for someone that needs amenities. But if you love the thought of a controlled, primitive site, this will be right up your alley!

Gear Review: Wild Zora Foods

See a quick video summary of the product HERE.

As a Dyrt Ranger gear tester, I often get opportunities to evaluate camping related products during my outdoor adventures. On this outing, I was able to pack a variety of Wild Zora snacks and meals to help fuel this physically demanding trip.

The genesis for Wild Zora began in 2011 with a family that discovered the benefits of Gluten-Free, Paleo, and Primal foods. After developing their own, sharing with friends and family, the founders decided to package and offer their creations to the public. They offer meat and veggie bars, paleo meals to go, soups and teas. All are claimed to be prepared with minimally processed, high quality ingredients. The company states that it is mindful of diet restrictions and allergies.

Testing conditions:

I tested the product over several weeks under somewhat adverse but consistent conditions. The food was used to fuel a physically demanding trip where calorie dense foods were needed. I needed to be able to consume around 4000 calories a day to be able to backpack for miles and to climb 14,000 foot Colorado peaks. Space and weight were taken into consideration as well. We would be preparing the meals at high elevation which would affect how long and effective reconstitution of the dehydrated food would take. During most of the cooking times, temperatures were between 40-60 degrees.

Things that stood out:

· Conveniently packaged. Durable with no excessive packaging.

· Shelf life was way longer than what I needed for this trip so if any was left over, it would keep for my next trip.

· The meals and flavors offered are not limited to your common camping meals offered by others. CHECK OUT SOME OF THESE FLAVORS!

· There is no shortage of flavor in the meals. Nothing bland about them.

· Ingredients are top shelf and the meals and snacks have such a short but impressive ingredient list, you know you are doing your body good.

My preferences for improvement:

· Adjustment needed in how I ate it because of the dimensions of the meal packages. Narrow and tall vs short and wide made me adjust how I consumed the meal.

Summary of experience with Wild Zora:

These meals are POPPING with flavor! Since what we like in our meals is a personal preference, some may not like the strong flavors but I loved them. I am a little adventurous with my food and the flavors in all the meals I tried were distinct and pleasing – think gourmet vs fast food.

The food is packaged with the outdoor enthusiast in mind. Easy to tuck away in my backpack without being a space or weight hog and the snacks were perfect when I went “peakbagging” with a smaller daypack. Calorie dense. I was able to easily take 4 meat/veggie bars with my on mountain climbs and averaged 120 calories a bar. The bars provided satisfying protein and fat calories that complimented my quick carb foods I packed.

Will absolutely be a part of my meals on future adventures. See a quick summary of the product HERE.

Directions: Sugar Loaf Campground is on your right, the road splits, go straight down the dirt road. While going straight down this dirt road, you will see the campground roads off to the left. This area spreads out with tons of options for camping. There is room for RV's, Tent Campers, and Hammock Campers. There are also a lot of pre-build fire pits that allow you to set up and camp without a problem This is also located down the street from the Safeway as well as the liquor store in Leadville.

About: You are very close to Turquoise Lake, there is fishing, boating, swimming, hiking options all in this area. In the winter there is great cross-country skiing as well as snow-shoeing. You have a great view of mountains and you are away from the city. The campground at night has fantastic views of the stars. It does get chilly at night as you are located at 10,000 ft. in elevation.

One of our favorite campgrounds. Highly suggest checking it out. be respectful and cleanup after.

We got there at 1:30am and there were still sites open. The views in the morning were awesome!

This campground is perfect for those who live in Boulder or the nearby surrounding areas (Louisville, Superior, Lafayette, Longmont, Gunbarrel). After a short 25 minute drive up canyon and up near Switzerland trail you can find the entry to Sugarloaf, there are hundreds of zones, but the best are found only where you can drive with a high clearance vehicle. Enjoy the panoramic valley views, and the light breeze that’s perpetually around you!