Best Tent Camping near Ridgway, CO
Tent campsites near Ridgway, Colorado offer a mix of dispersed and established options for outdoor enthusiasts. Angel Creek Campground, located just outside of Ouray, provides designated tent sites with fire rings and grills in a mountain setting. Other notable tent camping areas include Alta Lakes and Priest Lake dispersed camping areas near Telluride, and Last Dollar Road dispersed sites which offer more primitive accommodations without established facilities.
Most tent campgrounds in the region operate seasonally, typically from mid-May through mid-September due to high elevation snow conditions. Angel Creek sites feature picnic tables, fire rings with grills, and vault toilets but no running water or hookups. Several dispersed camping areas like Red Mountain Creek have no facilities but allow camping near streams. A recent review noted, "The creek and its sound is beautiful. The view of the mountains are awesome too." Bear activity is common in these areas, with campers reporting encounters at Angel Creek where bear-proof food lockers are available at some sites.
The terrain at most tent sites is rugged and often requires high-clearance vehicles to access. Last Dollar Road dispersed camping areas feature heavily wooded sites approximately 30-40 yards off the main road, offering privacy but with sloped ground that can challenge tent setup. One camper shared that "the road to get here was pretty rough. Definitely need 4x4." Sites along Red Mountain Creek provide easy creek access but can be noisy due to ATV traffic and highway proximity. Silver Lake offers more remote walk-in tent camping with excellent solitude but requires waiting for snow to clear, sometimes into June. Dispersed tent camping throughout the region typically follows Forest Service guidelines requiring campsites to be at least 100 feet from water sources and within designated areas only.
