Top Free Dispersed Camping near Rye, CO

Want to go dispersed camping near Rye? The Dyrt provides you with a diverse selection of places to camp, from dispersed backcountry camping to boondocking, and everything in-between. You're sure to find the perfect dispersed campgrounds for your Colorado camping adventure.

Best Dispersed Sites Near Rye, CO (35)

    Camper-submitted photo from The Dunefield
    Camper-submitted photo from The Dunefield
    Camper-submitted photo from The Dunefield
    Camper-submitted photo from The Dunefield
    Camper-submitted photo from The Dunefield
    Camper-submitted photo from The Dunefield

    1. The Dunefield

    7 Reviews
    46 Photos
    337 Saves

    Explore any part of the 30 square mile dunefield you wish; there are no designated trails in the sand. A dunes-accessible wheelchair is available for free loan at the Visitor Center. Summer air temperatures are pleasant at this high elevation, but during afternoon hours the sand surface can reach 150F degrees, and dangerous thunderstorms can develop. Plan to hike the dunes in early morning or evening to avoid heat exhaustion, burned feet, or fatal lightning strikes.

    • Phone Service
    • Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from Penrose Common Rec Site
    Camper-submitted photo from Penrose Common Rec Site
    Camper-submitted photo from Penrose Common Rec Site
    Camper-submitted photo from Penrose Common Rec Site
    Camper-submitted photo from Penrose Common Rec Site
    Camper-submitted photo from Penrose Common Rec Site

    2. Penrose Common Rec Site

    9 Reviews
    29 Photos
    83 Saves

    Penrose Commons Recreation Area offers a warm, arid climate among pinon and juniper woodlands. The best time to visit is September through May when temperatures are comfortable and the snowy peaks of the Sangre De Cristo mountain range are visible in the distance. With 30 miles of motorized trail, the area is popular for ATVs, motorcycles and four wheeling. Independence Trail system is known for its extreme 4x4 rock crawling opportunities with easy access for spectators to enjoy the trail activity. Penrose Commons is also popular for horseback riding, hunting and dispersed camping. The area has a restroom, trail map information and ample parking space for trailers. A wet weather gate closes the area to motorized use during wet conditions. For more information, please contact the Royal Gorge Field Office.

    • Fires
    • Phone Service
    • Reservable
    • Dispersed
    • Picnic Table
    • Toilets
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Deweese state wildlife area
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Deweese state wildlife area
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Deweese state wildlife area
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Deweese state wildlife area
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Deweese state wildlife area
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Deweese state wildlife area
    Camper-submitted photo from Great Sand Dunes Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from Great Sand Dunes Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from Great Sand Dunes Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from Great Sand Dunes Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from Great Sand Dunes Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from Great Sand Dunes Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from South Colony Basin
    Camper-submitted photo from South Colony Basin
    Camper-submitted photo from South Colony Basin
    Camper-submitted photo from South Colony Basin
    Camper-submitted photo from South Colony Basin
    Camper-submitted photo from South Colony Basin

    6. South Colony Basin

    2 Reviews
    8 Photos
    100 Saves

    South Colony Basin and the surrounding 14,000-foot peaks offer a broad range of recreational opportunities, including camping, hiking, backpacking, mountaineering, fishing and hunting. This diversity of activities, combined with the natural beauty of the basin and the rough but passable access provided by the road, has made South Colony Basin the most popular destination in the Sangre de Cristo Range. Trailhead register data indicate 3,500 to 4,500 persons (7,000 to 9,000 visitor days) visit the small (1500 acre) upper basin at the head of the South Colony drainage during the summer season. Since 1996, the Forest Service has worked in partnership with Rocky Mountain Field Institute, Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, Colorado Outward Bound, and other educational and environmental service organizations to reconstruct trails and climbing routes within the basin, stabilize eroding alpine slopes (caused by user-created trails), inventory and restore undesirable campsites and social trails. To date, nearly $1,000,000 (of mostly non-federal funds) and 40,000 volunteer hours have been spent restoring long-term recreational impacts, rebuilding the lower road, constructing trailhead facilities and creating sustainable summit trails in South Colony Basin.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Phone Service
    • Tents
    • Alcohol
    • No image available
      Camper-submitted photo from BLM Near Great Sand Dunes Hwy 150
      Camper-submitted photo from BLM Near Great Sand Dunes Hwy 150
      Camper-submitted photo from BLM Near Great Sand Dunes Hwy 150
      Camper-submitted photo from BLM Near Great Sand Dunes Hwy 150
      Camper-submitted photo from BLM Near Great Sand Dunes Hwy 150
      Camper-submitted photo from BLM Near Great Sand Dunes Hwy 150

      8. BLM Near Great Sand Dunes Hwy 150

      6 Reviews
      17 Photos
      115 Saves

      BLM off grid camping - please remember to Leave No Trace in this area. Thank you.

      • Pets
      • Fires
      • Phone Service
      • RVs
      • Tents
      • Standard (Tent/RV)
      Camper-submitted photo from Dispersed Sand Area 1
      Camper-submitted photo from Dispersed Sand Area 1
      Camper-submitted photo from Dispersed Sand Area 1
      Camper-submitted photo from Phantom Canyon
      Camper-submitted photo from Phantom Canyon
      Camper-submitted photo from Phantom Canyon
      Camper-submitted photo from Phantom Canyon
      Camper-submitted photo from Phantom Canyon
      Camper-submitted photo from Phantom Canyon

      10. Phantom Canyon

      4 Reviews
      25 Photos
      135 Saves
      • Pets
      • Fires
      • Phone Service
      • ADA Access
      • Tents
      • Group
    Showing results 1-10 of 35 campgrounds

    Recent Dispersed Reviews In Rye

    117 Reviews of 35 Rye Campgrounds


    • CThe Dyrt PRO User
      Camper-submitted photo from BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed
      Oct. 13, 2024

      BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed

      Great Spot

      Was able to find a really nice open spot with amazing views of the mountains. Was big and spacious enough for me and my friend to camp in our vans. No one around for miles!

    • Angela E.
      Camper-submitted photo from Cotton Creek Trailhead
      Oct. 7, 2024

      Cotton Creek Trailhead

      Beautiful and peaceful 💚

      The sky is GORGEOUS. The road is very rocky & very rough, so you'll want to have decent clearance and be prepared to take it slow. I've never seen so many stars!

    • Levi S.
      Camper-submitted photo from Sacred White Shell Mountain
      Sep. 23, 2024

      Sacred White Shell Mountain

      Easy free camping

      Got here on a Saturday night in September and found a spot right away. It had been raining for awhile too. No issue on the road with a kia sorento.

    • DThe Dyrt PRO User
      Camper-submitted photo from Sacred White Shell Mountain
      Sep. 11, 2024

      Sacred White Shell Mountain

      Wide Open Spaces

      Not much tree cover at a lot of these spots. Great location to be close enough to the dunes.

      Was pretty windy and sandy while we were there

    • W D.The Dyrt PRO User
      Camper-submitted photo from Wild Cherry Creek Trailhead
      Aug. 27, 2024

      Wild Cherry Creek Trailhead

      Quiet camping and stars

      Several good spots with fire pits right near the trailhead. A few bugs in late August but nothing terrible. Very quiet except for the sound of the rushing creek. Verizon cell service was between 1 and 3 bars LTE depending on your line of sight to the tower. Road in is rougher towards the end but definitely doable in any SUV

    • Amy L.The Dyrt PRO User
      Camper-submitted photo from Lake Deweese state wildlife area
      Aug. 25, 2024

      Lake Deweese state wildlife area

      Fine for a night

      The directions from this app didn’t exactly take me to the campsites. The campsites are along Lake Deweese Rd at the NE end of the reservoir. There are several sites all in very close proximity. There is virtually no privacy from neighbors but it worked from me for a night. It looked like some campers may be permanently occupying the sites.

    • A
      Camper-submitted photo from Great Sand Dunes Dispersed
      Aug. 22, 2024

      Great Sand Dunes Dispersed

      Good spot if you get there early

      There’s plenty of spots off the main road, but seems like you need to get there early. We showed up around 6 pm. The road does get pretty rough eventually, and we didn’t trust our minivan going through the “unmaintained” section, we turned around and were able to find a connecting side road that had plenty of open space out there. When entering the road initially, the side road would be about half way up to your left. Pretty close to Great Sand Dunes National Park, so we were happy with this location! Nice mountain view.

    • Erika L.The Dyrt PRO User
      Camper-submitted photo from Dispersed Sand Area 1
      Aug. 14, 2024

      Dispersed Sand Area 1

      Door and peaceful

      Loved hearing the creek roaring in the background and feeling the sun on my skin surrounded by cactus - an I in Texas!?

    • MThe Dyrt PRO User
      Camper-submitted photo from Crestone Needle Trail
      Jul. 30, 2024

      Crestone Needle Trail

      I stayed for days. Really liked the location.

      There are more than one listing for places to camp along FS 949. I stayed on a pad that was build along with the road. Loved the views, The area is very interesting. Crestone is a tiny town with just about anything you might want within a walk from where I parked. Plenty of camping spots all the way up to the end of the road where there is a fairly busy trailhead.

    • CThe Dyrt PRO User
      Camper-submitted photo from Phantom Canyon
      Jul. 30, 2024

      Phantom Canyon

      Beautiful, but Far from Pristine.

      Absolutely beautiful area! We pulled in on a Friday evening with thunderstorms all around. There were plenty of sites available when we showed up, but they were all full by Saturday morning. We weren’t able to get one of the spots near the creek, but had our own hidden ravine tucked away on the left side of the road. I believe it was the 3rd to last pull out and the last one on the left side of the road. Stunning… but the smell from previous campers unsuccessfully trying to burn their trash in the fire rings (thankfully we brought our solo stove to cook on) and all the litter was a bit overwhelming. Broken glass, toilet paper/feces not buried, cigarette butts, and just trash everywhere. Unfortunate for the area, our spot was the cleanest one we came across. We took some walks past others near the creek that looked like they had just hosted full on frat parties.

      It was just super unfortunate and disgusting to go to such a beautiful area and have previous campers all but ruin it for us.

    • HThe Dyrt PRO User
      Camper-submitted photo from BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed
      Jul. 28, 2024

      BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed

      Quick Stop

      Quick and easy to find. Area was easily accessible. A great option for those on a budget and attempting to avoid paying fees for one night stays. Nice views of the valley and mountain behind. Sites were not the most level going up the mountainside and a bit rocky. Would stay there again!

    • Laneha E.The Dyrt PRO User
      Camper-submitted photo from BLM Near Great Sand Dunes Hwy 150
      Jul. 27, 2024

      BLM Near Great Sand Dunes Hwy 150

      Beautiful views & Isolated

      This place is good for those who have clearance and a 4WD. Road can be rough but pretty much all pickups are good. Don’t need a jeep. If it rains, you could get in trouble. The views are beautiful. Especially higher up. Some spots, I didn’t find tons of spots. I was the only one here on a Friday night last week if July 🤷🏼‍♀️. Or if there were others I didn’t know it. You get cover of some trees quicker than the sacred mountain location farther south on same road. You have to open a gate to get in. I would recommend it, and will probably be back at some point.

    • Morgan E.
      Camper-submitted photo from BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed
      Jul. 23, 2024

      BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed

      Dispersed Mountain Views !

      This campsite is very popular, I would definitely recommend arriving early morning time to secure a spot. We got in fairly late in the night from Texas and had to drive in a ways. Many people left early in the morning so sites opened up fairly quickly. The road is graded and then turns into a rocky road that is manageable in a crossover for a ways then high clearance will be needed. There was a small flooded portion that is next to the helipad but we just drove up onto the helipad to get around it as to not risk getting stuck. There are plenty of sites available and even a circle drive in the front of the road if you don’t feel like venturing in during the night. There are A TON of flies! Lots of bug spray and loose clothing to avoid those pesky biting flies. We had a beautiful view of the mountain and Great Sand dunes is a short 20 minutes away. Our pups loved the large open spaces but beware of cacti and tiny burrs.

    • Charles L.The Dyrt PRO User
      Camper-submitted photo from Phantom Canyon
      Jul. 22, 2024

      Phantom Canyon

      Late July camping trip

      I’m a rooftop tent camper and the views are amazing but was hoping to be close to the water and isolated from other campers. Definitely was isolated and found one spot that worked out well for rooftop camper. Like 14 miles on dirt road, on the right, 20 feet before a sign that reads “leaving public land.” Had fire ring and more than enough room. About 20 yards away from creek. Quiet. No Att cell service but don’t expect anyone can get service in that canyon.

    • Macy E.The Dyrt PRO User
      Camper-submitted photo from Phantom Canyon
      Jul. 2, 2024

      Phantom Canyon

      Great Spot

      It was absolutely beautiful! Upwards of 20 spots to park. There is no service which is fine but something to leave in a review. It is a very populated area so if you plan to go on a holiday weekend plan accordingly. We showed up around 10 at night on a Monday night of the fourth week and found lots of open spots. they were all very secluded away from everyone else Over all great spot!

    • phil G.
      Camper-submitted photo from Dispersed Sand Area 1
      Jun. 30, 2024

      Dispersed Sand Area 1

      Beautiful views, remote feeling, near town

      There are about 10-15 dispersed camping spots along the dirt road that leads up to trailheads at the end. The spots are spread out enough to where I did not see or hear a soul while camping 2 nights. A large gathering of mountain goats hanging out along the road was a fun surprise! Gorgeous views of Crestone peak and other neighboring mountains. The only negative was the mosquitos. They are horrendous. If you can’t handle it or find a way to keep them away it could ruin someone’s ability to enjoy the beauty.

    • DThe Dyrt PRO User
      Camper-submitted photo from BLM Near Great Sand Dunes Hwy 150
      Jun. 26, 2024

      BLM Near Great Sand Dunes Hwy 150

      Beautiful Spot

      A very short drive off the road, open and close the gate to get in. We parked up by a little stream in an E350 RV. Ground a bit bumpy, but drivable if you go slow. Cell signal okay, 5G 4bars AT&T but about 1-3 Mbps. Amazing wide open Mountain View’s. Many many bitey bugs!

    • Stephanie D.
      Camper-submitted photo from Sacred White Shell Mountain
      Jun. 23, 2024

      Sacred White Shell Mountain

      Great spot!

      This was a long dirt road with lots of sites all the way up the hill. Most sites are big enough for several campers. Sites are flat and it is very quiet. Gorgeous views!

    • Greg M.The Dyrt PRO User
      Camper-submitted photo from BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed
      Jun. 20, 2024

      BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed

      Happy we ended up here

      We ended up here by mistake, thinking we were at the Sacred White shell BLM. Glad we did though. Great views of The Twin Peaks and Blanca Peak. Lots of flat open space down low. We stopped as the road steepened and set up in a big spot that was close to the road. No complaints considering we got here an hour before dark. Views for miles here!



    Guide to Rye

    Camping near Rye, Colorado, offers a mix of stunning landscapes and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking to hike, fish, or just relax under the stars, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.

    What to do

    What campers like

    • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate the cleanliness of the restrooms and showers. A review for Haggards RV Campground states, "The place was super clean, very charming, and with much attention to detail."
    • Friendly Staff: Many visitors mention the helpfulness of the staff. One camper at Pueblo South-Colorado City KOA said, "The owner and staff were very friendly and helpful."
    • Scenic Views: Campers love the beautiful surroundings. A review for Piñon Campground — Lathrop State Park highlights, "We love to come here to get great views of the Spanish Peaks."

    What you should know

    • Mosquitoes: Be prepared for mosquitoes, especially in warmer months. A visitor at Pinon Flats Campground warned, "In July, there were a ton of mosquitoes everywhere except over the sand."
    • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds, like Alvarado Campground, do not have electric hookups or showers. A camper noted, "No water or electrical hookups."
    • Reservation Required: Many campgrounds require reservations, especially during peak seasons. A visitor at Northern Plains Campground — Lake Pueblo State Park mentioned, "You need reservations before entering the campground."

    Tips for camping with families

    • Choose Family-Friendly Campgrounds: Look for campgrounds with amenities for kids. One reviewer at Juniper Breaks Campground — Lake Pueblo State Park said, "Kids loved it! It was cheap to reserve a site."
    • Plan Activities: Make sure to have activities planned. A camper at St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel shared, "We took our kids to the junior ranger class they host at the visitor center almost every Saturday."
    • Pack for Comfort: Bring extra blankets and games for downtime. A visitor at Arkansas Point Campground suggested, "Glad we brought firewood and had enough to share with neighbors."

    Tips from RVers

    • Check Site Sizes: Make sure your RV fits the site. A review for Piñon Campground mentioned, "Some of the spots were tight, but the quiet, peaceful beauty made all the difference."
    • Look for Full Hookups: If you need full hookups, consider places like Great Sand Dunes Oasis. A camper noted, "The showers were amazing at this place."
    • Be Mindful of Noise: Respect quiet hours to ensure everyone has a good time. A visitor at Arkansas Point Campground mentioned, "There were some louder guests coming in after the 10pm quiet hour."

    Camping near Rye, Colorado, has something for everyone, from families to RV enthusiasts. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the beautiful outdoors!

    Frequently Asked Questions

    • Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Rye, CO?

      According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Rye, CO is The Dunefield with a 5-star rating from 7 reviews.

    • What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Rye, CO?

      TheDyrt.com has all 35 dispersed camping locations near Rye, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.