Looking for dispersed camping near Sedalia? The Dyrt can help you find the best dispersed campsites for your next trip. Each dispersed site offers quick access to one or more of Sedalia's most popular destinations.
The Buffalo Creek Recreation Area contains over 50 miles of multi-use, non-motorized trails that tie into the Colorado Trail in several places. There are numerous options available for riding or hiking. Some of the old logging roads provide two-track while connecting trails offer single track. It takes about an 1.5 hours to drive to this area from Denver. Please know and respect local area restrictions including; parking and camping in designated sites only. Developed camping is available at nearby Forest Service campgrounds including Buffalo, Green Mountain, Kelsey, and Meadows Group Campground.
Part of Pike and San Isabel National Forests Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands. Mount Herman Trail begins at a small parking area on a switchback on Mount Herman Road. This trail provides a 2-mile one-way hike to the summit of Mt. Herman.
Primitive camping off Rampart Range Road. Some fire rings.
Five miles north of Nederland, National Forest System Road (NFSR) 226, commonly known as Gordon Gulch, turns east off of Colorado Highway 72. NFSR 226 intersects other forest roads: NFSR 314, 228, 233 and their off-shoots. There are 15 numbered, designated campsites scattered along the road system within 1.5 miles east of Highway 72. Camping is permitted in designated sites only. Take care when driving in this area. Snow and mud can persist through most of the year. The free Boulder Ranger District Motor Vehicle Use Map displays National Forest System (NFS) routes open to motorized travel and is available online and at the Boulder Ranger District offfice.
Streams; treat water for drinking.
The Rainbow Falls area offers many motorized roads and trails for four-wheel drive and off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts. This area contains several motorized trails open to motor vehicles 50 inches, or less, in overall width. The roads and trails in this area connect to the North Rampart Range OHV riding area as well. The North Rampart Range riding area is managed by the South Platte Ranger District. Be sure to consult with the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) for offical Forest Service routes that are open to motorized vehicles. Free Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUMs) are available at your local Forest Service Ranger District office. Please pick up a MVUM before you head out. These maps identify the designated Forest Service roads, and the designated motorized trails, that are open to motorized use. They also and identify what types of vehicles are allowed on the different types of routes that are displayed on the MVUM.
Don't want to camp in a developed campground? There are many places on the Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands where you can pitch a tent and practice low impact camping techniques. Dispersed camping is primitive, undevleoped, frontcountry "car camping".
Remember: when dispersed camping, no toilets, trash service, or potable water, are available. Store all food and trash securely, and pack out what you pack in. Practice Leave No Trace.
Please observe the following requirements when dispersed camping:
In some areas, dispersed camping and parking is allowed in designated sites only. Do not create resource damage by driving off-road, beyond designated parking locations, or behind barriers. Parking should be within 30' of site markers where posted. Developed sites, including trailheads and picnic areas, are closed to overnight camping and allow for day use activities only. Tread lightly, and avoid trampling sensitive vegetation. Locate your camp at least 100' from any water source. Use catholes to properly dispose of human and pet waste; bury waste in a cathole at least 6-8" deep and 200’ from any water source. Packing out human and pet waste using self-contained waste disposal systems is encouraged. Campfires are allowed at overnight sites as long as fire restrictions aren’t in place. You may gather small amounts of down, dead wood for a campfire. Use existing fire rings; keep your campfire small and always make sure it is completely extinguished before leaving. No campfires outside of designated overnight sites. BEARS and other wildlife When you go to the mountains and forest, you are in bear county. Do not leave ANY food, trash or other animal attractant unattended. Store all food and trash securely and pack out what you pack in. Failing to do so can result in a fine. Also be aware that; where not otherwise restricted, camping or leaving camping equipment at any location more than 14 days within a continuous 30 day period, and/or occupying any campsite within three miles of any prior camping or equipment location for a combined total of more than 28 days within any continuous 60 day period, is prohibited. Also, leaving camping equipment unattended for more than 24 hours is not allowed. In addition; discharging a firearm is prohibited within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site, or occupied area; or across or on a National Forest System road or a body of water, or in any manner or place whereby any person or property is exposed to injury or damage as a result of such discharge. Plan your trip; phone ahead for restrictions and special regulations. Contact your local Ranger District office for more information.
West Magnolia Trailhead provides access to eight miles of singletrack trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding west of the Peak-to-Peak Highway south of Nederland. An additional eight miles of Forest Roads are open seasonally (check the Road Status Table before your visit) to motorized and non-motorized activities. Along these roadways are designated campsites. Camping is allowed within 50 feet of the campsite markers. There are no facilities of any kind. The free Boulder Ranger District Motor Vehicle Use Map displays National Forest System (NFS) routes open to motorized travel and is available online and at the Boulder Ranger District offfice. Recreational shooting closures exist in this area. Click here for more information.
Ranger
Kirby Gulch is a fantastic spot for anyone seeking a peaceful, off-the-grid camping experience near Grant, Colorado. Situated off Route 1038, this dispersed camping area offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains and easy access to outdoor activities like hiking and wildlife watching.
The campsites are well-spaced, providing plenty of privacy, and the area is generally clean, thanks to considerate campers. Since it’s a dispersed site, there are no amenities like water or toilets, so make sure to come prepared. A high-clearance vehicle is recommended for accessing some of the sites, especially after rain or snow.
What makes Kirby Gulch truly special is its tranquility. You can enjoy the sound of the wind through the trees, the crisp mountain air, and dazzling stargazing at night. It’s also a great starting point for exploring nearby trails or simply soaking in the serene environment.
If you’re comfortable with primitive camping and leave-no-trace principles, Kirby Gulch is a hidden gem worth checking out.
Traveler
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.
Ranger
The road here has some gnarly washboards. I had to slow down to a crawl at points because it was thrashing my rig around so much. There is also one turn on the road where if you’re not careful, I could imagine getting stuck. However, the views are incredible and it was well worth the effort. Cell signal from Verizon is extremely good, I am getting 5G UWB and download speeds of 180mbps. There’s some cool hills to climb and many great views.
Guide
The place fills up on the weekend. I drove through most of the trail system and did not find a spot. Came back during the week and took a closer spot so as not to risk it. Trash is everywhere. Multiple poop spots are within 100ft of the fire pit with copious amounts of used tp lying around. Trees are slashed, cut, and the forest is not doing well. There are multiple long term campsites here so watch out for squatters. I stayed near the start and then a bit deeper, which prompted me to take photos. I forget the site numbers but honestly it’s not looking good in most places. At the very back are what look like a few nicer spots because they are hard to get to with a non off-road vehicle. It breaks my heart how this campground exists.
Guide
Couldn’t find any spots over the weekend. Drove through the whole campground. There is an absurd amount of trash everywhere, especially at closer campsites. There are multiple ‘long term’ campsites by the looks of the trash, gear, and supplies left out. The forest is not in good shape either.
Came back mid week and stayed at site #4 because it was close and I did not want to roll the dice on not securing a spot again.
Keeping it brief: -I thought someone had been through my campsite when I was sleeping due to things moved -I might have met the squatter at the site. Couldn’t be sure, but determined there were red flags after talking to the guy and did not want to stick around to find out -so much trash it breaks my heart
The county needs to do something about this campsite and the similar one North of Ned.
TravelerGreat location with single tracks for hiking and mountain biking. Camping spots are well-marked. WiFi was decent. The sad part was the trash left behind from former encampments in some of the camping spots.
Guide
Two beat up, broken down cars at the entrance. Road is very rough, full of potholes from the start. Did not feel comfortable staying here.
Guide
Beautiful, but really need a compact 4x4 to get into and out of parking lot and there are tent sites only. We almost didn’t make it out with our 24 ft van (checked it out but didn’t stay overnight). Very crowded on a Saturday at 4:30pm.
Guide
Idk who did this but luckily there is service but anything nearby is outta the way. Says need permit online access filled it all out $10 plus camping. Dispersed without wheels requires a $4 fee too
Scout
Not super busy! Lots of open spaces when we arrived around 6pm.
Scout
Finally, a nice campsite on a road that isn't horrible. There are 30+ designated, numbered, dispersed campsites on this road. Each of them have a parking area right along the road with a fire ring a short distance away surrounded by awesome rock outcroppings. The parking areas tend to be very unlevel and there are only a few that you can pull right up to your campsite. #6 had a level spot large enough for my van and the camping area just a few steps away. These are great campsites and the area is really awesome. After so many horrible roads and places closed, it was a blessing to find this spot. The road is a bit of a washboard, but that is nothing compared to most of the forest roads in Colorado. Highly recommended! Cell service with At&t in site 6 is decent. Calling is 2 bars. at least half of the sites are big rig friendly. All of the sites are 100% free.
Traveler
My husband bought a new tent so we just wanted to find something kinda close to Denver but still beautiful for just a quick overnight trip. Our goal was Chinns lake but stupid Apple Maps took us here instead. It was still beautiful and there were a handful of spots still open for us. I wouldn’t recommend for a big group unless you get there early and claim the whole top but we really enjoyed it! The lake was low but still beautiful.
Traveler
We camped here after a Red Rocks show. The spot is a great area. About 20 minutes off of I-70. There are many pull offs along this road that could theoretically be good camp sites. However there are “no camping” signs, which is why I gave it 3 stars. Everything is great besides that: beautiful stars, good tent site, safe parking area.
The spot we chose is a bit farther down the road than the one listed here. It’s in between the bend in the road. We parked at the pull off and walked down a small hill to find a good tent site and a fire ring.
Also be aware it’s pretty chilly compared to just a few miles up the road. It was in the mid 30s at night.
TravelerWe camped a very short walk from the parking lot. Amazing camp site with not many people around.
Traveler
Wish I had more time to spend at this spot! The views are amazing! The road up was designed for more of an off-road rig. Fire ban was in effect. Just like the rest.. you will here atvs all night ripping trails in the distance. And the trains !! Still a great area!!
Scout
Overall a very fun spot if you have a vehicle with some ground clearance to get to the nice sites by the reservoir. My Peak Edition Atlas handled it well. Only complaint is the damn project at Gross reservoir is a 24 hour site and the lights are ridiculously bright.
ScoutI have lived in the Boulder/Nederland area for over 30 years and have always enjoyed this part of the state. The West Magnolia area has great potential for dispersed camping. My wife and I tried to camp here this past week after not having camped at this location for many years. As others noted, it could make for a convenient base camp for tons of activities in the area.
Unfortunately, we were unable to find any usable campsite. All sites were occupied, even during the middle of the week. Many of those sites were occupied by long term campers as made clear by the multiple tents and bags of trash piled up. A couple primo sites had been abandoned by long term campers who left their trash, broken tents and chairs, food containers and other refuse in the campsites. It was really creepy coming upon these sites. Sadly, West Magnolia has become an extreme heavy use/abuse area. As someone who has spent years in the outdoors for days and weeks at a time, I would even question the health and safety of staying in some of these heavily used sites due to obvious lack of care and stewardship (think human waste close to camp). If you decide to camp here, and can find a suitable site, please be mindful of keeping yourself and gear away from potential health hazards.
West Magnolia is still a nice place to hike and bike, but I cannot recommend it for overnight camping.
Guide
Pretty great dispersed site. Beautiful sun sets. I had great phone service. There are three campsites running along three different fingers. The second one has a portable bathroom. I talked to some locals who said grabbing deadfall was fine for fire wood. Quick 20 minute drive to get back into town for supplies. No water sources so you’ll have to pack out water. All the fire pits are hand build and being on the finger you’re pretty exposed to the wind keeping the fires small and not very hot. Most of the sites are not flat. If you enjoy camping with little amenities you’ll like this site 
Traveler
Was pretty busy, hard to find a spot at first but found a campsite across the stream that you cross a log on. Beautiful drive to get to.
GuideWanted to stay for two nights but only did two days, because a mountain lion tore a deer to shreds about a day or two prior to my arrival by my campsite and i was spooked. Had two dogs but had an eerie feeling and left early but it was gorgeous. Loads of OHVs tho
ScoutGreat campsite, enough room for 2 maybe 3 vehicles at campsite 21. Road is not too rough, would recommend 4wd if raining or snowing. There are some deep holes when coming in if raining. We did air down due to the rain and snow while we were there.
TravelerTons of level, large spots. Road is meant for ATV use, and was a fair amount of traffic throughout the day but tolerable. Hardly any at night. Restrooms at base of road. Found our spot 2.5 miles up the road, definitely needed AWD.
TravelerDrove ~3 miles along the service road to find our spot, it was the second pull off “open-area” with several fire pits to choose from. Road was a little bumpy but would be fine with a 2WD. Gorgeous, secluded spot next to the creek. No Verizon service.
TravelerLoved being here. In the process of getting an apartment so this spot was perfect for the wait
ScoutThere is no discernible reason that the road is closed 2 miles before where this app says the site is. Internet search says it should be open til middle of November unless there is some weather or other issue. Lovely weather, locked gate.
Scout
Great views and easy enough to get to with any vehicle. Near some foot trails and some offroading, but there were signs of homeless people that had been there all summer. Trash scattered in areas and some semi permanent camp setups that were kinda trashed. Trains pass at all hours of the day, so be ready for that. Beautiful area, though, and would go back even with the trash. No fires allowed, but definitely signs of fireworks..
Guide
Handful of spots stretched out along the road. It was hard to find some open space on a Saturday around 3.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Sedalia, Colorado, where nature lovers can find serene spots away from the crowds. With stunning landscapes and a variety of outdoor activities, this area is perfect for those seeking adventure and tranquility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Sedalia, CO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Sedalia, CO is Buffalo Creek Recreation Area with a 4.5-star rating from 26 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Sedalia, CO?
TheDyrt.com has all 80 dispersed camping locations near Sedalia, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
