A
Andi J.
Scout
ScoutDakota Ridge RV Park
Close to road lots of amenities
Clean. Just off the highway. Convenient for that reason.
Camping near Evergreen, CO
436 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
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Unlike most Front Range gateway towns, Evergreen sits close enough to Denver to work as a day trip base but far enough into the foothills to have real dispersed camping access on nearby forest roads. The town is at around 7,000 feet, which keeps temperatures cooler than Denver and extends the appeal into late spring and early fall. Evergreen's dispersed options on national forest roads include free sites with no reservation requirements, though roads vary in condition and high clearance helps in wet weather.
The Dyrt campers in this stretch of the foothills flag that sites closer to the main highway see more foot traffic. Morrison is about 10 miles east and no-reservation camping outside Golden is about 15 miles in the same direction, both worth checking if Evergreen roads are crowded.
No water or restrooms at dispersed sites — developed campgrounds with those basics are a short drive back down toward the valley. Check-ins here run heaviest from June through August, with shoulder season visits in May and September offering noticeably more open sites.
Best Campgrounds near Evergreen (436)
1. Chatfield State Park Campground
"Chatfield State Park is a great mixture of access to the outdoors with availability of many of the benefits of a metro area close by."
"This is the first time I’ve found a state park so close to a major metro area!! Because of its proximity to Denver, Chatfield fills up quickly, so book well in advance."
from $36 - $200 / night
Check Availability2. Dakota Ridge RV Park
"This park is kind of pricey even in the winter (we stayed Nov22-Jan23) but it’s Colorado and it’s all pretty pricey. Park staff is super friendly and accommodating."
"Good site if you want to be close to Denver but still have a short drive to the foothills."
3. Indian Paintbrush Campground—Bear Creek Lake Park
"This was our first time staying at Bear Creek Lake. The park is not part of the Colorado Wilds or CPW State Park system, but daily vehicle fees are included with your camping reservation."
"Note: If the GPS takes you to a dirt road with a closed gate at the end, get back on the highway and take the next exit to the park entrance."
4. Chief Hosa Campground
"Sits in Genesee Park, so there are hiking trails all around. Evergreen is next exit west with all kinds of convenient shopping and dining. Showers are a quarter every two minutes."
"They use a keycode system to restrict access to the centrally-located bathhouse (there is only one in the campground), which I thought was clever. "
from $33 - $40 / night
Check Availability5. Deer Creek Campground — Golden Gate Canyon
"area was plowed open to exactly the width of our trailer, so with more than three feet of snow on the ground we needed to get some exercise and do a bit of shoveling so we could back in and be able to walk"
"Late October is very unpredictable in Colorado for a camper who is primarily a tent camper."
from $18 / night
Check Availability6. Clear Creek RV Park
"Had a great spot right next to the Clear Creek walking path. The campground is clean and well looked after. Clean bathrooms and showers. Close to many hikes and mt trails."
"**Campground Review: ** Golden, CO is a super cute town on the outskirts of Denver. The city has a campground in a prime location, and we were lucky to book a site!"
from $68 - $85 / night
Check Availability7. Denver West-Central City KOA
"good location for cute old mountain towns! also close to Denver and other must sees in Colorado!"
"8100’ high. 7 miles off I-70 at Idaho Springs. 25 miles into outskirts of Denver. Don’t worry they have oxygen! Not kidding!!"
8. Reverend's Ridge Campground — Golden Gate Canyon
"This spot is just a quick ride outside of Golden. The scenery is gorgeous with several trails to hike or mountain bike. The campsites are clean and easy to get to."
"Stunning campground nestled right outside Golden and Boulder Colorado. We couldn’t believe it…so close but you feel incredibly removed once you get there."
from $28 - $90 / night
Check Availability9. Echo Lake Campground
"Echo Lake campground is situated off Squaw Pass Rd next to Echo Lake and the start of Mt Evans Rd."
"RV sites are VERY close together and a little close to the main road. That is the only downside. Beautiful and spacious sites surrounded by spruce trees. Camp host was friendly and helpful."
from $26 / night
Check Availability10. Buffalo Creek Recreation Area
"There's several creeks that run through the area and a network of trails that intersect the Colorado Trail and the road. The area is popular with mountain bikers."
"The area was well kept and obviously beautiful, it's Colorado after all. There was no running water, however the camo host drives an ATV around offering water from giant containers. I loved it."
Drive Time
- 36 min from Denver, CO
- 46 min from Boulder, CO
- 1 hr 18 min from Greeley, CO
- 1 hr 23 min from Colorado Springs, CO
Recent Camping Photos near Evergreen, CO
1059 Photos of 436 Evergreen Campgrounds
Lynae C.
Closed
john B.
Chief Hosa Campground
Sabin R.
Mountain View Campsite
gabe
Staunton State Park Campground
Rita R.
Indian Paintbrush Campground—Bear Creek Lake Park
John B.
Hidden Wilderness Roadside Camp #1
Alex M.
Idylease Campground
The Dyrt
The Nest at Black Hawk
Jess T.
Arapaho National Forest Echo Lake Campground
Mark
Echo Lake Campground
Heather A.
Denver West-Central City KOA
claire
Deer Creek
Recent Reviews near Evergreen, CO
2966 Reviews of 436 Evergreen Campgrounds
- DDanielle N.Scout
Tiger Run RV Resort
Tiger Run - Great place!!
We had a great stay at Tiger Run RV Resort in Breckenridge! The mature trees throughout the resort make it feel private and relaxing, and the full-hookup sites were spacious and convenient. Our daughter especially loved the amenities, including the arcade, pool, and playground, which kept her entertained throughout our stay. The location is hard to beat—just a short drive to Main Street, where you’ll find plenty of great restaurants, shops, and things to do. We would definitely stay here again!
Ben G.
TravelerRedskin Creek Rd Designated Campsite
Great spot!
A large number of established roadside dispersed camping spots to choose from. All spots have metal fire rings, so campfires are allowed even with Stage 1 fire restrictions in place. Great access to trails for hiking or mountain biking. Arrived Thursday afternoon and there were still plenty of spots to choose from.
S M.TravelerYork Gulch Road
Somewhat Confusing
Vehicle: KIA Soul (FWD- slightly more clearance than a standard sedan, but not as high up as a full size SUV) Campsite type: TENT ONLY, not even mini trailer friendly! . Beautiful views on the way back down from camp, somewhat secluded- quiet. There are residences along the way up, on neighboring roads, AND there's a commercial camp of somekind nearby. Verizon service is largely non existent. You might get lucky and catch one bar. Might
ROAD: Dirt, but not "off road trail"- again people live off of this road so its somewhat maintained. BEWARE OF RAIN WASHOUT AREAS, DIPS, AND WASHBOARD. Do NOT try to take some low riding car like a Tesla up this. Heck, dont even take a cybertruck (too big and clunky to fit in tight spaces). Signs say NO OFFROAD VEHICLES, meaning this is a road road, not a backwoods trail. You'll pass an old (but functioning) fire station on the way up, the pinned location on this post is where camp sites are. It doesnt "look like it" so you might get confused and keep going. If you do, you end up in a turnaround area out by that "Camp Always Choose Adventure" place that shows up on the gps map, a field, more housing, and a road that goes off to somewhere else in the mountains. Theres lots of roads out here so make sure you dont turn off the gulch road once youre on it. Without a high clearance vehicle, youre going to go about 15mph tops due to the washboard and dips once you get up higher. The first half is pretty smooth. If its rainy/muddy, I wouldnt chance it without a 4WD or AWD. Drive safely/carefully- ROAD DOES NARROW IN SOME PLACES/AROUND SOME CORNERS. Do not drive like Denver drivers in town. You'll either hit someone going the opposite way or force them over the edge and off the mountain side. I had a couple of 4WD vehicles come racing around corners. Be kind. Be smart. Respect that this is not a normal road and just BEHAVE.
SITES: There are rock stacked fire rings and some cleared space among the trees around them. Thats it. Woods camping. Nothing is marked, so I couldnt tell if there were others than the few where I stayed. There are signs up saying private property around the camp sites, but theyre not blocked off and are supposed to be on Forestry Service land 🤷♂️ Nobody came out to say anything. During the day some people take their 4WD vehicles out on the other roads and you might run into them leaving when youre going up the gulch road. At night its dead silent. Some people do take dirtbikes thru the area to get out to their trails, but they didnt stay in the area running laps or anything like that.
PETS: If you bring them, I wouldnt let them run off leash. There is hunting land further down the road, that Camp Always Choose Adventure place, lots of houses, and lots of roads that ARE well used. Its not safe for dogs etc to run free any more than on a neighborhood block in town. Besides, if other campers set up, you dont want your pets running over to strangers. Long tie out ropes/cables will be just fine. Wrap one end around the base of a tree and now your pet goes nowhere.
WILDLIFE: Considering all of the human settlements and activity, there doesnt seem to be that big of a threat. Youre not that isolated or "remote". Idaho Springs is a short drive of about 15 min or so.
- TThomas D.Traveler
Cross Creek Campground — Eleven Mile State Park
Quiet lake-side
Lovely views of Eleven Mile Reservoir, forested hills to one side, bare terrain around the campsite, and mountains to the west. Cow patties and prairie dog holes everywhere. Plenty of waterfowl.
On the other side of the reservoir is the main campground—more services are there (showers, visitor center etc)
Campsites are close together, no shade. No hookups. The fire pits and picnic tables for sites 3 & 4 are right next to one another (we’ll move to avoid the lighter fluid enhanced fire pit smoke from our friendly neighbors). 7 sites total, pit toilets a short walk away, no motor boat launch here.
Plenty of day parking for big rigs (see signage for fees).
Xfinity wifi works fine.
Why are we here? Access to the Dream Stream (aka Charlie Meyers SWA) is minutes away and we’re going to cast some flies!
Michael M.
Guidepike national forest (CR 511)
Pike national forest
Found the spot that we were able to fit in in Pike national Forest outside of divide. Stayed for a week in early June and the temperatures were great. Very little AT&T cell phone coverage. The spot does have some tree cover, so Starlink is a little bit obstructed as well are solar panels.
Leona A.ScoutWest Magnolia Campground
Decent spots, but always full
The spots are big enough, but every time we’ve gone there it’s been full- including Sunday afternoon (today) and mid-week. I’m pretty sure quite a few people came up Sunday morning, waited for people to leave, and left their gear there for next weekend.
Jeremy M.ScoutCold Springs - Arapaho Roosevelt Nf (CO)
Nice Area
Area was nice but really close to a main highway.
- RRod A.Guide
Cherry Creek State Park Campground
Nice State Park
Stopped for 1 night. Sites are spacious, also lots of space between sites. Facilities are well cared for, clean and updated. Not too far from the interstate. Lake nearby if you have a boat or kayak. Our stay there was some strong winds during evening hours. Our site utilities on opposing side, luckily it was pull thru and we just reversed direction. Noticed the same issue with several other sites nearby.
Guide to Evergreen
Camping sites near Evergreen, Colorado range from established campgrounds to free dispersed areas in the Pike and Arapaho National Forests. Located at elevations between 7,000-10,000 feet, the region experiences wide temperature swings, with summer nights dipping into the 40s even when daytime temperatures reach the 80s. Mountain thunderstorms frequently develop during summer afternoons, requiring campers to secure tents and equipment before heading out for daytime activities.
What to do
Hike the Colorado Trail sections: Buffalo Creek Recreation Area provides access to multiple trail networks. "This free campground is perfect! We hiked out to the 96 burn area to explore and we ended up doing a nice 7 mile loop to get down to the creek for a cool down," notes a visitor to Buffalo Creek Recreation Area.
Mountain biking on dedicated trails: The trails around Buffalo Creek are particularly popular with riders. "Great camping spot, esp, if you like mountain biking. Not whistler in terms of terrain but plenty of trails for various ability levels," shares a camper who visited in February.
Fishing opportunities: Clear Creek offers accessible fishing spots right from town. "There is so much to do at this location; aside from the sectioned off RV area, there are lots of paths and locals parks to adventure around. Our favorite is the fishing, so much fun fishing in all the different spots along the creek," according to a reviewer at Clear Creek RV Park.
Wildlife viewing: Early morning drives provide opportunities for seeing local wildlife. "Mother Nature: This was a phenomenal state park. Many multiuse trails. Get up early and drive mountain base road...we caught a great view of a moose," shares a camper who stayed at Reverend's Ridge Campground.
What campers like
Less crowded hiking alternatives: While many tourists head to popular spots, local campgrounds offer quieter alternatives. "We stayed here in early June to avoid the chaos of RMNP and were not disappointed. The drive from Golden up into the park is beautiful and you truly feel like you are leaving the noise of Denver and the metro behind," explains a camper from Reverend's Ridge Campground — Golden Gate Canyon.
Proximity to recreation: Many sites offer immediate access to outdoor activities. "Loved the hiking and biking trails. Beautiful lake for swimming and paddle sports. Will definitely be returning for the archery and horseback riding," notes a visitor to Indian Paintbrush Campground—Bear Creek Lake Park.
Altitude acclimation: Campers appreciate the mid-elevation locations for adjusting to higher altitudes. "We're getting ready to boondock for a bit. Instead of overnighting at a truck spot we snagged site 13 at about noon, same day. Weather was super pleasant and cool enough at night to have windows open on July 10th," shares a visitor to Chief Hosa Campground.
Water features: Many campgrounds offer access to lakes or streams. "Great views of mountains. Just minutes south of Denver. With decent facilities and a playground for kiddos," notes a Chatfield State Park camper.
What you should know
Fire restrictions: Bans are common throughout summer months. "There is an active fire ban in the area and the neighbors were lighting 5ft tall fires with gasoline which put us at risk. If you are going to be camping in BLM or Wildlife Areas please follow the restrictions," warns a Buffalo Creek Recreation Area camper.
Site availability challenges: Free dispersed camping areas fill quickly. "Beautiful spot with easy access to lots of trails and Wellington lake. Only downside is that it is very difficult to find a spot on a weekend. We got up there around 6:30pm on Friday night and after driving around for a couple hours ended up bailing and going home," explains a visitor to Buffalo Creek.
Weather preparedness: Conditions change rapidly at higher elevations. "It's high altitude, nestled in the pines. The camp host keeps the outhouses immaculate and even provided maps for the many hiking trails," mentions a visitor to Echo Lake Campground.
Limited services: Many campgrounds have seasonal water restrictions. "Water pump is not functioning as of 6/24, so bring your own water. Busy area with tourists and traffic to Mt Evans. Road noise settles down after dark," notes an Echo Lake camper.
Tips for camping with families
Choosing family-friendly sites: Some campgrounds cater better to children than others. "There is a lodge close by in case you want a hot meal at some point as well. Pit toilets were exactly as you'd expect," shares a visitor to Echo Lake Campground.
Accessible activities for all ages: Look for campgrounds with varied recreational options. "This site got a little grungy for a couple of years, but it's been cleaned up and looking great!" notes a camper at Indian Paintbrush Campground.
Playgrounds and facilities: Some sites offer dedicated children's areas. "The campground has a pool and hot tub. The play set for kids is small. The bathrooms are very clean. The staff is helpful," mentions a Colorado camper at Dakota Ridge RV Park.
Educational opportunities: Many campgrounds offer nature programs. "Walk up the hill to the open space adjacent to the campground for a view of the mountains and the city," suggests a Dakota Ridge visitor.
Tips from RVers
Hookup availability: Electric and water access varies significantly. "Reverend ridge is a favorite of ours. Plenty of space between sites, electricity. Wooded and scenic," shares an RVer who stayed at Reverend's Ridge.
Dump station locations: Not all campgrounds offer this service. "Great pricing with only about a $20 premium to dump/fill at Love's and electric/water hookups with dump station included. Really pretty spot," notes a camper at Chief Hosa.
Site leveling challenges: Some campgrounds require significant leveling equipment. "Loop E (electric hookups) is very spacious and well laid out. Every campsite is a pull thru allowing you situate anywhere along the paved area to best suit your needs. Mostly level, fire rings, and very large metal picnic tables," explains a visitor to Reverend's Ridge.
Road access considerations: Not all camping areas have good RV access. "There are some sites that are better than others for group sizes and it isn't very RV friendly. 550 is a washboard road that ends up at Wellington Lake," warns a Buffalo Creek visitor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the best campgrounds near Evergreen, Colorado?
Where are the best campgrounds near Evergreen, Colorado?
The Evergreen area offers excellent camping options within a short drive. Chief Hosa Campground sits at 7,600 feet elevation in Genesee Park, providing hiking trails and proximity to Evergreen's amenities. For a true mountain experience, Roosevelt National Forest Camp Dick Campground features stunning views, well-maintained fire pits, and a rolling river with hiking trailheads accessible from camp. Other excellent options include West Magnolia Campground near Nederland and Gordon Gulch Dispersed Area, which offers both numbered sites and additional unnumbered sites with spectacular views further down Forest Road 233.1. For those seeking lakeside camping, Winiger Ridge at Gross Reservoir provides secluded sites with water access opportunities.
What RV camping options are available in Evergreen, Colorado?
What RV camping options are available in Evergreen, Colorado?
Evergreen offers several RV-friendly camping options. Travel Port Campground provides a peaceful setting tucked among mature evergreen trees with friendly staff and a welcoming atmosphere. It's conveniently located near Eleven Mile State Park. For families seeking amenities, Jellystone Park™ at Larkspur offers a full-service RV experience. Additional options include Chatfield State Park Campground with full hookups and Indian Paintbrush Campground at Bear Creek Lake Park. Most RV sites in the area require reservations, especially during peak summer months. When booking, check each campground's specific RV restrictions regarding length limitations, hookup availability, and whether generator use is permitted.
What outdoor activities can you do while camping in Evergreen, Colorado?
What outdoor activities can you do while camping in Evergreen, Colorado?
The Evergreen area offers abundant outdoor recreation. Hiking trails abound, with West Magnolia Campground providing direct access to an extensive network of hiking and mountain biking trails. Water enthusiasts can enjoy fishing, kayaking, and paddleboarding at nearby reservoirs. Fall River Reservoir Dispersed Camping Trail combines camping with water activities, though reaching prime spots requires 4x4 vehicles to navigate rocky terrain. Wildlife viewing opportunities are excellent throughout the region, with chances to spot deer, elk, and various bird species. During winter months, nearby areas offer snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Rock climbing, photography, and stargazing are also popular activities. Most campgrounds provide direct access to recreational opportunities, making Evergreen an outdoor enthusiast's paradise.
Is camping available at Evergreen Lake in Colorado?
Is camping available at Evergreen Lake in Colorado?
Camping is not available directly at Evergreen Lake. The lake is primarily a day-use recreation area offering fishing, non-motorized boating, and picnicking, but overnight camping is not permitted on the lakeshore. For nearby lake camping alternatives, consider White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground near Dillon Reservoir, which offers stunning lakeside camping with mountain views. Another excellent option is Castle Mountain Recreation Area at Wellington Lake, located within reasonable driving distance from Evergreen. For those wanting proximity to water while staying near Evergreen, Colorado Campground situated next to Manitou Lake provides a great alternative with nearby access to numerous trails.
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