Searching for the best camping near Thornton, CO? Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Thornton, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your Thornton camping trip.
$28 - $432 / night
"I only gave it 4 stars because on the outskirts of the state park we have a lot of homeless camps popping up oblong Parker road and 225."
"It is in the center of the city, but aside from the traffic on the dam in the distance you would not realize it. "
$36 - $200 / night
"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."
"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."
$18 / night
"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."
$35 - $55 / night
"Take a friend and a picnic for a lovely day on this beautiful lake right here in Arvada. Your worries fall away and you can experience the joy in nature around you. Maybe weird but true!"
"5 stars because of the lake, Mountain Views, and it not being far from town. Rent a floatation device or bring your own and enjoy the warmth on the lake☀️"
"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."
$32 - $80 / night
"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!"
"Good location close to interstate to access all the cool towns and site seeing west of Denver."
"When I walked in the office, I was greeted by 5 wonderful sweet dogs. I love dogs so there couldn't have been a better greeting. Kathy was very friendly and helpful."
$36 - $41 / night
"Very convenient campground with great access to North Denver/Boulder area. Only downside is proximity to I-25 and traffic noise. But there are many nice trails and lakes to fish from."
"It is near I-25 highway so there is road traffic noise but becomes background noise after a day or so. But if that bothers you you won’t like it."
$33 - $40 / night
"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. "
"The highway noise was very noticeable, but didn’t take away from the peaceful setting. It was a clean campground. The bathrooms and showers were clean and have a key code for entry."
ScoutThere is a playground for the kids and tons of picnic tables. The sites are cleared and make it really easy for putting up a tent, and there are tables at each site. There’s bathrooms, too, which make it easy! There is a river that runs right behind it and it’s so pleasant to listen to and fun for the kids to play near. It was fast flowing though so we didn’t let them in.
ScoutNo need to look elsewhere - this is where you want to stay! But you better book well in advance. CLEAN shower houses. Friendly staff. Owners who pay attention to the details. This truly is Paradise by the river! Sites are close, but very quiet. I've never stayed at such a beautiful campground.
ScoutBasic primitive dispersed camping Just watch your food or the Huskies might get it if you’re not paying attention.
GuideGot here Fourth of July last year and it was paaaaaacked by Thursday. Somehow got the LAST spot at the end of the road which was a little sketchy to get to - and I think took us like 30 minutes to drive to lol but it was a gorgeous place to camp, tons of spots, just fills up fast
TravelerThe entrance road is hard to find - Drive to the Indian Hot Springs facility in Idaho Springs, take Montane Road. It turns into Hidden Wilderness Road when the pavement ends.
As already stated by others, this is a Jeep trail. Do not attempt without 4WD at any time of year. It’s dangerous to turn around, and the trails kinda busy. You could get in a bind here if you’re not careful.
There are multiple campsites along the road, one at each switchback, and at least a dozen on top of the mountain. Campsites on top are large, wooded, and spread out. The switchback spots aren’t as good. I was able to find a flat spot up top big enough for a 10x10 tent, but I had to look around a bit.
If you keep following the main “road”, it eventually ends at a private gate, and you’ll need to turn around and backtrack about a quarter mile to get a camping spot.
I spent 2 weeks here in a full size 4x4 pickup with stock suspension, drove up and down the mountain about 5 times, slowly, without issue. I probably wouldn’t drive up there in a Subaru, but I did in fact see several Subarus up there on weekends.
This is a popular place for locals to shoot guns and ride dirt bikes. There are brass shell casings on the ground literally everywhere, and a LOT of shooting most days. More traffic than you would think on such a treacherous road, almost all locals coming up for the day.
Saw a couple of NFS maintenance trucks, no rangers or other staff. Peaceful spot at night. I’m a remote worker, and Starlink and Verizon both have good signal. Firewood everywhere. No water, rivers or lakes, but otherwise no complaints.
Scout1 night stay. 2/3 camping spots I saw with a fire ring had a “no trespassing sign” posted on it but nobody bothered me. Semi-busy OHV traffic for a Sunday & no cell service. Peaceful & quiet little area that’s about 10 mins from I-70 & 15 from Idaho springs.
GuideArrived Sunday afternoon to a pretty empty campground. Some sites have a little tree cover and others have none at all. It was a relaxing night. We left early Monday morning to hike Mt Bierstadt
TravelerSpent three nights here. Plenty of trail heads nearby and had moose visitors right by camp each day which was cool but be sure to respect the wildlife and give them space. Road is bumpy getting in but saw a few Crosstreks and Rav4s making it through at slow speeds but high clearance 4wd definitely recommend. 41 sites total which get more dispersed as you go farther up the road but it does get rougher and narrower past site 34 or so. Got busier when I left Friday morning but no shortage of open sites. Will definitely be back.
TravelerWe stayed three (3) nights at Glacier Basin during our week long visit to RMNP. We had a beautiful view from A-24 and was convenient to the restroom. Short walk to wood/ice house (on sale from 5-8pm). Much larger than Aspenglen and sites are pretty close together, but we enjoyed our neighbors! While large, close sites, and full the CG was overall quiet. ATT cell service was pretty good, Verizon okay. CG was clean and well maintained. One negative is that 4-6 sites had to share a bear box (Aspenglen has a bear box for each site. CG is on Bear Lake Road so no timed entry required (YAY!) and right across the street from the bus shuttle.
Camping near Thornton, Colorado, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a family-friendly spot or a quiet getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to explore.
Camping near Thornton, CO, has something for everyone. With a little planning, you can enjoy the great outdoors and make lasting memories!
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, Thornton, CO offers a wide range of camping options, with 283 campgrounds and RV parks near Thornton, CO and 72 free dispersed camping spots.
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Thornton, CO is Cherry Creek State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 47 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 72 free dispersed camping spots near Thornton, CO.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 11 parks near Thornton, CO that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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