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.
Located just south of Littleton, about 45 minutes south of Denver, Chatfield State Park is a 5,800-acre nature preserve and recreation area situated around the Chatfield Reservoir. Before the 1960s, there was no reservoir, and the South Platte River flowed freely through the wide valley. But after several disastrous flooding incidents, the Chatfield Dam was constructed on the river to prevent further damage to local homes and farms. The land around the new reservoir was developed into a recreation area, and the state park was opened to the public in 1975. The dam and park are named for Isaac W. Chatfield, who served as a Lieutenant of the Union in the Civil War. After the war, he migrated west and farmed this land along the Platte until the late 1800s. With its proximity to the wider Denver metro area and suburbs, Chatfield State Park is the place to go to get outdoors and beat the summer heat. Campers at Chatfield State Park have access to nearly 200 tent and RV campsites in four loops. The majority of sites are equipped with full hookups, with the rest having electrical hookups. Parking pads are both back-in and pull-through, and can accommodate vehicles/trailers up to 45 feet. Some sites are ADA accessible. All campsites have picnic tables, cooking grills and tent pads, and have access to drinking water, flush toilets, hot showers, and laundry facilities; a dump station is located near the campground entrance. There is also a group camp area with 10 sites that can accommodate up to 36 people each. Most sites are open and grassy, with minimal shade; all are within a short walking distance to the reservoir. Park residents include deer, elk, foxes, prairie dogs, songbirds, eagles, owls, snakes and salamanders. For water fun, there’s swimming, paddling, water-skiing, and fishing on the reservoir. Boaters have access to two launch ramps, and anglers can fish on the lake or from the fishing piers for walleye, rainbow trout, bass, perch and sunfish. During the winter season, trails are open for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, and ice fishing is a popular pastime.
$36 - $41 / night
Welcome to Denver’s natural and spacious backyard playground, Cherry Creek State Park. There’s so much to see and enjoy. Summers are busy and action packed with Cherry Creek State Park camping, while off-peak times are quiet and laid back. Anchored around a 880 surface acre reservoir, the park offers a natural prairie environment of gentle, rolling hills and complete outdoor recreation facilities, including camping, picnicking and facilities for group events.
$28 - $41 / night
Golden Gate Canyon State Park offers multiple campgrounds, cabins, yurts, RV sites, group sites, and a guest house.
From Memorial Day to early October, there are 132 campsites in two campgrounds: Reverend’s Ridge and Aspen Meadow.
Reverend’s Ridge offers 38 tent sites and 59 sites with electrical hook-ups. Facilities at Reverend’s Ridge include flush toilets, shower, ice machine, laundry facilities, and a dump station.
Aspen Meadow offers 35 tent sites and vault toilets.
As of January 1, 2019 both campgrounds will be Reservation Only.
Golden Gate also offers 20 backcountry tent sites and four backcountry shelters. Our backcountry sites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis year-round. Please register for backcountry sites at the Visitor Center.
$18 - $90 / night
The Indian Paintbrush Campground is located within the county-run Bear Creek Lake recreation area outside Denver, CO. In close proximity to the city of Denver and popular tourist destinations like Red Rocks amphitheater, the Bear Creek Lake Park camping blends urban and rural qualities to make one of the finest camping destinations around Denver. The campground has 47 campsites, 3 cabins, 2 yurts and 1 group site.
$35 - $65 / night
Whether you commune with nature in a tent or prefer the comfort of a camper or motorhome for your nature sojourn, Standley Lake has plenty to offer. Standley Lake offers individual campsites and Deluxe Bell Tent rentals by reservation only. Reservations can be made beginning in January of each year. There are sixty-six (66) camp sites available for reservation and six Deluxe Bell Tents. The main campground accommodates RV units, camp trailers and tents. The park offers two permanent restroom facilities with free outdoor showers and drinking water. There are also self-serve water-fill spigots located in the campground. Each campsite features a fire pit and picnic table for your use.
Public camping is available May 1 through Sept. 30. There are no hookups and no dump station available at Standley Lake, although the City of Westminster does operate a dump station that accepts discharge of wastewater from the kitchens and personal sanitary conveniences of recreational vehicles for a fee. The station is located at the Big Dry Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility, 13150 Huron St. Camping is available only in designated sites and camping passes must be displayed on campsite post at all times. There are several ADA accessible campsites and the Deer Bell Tent is also ADA accessible.
$35 - $55 / night
Glacier Basin Campground (8,500 feet) is located inside Rocky Mountain National Park, along the Bear Lake Road Corridor. The entrance to Glacier Basin Campground is approximately 5.2 miles up Bear Lake Road and across the street from the Park & Ride Parking Area.____ There are 150 campsites available by reservation only. There are no first come - first served campsites available at Glacier Basin. Any sites that are open are listed as "A" for available. Any campsite listed as ___NR___ has Not Yet Released; this means that those campsites are not yet available to be reserved. A number of campsites are available to be reserved up to 6-months in advance on a rolling window. ____ Some campsites are available to be reserved 2-weeks prior to your desired camping date.__ Some campsites are available to be reserved 1-week prior to your desired camping date. Group campsites are available to be reserved 1-year in advance on a rolling window.__
Rocky Mountain National Park has over 350 miles of hiking trails that range from flat lakeside strolls to steep mountain climbs. One of the most popular activities in the park is wildlife viewing. There are excellent wildlife viewing opportunities to see elk, Mule deer, Bighorn sheep, hawks, a wide range of songbirds and more throughout the park. Rocky Mountain National Park offers some unforgettable scenic views along of the land above trees, over 1/3 of the park is alpine tundra. Enjoy incredible scenic drives along Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road.
Rocky Mountain National Park has over 350 miles of hiking trails that range from flat lakeside strolls to steep mountain climbs. One of the most popular activities in the park is wildlife viewing. There are excellent wildlife viewing opportunities to see elk, Mule deer, Bighorn sheep, hawks, a wide range of songbirds and more throughout the park. Rocky Mountain National Park offers some unforgettable scenic views along of the land above trees, over 1/3 of the park is alpine tundra. Enjoy incredible scenic drives along Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road.
A pleasant mix of Douglas fir, Lodgepole pine, Ponderosa pine and the occasional Engelmann spruce forests the campground, offering equal amounts of sun and shade. Grasses, shrubs and seasonal wildflowers fill the open meadows. Wildlife is plentiful in the park, and while mule deer and the majestic Rocky Mountain elk are the most commonly seen, black bear, coyote, bighorn sheep and moose inhabit the region as well.
The Town of Estes Park is a short drive from the campground, located outside of RMNP___s Beaver Meadows and Fall River Entrances. Dining, shopping, rafting, fly fishing, horseback riding, and golfing opportunities await. Lake Estes offers boating, sailboarding, and fishing.
$70 / night
This campground with 89 RV sites and 28 tent sites is the perfect destination for all types of camping enthusiasts from retired big riggers to families who enjoy the simple comforts of tent camping.
$20 - $55 / night
$30 - $65 / night
And in fact I believe they were KOA of the year 2023 or 2024. More expensive than we're used to, but has nice amenities. Sites level with concrete pads, fairly large. Some space between with trees. Nice metal patio furniture provided at each site(chairs, table, fire pit). Has decent showers, hot tubs, and off leash dog park. Inexpensive pancake breakfast and pizza/wings to your site are available, also an onsite store. Kind of at the top of a rise, so good views but also kind of chilly for July (60s/40s). Massive thunderstorms with hail and heavy rain two evengings (CO mountains tend to get afternoon t-storms). Communicate via text to let you know about goings on. Good radio station out of Idaho Springs KYGT 102.7 and 103.9
Great trip. Beautiful campground. Beautiful scenery
Great trip. Beautiful campground. Beautiful scenery
I spent the night at Base Camp because the campgrounds North and South of Ned were full and it was dark and getting late. You have to be lucky with those ones to get one of the few good spots that are there. I have been to the convenience store at BC before and it was closer to Idaho Springs (I was going there the next day to meet a friend). $39 per night for a tent site is INSANE. I could have stealth camped and there was another spot I could’ve gone too but BC was close and I was tired. I guess that’s how they make their business. Begrudgingly it worked for what I needed.
Very clean, very well maintained. Large spaces near the lake.
Not a lot of options on I 70 east of Denver for overnight parking so opted for a KOA last minute. Easy last minute check in process. Served great for a quick in and out.
Staff were super friendly. The place did everything we needed for an overnight stay the drive in from RMNP was fantastic. Showers were clean(dated who cares, they worked. I’m not an instagrammer)
Overall Nice site. Stayed one night. Too pricey for a stopover. Propane fire pit looks nice but could not use. Must have a 20 pound tank. Store was closed as we arrived at 5 pm.
Train and traffic noise as expected for location.
Lot of stuff for kids. Nice facilities. Clean park.
Stayed the last night with a rental RV that we needed to return to Denver by 10;30 AM. Campground has an unusual lay out with "loops" being 3 rings of sites. Sites are spread out well. Lots of privacy, Within an hour's drive of the RV rental return location (with a Costco on the way to fill the gas tank). Some sites have elec/water/sewer at the sites. Some have just electrical - this was our site. A communal water/sewer was available with ability to handle two vehicles at the same time.
We loved this campground for the stunning views, super clean bathrooms, and the easy access to hiking in RMNP. So many trails to choose from, either directly from the campground, or across the Bear Lake Road to the Park N Ride. Can't say enough about the views, especially if your site is in the open center area like ours was at C119. There are lots of sites with shade as well. Sites are pretty close together but since we did not take our pups (they can't go on the park trails) we didn't mind.
Very difficult to snag a reservation but daily persistence paid off and we got one night which was the last night of their season. So glad we did. Will try again for next year!
If you are used to RV sites or KOA you will be ok with this. On a scale of 1-5 here are my impressions.
Overall esthetic 2. The lake is nice. The rest of the area is well compacted dirt with some scattered trees. City/road noise 2.
3 nights starting Thursday after Labor Day. Was able to get the reservation 2 weeks ahead as it was released for use. Camping at this campground also gives you a time+ entry permit good for bear lake road. After 1 pm the first day and then anytime on following days. They have planted many new pine trees a few years ago to replace the ones destroyed years ago. Even then the shade in much of C loop is nonexistent. Thus a tarp is a good thing. Sites are reasonably well separated. In a few years as the new trees mature the privacy between sites will be good or very good. Restrooms were clean. Their time actuated lights makes the campground dark if no one is using the head. That is very good because star watching was excellent (near a new moon). Evening ranger program was held in the amphitheater each night. Hiking trail to sprague lake is about a mile with plenty of birds and other critters. We saw a weasel and a flock of turkeys. At sprague lake around 9 am the local moose goes wading to eat. And of course you are in the park, so you can drive to see elk, coyotes, pika, marmots and more. Great place. T-Mobile varied from 2 bars LTE or 2 bars 5G. Sufficient connectivity
Lots of room to spread out but some weird regulations. Like only 3.2% alcohol?
Beautiful views and a great spot of Bear Lake Rd.
Clinging to the side of the mountain, each well appointed site fits the camper's needs, from basic tent pads up to full water and electric connections for RVs. Common bathroom, shower, dish and clothes washing facilities centrally located, clean and well maintained. Sites are spread out a bit if also a little small. Every day I had mule deer visiters. I would definitely stay here again.
Good spot. County was in a burn ban so no fires or charcoal grills allowed. Lake had some weird rules. You have to buy a county park pass when making reservation.
Really cool campground! We were able to tube on the river and we were at site five so we had direct access to the river as well. Just as a heads up this is a walk in site, but your cars aren’t parked very far away. And if you have a rooftop tent, you can still use that. Just know that your car will be parked on the road. It’s also $10 extra per night for an additional vehicle past the two vehicle per site limit.
Stayed two nights in July. Apparently quiet time is just a phrase here — multiple groups around us were loud well past 10pm but nobody came around to check. Bathroom access was an issue in the AM due to only one stall.
Not a lot of shade, ground kinda pebbly. If you’re looking for a quick post up near Denver or Boulder, sure. If you’re looking for peaceful camping, you could do far better. I suppose it’d be different in an RV, but tenting wasn’t good.
Either way, if you stay here, bring good earplugs.
I have been a camper at Spruce Lake (1990’s) and Elk Meadow Campground (since 2000). So over 25 years with this company. This year I had to leave 3 days early due to a medical issue that my medical team recommend I return home ASAP. So I left 3 days early. After being a camper with them for over 25 years, sometimes more than once a season, they WOULD NOT provide a credit for the next season due to needing to leave. Even though they have done away with the General Store, a bathroom is usually out of service, no ice cream bars, scant RV supplies, cable TV, and now no WiFi….continuing to cut services for campers yet increase costs…..I will NOT be returning to this campground or sister campgrounds. Though they have wonderful views, I will choose to camp at other campgrounds in the area. This is pure greed on the owners and mangers part and no concerns about returning, loyal customers. One other note about this year’s stay, we were under a Red Flag Warning and a burn ban. Durning this high fire risk weather, there was a very large fire with sparks in the pit by the playground and a camper had one at their site. I witnessed and reported to the assistant manger who was walking her dogs long before there ban and warnings were lifted. The next day I asked her if she was able to get the fires extinguished. She said no because the fires were started after the bans and warnings were lifted. And that was an outright lie as I reported before the bans and warnings ran out and the fires were going full force when I reported. So this also tells me that the assistant manager and the campground really doesn’t wish to enforce laws to preserve the area from another catastrophic wild fire in the National Park and the surrounding mountain towns and citizens. As a past resident of Colorado this really should upset local people and visitors.
We stayed for a couple of nights because everything else was booked up, the site was fine, staff were friendly and helpful, didn't use the pool/facilities as we had our travel trailer, but really the only reason not 5 star is just needs more tree's/foliage and effort into the sites themselves, it's just a bit barren around the sites.
We called in the early evening, booked over the phone, & had a map with directions to our site waiting for us. The site was easily accessible & the restrooms were clean & well stocked. It’s close to the interstate, but just fine for one night.
My wife and I spent a week here. We enjoyed seeing the kids playing in the playground and riding around the park on their bikes. Nearly every day a deer would come munch on the greenery right behind our rig. The staff were super friendly and I believe we received good value for our payment considering the prices and sold-out state of other nearby parks like Horsetooth Reservoir. The campground is right on the banks of the Big Thompson river which does provide a soothing background for those fortunate enough to have sites on its banks. The roads and campsites are dirt, and a little messy after a rain storm. I think more attention could be paid to mowing the weeds of campsites between users. The laundry facilities were underwhelming as well; there wer two broken washing machines while I was there, and I spoke to a permanent resident who stated that they don't do their laundry in the park because of the poor availability of the machines. The facilities were clean. It can be suddenly and very windy here, so most campers did not use awnings. The campground is about 35 minutes from Estes Park and the Rocky Mountain National Forest, two excellent destinations for anyone coming for a vacation.
Great campground with beautiful views of the mountains! We loved the access to bear lake road. Bathrooms were clean. Site was large. Ice and firewood for sale. We loved our stay here!
Really easy to get to and the services were spot on. The views are also stunning and there is plenty of hiking to do.
Nicest bathrooms anywhere I have stayed for camping. Views are awesome, and super close to shuttle to go up to trail heads at Bear Lake. If you’re going to hike and there is snow, please wear traction like micro spikes.
Friendly hosts, clean bathrooms with hot pay showers which are $2 for 6 minutes. Some trees with partial shade. Nice spacing between sites unless you are a big rig and those are closer together. Well stocked camp store with ice, wood, laundry and all the essentials, and pool for the kids. It gets windy in the afternoon so might want to skip the awning/canopy. It is close to a road but never heard it at night.
This was my first backpacking experience and I couldn't recommend it more for first timers. There is a designated pad for your tent, a bear locker and even an outhouse all nearby. My wife and I stayed at site K and it was beautiful.
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
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Thornton, CO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Thornton, CO is Chatfield State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 75 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 42 glamping camping locations near Thornton, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
