Best Equestrian Camping near Walden, CO

Walden Reservoir Dispersed Camping lacks designated equestrian facilities despite being accessible for horse camping. The open terrain offers relatively flat sites where horse trailers can park, but with no corrals, stalls, or dedicated horse areas. Visitors should prepare to bring portable containment systems for their animals. The absence of shade trees means horses have limited protection from the elements, and the abundance of biting insects reported by campers can be problematic for equine visitors. The free camping area permits both tent and RV camping with pets allowed, making it suitable for overnight stays with horses when proper containment is arranged.

Located approximately 3 miles from town, the reservoir area provides access to surrounding public lands where riders can explore. Mosquitoes and biting ants are particularly numerous during summer months, requiring protective measures for both humans and horses. Riders should note the terrain is predominantly sagebrush with minimal natural barriers, creating wide-open riding opportunities but few natural containment options. For more developed equestrian accommodations, State Forest State Park offers alternative camping options with better facilities, though still without dedicated horse corrals. Horse owners planning extended stays should consider bringing ample water supplies, as drinking water is not available at the reservoir, and insect protection is essential during warmer months when biting insects are prevalent.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Walden, Colorado (23)

    1. Walden Reservoir Dispersed Camping

    5 Reviews
    Walden, CO
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 826-5000

    "Sites aren’t really marked/but are right next to the reservoir. No fires/water pumps."

    2. North Michigan Campground — State Forest State Park

    17 Reviews
    Rand, CO
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 723-8366

    $28 - $120 / night

    "There is no gas or groceries til Walden. Beautiful and sweeping vistas. Visit ranger lakes. Totally worth it. Lake Agnes was still closed when we were there. NO service."

    "Getting to the campground and visitors center is easy as they are both right off the highways 41 and 14, but it is quite a drive to get to, in general."

    3. Laramie River Road Dispersed

    8 Reviews
    Red Feather Lakes, CO
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 295-6600

    "From Chambers Lake north down FS 103 youll find a lot of dispersed camping and a lot of great spots with beautiful views."

    "Options for camping in campgrounds, close to others, or more alone. Options to camp near the lake, river, or on dry land.options for large or small camping areas. Peaceful and beautiful."

    4. Bockman Campground — State Forest State Park

    5 Reviews
    Rand, CO
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 723-8366

    $28 / night

    "The campsite has two entrances - one from the west passing North Michigan Reservoir and one from the South East which is basically from Lake Agnes Trailhead."

    "There are lots of great activities to participate in very close by - fishing, hiking, 4-wheeling and more!"

    5. Ranger Lakes Campground — State Forest State Park

    8 Reviews
    Rand, CO
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 723-8366

    $36 / night

    "I tent camped at Ranger Lakes. I was the only one tent camping among all the RV’s. I didn’t mind that the spaces were visible from each other since I was camping alone."

    "Small campground next to three lakes. One lake has dried up. Beautiful Gould, CO. We also boondock camp in this area as well. Don't miss Lake Agnes. It's at the top of a mountain."

    6. Buffalo Pass Dispersed

    19 Reviews
    Steamboat Springs, CO
    29 miles

    "This was our first stop on a week long road trip from Colorado Springs to the Oregon Coast and, honestly, we could have just hung out there and saved all the miles."

    "I had just done Rock Creek's drive up to dispersed near Dillon and thought that was bad, but this was worse. "

    7. Big Creek Lakes Campground

    6 Reviews
    Cowdrey, CO
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 723-2700

    $20 / night

    "Great spot for car camping in Colorado except its distance from Denver. It’s a trek! Takes at least 4 hours (that’s if you’re lucky). Lots to do."

    "Big Creek Lakes Campground, Colorado (close to Wyoming border): camping here is only open for 3 months out of the year: June, July & August."

    8. Teal Lake Group Campsite

    2 Reviews
    Coalmont, CO
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 723-2700

    $20 - $80 / night

    "The lake is incredible and the panoramic view is out of this world. I was fortunate to drive in right around sunset and the whole valley was lit with a glorious red light."

    "I have spent many years coming to Teal lake, its always been a family favorite!"

    9. East Portal Campground at Estes Park

    40 Reviews
    Estes Park, CO
    46 miles
    Website
    +1 (800) 964-7806

    $45 - $80 / night

    "Our space was large enough to accommodate our 20 ft travel trailer with our truck next to it, still leaving plenty of room for the picnic table and a chair circle around the fire."

    "The bathrooms were clean, and close to almost every site. They had a very nice playground for the kids with a climbing wall."

    10. Winding River Resort

    20 Reviews
    Grand Lake, CO
    38 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 627-3215

    $40 - $60 / night

    "They have direct access to the headwaters of the Colorado River.  We visited a little late in the season (August) to catch many fish, but we still had fun. "

    "Three dispersed camping locations all completely booked so I chose to stay in this RV Park which is located within Rocky Mountain National park and right next to Arapahoe National Park."

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Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Walden, CO

16 Photos of 23 Walden Campgrounds


Equestrian Camping Reviews near Walden, CO

178 Reviews of 23 Walden Campgrounds


  • Dan  W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 1, 2021

    Buffalo Pass Dispersed

    Gates not open as of memorial weekend

    Drove a long ways to find out the gate isn’t open like prior post of members and will not open until June 15 on the steamboat side as posted at gate. We drove to the east side from Walden to find out you can’t even make it to the gate as the road has way too much snow cover yet even with a 4 wheel drive . That side isn’t expected to open until mid July . But plenty of camping on the east side leading up to the pass .

  • Liz B.
    Jul. 17, 2019

    Big Creek Lakes Campground

    Great spot for a long weekend

    Great spot for car camping in Colorado except its distance from Denver. It’s a trek! Takes at least 4 hours (that’s if you’re lucky). Lots to do. Great fishing, beautiful hiking trails to a water fall, and trails for the RZR near by.

  • Jason W.
    Jun. 18, 2021

    Winding River Resort

    CO river access, nearby access to RMNP, zoo, & access to nearby lakes

    This is a beautiful campground with lots of family-friendly activities to do.  They have direct access to the headwaters of the Colorado River.  We visited a little late in the season (August) to catch many fish, but we still had fun.  We found some tailwaters below the big lakes and caught some trout on the fly rods.  

    This site is minutes away from an entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park.  We got up early and hiked a trail in RMNP and had a few moose walk right past us.  It is also close by to the major lakes of the area.  

    They rent ATVs and lots of people bring their own horses to this campground to enjoy the many back-country trails that begin at the back of the property and go high up into the mountains.  

    Facilities were well kept and clean.

  • Rosina A.
    Aug. 8, 2019

    Big Creek Lakes Campground

    9,000 feet elevation camping

    Big Creek Lakes Campground, Colorado (close to Wyoming border): camping here is only open for 3 months out of the year: June, July & August. It's camping at over 9,000ft elevation and requires for you to be extra prepared for snow even in the summer months, bears, mountain lions, mosquitos, aggressive horse flies, leeches, strong winds, thunder storms and altitude sickness. They do provide water which tastes fresh like newly melted snow. You can boat, fish, even hunt at some spots with a permit, hike, and swim at your own risk (can be cold, leeches, snakes). It is truly beautiful up here and the drive up the Poudre river makes it worth it. You can also spend the day rafting down the river or fishing.

  • Jennifer O.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 29, 2023

    North Michigan Campground — State Forest State Park

    Beautiful but REMOTE

    You had better stock up before you head out to State Forest State park but WOW definitely a stop. There is no gas or groceries til Walden. Beautiful and sweeping vistas. Visit ranger lakes. Totally worth it. Lake Agnes was still closed when we were there. NO service.

  • Steve M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 16, 2025

    Winding River Resort

    Older and quaint but very private individual spots

    Three dispersed camping locations all completely booked so I chose to stay in this RV Park which is located within Rocky Mountain National park and right next to Arapahoe National Park. Very good price compared to other RV resorts and surrounded by beautiful flowers and mountains and silence. They have showers and laundry and free coffee and garbage dump, and a small country store, along with many equestrian activities for adults and kids and it's very homey feeling.

  • Manisha S.
    Jul. 1, 2020

    Winding River Resort

    We were at campsite 59.

    Although this site is a no water/ electric site and next to the horses, we had a blast! Especially the kids. The site was a great size! We went horse back riding, hung out by the river, had s’mores, and even went for an ATV ride!! I was most impressed by how clean the bathrooms were, especially with the current COVID situation! Thank you Winding River Resort for keeping the place clean!

  • Diane D.
    Jul. 6, 2020

    Winding River Resort

    We loved it and already plan to return

    A lovely wooded campground literally on the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park - we even saw moose from the back window of our RV!  Options for everyone from cabins, to FHU RV sites (limited and not the ideal locations, but still nice), water/electric sites and tenting areas.  Even Conestoga wagons!  There is horseback riding on site and we loved watching the horses run in and out each morning/evening and you just have to cross the road for a pretty hike along the Colorado River in RMNP (no dogs on the trails).  We camped with our Great Dane - very dog friendly with bag stations around the park.  Friendly and helpful staff, a small shop with supplies and souvenirs, a cute little petting zoo with goats, sheep, and pigs.

  • Lara B.
    Jun. 22, 2020

    Jacks Gulch - **CLOSED FOR SEASON**

    Saving grace

    After driving for nearly 4hrs to find a spot in any of the first come first serve camp grounds up Poudre Canyon we started to head home only to pull into Pingree Park for one last cry for help... we stumbled upon Jack’s Gulch, a little hidden gem, tucked inside a cute mountain trek to the CSU campus at Pingree Park. It didn’t have any “water features” like a stream or a river but it was a quick car ride to find that. The spots were clean, noise was minimal, and there were bathrooms if you needed them. A lot of options as far as camping goes - electrical sites, walk up sites, equestrian sites, and mixed use (what I like to call a mixture of tent and RV). There were also trails all around the campsite that were accessible for bikes, or hiking. It was definitely a Father’s Day to remember. Oh yea, some coyotes at night definitely woke us up! I don’t believe they made it to the campsite but they were close 😳


Guide to Walden

Walden Reservoir Dispersed Camping sits at approximately 8,100 feet elevation in Jackson County, Colorado. The area experiences significant temperature variations with summer daytime temperatures averaging 70-80°F dropping to 40-50°F at night. Winter camping faces below-freezing temperatures and snow accumulation from October through May. The high mountain terrain surrounding the reservoir features sagebrush steppe ecology with limited tree cover.

What to Do

Fishing opportunities: North Michigan Reservoir at State Forest State Park offers productive fishing near Walden. "My dog could swim in north Michigan reservoir. The kids could ride bikes in trails and throw rocks in the water. Hiking was fun. Beautiful views," notes Meghan H.

Wildlife viewing: The region near Ranger Lakes Campground provides excellent moose spotting opportunities. "Saw moose from the campsite. Clean and very quiet," reports Alan G. who stayed at the campground.

Paddle sports: Several lakes around Walden support kayaking and paddleboarding during summer months. "We were able to paddle board and fish right from our campsite, and had a wonderful fresh trout dinner," explains B B. who camped at State Forest State Park.

High altitude hiking: Accessible trails range from easy lakeside walks to challenging mountain ascents. "The hiking was off the chart," mentions Tawny G. who stayed near the area, while another visitor notes, "We hiked Lake Agnes. It was a steep climb but well worth it."

What Campers Like

Mountain views: Bockman Campground offers expansive vistas. "We stayed in the bockman loop, with beautiful Mountain View's. Staff was friendly, rangers drove by every couple hours," shares Jenna P.

Lake access: Multiple reservoir campgrounds provide waterfront sites. "Simple, and easy place to get to... flat awesome sunset," writes Quinn M. about camping at Walden Reservoir.

Seasonal wildflowers: Spring and early summer bring colorful displays across the open terrain. "Amazing views and something for everyone. My 4 year olds threw rocks in the reservoir, they biked on nearby trails," reports a family who stayed at North Michigan Campground.

Stargazing: Minimal light pollution creates exceptional night sky viewing conditions when skies are clear. "The stars were stunning too. We saw shooting stars and even the northern lights," remarks a visitor to the region.

What You Should Know

Insect considerations: Multiple campgrounds report significant insect activity in summer. "Better for campers/cans as there isn't much privacy for tent campers. Not enough trees for bathrooms so you may want to bring a hide-able set up. SO many mosquitoes and biting ants but the sunsets are gorgeous and make it worth it," notes Liv M.

Weather changes: Afternoon thunderstorms common in summer, with rapid temperature drops. "Thunderheads were rolling in, and some rain and thunder started, so we decided to start making our way back," reports Amanda M. who visited North Michigan Campground.

Road conditions: Many access routes include unpaved sections. "The road up got rough and really did a number on my top mounted bike racks. I wouldn't take anything more than a teardrop or Airstream Basecamp up," explains Morgan Y. about Buffalo Pass Dispersed.

Limited facilities: Most dispersed areas lack amenities. "It is dispersed camping and it's first come first serve. There is a camp ground near by with a porta-potty and there is a small market about 10-20 miles away," shares Darla R. about a nearby dispersed area.

Tips for Camping with Families

Water activities: Big Creek Lakes Campground offers swimming and boating options. "Great spot for car camping in Colorado except its distance from Denver. It's a trek! Takes at least 4 hours. Lots to do. Great fishing, beautiful hiking trails to a water fall, and trails for the RZR near by," recommends Liz B.

Wildlife education: The Moose Visitor Center provides educational programs. "We were ecstatic, and so happy we made the impromptu, unplanned trip out to State Forest State Park! We returned to the Moose Visitors Center to share the experience with the rangers," describes a visitor.

Safety planning: Cell service limited throughout the region. "There is zero cell service (we have Sprint and Verizon), no electric/water/sewer hook ups or bathhouses. There are pit toilets throughout the campground that appeared to be very well maintained," advises Sarah C.

Temperature preparation: Pack layers for significant day-to-night temperature shifts. "It does get cold at night even in summer as it's about 9,000 ft above sea level," warns a camper about conditions near Walden.

Tips from RVers

Campsite selection: Winding River Resort offers more developed options with hookups. "We got here September 29 and the RV park closes for the season Oct 1. We stayed two nights and were pleased with the services. Full hookups and lots of space at the lower numbered full hookup sites," shares Christopher W.

Water availability: Bring sufficient containers for remote camping. "There are also numerous water spigots throughout with potable water," notes a camper at Big Creek Lakes.

Road navigation: High-clearance vehicles recommended for most horse campgrounds near Walden, Colorado. "Very rough as hell to get there, but totally worth it if you've got the rig for it," explains Colyer D. about Buffalo Pass.

Generator limitations: Check current regulations before arrival. "We were 10 hours from home with 5 kids! We may be crazy, but lots of memories were made and we are calling this trip a big success!" shares a family who tried dry camping.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Walden, CO?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Walden, CO is Walden Reservoir Dispersed Camping with a 3.8-star rating from 5 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Walden, CO?

TheDyrt.com has all 23 equestrian camping locations near Walden, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.