Best Dispersed Camping near Walsenburg, CO

FYI in the spring summer is way more fun to sleep inside the sand dunes with a parking permit you buy at that lot. The hike up into the dunes is epic but yes this is free and last minute high capacity. Sand dunes camping has a 10 or 15 person per day

The Dyrt has a weird seemingly inaccurate map however the road leading out to the dunes did in fact had a dirt road that branches right off towards the mountain.

The Dyrt map says Mt Blanco road but Apple Maps says lake Como road. They both branch off highway 150. There is obvious signs of dispersed camping used ie firepit and a randomly left behind camping item

The weather I was very skeptical about. thought i would have to book a hotel. Last time I went camping per review off of Idaho springs down Fall River road it was snowed in even tho the main road was fine. After I got through the very snowy and icy mountain pass from Walsenburg to for garland it became very dry and there was no more snow.

This region in Colorado is fair weather all year long. With the exceptions of severe winds sometimes rarely

There are three dispersed sites listed along this road with the first being flat and open, the second being slightly uphill and fairly open, and the third being higher uphill and far more private. We kept driving until we found a spot that was both uphill and private, which definitely requires a vehicle with some height to it like an SUV rather than a sedan. The road to the third and farthest site became too rocky for some cars and horses to continue on, but my AWD SUV did great.

The camping spots in this site all have fire pits, edible prickly pear cactuses, and some shrubbery and trees for privacy. Verizon and T-Mobile service worked well. When the wind was forecasted to be 7mph with 15mph gusts, it was enough to cancel the noise from a group of campers a few spots down. It’s a generally quiet area, so with the except of that group, you could only notice other campers if they walked, biked, or drove past the spot.

The views were phenomenal, and it was a 30 minute drive to the sand dunes. You could also check out Zapata Falls for the day with a short drive from this campsite.

There are no amenities other than fire pits in designated spots here. There is open BLM land on either side where many RVers chose to park down the hill. You can also split away from the designated spots in the upper rocky area for extra seclusion and privacy, but considering the amount of cactus and tall grass, that may only be good for car camping.

The temperature almost went down to freezing at night in early June, so be prepared with layers for both hot and cold desert conditions.

In our camp spot we saw mountain blue birds, tiger beetles, circus beetles, hover flies, common flies, plateau fence lizards, snake holes, pocket mice, deer droppings, prickly pear cactus (we prepared grilled nopales), and pinyon pine trees.

This is a wonderfully isolated, dispersed camping area. There are group sites and individual ones, scattered bathrooms, and a few picnic tables. Not much to do nearby, but the campsite is beautiful.

Backcountry dispersed camping in Great Sand Dunes National Park offers an unforgettable and truly unique wilderness experience. If you’re seeking solitude and raw, untamed landscapes, this is the perfect spot to pitch your tent. With no designated sites, you have the freedom to find your ideal spot beyond the busy dunes and under an expansive star-filled sky.

The journey begins with a hike deep into the park’s rugged terrain, where you’re surrounded by towering sand dunes, alpine forests, and sweeping views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The lack of light pollution makes stargazing an absolute highlight—this is one of the best places to witness the Milky Way.

Keep in mind, this is true backcountry camping: no facilities, no water sources, and you must pack out all waste. Permits are required, so be sure to plan ahead. The environment can be challenging, with extreme temperature swings and strong winds that shift the sand beneath your feet. Good preparation and Leave No Trace practices are a must.

The rewards are well worth the effort. From sunrise hikes to the serene sound of nothing but wind across the dunes, this camping experience immerses you in nature’s raw beauty like few others can. It’s an adventure you’ll carry with you long after you’ve left the dunes behind.

Highly recommend skipping the tent and sleeping under the stars!

The best part about this area, aside from the views & the sunsets, is the access to the sand dunes natl park. We completely stumbled upon this area and it turned out to be one of the coolest day trips we’ve ever had. Highly highly recommend checking out the sand dunes. If you go early enough they tend to waive the entrance fee. I recommend driving up into the bushes at the camping site for more privacy, but the road is very rocky. Try and do any bathroom stuff prior to staying because digging cat holes out here is tough. It even hailed on us briefly so watch out for crazy weather! Very cool BLM land!!

A lot of area for dispersed camping on the side of the mountain. Roads get progressively more technical as you ascend. Some roads marked on the map have washed out making them impassible. The sites at the bottom are pretty flat, but the ones farther up the mountain become pretty steep, 8% grades if the inclinometer in my truck is right. There is fresh water fill and a dump station at the NP - free with entry fee (or real free if you have a pass), a small store with gas priced competitively and restaurant. The nearest cell tower is in Blanca a few miles away. Verizon signal is pretty good.

This dispersed camping is top notch. Nice sites with amazing views. A little windy but that’s to be expected near the dunes.

This is our first time dispersed camping and we like this! We were pretty nervous that we won’t find any spot, we got here at 5:30pm on 8/18 and there’s still plenty of spots left! Highly recommend.

I started off 69. I have a stock JK and made it through with no issues. Plenty of dispersed camping sites. I had plenty of room to park, set up my hammock, and have a fire. I would definitely recommend if you're looking for seclusion!

It's basically a rocky road up the side of Mt. Blanco with lots of places to pull off and camp. Suitable for anything from the most rock-fearing to rock-ready. AT&T had a solid two+ bars. The sunset and lightning storms in the distance were breathtaking. Definitely a great choice for a night's boondocking if that's what you need.

Medano Pass is the route it's believed that Pike took into the San Luis Valley, and is one of the only primitive roads accessing the valley. The road starts in the Great Sand Dunes National Park, and runs over the mountain and exits on RT 69, or if you want an easy up and hard way down the mountain start off RT 69 and go to the dunes. From 69 to the top of the pass takes about an hour, and you only need high clearance 4 wheel drive for the last two miles of the 12 mile journey to the top. That's not the route we took.

We started at Point of No Return in the Great Sand Dunes National Park, don't worry there are plenty of places to turn back if you get nervous. There's DEEP sand throughout the first six miles, I aired down to 50 from 65, LOL. I figured I'd make it on 35's 12.5" wide, but I can definitely see where as the Sand ets softer I would have gone down to the recommended 20psi. If your going over the mountain have an air compressor to fill your tires when you get to the rocks. There's air at the ampitheater parking lot at the National Park, but no air on RT 69 until you get to a gas station at least twenty miles away.

We made it no issues, buy squeezing a super crew cab, F 250 through was TIGHT! It was FUN though, and my God the place is breathtaking!

Campsites start about five miles in and are spread all the way to the top of Medano Pass. This is National Preserve land, and it is primitive camping. There are fire pits and bear boxes, use the bear boxes as bear encounters are frequent. The sites are clearly marked, and nice size. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TAKE A TRAILER, if you do you won't make it, I promise you that.

The Park, Preserve, and Forrest boundaries are clearly marked. To camp along the Great Sand Dunes National Park and the Preserve area of the road you must have a permit, free at the visitor center. I suggest reservations. After the Preserve it is a National Forrest and its first come first serve primitive camping only. You can stay for up to 14 days, as with most National land.

The 12 mile trip up from the Park takes about 4 hours, yes it's that rough. AND you will stop alot to take in the amazing views.

Even if you don't camp, take the drive, it's worth it. You will need high clearance 4 wheel drive, all wheel drive will not cut it here.

We stopped overnight here for a day trip to the great sand dunes in March. This was a lovely spot , no one around and a large turnaround spot with plenty of space for our 20ft trailer . Multiple small BLM pull off roads along hwy 150 with BLM gates that you just open when you drive in and close on the way out. Thanks BLM!

Campground Review:

We chose this BLM campground because it is right outside of Great Sand Dunes National Park.  There are several sites along Lake Como Road.  The type of vehicle you have determines how far up the road/secluded you can get.  We were there over Memorial Day Weekend and it was packed.  However, there are tons of sites and plenty of space for all!  We camp in a RV and there were plenty of accessible sites for us to choose from us well.  The road in is really bumpy so we parked in the first parking area on the left as you come in and were happy with it.  This is a popular area for off-roading so be prepared for some traffic heading up Lake Como Road to hit the trails if you are there on a weekend.  The only downside to this area was the CRAZY winds that blew through.  There were gusts of 67 mph one day!  The views are amazing in this spot.  And, even better – our Verizon hotspot was strong enough for us to both work all week.  When the weather was clear it seemed no matter where we looked, we had mountain views.  Not to mention the spectacular view of Blanca Peak.  It’s also amazing being so close to the National Park.  We were really happy with the location and thoroughly enjoyed our time in the park.  We were really happy with this free spot!

Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I occasionally get to test products.  During this stay, I tested Éclipse Sun Protective Clothing’s neck gaiter.  I knew the sun would be strong when we were hiking the dunes, so we wanted to protect ourselves.  We also expected the wind to blow the sand around so we figured this would be the perfect product to protect us from both.  Boy, were we right!  The gaiters were perfect.  They come with an info sheet showing you the different ways you can wear your neck gaiter.  I assumed I would just wear it around my neck as planned.  However, prior to hiking the dunes we hiked a Zapata Falls and I was a little chilly.  I pulled the neck gaiter out and wore it like a headband and LOVED it.  It was super easy to get comfortable and in a good spot and it was nice knowing my hairline was protected from damaging UPF rays.  Once we started hiking the dunes, I assumed I would pull it back down around my neck.  However, I loved it so much as a headband I didn’t want to move it.  It did a great job of keeping the sand out of my ears which I am so thankful for.  My husband wore his around his neck and he too was really happy with it.  This is versatile product has earned a permanent spot in our day packs.  Way to go Éclipse!

I will start with the fact that we did not end up being able to camp here. We were naive in thinking that the extremely rough, rocky roads would be short-lived on the private property section of the road, but no, the roads are nearly impossible all along S Colony Rd. We did not have a 4wd all-terrain vehicle, though, just a rugged 2wd meant for mostly city driving. While we did make it to the parking lot, we decided not to camp due to the anxiety that would have built up over the course of our weekend stay about the road out. So, we left immediately and decided to camp elsewhere that the car could handle. I give two stars due to the awful road, but I gave it more than one star for the beauty. It was a fairly isolated with stunning scenery. Probably an excellent choice if you have a car worth its salt.