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Best Dispersed Camping near Weston, CO

115 Reviews

Dispersed camping opportunities near Weston, Colorado include several BLM and State Wildlife Area sites that provide primitive camping experiences without developed facilities. Sacred White Shell Mountain and BLM Mt. Blanca Road offer free camping on public lands with established sites along dirt roads. According to reviews, these areas feature "beautiful views of the San Luis Valley, Great Sand Dunes National Park, and Mt. Blanca." Most sites permit a maximum 14-day stay within any 45-day period.

Road conditions vary significantly across these dispersed camping areas. The initial sections of access roads are typically well-maintained dirt or gravel suitable for most vehicles. However, several campers noted that "the road gets pretty rough the further up you get" and "high clearance is definitely needed" for sites at higher elevations. Lower elevation sites generally accommodate larger RVs and trailers, while the more remote locations require 4WD vehicles with adequate ground clearance.

These primitive sites lack amenities such as potable water, electric hookups, or waste disposal facilities. Campers must pack in all necessary supplies and pack out all trash. Most areas feature established fire rings, though fire restrictions may apply during dry periods. Cell service is generally available but varies by carrier and specific location. Weather conditions can change rapidly; visitors report that "the wind did pick up around 9pm and was absolutely crazy for a few hours." Prepare for temperature fluctuations, with nights potentially approaching freezing even in summer months.

The proximity to Great Sand Dunes National Park (approximately 20-30 minutes from several sites) makes these dispersed camping areas popular weekend destinations. Weekdays typically offer more solitude. Wildlife sightings may include deer, various bird species, and small mammals. Campers should be aware of cacti and insects, with reviews mentioning that "bugs are the worst here than anywhere I've been so lots of bug spray!"

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Best Dispersed Sites Near Weston, Colorado (19)

    1. North Fork Purgatiore River

    8 Reviews
    Weston, CO
    15 miles

    "Can’t ask for a better dispersed camping area. Don’t get confused by the state area, drive up the dirt Roy’s until you see Forest Service."

    "The specific site that is the coordinates on Dyrt is right next to the creek and a great spot. The road is somewhat busy for being so far back."

    2. Sacred White Shell Mountain

    54 Reviews
    Blanca, CO
    48 miles
    Website

    "This is BLM land that's free to camp on for up to 14 days every 45 days. The camp sites are just off a dirt road that leads to the trailhead for hiking to Blanca Peak."

    "We spent two nights here, in our camper van, while visiting the national park. It’s proximity is so great."

    3. Home Mountain Reservoir SWA - Dispersed Campsites

    13 Reviews
    San Luis, CO
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (719) 587-6900

    "The other side takes a little drive, but is much more open and has the mountains behind you and the lake in front of you. It gets busy on weekends, but weekdays are pretty quiet."

    "The road in says private property. The directions using ice house rd are accurate from the north side. Here’s the problem. I have screen grabs from the official state of CO website."

    4. Great Sand Dunes Dispersed

    14 Reviews
    Blanca, CO
    48 miles

    "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."

    "Not much shade, you will be exposed to the sun and any rain. Saw some sedans there but I don't know that I would attempt it. 4WD want necessary but I recommend something with a little clearance."

    5. BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed

    10 Reviews
    Blanca, CO
    48 miles
    Website

    "Not far from Great Sand Dunes national Park & Zapata Falls, this free dispersed campsite, as well as others along unpaved Mount Blanca Road, provide wonderful views."

    "We got in fairly late in the night from Texas and had to drive in a ways. Many people left early in the morning so sites opened up fairly quickly."

    6. Sanchez Stabilization Reservoir

    2 Reviews
    San Luis, CO
    36 miles

    "It’s also loud with the 18 wheelers driving down the main road. If you’re camping in a van or camper shell, it’s probably not a big deal."

    "About 4 nice camping sites around the lake. Quiet windy. The van is rocking around. Hold onto your car doors when you open them. Two bar LTE mobile service."

    7. Mountain Home Reservoir

    1 Review
    Blanca, CO
    34 miles

    "Views were gorgeous, and there was plenty of space for our reactive pups to feel safe."

    8. BLM Near Great Sand Dunes Hwy 150

    7 Reviews
    Blanca, CO
    50 miles
    Website
    +1 (719) 852-7074

    "Not sure what part the other reviewer stayed at, but the approach trial was a little hectic and I was glad to have a high clearance 4x4."

    "This was a lovely spot , no one around and a large turnaround spot with plenty of space for our 20ft trailer ."

    9. Mallette Creek North

    2 Reviews
    Red River, NM
    42 miles

    "Even with a couple and a new born up the hill I never heard them from our campervan! Serene surroundings and even and beautiful place to camp during a thunderstorm!"

    10. Greenie Peak

    1 Review
    Red River, NM
    39 miles

    "Quick trip here overnight. lots of spots on the drive up to the peak, so don’t have to make it the whole way."

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Recent Free Dispersed Camping Photos near Weston, CO

138 Photos of 19 Weston Campgrounds

Dispersed Camping Reviews near Weston, CO

115 Reviews of 19 Weston Campgrounds

  • Jason L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 24, 2019

    Sacred White Shell Mountain

    Boondocking in the sun

    This is BLM land that's free to camp on for up to 14 days every 45 days. The camp sites are just off a dirt road that leads to the trailhead for hiking to Blanca Peak. The road gets pretty rough the further up you get, but there are plenty of large camp sites on the way up the mountain, some you'd have to home to if you decide to go to Blanca Peak. It's a fairly busy place as off-road vehicles and horse back riding are popular here. Beautiful views of the San Luis Valley, Great Sand Dunes National Park, and Mt. Blanca. Definitely worth checking out of you're in the area. No shade or amenities, so bring everything you need with you and as always, leave no trace.

  • Aliza N.
    May. 19, 2022

    Sacred White Shell Mountain

    Super close to Great Sand Dunes

    We spent two nights here, in our camper van, while visiting the national park. It’s proximity is so great. The area is easy to find, big and open and nearly all up the very upper parts are navigable by a regular car. There are some upper parts that could require 4WD and high clearance. Our only complaints were how dusty is was and that there really were no trees so potentially not much privacy depending whom is camping around you. If you don’t have a bathroom….this could also be an issue. Not much in the way of tree cover if you are going in the wilderness.
    We chose sites on the north side of the area, closer to the park and it seemed more private.

  • Jason L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 24, 2019

    Home Mountain Reservoir SWA - Dispersed Campsites

    Beautiful mountain lake

    Only a few miles from Ft. Garland, Mountain Home Reservoir is another Colorado State Wildlife Area, but no signs saying an SWA permit is needed to camp there so not sure if you need one or not, we have it so we forgot to check. We have also bought land to build on three miles from the lake, we love this area.

    There are two sides to camp on, one side has toilets, vault style, but it's more crowded on that side and less room to camp. The other side takes a little drive, but is much more open and has the mountains behind you and the lake in front of you. It gets busy on weekends, but weekdays are pretty quiet.

    The water is cold, but you could swim in August if you really want to, not too cold at all. Boats are allowed, and there boat ramps on both sides of the lake from what we could see, didn't inspect the ramps, but know one works because there was a pontoon boat on the lake one day.

    The weather changes by the minute it seems, and storms move over the area pretty quickly. If you don't like the weather wait five minutes, it'll change, and I'm not exaggerating. Still mostly nice weather, and normally sunny.

    This is a beautiful camping area, again this is a no hook up area so pack in what you need and leave no trace. Try to camp near one of the already made fire pits, makes it easier on you and they discourage building new fire pits. If you don't want a fire then you can camp anywhere you aren't blocking a road.

    Truly beautiful place to camp, you can stay 14 days in a 45 day period. RV dump and fill stations are nearby in Ft.Garland, and it's only about thirty minutes to Great Sand Dunes National Park, and Zapata Falls. Smith Reservoir is also nearby and that's another SWA we reviewed, check that one out.

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 20, 2023

    BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed

    San Luis Valley View

    Not far from Great Sand Dunes national Park & Zapata Falls, this free dispersed campsite, as well as others along unpaved Mount Blanca Road, provide wonderful views. One side are mountains, and the other San Luis Valley. This particular dispersed site is just off the rocky road as one starts to climb the slope toward the mountains. Mount Blanca Road starts out very easy with no obstacles & washouts, but becomes bumpy and, at some places, technical, as one drives up the slope. The road has washouts and large rocks on it. The site itself was not level, but we managed okay with our campervan. The site is very close to the road; other campers, overlanders & hikers greeting you as they pass by. This site, as well as others along the road, are wide open. There were a few clumps of junipers where we were able to hide our toilet setup. The site was a short pull-thru with a rock fire ring and a small area to set up a tent. Separation between dispersed sites is really good, giving one some privacy. The site was clean. There are no amenities: no water, no electric, no shelter, no toilets. Pack it in, pack it out. We did have reasonable AT&T & T-Mobile service. It was windy & cool at night. Except for an occasional ATV passing by, it was quiet. Enjoy our stay; would not hesitate to camp here again.

  • Kelsie S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 14, 2019

    Sacred White Shell Mountain

    Fun, rocky road up the mountain

    We drove up the road for a while to find a higher up spot. High clearance is definitely needed, dirt road turns into curvy, rocky road with multiple spots on both sides. There were plenty of already made fire pits. The views are amazing and even though we saw several other people, we never heard them. There was a few 4wheelers and dirt bikes. All around great, free spot.

  • Morgan E.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 23, 2024

    BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed

    Dispersed Mountain Views !

    This campsite is very popular, I would definitely recommend arriving early morning time to secure a spot. We got in fairly late in the night from Texas and had to drive in a ways. Many people left early in the morning so sites opened up fairly quickly. The road is graded and then turns into a rocky road that is manageable in a crossover for a ways then high clearance will be needed. There was a small flooded portion that is next to the helipad but we just drove up onto the helipad to get around it as to not risk getting stuck. There are plenty of sites available and even a circle drive in the front of the road if you don’t feel like venturing in during the night. There are A TON of flies! Lots of bug spray and loose clothing to avoid those pesky biting flies. We had a beautiful view of the mountain and Great Sand dunes is a short 20 minutes away. Our pups loved the large open spaces but beware of cacti and tiny burrs.

  • Vanessa C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 6, 2023

    Great Sand Dunes Dispersed

    Gorgeous views & noise canceling winds

    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.

  • A
    May. 16, 2022

    Sacred White Shell Mountain

    Lots of space and long views outside Great Sand Dunes NP

    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.

  • LThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 13, 2023

    BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed

    Awesome View

    This place is awesome for a free campsite, free for 14 days, no hookup but as long you have generator and you can fill up your tanks its great. We hardly use the generator because its gets cooler specially at night. Highly recommended !

Guide to Weston

Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Weston, Colorado, where you can immerse yourself in nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds. This area offers a variety of scenic spots perfect for outdoor enthusiasts looking for adventure and tranquility.

Scenic Views and Wildlife Encounters while Free Camping near Weston

Hiking Trails for Dispersed Campers

Fishing Opportunities for Dispersed Campers

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the rules and regulations for dispersed camping at Weston Pass?

Dispersed camping at Weston Pass follows standard BLM regulations. For reference, at similar locations like Sacred White Shell Mountain, camping is free and allowed for up to 14 days within any 45-day period. Campsites are typically located just off dirt roads, with many featuring pre-established fire pits. There are no facilities, so pack-in/pack-out principles apply for all waste. Some areas may require specific permits - for example, at Home Mountain Reservoir SWA - Dispersed Campsites, a Colorado State Wildlife Area permit may be necessary. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics and check for any seasonal fire restrictions before your trip.

When is the best time of year for dispersed camping at Weston Pass?

The best time for dispersed camping at Weston Pass is typically late spring through early fall (May-September), when mountain roads are most accessible and weather conditions are favorable. Similar to Great Sand Dunes Dispersed camping areas, higher elevation sites offer cooler temperatures during summer months, making them ideal retreats from the heat. Weather can change rapidly in Colorado's mountains, so prepare for temperature variations even in summer. Early fall brings spectacular foliage, while late spring offers wildflowers. At higher elevations, snow may persist into late spring and return by early October, limiting accessibility. Always check road conditions before heading out, especially after rainfall when unpaved roads can become challenging.

Where is Weston Pass dispersed camping located in Colorado?

Weston Pass dispersed camping is located in central Colorado, in the area between Fairplay and Leadville. For similar dispersed camping experiences in Colorado, BLM Mt. Blanca Rd. Dispersed offers spectacular views of both mountains and the San Luis Valley, situated about 25 minutes from Great Sand Dunes National Park. The area features multiple dispersed sites along an unpaved road that gradually becomes more technical as you ascend. Lower elevation sites are accessible with standard vehicles on graded roads, while higher elevation spots require high clearance vehicles to navigate rockier terrain and occasional washouts.

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