Best Dog-Friendly Camping near White River National Forest

This past August was my first time experiencing this Homestake Reservoir area. Homestake Road is your gateway to a variety of off-road and primitive camping sites in the beautiful White River National Forest. We spent two nights here, each night at a different campsite. One site was just right off the road and the other was one that involved walking up the mountain onto a beautiful, scenic landing. We found one trail and spent the day ascending the gorgeous mountain, which I believe was Homestake Peak. The change in landscape ascending the mountain was one of the most beautiful sites I've ever seen. I plan on returning to this area the next several times I visit Colorado because there is too much to see and experience at the beautiful Homestake Reservoir.

Just a few miles off I-70, in Frisco, CO, is the location of Peak One Campground. This is a very clean campground, and the only one around Lake Dillon with flush toilets and sinks. Frisco shopping and restaurants are only 10 minutes away and Summit Medical Center is 5 minutes. Even with the town being so close, when in the Campground it feels like being miles from everything. This campground is part of the White River National Forest and is run by CLM with two camp host couples living in the campground. There is walk up access to Lake Dillon for kayaks and paddle boards, and a few campsites have direct access to the lake. This is a very busy campground so it is best to reserve a spot on-line. Walk up sites are rare, especially on weekends.

Located 15 miles south of Eagle off of I-70 in the White River National Forest sits Sylvan Lake State Park. This has definitely been our favorite camping spot since moving here a little over 2 months ago. We camped right on the lake next to the boat ramp (no motorized boats allowed) and the bathhouse. At 8,500 ft the weather can change fast so be prepared especially with rain gear and warm close. The sites that are lake front are a little close together which would be my only complaint but for seclusion literally walk away in any direction. Paddle boarding and fishing were by far the most popular things to do on the lake but we stuck to hiking . There's a trail that follows the lake shore around that is also bike friendly, there's also the West Brush Creek Trail which is in the park and a number of gulch trails in between Sylvan lake and Eagle. On your way out of town be sure to stop in Eagle at the Red Canyon Cafe and Bonfire Brewing for a bite to eat and refreshments!

This became a favorite car camping spot of mine while living in Vail, Colorado. The lake is situated in White River National Forest and is accessible only for a few months during the summer via Red Sandstone Road. I have seen 2wd sedans drive up this road, however I would definitely recommend something with high clearance and 4wd if possible as the roads up there are not well maintained. There are plenty of first come, first serve USFS campsites near the lake, additionally there are quite a few service roads off of Red Sandstone Road that provide access to miles of additional dispersed campsites. It is hard to find a spot to camp without a breathtaking view of the Gore Range from Piney. In addition to camping, there are hiking trails near the lake and the privately owned Piney River Ranch offers horseback riding, boat rentals, fishing, a restaurant, and other lodging options. This area is also known for the moose that frequent the area, be sure to keep your distance if you are lucky enough to spot one! If you are interested in camping at Piney in the early summer or fall, you may first want to call the Minturn Ranger’s Station at 970-827-5715 to check on the closure status of Red Sandstone Road.

Halfmoon Campground is located at the end of Notch Mountain Rd (forest Rd 707) near Minturn, CO in White River National Forest. It has the essentials - fire pits, picnic tables, vault toilets, and lots of shade. However, I found the dispersed campsites on the way up to the campground more desirable - they were free, had a view, and had no neighbors. Dispersed camping is allowed along 707 within 300 ft of the road centerline. There are maybe 10- 20 sites - you can see the fire rings from the road. I chose a site about 2/3 the way up the road in a clearing with a view of the mountains across the valley. I could see the back side of Vail Ski Resort from there. The best part about the site were the stars at night - I saw multiple shooting stars. One thing that wasn't so great was the proximity to the road. I wouldn't say the road was busy, but a car does drive by occasionally. Especially early in the morning, because there are trailheads at the end of the road by the campground. You can hike to the summit of Mt of the Holy Cross or to various lakes from there.

Spent three nights here (5/13 - 5/16). To start, we camped with a teardrop trailer, but once you pass the White River National Forest sign and parking lot for the babbish trail head, it’s not easy to turn around unless you find a campsite. Once you pass this you’ll see the first two campsites after about 4 bends in the road, both are walking distance to the trailhead. The first is a larger open space right off the road and the second is a much more private spot. The road to access this is just beyond the first campsite, which is where we stayed (see photos). We loved this spot!

If you continue up the road you’ll eventually reach a fork, if you hang right and continue up there are 4 more dispersed sites. These would not work for trailers but are great tent spots. We had a very hard time trying to turn around.

There are no services (no bins, no toilets, no cell service) and these sites are super clean so let’s keep it that way. The aspens hadn’t bloomed quite yet but in a few weeks it’ll be pretty spectacular.

Additionally the main trailhead with access to beaver creek trail is not open until June 14th so most other dispersed sites won’t be accessible until then.

Portal Campground is at the end of Lincoln Creek Rd by Grizzly Reservoir in White River National Forest. You can access Lincoln Creek Rd from Highway 82 (Independence Pass) it is about 10 miles out of Aspen. Once you get on Lincoln Creek Rd there is the Lincoln Gulch campground, which is fee camping. As you proceed up Lincoln Creek Rd there are about 20 free, dispersed campsites along the road. After around 6 miles on Lincoln Creek Rd, you will reach Grizzly Reservoir and the road will lead you into Portal Campground. There are only 5 sites in the campground. There are fire pits, picnic tables, and vault toilets. It is free to camp and the sites are not reservable so get there early. Four wheel drive and high clearance is recommended on Lincoln Creek Rd. I wouldn't say you need it; there were people driving Honda Civics up that road. You could make it in a car if you just go slow and the road is dry.

Portal campground is almost at 10,000 ft so it does get cold at night in the summer, but the views are worth it. The campground and reservoir are surrounded by snow capped mountains. There are a few day hikes from the campground. One of them is 7 mile Grizzly Lake Trail that leads to Grizzly Lake. The 4x4 trail also continues up from the campground if you want more off-roading. You're also near the popular cliff jumping site Devils Punch Bowl off Highway 85 that is a must do in late summer when the water is low. If you're not into jumping off cliffs you're also near the Grottos trail off Highway 85 which has ice caves. Overall, the campsite is beautiful, free, and near a lot of things to do!

This Forest Service campground is just outside of Aspen in the White River National Forest. We hadn't planned to come as far south as Aspen, but fires kept us from getting to another campground and a dispersed camping area. Sites are reservable, but we were able to get a site on a rainy Sunday evening for two nights. The campground filled up both nights (although there were no shows for reserved sites both nights.

This campground is tucked away east of Aspen in a beautiful forest of aspens between mountains covered with pines. For the most part, the sites are carved out with plenty of space and cover between you and your neighbors. Everything is lush and green, but no campfires and no outdoor smoking are allowed (July 2018) because of fire danger.

Our site (#9) must have had a 20 foot buffer between us and our neighbors. (See 360 degree video.)

Cool sites in addition to #9:

12 and 13 - there is a steep boulder field behind these sites which looks like a fun climb

18 and 40 - pitch your tent way back, or the driveway is good for a camper and tow vehicle

43 - nice view, deep site

Activities:

1. Difficult River runs along one side of the campground, and the Difficult Trail begins near the entrance. The trail starts at about 8,000 feet and is not maintained after 3 miles (according to the camp host) but continues on for 3 miles up to an elevation of more than 10,000 feet.

2. Bike the paved/packed stone bike path known as the East of Aspen Trail Extension into Aspen. It's an easy ride and goes through a wetlands area with viewing stops. There's supposed to be a moose in the area, but I only saw a fairly large fox early one morning. The host had warned us that the fox would go after anything you leave out.

3. In Aspen, you can connect with the Rio Grande Trail, a 42 mile paved trail (with a small portion of gravel somewhere that I didn't see). This trail connects Aspen to Glenwood Springs and goes through the towns of Basalt and Carbondale. It follows an old railroad bed, so it doesn't have steep climbs although the trail brochure mentions some short, steep climbs into Aspen from the north. We didn't bike that part. The trail between Carbondale and Arciero/Old Snowmass Trailhead has great scenery - Roaring Fork River, Cottonwood Pass, Basalt Mountains, ranches. There are several points where you can catch a bus if you want to do a one way ride. Here is the URL for an excellent brochure: https://www.rfta.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/trailmap.pdf

Some spots close to the road but it gets quiet at night as Independence pass is not heavily trafficked after dark.  It is in a great location, close to Twin Lakes but also all the hiking up the pass.  All first come first serve.  Pets are allowed, we had our dog with us.

first place I went camping in Colorado and I loved it so much I paid for an extra day. it rained on the last day but it was still wonderful. felt lost in the mountains and loved it

Easily one of my favorite places to camp in Colorado! It’s a must stay every year for me. Killer views, great hiking, beach days and a peaceful location.

Ashley here with The Dyrt. I want to extend a warm welcome to your host, Greg. Life on their ranch includes horseback riding, guided white water rafting, fly fishing excursions, zipline adventures, mountain biking, and as much down time as you need. This is the perfect experience for everyone from families to couples to solo travelers. This is a working ranch, so no pets please. Book your stay today and leave a review here!