Hikers and wildlife watchers heading into the Roosevelt National Forest above Drake will find free dispersed camping along Pole Hill Road, with open sightlines toward Estes Park from several sites. No fees, no hookups, no reservations. The road, however, is the defining factor here: multiple reviewers describe it as genuinely off-road terrain, not gravel or packed dirt, with obstacles that challenged even capable 4x4 trucks. Lifted Jeeps and ATVs are the most common vehicles seen at the upper sites, and stock vehicles attempting the steeper sections risk real mechanical wear.
Sites accessible in the lower and mid sections of the road give way to more exposed spots higher up. Verizon has no coverage here, and large power lines run through the vicinity, which some visitors find a drawback. Crowding appears minimal, consistent with the road's difficulty acting as a natural filter. Campers who make it through report views of the Estes area and a genuine sense of remove from the main mountain corridors.
"Once you get past the off-road portion, the camping is amazing," notes Jordan B. Navigation apps routing through Lyons should be disregarded, as that approach crosses private property. Approach from Estes Park instead, with a high-clearance 4x4 and a smaller vehicle footprint where possible. Campers wanting a less technical setup nearby can consider Roosevelt NF Dispersed off US 34 (Big Thompson Canyon) as an alternative along the same general corridor.
Description
Please LNT in dispersed areas and respect any "no camping" signs you may find.
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsPole Hill Rd Dispersed is located in Colorado near Drake
Coordinates
40.36699707938773 N
105.42022145329909 W
Connectivity
- T-Mobile5GGood Coverage
- Verizon5GGood Coverage
- AT&T5GGood Coverage
Connectivity
- T-Mobile5GGood Coverage
- Verizon5GGood Coverage
- AT&T5GGood Coverage
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Dispersed
Features
For Campers
- Alcohol
- Pets
DISPERSED CAMPING
Enjoy dispersed camping on government land and leave no trace. Pack in and pack out. No (or limited) services at this camping area. Permit may be required.
Drive Time
- 44 min from Fort Collins, CO
- 48 min from Greeley, CO
- 50 min from Boulder, CO
- 1 hr 18 min from Denver, CO










