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Dispersed Camping

Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED

Slate River Road Designated Dispersed, near Crested Butte, Colorado, offers a rugged camping experience surrounded by stunning mountain views and the serene Slate River. This area is perfect for those who appreciate the beauty of nature without the frills of traditional campgrounds, featuring dirt pull-offs and the occasional fire ring left by previous visitors.

Visitors have praised the clear markings for camping spots and the easy access to the area, making it a great choice for both seasoned campers and newcomers. The views are a highlight, with one camper noting, “The view was incredible, one of the best we’ve ever had.” While amenities are minimal, there are vault toilets available nearby, and the area is known for its clean environment, encouraging a leave-no-trace approach.

For outdoor activities, the location is a gateway to hiking and mountain biking trails, with opportunities to explore the nearby Paradise Divide. Campers can also enjoy the refreshing Slate River, which runs through the valley, providing a cool escape on warm summer days. Just keep in mind that the dispersed spots can fill up quickly during peak season, so arriving early is a smart move.

Description

National Forest

2024 - THIS IS NOW PRIVATE PROPERTY

All roadside vehicle and tent campers are required to camp ONLY in designated sites. Accessibility is not guaranteed. Please use caution when venturing down forest roads.

Sites are designated by the presence of a 6in X 6in wooden post with a site number and camping symbol along with a permanent metal fire ring. All sites are first come first serve, if a site is occupied please look for another site.

Fires are only permitted in the established metal fire rings. Extinguish all fires so they are cold to the touch.

Sites are limited to two vehicles only per site.

Finding a site to camp and enjoy dispersed recreation activities in remote areas or in relative solitude has become a popular form of camping throughout the Forest. At some more popular areas,toilet facilities may be provided. Contact the local Forest Service office for current information and refer to the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) for each forest (Grand Mesa, Gunnison, and Uncompahgre National Forests). Dispersed camping is permitted in most areas of the Forest. Some caution should be used in selecting a site because of intermingled private lands within the National Forest. Recreation maps are available at all local Forest Service offices. Personnel at each office can answer questions on specific sites. Unlike developed campgrounds which are designed and maintained to protect the vegetation, soils, and natural setting, camping in undeveloped areas require more from the camper to help keep the site in the condition in which it was found. Dispersed camping must not occur within 100 feet of water sources (rivers, streams, ponds, or wetlands) or within 100 feet of any road or system trail. In some areas, dispersed camping is restricted to specific sites, contact the local Forest Service office for current information. Campsites can be occupied for no more than 14 days, then the site must be moved at least 3 miles away. Camping is also limited to a total of 28 days in a 60 day period.

In areas closed to the use of vehicles off forest roads, where developed parking sites are not provided, and where not otherwise prohibited, direct access to a suitable parking site within 300 feet of the road is permitted. Such travel must not damage the land or streams. Please select your route carefully, and do not cut live timber. Off road travel should be limited to when the ground is dry. The public is encouraged to camp in locations where others have previously camped and utilized existing routes to those camp areas. Campers are required to leave a clean camp, not to damage vegetation or pollute streams and lakes on the National Forest and implement “Leave No Trace” practices.

Reservation Info

All sites are first come first serve, with a 14 day stay limit.

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Location

Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED is located in Colorado

Detail location of campground

Coordinates

38.33495642090098 N
107.404903378054 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Available
  • Verizon
    Available
  • AT&T
    Available
  • T-Mobile
    Unknown

Site Types

  • Dispersed

Features

For Campers

  • ADA Access
  • Phone Service
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

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.


PERMIT might be REQUIRED

We curate permit requirements across the US for our PRO members. Try PRO to see if Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED needs a permit.

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Reviews

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13 Reviews

Reviewed Aug. 23, 2021

Closed

A few miles from the site there is a closed gate labeled private property

SiteNone
Month of VisitAugust
Reviewed Jul. 24, 2021

12 Decent camping sites in spectacular valley

There are 12 decent spots of a several mile dirt road suitable for 2 wheel drive in summer along the spectacular slate river valley that leads up to the 4x4 paradise divide. The sites begin about 5 miles from town and end at the hairpin turn that begins the 4x4 section. Mostly open and clearly marked, sites 6-9 were most attractive to us in that they offered some shade and a bit of distance from road. They were all taken when we arrived mid weekday in July so we stayed at the currently unlisted musicians camp NFS campground still in it's infancy as a solution to previously unmitigated dispersed camping mayhem that i will review in detail when dyrt lists it. The campground offered movers sites (#15-17) than were the dispersed camping options and were (as of July 2021) also free.

Site0
Month of VisitJuly
Reviewed Jun. 21, 2021

Great Views!

Great dispersed camping! Spots were clearly marked and had easy access. The views were fantastic! We would definitely go back. Some of the spots are more exposed and offer less privacy than others. Our spot felt very secluded even though it was right by the road.

One negative was the dust/dirt. The dirt here is very fine and sticks to everything, so be prepared to get dusty/dirty, especially if you have kids.

Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by Lisa , June 21, 2021
  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by Lisa , June 21, 2021
  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by Lisa , June 21, 2021
  • (7) View All
Reviewed Jun. 14, 2021

Super Clean, LNT, Pack It Out, Keep It Beautiful (and open)

Stayed 3 nights at site SR 12. Pretty close to the access road so expect dust. Nice stream nearby the camp and shade for sitting. If you enjoy hiking, mountain biking, there are some nice opportunities further up the road. There's a jeep road that goes to Paradise Divine (see photo), which is at 11,250' - Great Hike! There was snow over the road a few miles up so no jeep traffic. There were a few dirt bikes. Overall nice place to stay just outside of Crested Butte. Vault toilet in the larger camp area prior to SR sites.

SiteSR12
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by VanpeDiem D., June 14, 2021
  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by VanpeDiem D., June 14, 2021
  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by VanpeDiem D., June 14, 2021
  • (4) View All
Reviewed May. 30, 2021

Great view and easy to access

This was a really spectacular spot. The view was incredible (one of the best we’ve ever had) and the drive there was smooth and easy to find/access.

There was a well maintained bathroom-basic but well maintained. There were a ton of spots, some dispersed, others close to one another. We went on Memorial Day weekend expecting it to be crowded but there were a ton of open spots. If it was crowded though, you could easily be on top of one another.

We have a 22 foot trailer and it made it up the road and through the sites very easily. I would highly recommend this spot.

Didn’t have any service with t-mobile but my husband did with Verizon. It’s not too far from the city but just far enough to get that mountain beauty.

Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by Taylor B., May 30, 2021
  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by Taylor B., May 30, 2021
Reviewed May. 29, 2021

One of My Favorite Spots in Colorado

Good luck finding an Air BNB in Crested Butte. If you're smart, you'll bring a tent and set up camp here off of Slate River road. The camping incredible. The dispersed spots fill up quickly though, especially in the summer but it's obvious why. Don't expect typical campground amenities, these are just dirt pull offs with the occasional fire ring from the previous visitors. Mountain bikers frequent the area and line the road in the summer months. Some single track trails are close to some of the more southeastern spots but you're still not a very far drive from town out here. Slate River runs through the valley where the dispersed camping exists and offers a cool reprieve on the warm summer days and the rising ridge lines on either side are beautiful. If you take the road far enough, you can get to iconic crystal mill as well but I haven't made the trek so I can't speak to what that drive looks like. As far as this dispersed camping goes, no need for a 4WD or high clearance, these sites are easily accessible.

Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by Charles G., May 29, 2021
  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by Charles G., May 29, 2021
  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by Charles G., May 29, 2021
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Aug. 27, 2020

Privacy and Cows

We ended up in a dispersed site right next to the road on a whim one evening on August 17th. It's a long, rough dirt road that you share with bikers, other cars, and cows. Yes, cows. Where we stayed was a round parking space next to the road and just on the top of a hill that led down to the creek. We were able to pull our car over and camp right next to it. We had two sets of neighbors no closer than thirty yards away who kept to themselves. The only thing I can see people seeing as a drawback were the slightly noisy neighbors... cows. They wandered through the campsites and relatively close to the tents, trailers, and vehicles and mooed late into the night and early the next day. Honestly didn't bother us at all, we thought they were hilarious, but obviously some folks might not be happy about their presence. The space is very dusty though, so expect your vehicle, equipment, and yourself to get a little dirty.

  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by Steve P., August 27, 2020
  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by Steve P., August 27, 2020
  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by Steve P., August 27, 2020
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Aug. 21, 2020

Unbelievable location!

Just past the Oh Be Joyful Campground. GPS Coordinates: 38.93123,-107.05068 I spent two nights in a row here in mid August. There were plenty of people near by but I didn’t feel over crowded. Things to know: •Verizon service was decent •15-20 min from Crested Butte proper •Vaulted toilets near my coordinates •River/stream near by for rinsing off if need be, be warned tho it is quite cold. •If, by chance, this location is full, you can continue driving along the road and there are miles and miles of available spots.

Oh do enjoy!

  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by Riley F., August 21, 2020
  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by Riley F., August 21, 2020
  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by Riley F., August 21, 2020
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Aug. 12, 2020

Beautiful views right on the river

Located about 20 minutes from the town of Crested Butte, Slate River Road is home to a bunch of campgrounds. Note: These areas differ from the BLM section you will drive through. After the Oh Be Joyful BLM land, you will then make your way into Forest Service operated areas where there is tons of dispersed camping and it is free. 

We spent some time here around 4th of July and all the spots were filled as expected. Camp grounds are all dispersed, free and have no amenities at the site except some areas have vault toilets. There are a few campgrounds on the left side of the road and if those are all full there are many other spots just along the sides of the roads. The spot where the pin is for this site is one of the few “Camp grounds” where there is a small parking lot built and spots are somewhat defined. 

Most of them were big enough for multiple cars and tents as well as full sized RV’s. The forest service does patrol this area and we saw them writing tickets for people who were parked in areas they should not be in. It seems they used rocks to define camping areas and people were parked beyond them. Keep that in mind when selecting a spot. 

If you cannot find a spot in one of these campgrounds, keep driving. A good portion of the road is Forest Service and camping is allowed on the sides of the road. We saw people camping for miles up the road. 

As is with most of Crested Butte, there is tons to do in this area. Drives, hikes, mountain biking, fishing…the list goes on. We spent a long weekend here, it was a great base camp spot however our spot was pretty exposed to the sun. 

Bonus: We saw tons of wildlife every day right across the river from our camp chairs. Deer. Moose and a Bear!

Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by Anthony P., August 12, 2020
  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by Anthony P., August 12, 2020
  • Review photo of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED by Anthony P., August 12, 2020
  • (8) View All

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the elevation of Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED?

    Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED is located at 9120 feet.

  • Are fires allowed at Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Slate River Road Designated Dispersed - CLOSED, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.