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Established Camping

Primitive Loop Campground — State Forest State Park

Warning 1 Alert is In Effect

There is 1 alert for this campground. Camp safely!

Colorado weather can be unpredictable: be prepared for a variety of weather conditions including extreme hot and cold temperatures, wind, rain, and snow (even in the summer). CPW does not grant exceptions to the refund policy for weather conditions.

Description

Campsites are reservations only, please check the website for availability. For current conditions and more information, please visit the State Forest website: http://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/Parks/stateforest

NO-SHOW Policy
If you do not arrive to the park within 24 hours of your scheduled check in time and do not notify the park that you will be arriving late, your site may be resold and may not be available when you arrive. The fees for any nights passed are non-refundable.

Changes and Cancellations

  • Cancellations or changes may be made online 24 hours a day 7 days a week, or through the Aspira Call Center at 1-800-244-5613.
  • Reservations where one or more dates fall outside of the 6-month booking window are frozen for 14 days.
  • Cancellations:
    • If the cancellation is made 28 days or more prior to the arrival date, 25% of the fee for 1 night or day-use permit will be retained
    • If the cancellation is made 8-27 days prior to the arrival date, 50% of the fee for 1 night or day-use permit will be retained.
    • If the cancellation is made 7 days or less prior to the arrival date, 100% of the fee for 1 night or day-use permit will be retained.
    • If a reservation is cancelled at any time after the arrival date, any nights prior to the cancellation are NON-REFUNDABLE
  • Changes:
    • If a change in the reservation is made 28 days or more prior to the arrival date, 10% of the fee for one night or day-use permit will be retained.
    • If a change in the reservation is made 8-27 days prior to the arrival date, 15% of the fee for one night or day-use permit will be retained.
    • If a change in the reservation is made 7 days or less prior to arrival, 20% of the fee for one night or day-use permit will be retained.
    • If the change in the reservation dates is made between the day after the arrival date and the departure date, the fees for any nights or days passed are NON-REFUNDABLE.
    • There is no additional fee to add days to a reservation.
    • The reservation holder is responsible for any difference in use fees.
  • Customers who wish to receive a refund outside of these rules will need to contact the park at which they have the reservation directly.
  • No exceptions to the refund policy will be given for bugs, bad weather, campfire bans, water conditions (including water levels, boat ramp or swim beach closures, and algae)!
  • If the original reservation was made directly with the park, any refunds resulting from changes/cancellations will be issued via personal check and may take up to 90 days from the date of the change/cancellation to be processed.
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Location

Primitive Loop Campground — State Forest State Park is located in Colorado

Detail location of campground

Directions

75 miles west of Ft. Collins on Hwy 14, over Cameron Pass or 150 miles north of Denver on Hwy 40 over Berthoud Pass.

Address

56750 Highway 14
Walden, CO 80480

Coordinates

40.5438608758569 N
105.889783209092 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site

Stay Connected

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

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Group

Features

For Campers

  • Picnic Table
  • Reservable
  • Showers
  • Electric Hookups
  • Toilets
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Sewer Hookups
  • Water Hookups
  • 30 Amp Hookups
  • 50 Amp Hookups

Contact

General Info

Reservations

Drive Time


Reviews

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5 Reviews

Reviewed Aug. 11, 2020

Exactly what a vacation should be.

We had a primitive site that was very quiet and next to the creek. The park rangers and attendants were extremely helpful and polite. Had great fly fishing in the creek and the beaver ponds. Only negative was the amount of space to place trash because of the busy weekend before.

Reviewed Jul. 27, 2019

Looks like a campground, feels primitive

We stayed 2 nights on the “Primitive Loop” in site 479; about 3 miles north of North Fork Michigan River. It was essentially a cul-de-sac of about 15 tent sites. Not much natural sun coverage, as you are sitting on top of a small ridge, but there are great views of the mountains and sunrises/sunsets. Great hiking trails nearby also. The primitive loop felt like a little community! Everyone was so kind and willing to talk. Will be back!

  • Review photo of Primitive Loop Campground — State Forest State Park by Weston S., July 27, 2019
  • Review photo of Primitive Loop Campground — State Forest State Park by Weston S., July 27, 2019
  • Review photo of Primitive Loop Campground — State Forest State Park by Weston S., July 27, 2019
  • (12) View All
Reviewed Aug. 31, 2018

Dispersed Camping at American Lakes

This is one of my all-time favorite places to hike and camp in Colorado. I have not yet stayed in any of the campgrounds but have backpacked to the top of the American Lakes Trail. Not only is this hike fantasticly beautiful and full of wildlife (tons of moose especially) but there is great dispersed camping along the trails. You simply cannot find more scenic and free camping in Colorado. I would highly recommended camping anywhere in State Forest State Park!

Also, there are quite a few huts, cabins and yurts that can be rented year round in SFSP!

  • Review photo of Primitive Loop Campground — State Forest State Park by Isabelle K., August 31, 2018
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  • Review photo of Primitive Loop Campground — State Forest State Park by Isabelle K., August 31, 2018
  • (9) View All
Reviewed May. 30, 2018

Winter camping in State Forest State Park

For those looking for dramatic scenery and endless wildlife, State Forest State Park should be at the top of your list. This is one of my favorite places in Colorado for hiking, backpacking, backcountry skiing and of course, camping! The campgrounds in the park are wonderful and offer plenty of amenities, this review in particular though refers to my experiences with the dispersed campsites in the park and my winter camping adventure near Montgomery pass. According to their web site, there are over 60 dispersed camping sites throughout the park. Due to the winter season of our trip in particular, we were snowshoeing to our campsite and didn’t go too far into the park. We approached along Montgomery Pass and camped at approximately site #416. This is a high elevation site and there was plenty of snow, so there was no access to toilets that we could find. However, there were toilets at the trailhead which were still open during our trip. Overall, I cannot express enough how wonderful this park is and all of the campgrounds and dispersed sites are very well maintained. For those looking for well maintained and scenic campgrounds, there are 4 awesome campgrounds to choose from. Those looking for more of an adventure should check out any of the dispersed sites throughout the park. Note that camp fires are not allowed in the backcountry. Also, this park is home to a large population of moose, and visitors should educate themselves on safety precautions specific to these giant and beautiful animals!

Stay tuned for my reviews of their campgrounds which are coming soon as well.

SiteDispersed Site #416 (Approximate location)
Month of VisitJanuary
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  • Review photo of Primitive Loop Campground — State Forest State Park by Isabelle K., May 30, 2018
  • Review photo of Primitive Loop Campground — State Forest State Park by Isabelle K., May 30, 2018
  • (10) View All
Reviewed Mar. 17, 2017

Beautiful Hidden Gem

I stayed a week here for a backpacking trip in July last year. It was absolutely beautiful! I especially enjoyed the American Lakes trail up to Michigan and Snowy Lakes. That amazing landscape will forever be a special place to me. They were doing a lot of work while I was there, preparing for a potential fire and recreating a trailhead. I saw more heavy equipment along the Kelly Lake trail than I would have liked but such is life. The staff at the info desk are really helpful and local. They helped me plan my trip and answered a lot of questions for me. You are allowed to camp off trail (.25 mi) so you can pick your campsite really well. I unfortunately found a few old fire pits along the way but I didn't have to pick up garbage after anyone. I'm considering going back with my family to stay in one of the yurts or cabins scattered throughout the park. Highly recommended!

  • One of the many water sources we found  off trail.
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  • Review photo of Primitive Loop Campground — State Forest State Park by John C., March 17, 2017

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to camp at Primitive Loop Campground — State Forest State Park?

Camping at Primitive Loop Campground — State Forest State Park can cost between $18.00 and $144.00 depending on the site.

Does Primitive Loop Campground — State Forest State Park have RV hookups?

According to TheDyrt.com, Primitive Loop Campground — State Forest State Park has 30 amp and 50 amp electric hookups, water hookups and sewer hookups.

Are fires allowed at Primitive Loop Campground — State Forest State Park?

Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Primitive Loop Campground — State Forest State Park, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.