Stillwater Pass Dispersed Campsite, near Grand Lake, Colorado, is a fantastic location for those looking to immerse themselves in nature without the frills of traditional campgrounds. With stunning mountain views and a variety of dispersed sites, it’s a great choice for tent and RV camping alike.

This area allows campfires, so you can enjoy evenings under the stars while roasting marshmallows. Visitors have mentioned that the sites are nicely spaced out, providing a sense of privacy, though you might hear your neighbors if they’re a lively bunch. One camper noted, “The views here were great and it isn’t too far of a drive from Granby/RMNP,” making it a convenient base for exploring the nearby Rocky Mountain National Park.

While there are no amenities like drinking water or electric hookups, the natural beauty more than makes up for it. Some campers appreciated the quiet and seclusion, with one saying they had a “quiet secluded spot” where their dog could roam off-leash. Just keep in mind that the area can get crowded, especially on weekends, so arriving early is a smart move.

If you’re up for a little adventure, the nearby trails offer plenty of opportunities for hiking and wildlife spotting. Whether you’re looking to unwind or explore, Stillwater Pass has a lot to offer for your next camping trip.

Free camping (dispersed) is allowed on most national forest lands except in highly developed areas - such as trailheads, campgrounds and picnic sites - and in some of our most visited places. Be sure to check for regulations in advance and look for signs in the area to indicate if camping is allowed.

Some areas allow camping in designated sites only.

Know Before You Go

Check the weather and road closures before heading up. 
Follow Leave No Trace principles. There are no facilities or trash receptacles. Pack out what you pack in. 
Make sure camping is allowed. Many lands within the national forest boundary are private or otherwise owned. Check that you’re on National Forest lands: maps.
Don't stay too long. Camping is limited to 14 days.within any continuous 30-day period. at any location within the same 20-mile radius. see Order
Plan on building a campfire? Campfire restrictions can occur any time of year. Check for fire restrictions and if you build a campfire, know how to extinguish it.

Stillwater Pass Dispersed Campsite

Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Grand Lake, CO has a lot to offer. Grand Lake is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Find the best campgrounds near Grand Lake, CO. Read reviews from campers like you and find your perfect campsite.

Grand Lake

The Best Camping Near Grand Lake, Colorado

FCFS Limit 14 days Anywhere you look on Stillwater Pass Road 123 will find a place to pitch your tent or whatever your camping pleasure. When you leave the highway you will see several homes and some businesses then you will travel into the forest. The fire damage is severe and heart breaking. Be very aware of "Snag Hazards" from the fire damage. Limbs or even trees may come down with just a bit of a breeze. Make your camp in a clearing and if hiking watch and be aware and be safe. Tent, trailers and RV's will be able to find a location. It is dispersed so no water, power, trash. There are a few pit toilets on the mountain so you might luck out otherwise you will need to camp responsible. There is black soot on everything so that is another byproduct of a forest fire. We had a wonderful view of the lake. The further up the mountain we went there were less people but the road become more narrow and a bit rougher. You will find trails for biking, horses, and ATV abound. Winter you will find cross country skiing, etc. LNT

 BTWYF

 Travel safe

Sad but Free

Even though this forest was impacted by the troublesome fire in 2020, this place is still very beautiful. We found a great camping spot close to a hiking/biking trail. The flowers are absolutely gorgeous and the Columbine flower is scattered amount the wildflowers. Also, just an FYI- Columbine is the Colorado State Flower. :) 

Beautiful wildflowers 

This dispersed camping area is great for western access to Rocky Mountain National Park. 

Great RMNP Access 

 Very private and hard to find.  Excellent views

Awesome spot with views

The spot is perfect for camping! There is a private road pretty close to it so there’s only a handful of camping spots so make sure to get there early

Perfect camping spot!

We didn’t manage to get a spot at this campsite. It was crowded (we were there in the weekend). Drove further down the road to find a large (also free) campsite, which was allright. Views were okay, and there where a lot of other campers relatively nearby.

Crowded

Great site and location about 10 minutes from downtown Grand Lake. The sites had tons of space and a great view of the mountains. Only downside, there’s only a few sites along this road and they filled up fairly quick on a Friday. 

Great Views, Limited Spots

Got to camp with no disturbance and the dog stayed off leash. The ground was rather uneven tho.

Quiet secluded spot

Would have been a great spot if I’d arrived later—sundown or thereafter. But too sunny at 2 PM in June for my liking, especially with the bugs and the other people nearby. Would come back if I just needed a spot to boondock at night for a night. T-mobile service was fair. Area is decently trafficked so you might show up at night with no spots available. 

Fine

Very close to Grand Lake and Rocky Mountain National Park. Didn’t look like there were too many spots but the spots I did see were nice. Had no trouble finding a spot on a Sunday evening 

Nice Stay close to RMNP

I think this would be a wonderful place to camp, however due to the forest fires that happened, I won’t lie it’s a bit depressing to be around all of the burned trees. It must have been beautiful before the unfortunate fire. It just made it so there was little to no shade at all at really any of the campsites. However, with that being said it was still really fun and there are plenty of campsites to choose from. Just keep in mind there’s little greenery and very little shade.

Bit depressing due to burned trees

there are a number if dispersed campsites on this road. they’re all lovely and pretty spaced out but if you’ve got a rowdy bunch in the spot next to yours you’ll definitely hear them. but the views here were great and it isn’t too far of a drive from granby/rmnp. also i had pretty good service here! definitely coming back to this spot next time i’m here :)

definitely camping here again

This was our first time dispersed camping and it was definitely an adventure. There wasn’t a single person alive around us and we were hidden in trees so it was a little scary at first but once all the stars came out, it was so beautiful. The lows reached 40° so it definitely got chilly at night, but you can’t beat that sunrise over the mountains.

Photos of Stillwater Pass Dispersed Campsite

Real photos from real campers