Sacred White Shell Mountain

FYI in the spring summer is way more fun to sleep inside the sand dunes with a parking permit you buy at that lot. The hike up into the dunes is epic but yes this is free and last minute high capacity. Sand dunes camping has a 10 or 15 person per day

The Dyrt has a weird seemingly inaccurate map however the road leading out to the dunes did in fact had a dirt road that branches right off towards the mountain.

The Dyrt map says Mt Blanco road but Apple Maps says lake Como road. They both branch off highway 150. There is obvious signs of dispersed camping used ie firepit and a randomly left behind camping item

The weather I was very skeptical about. thought i would have to book a hotel. Last time I went camping per review off of Idaho springs down Fall River road it was snowed in even tho the main road was fine. After I got through the very snowy and icy mountain pass from Walsenburg to for garland it became very dry and there was no more snow.

It's basically a rocky road up the side of Mt. Blanco with lots of places to pull off and camp. Suitable for anything from the most rock-fearing to rock-ready. AT&T had a solid two+ bars. The sunset and lightning storms in the distance were breathtaking. Definitely a great choice for a night's boondocking if that's what you need.

Quick decision to stay on the BLM lands near High Sand Dunes. Very quiet, even with many other campers in the area.

This is our first time dispersed camping and we like this! We were pretty nervous that we won’t find any spot, we got here at 5:30pm on 8/18 and there’s still plenty of spots left! Highly recommend.

Multiple spots available in the more-exposed sites closer to the road, and some in the more covered area towards the hills. Couple of lower spots able to be accessed by big rigs. Can be a little windy, but great views and close to Zapata Falls and Great Sand Dunes.

Stayed here after visiting great sand dunes national park! Big lot with lots of places to park. Some mosquitos at dusk but got better at night. stunning views and amazing sunset. Not to mention that at night you could see every star in the sky. I stargazed until it was time to go to sleep. Also a couple kangaroo rats were running around my campsite and it made me so happy, since I was really hoping to see one while I was in this area. Anyways, Zapata falls is also nearby if you’re looking for a quick little hike to kill some time while you stay here. 4 stars because there was a bunch of trash and cow patties everywhere. Also saw a horned lizard under a cow patty!

We traveled down on Saturday from Denver to Great Sand Dunes and then hit up this convenient spot around 5pm and stayed for one night.  Was extremely well positioned being 15 min from the park and about 5 min down the road from Zapata Falls which is a quick and easy hike.  Upon entering it was really impressed with the layout.  Tons of spaces with ample room between vehicles and you have the choice of being down low where it's more flat vs. up into the hill side a bit.  We probably went about a mile up before picking a spot off the fairly rocky and bumpy road.  The road is actually pretty well maintained and there are spots all over the place which was great.  Most spots looked to come with a fire pit if desired but was rainy for us.  

Overall, would highly recommend getting up into the bushes just for a bit more privacy as well as shelter from some of the wind.  The weather does whip in fairly fast and most locations are pretty exposed so just be prepared to withstand some strong wind but it does come in spurts and won't last forever.  The campsites were great though and offered some fantastic views of the plains as well as up towards the mountains.  We will definitely be coming back due to its location and space!

The best part about this area, aside from the views & the sunsets, is the access to the sand dunes natl park. We completely stumbled upon this area and it turned out to be one of the coolest day trips we’ve ever had. Highly highly recommend checking out the sand dunes. If you go early enough they tend to waive the entrance fee. I recommend driving up into the bushes at the camping site for more privacy, but the road is very rocky. Try and do any bathroom stuff prior to staying because digging cat holes out here is tough. It even hailed on us briefly so watch out for crazy weather! Very cool BLM land!!

Loved everything about this remote spot! The sites were super clean and easy to access. There wasn’t much traffic. You’re down the road from the dunes and about 30 minutes outside Alamosa and other stores. I used the dump station at the sand dunes canoe ground. It was only $8 to fill up water and dump. My cats absolutely loved the area! It was a giant play box for them. Starlink works great. I use Xfinity for phone service and it works ok. Will definitely be back mid Summer. I have a 20ft camper and people were easily driving 5th wheels around here.

Awesome lil site, we came in late and found a spot easily. The road is a tad rocky towards the back, but nothing too crazy. Sunset was beautiful and we got to see a herd of deer walk by :)

Feels remote but close access to main road and bigger towns. Breezy if you don’t drive up to the bushes. Road can get a little rough. Nice dark skies. Super quiet except for the coyotes, as it should be.

Arrived just after 6pm and still able to find a spot. Watched the sun set with dinner and took pictures of the night sky. Best stay and so peaceful!

15 minutes from Great Sand Dunes, plenty of pull off spots, we have a 39ft fifth wheel and found a great spot. Good cell service with Verizon. Beautiful views of Mt. Blanca and the surrounding ranges! Right down the road from Zapata Falls. Road is in good shape, zero issues!

Free camping only 15-20 mins away from great sand dunes national park. There were all sorts of campers utilizing this area—large rvs/buses, vans, roof top tents, tent campers. It is wide open so you can see other campers but lots of room to spread out so we still felt alone. The wind did pick up around 9pm and was absolutely crazy for a few hours. The best part is gorgeous views of Blanca peak and the STARS! Some of the most incredible I’ve ever seen.

Very easy to pull in even late at night. High desert so lots of exposure. Beautiful night sky easy enough to have space from others

This dispersed camping is top notch. Nice sites with amazing views. A little windy but that’s to be expected near the dunes.

Very nice spot near Sand Dunes NP. Free and close to the beautiful mountains.

Located about 15 miles south of Great Sand Dunes NP on well maintained BLM land. There are plenty of sites for every kind of camper. Loads of trails for horses, atv's, snowmobiling, and cross country skiing.

We spent two nights here, in our camper van, while visiting the national park. It’s proximity is so great. The area is easy to find, big and open and nearly all up the very upper parts are navigable by a regular car. There are some upper parts that could require 4WD and high clearance. Our only complaints were how dusty is was and that there really were no trees so potentially not much privacy depending whom is camping around you. If you don’t have a bathroom….this could also be an issue. Not much in the way of tree cover if you are going in the wilderness.
We chose sites on the north side of the area, closer to the park and it seemed more private.

A lot of area for dispersed camping on the side of the mountain. Roads get progressively more technical as you ascend. Some roads marked on the map have washed out making them impassible. The sites at the bottom are pretty flat, but the ones farther up the mountain become pretty steep, 8% grades if the inclinometer in my truck is right. There is fresh water fill and a dump station at the NP - free with entry fee (or real free if you have a pass), a small store with gas priced competitively and restaurant. The nearest cell tower is in Blanca a few miles away. Verizon signal is pretty good.

Within 20 minutes of great sand dunes and the closet Restaurants/ Groceries/Gas stations. Great cell reception there is a cell tower in the nearest city. Amazing views throughout the day. Entry way has a small drop off be careful if in a low car.

We and my buddies came here after being turned down from the Mosca campsite. The sites here are huge and are equipped with a fire pit. Our one main problem was that because the site was so flat, the wind could get pretty rough. Still able to build a solid fire with the help of a stone barrier. Definitely recommend for free camping

Super easy to find + stay. We stayed right off the road in the circle. No one else came around. Would stay here again!

Awesome views and a trail up the mountain with an even better view of down below. Fire pits available as well

Dirt road with wide views. If you like dispersed camping this is for you.

We were sort of passing through and wanted to do the Sand Dunes, so we pulled the camper up the hill a bit. No frills of course, but honestly not bad at all. Plenty of room and privacy.

We have been camping here 4 times now, and never tire of the beauty of this special place. Lots of room to find a private place, and no fees.

I have big desire for wide open space with lots of room and no road noises. This fits the bill great. Recommend and would give 5 but save that for really special spots. This is a great hotel. :)

2 night stop for our 17 day South Carolina to California trip. Absolutely gorgeous and the weather was awesome. Little bit crowded but didn’t struggle to get a spot

Very private, beautiful scenery. Tons of spots available but hardly anyone was there. We stayed two nights. No wild life except a lizard my kids found. Saved for future reference.