Campground Camping Areas

• Boulder Ranger District, west of Boulder

  The Boulder Ranger District encompasses over one hundred thousand acres of the Front Range in western Boulder and northern Gilpin counties. The district includes Indian Peaks and James Peak Wilderness Areas and the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway.

  Many areas of the district are within an easy two-hour drive of Denver and its suburbs, making this one of the top recreation destinations in the state.

• Brainard Lake Recreation Area

  Brainard Lake Recreation Area is set in a glacially carved valley offering visitors spectacular panoramic views of Brainard Lake, surrounding subalpine forest, and high peaks along the Continental Divide. Because of the area's high elevation, snow typically remains until July. For road updates, check Boulder Ranger District Road Status.

  CAUTION: Several trailheads, such as Long Lake and Mitchell Lake trailheads, lead west into Indian Peaks Wilderness. Visitors entering the Wilderness are responsible for following all Indian Peaks Wilderness regulations and permit requirements. Dogs must be on a leash in the Wilderness.

  Requirements – A parking reservation is required to park inside Brainard Lake Recreation Area. Visit Brainard Lake Recreation Area Seasonal Information to purchase parking reservations and view seasonal regulations for camping, pets, shooting, skiing, and more.

• Camp Dick Campground
• Kelly Dahl Campground
• Meeker Park Overflow Campground
• Olive Ridge Campground
• Pawnee Campground
• Peaceful Valley Campground
• Rainbow Lakes Campground
• Canyon Lakes Ranger District, west of Fort Collins

  Canyon Lakes Ranger District is located in north-central Colorado and encompasses approximately 650,000 acres in the Roosevelt National Forest, mostly in Larimer County. The Canyon Lakes Ranger District offers visitors a variety of recreation opportunities throughout the year, and also provides for traditional uses, such as permits for firewood gathering and grazing. We are home to four Wilderness areas, three national recreation trails, two historic districts, and Colorado’s only Wild and Scenic River.

  State Highways 34, 36 and 14 allow for easy access to one of our many hiking trails, campgrounds, four-wheel drive roads, and lakes and streams.

• Ansel Watrous Campground
• Aspen Glen Campground
• Bellaire Lake Campground
• Big Bend Campground
• Big South Campground
• Browns Park Campground
• Cache la Poudre River
• Chambers Lake Campground
• Dowdy Lake Campground
• Dutch George Campground
• Grandview Campground
• Jacks Gulch Campground
• Jacks Gulch Equestrian
• Jacks Gulch Group Campground
• Kelly Flats Campground
• Long Draw Campground
• Mountain Park Campground
• Mountain Park Group Campground
• Narrows Campground: Upper and Lower
• North Fork Poudre Campground
• Sleeping Elephant Campground
• Stove Prairie Campground
• Tom Bennett Campground
• Tunnel Campground
• West Lake Campground
• Clear Creek Ranger District, near Idaho Springs

  Located along the I-70 corridor of Clear Creek County in the town of Idaho Springs, Clear Creek Ranger District manages approximately 200,000 acres in four different counties. Come climb a mountain 14,000 feet above the ocean's tides, take a relaxing drive through the Rocky Mountains, or wet your fishing line in one of the many alpine lakes and streams. 

• Clear Lake Campground
• Cold Springs Campground
• Columbine Campground
• Echo Lake Campground
• Guanella Pass Campground
• Mizpah Campground
• Pickle Gulch Group Campground
• West Chicago Creek Campground
• Pawnee National Grassland, NE of Greeley

  The Pawnee National Grassland lies 35 miles east of Fort Collins, CO and 25 miles northeast of Greeley, CO in Weld County. Contained within the 30-by-60 mile area are 193,060 acres managed by the Pawnee National Grassland. The rest of the land is a checkerboard of private land, State of Colorado ownership and the Central Plains Experimental Range.

  Please refer to a Motor Vehicle Use Map for location of public lands, as it is intermixed with a lot of private land. There are also some two-tracks that are closed to the public.

  The area is rich in history and wildlife. A wide variety of plants and animals call the Pawnee National Grassland home. The wildflowers, flora and fauna are adapted to the environments of the area.

  Come visit for a day or stay a while. Your national grasslands have much to offer year-round.

• Crow Valley Recreation Area

  Crow Valley Recreation Area is set in the Pawnee National Grassland, a very popular site with bird enthusiasts. Over 200 species can be found in the area. This oasis on the prairie has cottonwoods which provide some shade and small meadows, and is surrounded by northeastern Colorado's short-grass prairie. There are ample opportunities for sports and recreation for the whole family.

  Crow Valley sits at an elevation of 4,800 feet. Cottonwood and elm trees dot the landscape, providing pleasant shade in the family campground. However, the group campsites have little to no shade. Short grass prairie surrounds the recreation area. The Pawnee National Grassland sits east of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Eroding creek drainages crisscross the area. Elevations range from 4,900 feet on the prairie to 9,500 feet at the summit of the Pawnee Buttes.

  Birding, exploring nature trails, viewing wildlife and star gazing are popular activities at Crow Valley. A volleyball court, horseshoe pit and ball field are available. The Lee and Dorothy Rhoads Farm Implement Museum is located within the recreation area. The collection of tools, donated by the descendants of homesteaders, can help one imagine what life was like in pioneer days. 

  View a recreation area map.

• Crow Valley Family Campground
• Crow Valley Group Campground
• Steward J. Adams Education Site
• Sulphur Ranger District, near Winter Park & Granby

  Recreational opportunities abound in this haven located high up in the Rocky Mountains. The Sulphur Ranger District is over 442,000 acres in Grand County, Colorado. Being surrounded by mountain peaks, meadows and lakes, you are in for a truly majestic experience in this forest.

  Summers are filled with mountain biking near the towns of Winter Park and Fraser, hiking or backpacking in one of the five Wilderness areas or in the Arapaho National Recreation Area (ANRA), and enjoying the wildflowers and wildlife.

  Many of the hiking trails are also open to equestrians. The Three Lakes of Grand, Granby and Shadow Mountain are great places to escape with your boat or a fishing pole for a day. The Stillwater area next to the town of Grand Lake has miles of trails for off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts. Camping cannot be overlooked either with 15 campgrounds and nearly 500 campsites.

• Arapaho National Recreation Area

  Arapaho National Recreation Area covers 35,000 acres in the upper reaches of the Colorado River Valley. Established by Congress in 1978, the area offers world-class recreation opportunities and contains five major reservoirs: Lake Granby, Shadow Mountain Reservoir, Monarch Lake, Willow Creek Reservoir and Meadow Creek Reservoir. Adjacent to the recreation area is Grand Lake. With its deep, clear blue waters, it’s the largest natural lake in Colorado.

  The recreation area has a fee program that is essential to providing quality facilities and services such as boat ramps, campgrounds, picnic areas, trail maintenance, and more.

  To visit Arapaho National Recreation Area –

  Step 1 - Are you visiting a fee area?

  Step 2 - Purchase your pass

  Step 3 - Proof of purchase

  Step 4 - Review activity-specific requirements

• Arapaho Bay Campground
• Green Ridge Campground
• Stillwater Campground
• Sunset Point Campground
• Willow Creek Campground
• Bull Mountain Campground
• Denver Creek Campground
• Horseshoe Campground
• Idlewild Campground
• Jim Creek Campground
• Robbers Roost Campground
• South Fork Campgound
• St. Louis Creek Campground
• Sugarloaf Campground