Dispersed Camping in Lake County, Colorado
Showing 92 locations in Lake County.
Abe Lee Road Dispersed
Located near Leadville within the Pike and San Isabel National Forests, this dirt road corridor provides dispersed camping opportunities accessible to most vehicles.
Baby Doe Campground
Highly popular family campground nestled under lodgepole pines on Turquoise Lake's eastern shore. Offers excellent beach access, scenic hiking trails, and single-family sites.
Bear Lake Road Dispersed Camping
This dispersed camping corridor along Bear Lake Road lies within the Pike and San Isabel National Forests near Leadville, Colorado. The dirt road provides access to primitive roadside pull-offs amidst scenic pine forests.
Beaver Lakes Dispersed Camping
A graded gravel forest road corridor offering dispersed camping options within the Pike and San Isabel National Forests near Leadville.
Belle of Colorado Campground
A scenic, tent-only developed campground located on the eastern shore of Turquoise Lake. Nestled in a shaded lodgepole pine forest, it features rustic sites with quick shoreline access.
BLM Land near Leadville, CO
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BLM Road 5570 Dispersed
Convenient BLM dispersed camping corridor located just off the highway between Leadville and Buena Vista, offering several flat gravel pullouts suitable for standard vehicles. The main access road is well-graded, leading to established sites near a scenic river corridor.
Buckeye Gulch
Primitive dispersed camping sites located along the native-surface Buckeye Gulch road within the San Isabel National Forest. The area offers a quiet forest setting with convenient access to Buckeye Peak and Mount Zion trailheads.
Buckeye Spur Dispersed Camping
Quiet dispersed camping corridor along Buckeye Spur in the San Isabel National Forest near Leadville, offering convenient access on a native-surface dirt road.
Camp Hale East Fork Group Campground
This developed group campground is situated in the wide-open valley of Camp Hale within the White River National Forest. It accommodates large groups with space for up to 20 vehicles or RVs on hardened parking areas. Facilities include vault toilets, picnic tables, food lockers, and multiple fire rings, though no drinking water or electrical hookups are provided.
Camp Hale Interpretive Road Dispersed
A scenic unpaved forest road corridor located in the historic Camp Hale area within the White River National Forest. The road offers opportunities for dispersed camping in a typical wooded setting.
Camp Hale Memorial Campground
A developed campground steeped in WWII history, located in a scenic valley near the headwaters of the Eagle River with direct access to hiking trails and fishing ponds.
Camp Hale Road Dispersed
This forest road corridor near historic Camp Hale offers dispersed camping opportunities along a flat, gravel-accessible route.
Chalk Mountain Road
A dispersed camping corridor winding through the Pike-San Isabel National Forest near Chalk Mountain. It offers scenic forested spots along a native dirt road suitable for various vehicle types.
Clear Creek Road Dispersed
A scenic high-altitude dispersed camping corridor along Clear Creek Road within the San Isabel National Forest, offering access to nearby trailheads.
Clear Creek Road Dispersed
This dispersed camping corridor along Clear Creek Road in the Pike and San Isabel National Forest offers scenic, native-surface campsites accessible to most vehicle types.
Corske Creek Road Dispersed
This forest road corridor offers scenic dispersed camping near the Mount Elbert Forebay reservoir, with sites split between open meadows and forested tree cover. It serves as an excellent, quiet alternative to busier lakeside locations, providing direct access to hiking and fishing. Expect a rough, unpaved road with some rocky sections and minor obstacles that are passable with careful driving during dry conditions.
Creek Access Spur Dispersed
Scenic dispersed camping corridor located along the Creek Access Spur adjacent to Half Moon Creek. The area offers multiple creekside sites with stone fire rings, set within the beautiful Pike and San Isabel National Forests.
Crescent Mining Camp
Historic 1890s mining camp cabins offering a rustic, off-grid stay along a creekside mountain setting. Located near popular off-highway vehicle routes, this spot is ideal for trail riders but experiences frequent engine noise.
Crystal Lakes Forest Road
This scenic dispersed camping corridor winds through the San Isabel National Forest near Leadville, offering convenient roadside pull-offs. The gravel road is generally accessible to most vehicles and provides a peaceful forested setting.
Dawson Cabin
Dawson Cabin is a rustic, historic USFS cabin available for reservation in Clear Creek Canyon. Located near the historic mining district, it offers a wood-burning stove and indoor picnic table. No electricity or water is provided. Camping outside the cabin is permitted for guests.
Dexter Campground
Dexter Point Campground sits on the scenic northern shore of Twin Lakes, offering spectacular mountain views and direct water access. The campground features eleven walk-in tent sites nestled on a grassy hillside and eight large RV parking spaces in an open gravel lot. While facilities are basic and lack running water, visitors have access to vault toilets, picnic tables, fire rings, and trash disposal.
Dry Union Dispersed Camping
Dispersed camping options located along Dry Union Road within the scenic Leadville area of Lake County.
Dry Union Loop Road
A quiet US Forest Service road loop near Leadville offering opportunities for dispersed camping in the pine forest.
East Fork Eagle Road Dispersed
A scenic dispersed camping corridor located along East Fork Eagle Road, offering peaceful forested sites adjacent to the river and close to historic landmarks.
East Tennessee Road Dispersed
Primitive dispersed camping sites along the East Tennessee Road corridor in the Pike and San Isabel National Forests near Leadville. This forested mountain area offers quiet camping options with simple, direct access. It serves as an excellent base for surrounding outdoor activities like hiking and peak bagging.
Elbert Creek Campground
A developed Forest Service campground located along Halfmoon Road, serving as an excellent base for hiking nearby trails. Sites are offered on a first-come, first-served basis with basic camping amenities.
Father Dyer Campground
Shaded campground on the eastern shore of Turquoise Lake with single-family sites nestled in a dense pine and fir forest. Features family-friendly hiking access.
Flume Gulch Dispersed Camping
Flume Gulch offers scenic dispersed camping along a dirt forest road in the Pike and San Isabel National Forests. Located near Leadville, this corridor provides convenient access to local mountain trailheads.
Forebay Dispersed Camping Area
A popular ridge-top dispersed camping corridor north of Twin Lakes. Known for its incredible panoramic views of the reservoirs and high peaks, this zone offers a mix of open areas and forested pockets suitable for a range of vehicles.
Forest Road 125.B Mount Elbert Dispersed
Dispersed camping is situated along Forest Road 125.B, offering convenient access to the Mount Elbert trailhead within the Pike-San Isabel National Forest.
Forest Spur Road Dispersed
This paved National Forest spur road in the White River National Forest near Camp Hale offers seasonal dispersed camping. It features asphalt access suitable for all rig types from late spring through mid-autumn.
Granite Burn Dispersed
This forest road corridor near Leadville wind through the Pike and San Isabel National Forests, offering multiple roadside dispersed camping options in a scenic pine forest.
Granite Road Dispersed
This scenic corridor in the White River National Forest offers easily accessible dispersed camping along a well-graded gravel road. It is highly suitable for most vehicle types during the late-spring to late-autumn open season.
Halfmoon Creek Backcountry Campsite
This backcountry hike-in spot offers scenic rustic camping near the Mount Massive Wilderness, accessible via the Halfmoon Creek corridor.
Halfmoon East Campground
A small developed campground situated along the scenic Halfmoon Creek. It features five first-come, first-served sites, providing basic amenities like vault toilets, fire rings, and picnic tables close to major hiking trailheads.
Halfmoon Road Dispersed Camping
A scenic and popular dispersed camping corridor located along Halfmoon Road near Mount Elbert and Mount Massive. The sites are shaded by pine forests next to Halfmoon Creek, providing a peaceful mountain environment with excellent access to several trailhead networks. The main dirt road is suitable for most passenger vehicles, though some spurs and creek crossings are rocky and demand extra clearance.
Halfmoon West Campground
A larger developed campground along Halfmoon Creek with seventeen first-come, first-served sites. It serves as an excellent base for hiking and outdoor recreation, equipped with picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets.
Hell Gate Snotel Road Dispersed
Dispersed camping corridor along Hell Gate Snotel Road in Lake County, situated near Wildcat Mountain and Sellar Peak. The area offers easy access to standard passenger vehicles during the summer and autumn seasons.
Homestake Reservoir Road Dispersed
A scenic dispersed camping corridor located along Homestake Reservoir Road within the White River National Forest. The road is well-maintained gravel, offering multiple roadside pull-outs and established dispersed sites surrounded by dense pine forest.
Interlaken Trailhead Access Dispersed
A beautiful corridor of dispersed camping along the eastern shore of Twin Lakes, leading to the Interlaken Trailhead and Colorado Trail. The area features numerous campsites nestled in tranquil aspen groves, with several prime lakeside spots offering direct access to the water. The access road is rough and heavily potholed, demanding high clearance and careful navigation, especially as you approach the trailhead area. It is a highly popular destination managed by the USFS with standard rules in effect.
Ivanhoe Lake Road Dispersed
This forest corridor provides dispersed camping opportunities along the dirt road leading to Ivanhoe Lake. Set in a peaceful evergreen forest, it is ideal for those seeking rustic wilderness access in the Leadville region.
Jones Gulch Road Dispersed
Scenic dispersed camping spots located along Jones Gulch Road near the historic Camp Hale area in the White River National Forest.
Lakeview Campground
A well-shaded developed USFS campground offering scenic views of the Twin Lakes Reservoir. Situated in a ponderosa pine and sage habitat, it serves as an excellent base camp for hiking the Continental Divide Trail and enjoying local water sports.
Leadville District, Pike and San Isabel National Forests
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Leadville North Trailhead
A quiet backcountry trailhead located north of Leadville within the San Isabel National Forest.
Lilly Pond Road Dispersed Corridor
A rugged 4WD corridor ascending the lower slopes of Mount Elbert. The route winds through dense pine and aspen groves, opening up to secluded campsites near Lily Pond with stunning glacier and lake views.
Lodgepole Flats South Dispersed
This dirt forest road corridor offers dispersed camping options with native dirt surfaces in the scenic Pike and San Isabel National Forests. Located near Leadville, it provides convenient access to local trailheads and lakes, subject to seasonal openings.
Lost Canyon Road Dispersed
A scenic mountain corridor offering dispersed camping deep within the Pike and San Isabel National Forests. Pull-offs along the road provide access to primitive spots surrounded by pine trees and mountain scenery near Leadville.
Matchless Campground
Developed campground situated on the eastern shore of Turquoise Lake, providing paved sites designed to accommodate larger recreational vehicles. Features adjacent boat ramp access.
May Queen Campground
A scenic developed campground situated at the western tip of Turquoise Lake, surrounded by shaded lodgepole pine forest. It provides an ideal base for outdoor activities, including boating and fishing on the lake, with immediate access to the Turquoise Lake Trail. Hikers will also appreciate the proximity to trailheads leading into the Mount Massive and Holy Cross Wilderness areas.
Mill Road Dispersed Camping
This remote forest corridor along Mill Road offers secluded, rustic dispersed camping near the trailheads of the Sawatch Range.
Mitchell Road Dispersed
A quiet roadside dispersed camping area located off Mitchell Road near Tennessee Pass.
Moache Fisherman Parking
A quiet dirt parking area within the Pike-San Isabel National Forest near Twin Lakes. It serves as a scenic launch point for fishing and provides access to surrounding dispersed recreation.
Molly Brown Campground
A scenic developed campground on the eastern shore of Turquoise Lake, offering wooded single-family sites on two loops. Provides easy access to hiking trails and boating activities.
Mosquito View Overlook
A scenic overlook situated in the Pike and San Isabel National Forests, offering roadside dispersed camping with views of the surrounding mountains.
Mountain View Fisherman Parking
A level gravel parking area situated near Twin Lakes within the San Isabel National Forest, providing convenient access for fishermen and recreationists. This spot accommodates most rig types with straightforward access from the main road.
Mt. Zion 4WD Road Dispersed
Dispersed camping corridor along the Mt. Zion 4WD road within the Pike and San Isabel National Forests, offering rugged access with beautiful mountain vistas near Mount Zion.
N Fork Clear Creek 4WD Dispersed
A rugged dispersed camping corridor running along the North Fork of Clear Creek in Pike and San Isabel National Forests. Native dirt surfaces lead into high-alpine scenery with spectacular mountain views near Leadville.
Native Trail Lot
A peaceful dirt trailhead lot located in the Pike and San Isabel National Forests near Leadville. It provides access to beautiful wilderness trails and is open for overnight vehicle stays during the accessible seasons.
Parry Peak Campground
Parry Peak Campground is a peaceful, first-come, first-served facility nestled in a shady forest of lodgepole pines and aspen trees. Situated directly along the rushing waters of Lake Creek, this location offers beautiful views of Parry Peak and excellent angling opportunities. The campground features 25 sites equipped with fire rings and picnic tables, though visitors should bring their own drinking water.
Peerless Mountain Dispersed Camping
A scenic dispersed camping corridor winding up the approach to Peerless Mountain and Mount Sherman within the San Isabel National Forest. The route offers several rustic roadside pull-offs nestled in the forest before ascending to the rocky trailhead area.
Pirate Road Dispersed
Dispersed camping corridor along Pirate Road within the Pike and San Isabel National Forests, offering scenic views near Mount Buckskin and Loveland Mountain. The dirt road is open to all vehicles, though high-clearance is recommended during wet conditions.
Poacher's Loop
A scenic forest road loop offering dispersed camping under a canopy of pines within the Pike and San Isabel National Forests. The native dirt road provides moderate clearance access to peaceful roadside pull-offs near Leadville.
Powerline-Cunningham Dispersed Corridor
This scenic forest road corridor winds through the White River National Forest near Leadville, offering several rustic pullouts for dispersed camping. Native road surfaces make it easily accessible for most standard vehicles during dry summer conditions.
Printer Boy Group Campground
Dedicated group campground featuring spacious group sites that can accommodate large gatherings. Includes an outdoor cooking shelter and group recreational facilities.
Ruby Road Dispersed Camping
This rugged dirt corridor along Ruby Road in Pike-San Isabel National Forest offers scenic, primitive dispersed campsites near Weston Peak.
Saint Kevin Road Dispersed
A scenic forest road corridor winding through dense pine forests in the Pike and San Isabel National Forests near Leadville. It offers access to primitive dispersed camping opportunities in a serene natural setting close to local historic sites and reservoirs.
Sawmill Ridge Road Dispersed
This dirt road corridor on Sawmill Ridge offers primitive dispersed camping within the Pike and San Isabel National Forests near Leadville. It is seasonally accessible for standard vehicles and motorhomes from late spring through late autumn.
Shimmering Point Overlook Road
This forest road corridor offers dispersed camping options winding through the Pike and San Isabel National Forest near Leadville. It provides peaceful mountain scenery and is suitable for most vehicles.
Silver Dollar Campground
Family-friendly developed campground nestled near the eastern shore of Turquoise Lake within a lodgepole pine and fir forest. Features gravel or dirt parking spurs and vault toilets.
Slide Lake 4WD Road
This rugged wilderness corridor offers remote dispersed camping along Slide Lake 4WD Road in the Pike and San Isabel National Forests. Navigating the rough native surface requires a high-clearance 4WD vehicle, leading to highly secluded campsites near alpine water features.
Storke Portal Dispersed
This scenic corridor provides dispersed camping along a dirt forest road within the Pike and San Isabel National Forests. It offers straightforward access for a variety of rigs looking to explore the nearby mountain trails.
Sugar Loafin' Campground
A friendly commercial RV park and campground situated just outside of Leadville. It features wooded sites, standard hookups, and basic amenities, and permits non-guests to fill fresh water or use showers for a small fee.
Sugarloaf Mountain Road Dispersed
This scenic dirt road corridor winds near Sugarloaf Mountain, offering access to dispersed camping spots within the Pike and San Isabel National Forests.
Tabor Campground
A quiet developed campground on the northeastern shore of Turquoise Lake, featuring shaded sites that accommodate larger recreational vehicles. Surrounded by lodgepole pines.
Tennessee Pass Dispersed Site
A primitive dispersed camping pullout nestled in the pine forest of San Isabel National Forest near Tennessee Pass.
Tennessee Pass West Dispersed Site
A secluded dispersed camping clearing situated along a dirt forest road near Tennessee Pass.
Timberline Lake Trailhead Road Dispersed
A scenic forest road corridor leading toward the Timberline Lake Trailhead within the Pike and San Isabel National Forests, offering dispersed camping pull-outs near Galena Mountain. Campers can find several pull-outs along the road before reaching the trailhead parking area where overnight stays are prohibited.
Trail 130 Backcountry Dispersed
This wilderness zone encompasses quiet, secluded walk-in backcountry campsites along Trail 130 in the San Isabel National Forest near Leadville.
Trail 130 Backcountry Site Central
This isolated walk-in wilderness site offers high privacy along Trail 130.
Trail 130 Backcountry Site East
A remote, walk-in backcountry campsite located along Trail 130 in a peaceful forest setting.
Trail 130 Backcountry Site North
A quiet walk-in wilderness campsite nestled in the woods off Trail 130.
Turquoise Lake East Shore Recreation Area
A scenic high-alpine recreation corridor along the eastern and northeastern shores of Turquoise Lake. This area features multiple developed campgrounds managed by the forest service, providing rustic tent-only sites, spacious RV-friendly loops, and large group campsites.
Twin Peaks Campground
A developed forest service campground located west of Twin Lakes Reservoir in a shaded aspen and lodgepole pine forest. It is situated above the whitewater of Lake Creek with spectacular views of the Sawatch Range, providing close access to the Continental Divide and Mount Elbert trails.
Twobit Road Dispersed
An accessible dispersed camping corridor located along Twobit Road in Lake County near Leadville. The native dirt road winds through the Pike and San Isabel National Forests, offering peaceful wooded sites for various vehicle sizes.
Urban Stealth Parking (Leadville)
Paved street parking along County Road 31 in Leadville provides a basic overnight option for self-contained campervans when nearby mountain forest roads are blocked by snow.
Valley View Overlook
This scenic overlook area in the Pike and San Isabel National Forests offers roadside dispersed camping options with views of the valley. Accessible via a gravel road, the site provides a basic forest setting suitable for various rigs.
West Tennessee Road Dispersed
A scenic national forest corridor offering dispersed camping amidst the Pike and San Isabel National Forests near Leadville.
White River Forest Road Corridor
This seasonal dirt Forest Service road in White River National Forest provides dispersed camping access in a serene, wooded setting near Leadville.
White Star Campground
Picturesque lakeside campground located at the foot of Mount Elbert, offering three distinct loops nestled among mature ponderosa pines and sagebrush. Ideal for boating, fishing, and trail access.
Willow Creek Road Dispersed
Willow Creek Road offers dispersed camping options along a native material forest road in the Pike and San Isabel National Forests near Leadville. The road is open to all vehicles, providing access to scenic wooded surroundings.