Unfortunately, soon after, silver became unprofitable, so people abandoned the town. Back in the late 1800s, this area was full of people mining for silver. The real reason to camp here is to visit the ghost town of Caribou. Camping is only allowed at the 11 designated campsites along Forest Road 505. High-clearance and 4WD vehicles are highly recommended to get to these sites for off-the-beaten free camping near Boulder. Why you should camp here: Stand in the same spot Elton John did while recording his album Caribou. Caribou Townsite Photo: Craig Mills, Shutterstock Related Read: 11 Beautiful National Forests in Colorado for Outdoor Recreation 3. Your car-camping excursion just became a backpacking one! But don’t turn around: you can still walk in to the campsites if you so choose. If you decide to head up to this area prior to June, you might find that the road to the campsites are closed due to snow. You cannot camp anywhere else outside of those designated spots to protect the landscape. There are 22 designated dispersed camping sites marked by number. Travelers from around the world head up here during the autumn to catch glimpses of the gorgeous golden sea of aspens, and the sights from your tent if you camp at West Magnolia are just as striking. To get to this marvelous, dispersed camping area, take the scenic Peak-to-Peak highway. Pro tip: stock up on all the essentials in the small town of Nederland and ride the Carousel of Happiness. Campsite type: Tent, car camping, small pop-ups.Why you should camp here: High-alpine views for miles and miles. West Magnolia Photo: Drew Alfred, Shutterstock Related Read: The 10 Best Dog-Friendly Colorado Cabin Rentals 2. If you want a bigger adventure, you can also access James Peak, a 13er, from here. If you hike up to the lake, bring your sled to glissade down the mountainside, which is usually covered in snow. The closest place to disperse camp is along Kingston Peak Road in Arapahoe National Forest. Instead, it’s a semi-permanent snowfield, which essentially means it doesn’t move or shape the landscape like a glacier does. Mary’s Glacier is actually not a glacier at all. It might come as a surprise to some that St. Why you should camp here: It’s the closest you can camp to Colorado’s only glacier.Ĭolorado residents and visitors alike know all about the glacier in the small town of Alice just southwest of Boulder. This means it’s extra important to practice Leave No Trace principles when camping especially when it comes to wildfire safety. Boulder and the surrounding areas were some of the most affected areas that year. Related Read: 7 Gorgeous Winter Camping Spots in Colorado Leave No Trace and WildfiresĬolorado is known for serious wildfires including the devastating ones of 2020. Many roads that previously allowed dispersed camping are no longer active to help repair the ecosystems after recent wildfires. Many of the dispersed camping areas across Colorado are covered in snow even in June, so make sure to check the road status of forest service roads before heading out. That pass is accepted at all national parks and many other publicly-managed lands including the touristy Brainard Lake Recreation Area.Īlso make sure to purchase a Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue (CORSAR) card and download the AllTrails and COTREX apps. The list below of the best free camping near Boulder has a great mix of hidden gems and popular spots for a quick weekend getaway.Īll the spots below for free camping near Boulder have zero camping cost, but you might want to grab an interagency pass before heading out on your adventures to get in the parks. There are, though, some great places to find a bit of peace and quiet far from the city but still close enough to humanity to pick up a few cold beers on the way. With over 100,000 inhabitants, it’s hard to imagine that you’d ever be able to find solitude near Boulder.Īnd that’s a valid fear if you head to the more popular places to hike and camp like Brainard Lake Recreation Area.
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