Just the thought of camping in the winter would probably send a debilitating chill down anyone’s spine. Yes, winter camping in Colorado is not for the fainthearted. Many designated campsites are shut down during the winter. As such, you have to make do with non-designated areas. But neither is it as bad as it seems.
If you are looking for silence, pristine beauty and a camping experience that is truly out of the ordinary, look no further than camping in Colorado in the winter. If nothing else, you will at least leave with a more than passing appreciation of your home heating system! Here are some of the best places to camp in Colorado.
- Redstone – This quaint and friendly town is one of Colorado’s hidden camping treasures. The scenery is nothing short of breathtaking given its proximity to the reddish cliffs, Mount Sopris and the Crystal River. The famous East Creek Trail is one of places you should consider setting up camp. However, caution is paramount – an overnight snowfall can easily disorient you and make it difficult to find your way.
To avoid such navigation conundrums, you can start off with daily hikes where you walk the trail and return to a camp outside the trail. Only when you have some comfort with the directions should you attempt to camp along the trail.
- Quandary Peak – Quandary Peak is within the White River Forest and is a great starting point for beginner winter campers. You can test your ability to weather the cold without being too far off from the convenience of a motel just in case you decide to throw in the towel. Visitors can camp anywhere within Quandary Peak and the greater White River Forest as long as they remain no less than 100 feet of a stream or lake.
- State Forest State Park – A real wilderness of 28.000 hectares of forest, alpine lakes and jagged peaks. Designated camping grounds remain open all year. With an elevation of between 2.400 and 3.900 metres above sea level, the winter conditions span close to half the year. Activities you can do at the park include snowboarding, backcountry skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and ice fishing.
- Pickle Gulch – Pickle Gulch is within the Arapaho Forest. The designated camping areas are closed during winter. However, camping is allowed in non-designated dispersed areas since Arapaho is a National Forest. A key drawback are the narrow access roads which can make finding a parking that does not obstruct traffic difficult.
- Navajo State Park – The designated camping ground is open throughout the year though support services are significantly scaled down during the winter. Navajo Lake is the main attraction even in the winter since the surface does not freeze. But fishing and boating is just part what you can do for fun during the day – the snow in the surrounding lands makes it ideal for skiing.
