are most CO camp grounds self serve and first come first serve? (appointed, campgrounds)

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by jim9251

You can also camp for free for 14 days in any National Forest or BLM land.

Not quite. Some areas only allow camping in designated campgrounds, and some areas are not open to public access. BLM policy is not always the same as USFS either.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by willc86

oh I did not know you were not allowed to bring a personal shower stand. I hate sleeping dirty or sweaty ha ha after a day on the trails

So do I. But we got a verbal warning for using our sun shower.

[Colorado Rambler]

Originally Posted by willc86

thank you!! as far as animals, bears, etc esp people... have you guys had any issues with solo camping out in BLM roads? any tips? just worried people might ... you know.. cause problems. Not to scare anyone away, but back when my dad and I camped, someone was killed when he was solo camping. I mean I dont think CO is nowhere near that way

I prefer to camp on BLM land since I like to avoid the crowds who tend to pack more organized campgrounds such as those found on Forest Service lands. I always take along the latest edition of the Colorado Gazetteer which is a compilation of 15 minute quads that cover the entire state. I also take along an old time orienteering GPS so that I can pinpoint my latitude and longitude in the Gazetteer. Don't count on your vehicle's onboard GPS which is only useful on well traveled roads in cities and towns. Tourists get lost constantly out here in the sparsely populated Four Corners because their onboard GPS has no idea about offroad travel.

If I can, I like to turn off on long abandoned logging roads and the like. Then I look for stands of trees which will hide my campsite in the unlikely event that someone else may end up passing by. I once spent an entire summer camped up in the San Juans on BLM land and no one ever came along to bother me. I am a single women and if I can pull off this trick, than anyone can. Be sure to bring along as much water as you possibly can (even if you think you don't need it) and don't wander off the beaten path so far that it's too long for you to walk down to a more traveled road should your vehicle decide to let you down. And give your friends back home a detailed itinerary - just in case.

[willc86]

Originally Posted by Colorado Rambler

I prefer to camp on BLM land since I like to avoid the crowds who tend to pack more organized campgrounds such as those found on Forest Service lands. I always take along the latest edition of the Colorado Gazetteer which is a compilation of 15 minute quads that cover the entire state. I also take along an old time orienteering GPS so that I can pinpoint my latitude and longitude in the Gazetteer. Don't count on your vehicle's onboard GPS which is only useful on well traveled roads in cities and towns. Tourists get lost constantly out here in the sparsely populated Four Corners because their onboard GPS has no idea about offroad travel.

If I can, I like to turn off on long abandoned logging roads and the like. Then I look for stands of trees which will hide my campsite in the unlikely event that someone else may end up passing by. I once spent an entire summer camped up in the San Juans on BLM land and no one ever came along to bother me. I am a single women and if I can pull off this trick, than anyone can. Be sure to bring along as much water as you possibly can (even if you think you don't need it) and don't wander off the beaten path so far that it's too long for you to walk down to a more traveled road should your vehicle decide to let you down. And give your friends back home a detailed itinerary - just in case.

so am I allowed to just drive my truck anywhere that is BLM / national forest off the beaten path and camp between trees and stuff? that is the part that confuses me. so essentially any dirt road in national forest?


thanks for all the info!! i guess ofr the shower thing, I can bring 2 bottle of water and just kinda shower or something away from campsite.

[EastwardBound]

Originally Posted by willc86

so am I allowed to just drive my truck anywhere that is BLM / national forest off the beaten path and camp between trees and stuff? that is the part that confuses me. so essentially any dirt road in national forest?


thanks for all the info!! i guess ofr the shower thing, I can bring 2 bottle of water and just kinda shower or something away from campsite.

It seems you’re looking at the Chaffee County area. In that area, most of the land you’ll be looking at is National Forest land. Search the vehicle use map I sent you for national forest lands, which will show you on which roads camping is allowed.

For BLM, after you find the areas online, look for signs as you drive that say BLM access and drive down the road. They prefer you use already established spots with established fire rings.

If you’re camping along the roads west of Nathrop, just ‘bathe’ at Mt. Princeton.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by willc86

so am I allowed to just drive my truck anywhere that is BLM / national forest off the beaten path and camp between trees and stuff? that is the part that confuses me. so essentially any dirt road in national forest?


thanks for all the info!! i guess ofr the shower thing, I can bring 2 bottle of water and just kinda shower or something away from campsite.

No, as alluded to in my earlier post, not all USFS or BLM land is open to dispersed camping. You would need to check with the district ranger office for where you intend to go to find out where dispersed camping is allowed.
The area could be open to dispersed camping, closed to dispersed camping but open in designated campgrounds, or closed to any camping. It is not a one-size-fits-all answer.

BTW, a few USFS campgrounds have showers and flush toilets. Not many, but generally some of the sites in those places are reservable (high demand). There is one along Granby Lake.

[Colorado Rambler]

Originally Posted by willc86

so am I allowed to just drive my truck anywhere that is BLM / national forest off the beaten path and camp between trees and stuff? that is the part that confuses me. so essentially any dirt road in national forest?


thanks for all the info!! i guess ofr the shower thing, I can bring 2 bottle of water and just kinda shower or something away from campsite.

The Forest Service takes the protection of the lands it administers more seriously than the BLM does. It's possible to do so-called "dispersed camping" in a few places on Forest Service land, but always ask first.

The BLM - or Bureau of Land MISmanagement, as it's fondly known - is a different story. Ranchers and miners and oil and gas outfits often get preferential treatment from the BLM. The agency was fond of "chaining" its land until fairly recently. Chaining is a crude method of removing trees (often piñon pines) to clear the land for livestock grazing. To add insult to injury, the BLM may issue too many grazing permits and the land never recovers. Oil and gas outfits are all too often given carte blanche to drill where-ever they please and build pumping stations all across the landscape. It's still possible to find BLM land that has suffered no to minimal damage. Such places are great places to camp unmolested. Even so, I prefer to use old mining or logging roads to find a campsite. Why add to the devastation?

I always carry a minimum of 20 gallons of water when I take off on one of my outdoor adventures - better safe than sorry. Walmart carries an inexpensive solar shower contraption or you can just bring a large tub like the ones that are made for washing dishes and use it for taking sponge baths.

One important caveat: If you never have gone camping alone before, stick to the organized campgrounds until you get the proper feel for it. It's an invitation to disaster to head off to the wilds all by your lonesome if you don't know what you are doing.

Here's a few helpful links:

Pike and San Isabel National Forests

Rio Grande National Forest

BLM Camping Colorado (Where when and how to camp on BLM lands in Colorado)

Be safe and have a wonderful time!

[willc86]

thanks for all the replies guys!! so here is where I am a little confused, saw this area down here and it does say the following:

Reservations are recommended in the busy summer months and can be made 180 days in advance maxium/ 4 days in advance minimum by calling 1-877-444-6777 or by visiting recreation.gov.


So in essence, it says " reservations are recommended " so that means, it is not needed and you can show up when you want and pay once you are in there? and if a site is reserved, it will be marked, right?


https://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/f...e%20Campground

[FortIrwin]

Just go and do it.

[EastwardBound]

Originally Posted by willc86

thanks for all the replies guys!! so here is where I am a little confused, saw this area down here and it does say the following:

Reservations are recommended in the busy summer months and can be made 180 days in advance maxium/ 4 days in advance minimum by calling 1-877-444-6777 or by visiting recreation.gov.


So in essence, it says " reservations are recommended " so that means, it is not needed and you can show up when you want and pay once you are in there? and if a site is reserved, it will be marked, right?


https://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/f...e%20Campground

You will almost certainly not get a campsite on the weekend in a campground. You are more likely to find an open spot in a campground on the weekend. If you're planning to camp in a campground, I would recommend making a reservation.