Camping Near Crested Butte Colorado

Check Out The Best Places To Stay Near Crested Butte Colorado: Camping Cabins & Unique Accommodations Glamping Co Style

If you’re an adventure lover like us then you should consider visiting and staying at the best Crested Butte campgrounds! Rocky Mountain glamping in this area is fun for all ages. There are tons of opportunities for outdoor activities in all seasons. You can discover some awesome CO winter downhill skiing and mountain bike trails on the slopes of Crested Butte Mountain Resort. You’ll find scenic Nordic ski routes around the town as well. In fact, Crested Butte camping getaways in CO are the birthplace of extreme skiing. In the fall you easily catch breathtaking fall foliage, as well as some awesome hiking in CO. Kebler Pass to the west, is known for colorado quaking aspen trees so keep your phone charged for some amazing snapshots. To help make your Rocky Mountain getaways even more special, we’ve listed the best places to stay near Crested Butte, Colorado: camping cabins and unique accommodations, glamping CO style. Take a peek! You’ll see a variety of options to choose from. From cozy cabins, luxury yurts, and even modern treehouses, we’ve got it all. What are you waiting for? You deserve this. Book the top camping in Colorado! Hiking cabins in Crested Butte will not disappoint.

The Best 10 Campgrounds Near Crested Butte Co 81224

Limits Are Coming For Crested Buttes Overused Camping Paradise But Local Workers Who Live There Could Lose Out

Jonathan Civitellis mountain retreat is tucked in a stand of pine trees, close to popular mountain biking trails, and just 15 minutes from his bartending job in Crested Butte.

And unlike the $1 million to $4 million homes just down the road, Civitellis place, a campsite in the Gunnison National Forest, is free.

Ive been enjoying no service, reading, hanging out, said the 28-year-old Alabama native. And then I go into town, work, and save some money in the process.

Its hard to say just how many people like Civitelli live in the National Forest around Crested Butte he estimates perhaps 10 of his coworkers at Secret Stash Pizza do. But one thing is for certain: those campsites are more popular than ever before.

And a shift in how the Forest Service manages camping is limiting that important yet illegal cheap housing option just as finding an affordable place to live is harder than ever.

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Camping In Crested Butte Colorado

• Monarch Camping in Colorado

Crested Butte is home to the Crested Butte ski area and is the wildflower capital of Colorado. With stunning fall foliage also on the list of attractions, Crested Butte gets plenty of visitors throughout all seasons. The restored Victorian homes and storefronts of this former gold mining town boast no national chains and plenty of quirky local charm. Campers enjoy some great accommodations, too, with several options for tents and RVs close to the fishing, hiking and mountain biking that makes this area so popular.

Campfire Ranch On The Taylor River

Located alongside the famed Taylor River in Gunnison County, CO is the home of our first campground, Campfire Ranch on the Taylor. Our location is located off County Road 742, down the road from the newly paved Cottonwood Pass, which is just 18 minutes to Crested Butte and 18 minutes to Gunnison. Taylor Canyon is home to some of the most iconic views in the Central Rockies, abundant recreational pursuits and outstanding access to nearby communities. We cant wait for you to experience Taylor River camping at its finest!

The Gunnison Valley, including Taylor Canyon, is ancestral land of the Tabeguache Ute people. The largest of the nomadic bands of the Ute, the Tabeguache tribe hunkered down in the Gunnison Valley for the winter months and used that time to rejuvenate, repair tools and weapons that were used to hunt and gather, and tell stories that were passed down from generation to generation.

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Campgrounds Near Crested Butte Co

• Monarch Camping in Colorado

Crested Butte, Colorado, is a destination that boasts cool alpine temperatures, brilliant wildflower patches and epic mountain bike rides. One of the best ways to enjoy the natural endowments of the greater Crested Butte area is to lodge among them. Crested Butte is surrounded by forest lands that are absolutely littered with campgrounds.

Types Of Colorado Camping In The Gunnison Valley

There are four different types of camping areas in Gunnison-Crested Butte dispersed, designated, developed and private. Discover which type is the best fit for you.

WHAT IS DISPERSED CAMPING?

Dispersed camping is camping outside of a designated campground. This type of camping is available on public lands, such as National Forest or Bureau of Land Management lands. Dispersed campsites have no amenities. This type of camping is sometimes referred to as boondocking. Dispersed camping is first-come, first-served, and is almost always free. To abide by the principles of Leave No Trace, dispersed camping should take place only in sites where people have camped before. See the Leave No Trace section below for tips on how to camp responsibly.

WHAT IS DESIGNATED DISPERSED CAMPING?

Designated dispersed camping, usually referred to simply as designated camping, is dispersed camping in sites that have been marked by land managers. Much of the camping in the Gunnison Valley is designated. As camping here increases in popularity, more and more dispersed camping zones will move to designated camping only. In designated camping zones, people who camp outside of marked sites can be ticketed . Having designated sites isolates wear and tear on the land in accord with the principles of Leave No Trace.

WHAT IS A DEVELOPED CAMPGROUND?

WHAT IS A PRIVATE CAMPGROUND?

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Glamping In Crested Butte: Yurt Cabin And Cottage Rentals

Crested Butte is a town in western Colorado, with long winters that help the town maintain its nickname as Colorados Last Great Ski Town. The town, however, is full of things to do all year round, from hiking in the aspen and alpine forests to fishing, whitewater rafting, and kayaking in the areas bodies of water. Go trekking through Gunnison National Forest or boating on Blue Mesa, Colorados biggest lake, which makes up part of the Curecanti National Recreation Area. You can even go for a horseback ride in the Rocky Mountains, said to be one of the best ways to see the breathtaking mountainous terrain of Colorado. For the avid skiers and winter sports enthusiasts, head to Crested Butte Mountain Resort once temperatures drop to get a taste of what this skiing town is all about. Youll have over 1,000 acres of prime skiing real estate on which to enjoy to the maximum before heading home and telling all of your friends what a fantastic experience you had while luxury camping near Crested Butte. Yurt rentals, cabins, and other great vacation rentals are available for you to book. Start planning your getaway to Crested Butte with Glamping Hub!

Last minute booking.The accommodations indicated with the icononly allow same-day reservations within strict time limits. Please bear this in mind to guarantee your reservation.

Dispersed Camping To Be Limited In Crested Butte Starting This Summer

Van-lifers and car campers heading to Crested Butte this summer may find some of their favorite camping spots and pull-offs are no longer available for use. The US Forest Service , working with the Crested Butte Conservation Corps has established a new management plan that establishes designated camping zones in areas that were previously open to dispersed camping. The move is being supported by the Gunnison Valleys Sustainable Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee.

According to a press release, Over the years Crested Butte has gained significant popularity as an outdoor recreation destination, and unfortunately the impacts from unregulated dispersed camping have led to extensive resource damage across the Gunnison National Forest surrounding Crested Butte. The switch to designated camping is the successful culmination of partnership efforts focused on improving Crested Buttes backcountry by adopting a plan that will preserve the landscape while simultaneously improving user experience.

Ultimately 211 designated sites will be available in the Crested Butte area once the conversion is complete. Also, the Bureau of Land Management currently offers designated camping spots in the Slate River area.

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Camping Near Crested Butte And Kebler Pass

Nestled high in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, Crested Butte is a favorite place to visit for camping and other outdoor recreation. Once you gain a little elevation over the towns base of 8,909 feet, youll quickly see why everyone loves coming heres. The scenery is spectacular!

Add Crested Buttes charming mountain village, historic downtown and friendly townsfolk to the mix, and its a cant beat vacation spot. The town is surrounded by endless acres of wilderness within the Gunnison National Forest. Every fall people make the pilgrimage over Kebler Pass, home of Colorados largest aspen grove. This seasonal mountain pass connects Crested Butte with Paonia to the west, which opens up a whole slew of additional free, dispersed camping in-route.

List of campgrounds by Crested Butte, CO, in order of proximity:

Tent Camping In Crested Butte Or Gunnison

Hello! My husband and I are planning a 16 day camping trip in late July from our home in Denver throughout Colorado – We have found some great campsites in Durango, telluride, ouray but we are lost as to where to stay when we are in the Gunnison/CB area. We would love to go rafting, mountain/trail biking, and hang out in both of the towns. We would like to stay at a campsite close to one of the towns, but with very little RV’s and something within biking distance of restauants, markets, etc.

Also, anyone know of a good campsite in Glenwood Springs and Steamboat Springs? Same criteria

Thank you so much!

There are many forest service campgrounds in the area. North of Gunnison is Taylor Park Res. Also we camped somewhere east of Gunnison near Pitkin. Drove to the west entrance to the Alpine Tunnel

National Forest Campground “Gothic” on one end of Crested B. is good. You can bike along the Schofield Pass past Emerald Lake to Lead King Basin although Lead King is a 4WD road, I see bikers all the time. The direction to Crystal City would be pretty tough mountain biking. You would want to follow 315 to Lead King. Coming from Scholfield Pass you would hang a right in the loop and bike across a pure shell shelf road to Lead King. The scenery in Lead King is one of one the most spectacular in Colorado and the wildflowers in the basin will be incredible that the time you are there. There is also a nice 3 mile hiking trail head to Geneva Lake right outside of Lead King.

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Best Campgrounds In Crested Butte Co

Written by Meagan DrillingerNov 17, 2021

Crested Butte, Colorado is a hidden treasure nestled among the Elk Mountain range in the Colorado Rockies. The town is about a four-hour drive from both Denver and Durango, making it one of the more remote locations in Colorado. That means a camping trip to Crested Butte equals unparalleled natural beauty, small-town living, and much fewer people compared with other destinations.

The landscape here is pure Colorado splendor towering mountains loom over sprawling meadows that are practically painted with wildflowers. Crystalline alpine lakes sparkle, while aspen groves flutter among the pine forests of Gunnison National Forest.

With so much natural beauty and serenity, it’s no wonder that Crested Butte is a mecca for camping in Colorado. Crested Butte has so many campgrounds to choose from, all within a short drive from the quaint downtown. The campgrounds in Crested Butte are made for privacy and for tent campers, as they are typically smaller campgrounds surrounded by trees. Many campgrounds can be found on the way out of town closer to Gunnison, or high up in the mountains along bumpy, unpaved Jeep-style roads.

Outdoor enthusiasts who truly want to sleep out under the stars and do not mind foregoing a plethora of amenities will find that this area is heaven for camping. Read on to find your favorite place to pitch a tent on our list of the best campgrounds in Crested Butte.

Crested Butte Dispersed Camping Getting Major Changes This Summer

This summer 2021, the U.S. Forest Service who manages the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests along with the Gunnison County Sustainable Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee will be greatly limiting the camping options for visitors in the north end of our valley, outside of the historical town of Crested Butte. This move, proposed by the STOR committee, comes as a reaction to increased camping impacts in the drainages surrounding town and a desire to preserve the landscape for generations to come.

While camping is one of the best ways to visit our valley, these changes will have significant impacts on how visitors plan, travel and experience Crested Butte. These GMUG changes put a spin on what we call dispersed camping – transitioning many of your favorite spots into what is called designated camping.

Dispersed Camping:also known as primitive camping or boondocking, is where you can camp without fees, amenities or services on public lands in accordance to the local management units guidelines. Pull off the road onto a previously used spot with a rock fire ring and relax. First-come-first-serve, no reservations, know the rules and have fun.

Designated Camping:campsites are designated by the presence of a campsite marker post with an specific site number and metal fire ring. Camping in an area that does not have both of these items is considered illegal. Generally, designated camping is also first-come-first-served, no reservations and without fees.

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Oh Be Joyful Recreation Area

Just five miles from downtown Crested Butte, the Oh Be Joyful Campground feels like you’re in the heart of the Elk Mountain wilderness. This 30-unit campground sits on the Slate River, surrounded by towering mountains. It is a spectacular, jaw-dropping backdrop not far from the creature comforts of downtown Crested Butte.

The recently renovated campground features 12 RV campsites, 18 walk-in tent sites and one walk-in group rest room. Each campsite has a fire ring, picnic table, tent pad, and bear-proof food locker. Reservations are strongly recommended, and with one look at this campground, you’ll understand why. The scenery is mesmerizing.

The campground does not provide drinking water, nor electric hookups or trash service, so this is something to keep in mind before you make your arrangements. The campground does have three vault toilets.

The area of the campground sits on a 600-acre tract of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management. A short hike along the Oh Be Joyful Creek leads to some beautiful waterfalls, and the Slate River runs next to the campground.

Address: 2343-2345 Co Rd 734, Crested Butte, Colorado

Colorado Camping In Crested Butte And Gunnison

There are many places to camp in the Gunnison Valley. Some sites are for tent camping others can accommodate RVs and fifth-wheel trailers. Its important to research camping spots before your trip to avoid surprises . Weve put together this handy guide to help you learn about the different Colorado camping options in Gunnison Valley. Once you know what type of camping you want to do use the contact information and websites weve collected to learn more about specific camping areas and campgrounds.

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Oh Be Joyful Campground

Approximately 5 miles from Crested Butte, Colorado, Oh Be Joyful Campground is a 30-unit campground along the Slate River. The campground itself gets its name from nearby Oh Be Joyful Creek that features massive waterfalls and colorful wildflowers in the summer months. The campground is located at approximately 9,000 feet in elevation and the views are spectacular.

This 30-unit campground was recently renovated and has 14 RV campsites, 15 walk-in tent campsites, one walk-in group campsite and 3 vault restrooms. This campground is normally full and not available unless you have a reservation. Each campsite has a parking space, metal fire ring, picnic table, tent pad and bear proof food storage locker. Drinking water, electric hook-ups and trash service are not available at Oh Be Joyful so bring your own water and plan to take your own trash with you when you leave.

Parking is available for day use visitors who come to Oh Be Joyful to hike, play in the water, picnic, etc.

The access road into Oh Be Joyful Campground is steep and can be rough. The campground can accommodate RVs but the rough road down to the campground may not be suitable for larger low clearance rigs.