10 Camping Trips - One Summer
- Kristen Hodges
- Sep 16, 2019
- 4 min read
If you've ever lived in or near the mountains, you know that camping season can be short because the nights get pretty cold. One trick that Austin and I have is to start early in the season with low-altitude camping, then gradually move to more mountain-town locations as it gets warmer. We snuck in 10 camping trips this summer - a mix of backpacking and car-camping in our Tepui rooftop tent.
1. April - Moab
Moab, Utah is about a 5 1/2 hour drive from Denver, with an altitude much lower than the Rockies - making it a great weekend trip for early and late summer trips. Moab can get hot and crowded in the summer - we recommend going in early spring or early fall to balance out good temperatures and decent parking/camping available. Austin and I typically do first-come, first-serve camping when we camp in the rooftop tent. We got there mid morning and claimed a spot along Route 128 (where it forks off HWY 91) - there's a lot of little spots along here but get there early! We spent the weekend doing some hikes in Dead Horse and Arches - both close to this camping area.
2. May - Grand Junction
Grand Junction is also a lower-altitude option for early or late season camping. Less than 4 hours from Denver, Colorado National Monument has a great campground up on a high mountain that overlooks the city and the monument area. Reserve in advance to get your ideal spot. There are a lot of hiking options around Grand Junction, short hikes to long hikes, and flat to steep. There is usually a lot of wildlife activity and blooming cactuses to see in early May!
3. May - Salida
Salida is our secret spot for holiday weekends... You heard it here first. The route from Denver to Salida avoids the heavy traffic that you see on holiday weekends on I-25 and I-70, and only takes about 2 1/2 hours! There's also FREE first-come, first-serve endless camping on BLMA land - just go up County Road 250 where it forks from US-50. Most cars can probably make it okay, but AWD is preferable. Just drive around until you find a spot you like and plant your camp!
4. June - Lake Dillion
Lake Dillon is a great place to stay on your way to or back from the mountains if your destination's camping is full - or if you want to spend the weekend in the Silverthorne area. There are a few campgrounds around the Dillon Reservoir that you can usually book pretty close to the date your are looking for. Just over and hour from Denver, this is our secret to getting to the mountains early on Saturday when we need to work a full day in Denver on Friday - you can skip a bunch of the morning traffic this way!
5. July - Thomas Lakes
Austin and I had our first backpacking trip of the year at Thomas Lakes near Aspen, CO - just over 3 hours from Denver. This is a great backpacking trail because you don't need a permit and therefore you can choose to go day-of. It's about an 8-mile total round trip and could be rated in the intermediate range - would be a good but strenuous beginner's backpacking trip. There are a number of sites at the top near the lakes - we stayed at campsite 11 and loved it! More info on this in a separate post.
6. July - RMNP Part I
The Ouzel Lake trail in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) is definitely one of my top three favorite hikes in Colorado so far - I mean look at this photo! This hike was pretty strenuous with a full pack, but absolutely worth it. As our first two-night backcountry camping trip, we hiked up on day 2 to Bluebird Lake. We loved our spot near Ouzel and would recommend it to people who have backpacked a few times at least. July was a great time to go, but we did run into some snow on the way to Bluebird. More info on this in a separate post.
7. July - Aspen/Independence Pass
Independence Pass is one of the most beautiful roads you can drive in Colorado. Only open June through September, this pass is packed with incredible views that you can see from your car, as well and tons of small/medium hikes from the road, typically marked with signs. We reserved a stay at Difficult Campground in advance to secure a spot, and there are a few options along the pass road. Be sure to stop by the Grottos - a short and rewarding hike very unique from most Colorado experiences. More info on this in a separate post.
8. August - Buffalo Pass
Austin and I did a spontaneous camping trip to Steamboat Springs this summer ended up staying on Buffalo Pass. We were pleased to have this little pond all to ourselves, save for the bugs and frogs. It was one of the most peaceful spots of the summer! There's plenty of camping in campgrounds and spots like this on the side of the road for last-minute trips. We will definitely be returning here.
9. August - RMNP Part II
Our third and last backpacking trip of the summer was in RMNP as well, and ended up being great despite the forecast calling for rain the whole weekend. We hiked from Bear Lake to Fern Lake, and out to Spruce Lake for our campsite. The trail was unimproved - so be mindful of the blazes and bring a map. If you are a fly fisher - this campsite is for you. Be sure to know when RMNP permits open up so you can snag yours before there gone! More info on this in a separate post.
10. September - Monarch Pass
Our final camping trip of the summer was Salida once more. We stayed on the same BLM land and had another great camping experience. Austin's summer goal was to mountain bike the Monarch Crest Trail - a strenuous and coveted trail by mountain bikers nationwide. There's a lot to see and do in and around the town of Salida, and it is a common destination for mountain bikers.
Next summer we are shooting for even more weekends of camping!
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