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The Dyrt: The 10 Best Campgrounds In Colorado

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When you get the drive to go camping, the worst part isn’t packing your gear or preparing your food, but sometimes it is figuring out where to go! You know you want to be outside, you know you want to camp, but you haven’t nailed down just where you want to go. There are a lot of websites that will give you ideas based on your location, but sometimes they are not the most reliable. The Dyrt is a great, reliable and trusted source for all things camping. If you are looking for a campsite, be sure to take your search to The Dyrt.

The Dyrt allows you to search the best campgrounds that exist, in any state. The Dyrt began when its founders felt the same frustration as us. They knew they wanted to be outside but they were sick of relying on friends’ knowledge or sketchy websites to find a great place. They decided to create an app very similar to Yelp, but for camping. Rather than searching the best restaurants in your area, The Dyrt allows you to search for the best campsites! With this idea, Sara Smith, the founder, gathered up some outdoor enthusiasts with experience in software and marketing and started The Dyrt. Today, the Dyrt is the fastest growing camping app out there. On The Dyrt, outdoor enthusiasts share their stories and learn from others across the country.

The Dyrt in Colorado 

It is no secret that Colorado is one of the best states in terms of outdoor activities. It is no coincidence that The Dyrt is extremely popular and there is tons of available information on campsites and the best places to go in Colorado. With that said, here is The Dyrt’s list of the 10 best campsites in Colorado.

Moraine Park Campground (8,160 feet) is located in Colorado's awe-inspiring Rocky Mountain National Park, near the Beaver Meadows Entrance on Highway 36. It is situated on the north side of Moraine Park, offering beautiful views of the vast park and the surrounding mountains. Photo by Brian Hamilton

Moraine Park Campground (8,160 feet) is located in Colorado’s awe-inspiring Rocky Mountain National Park, near the Beaver Meadows Entrance on Highway 36. It is situated on the north side of Moraine Park, offering beautiful views of the vast park and the surrounding mountains. Photo by Brian Hamilton

1. Moraine Park Campground

Moraine Park Campground is located in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park, near the Beaver Meadows Entrance on Highway 36. It offers beautiful views of the national park and the stunning and awe-inspiring surrounding mountains. Here you can find lush valleys to beautiful peaks. This campground is ranked so highly because of its location, of course. Rocky Mountain National Park has over 350 miles of hiking trails that range from flat lakeside strolls to steep mountain peak climb, offering challenging hikes for any level of hiker! If hiking isn’t what you are looking for when camping, there are beautiful scenic driving routes that climb to more than 12,000 feet above sea level.

Moraine Park Campgrounds contains single family tent-only sites, several walk-to tent sites and RV sites. Each campsite is perfectly equipped for a family outing, containing a picnic table, a fire ring with a grate and a tent pad. Also available at the campground are flush toilets and drinking water. For food and supplies, the town of Estes Park is right nearby, offering anything you could need. This campsite costs $30.00 per night.

 

Pinon Flats Campground is located in Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve in southern Colorado. The huge dunes are the tallest in North America and comprise about 11 percent of an enormous sand deposit that covers more than 330 square miles.

Pinon Flats Campground is located in Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve in southern Colorado. The huge dunes are the tallest in North America and comprise about 11 percent of an enormous sand deposit that covers more than 330 square miles.

2. Pinion Flats Campground

Pinon Flats Campground is located very close to Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve in Southern Colorado. These huge dunes are the tallest in North America and comprise 11% of a sand deposit that covers more than 330 square miles. These dunes are truly a sight to see and come as a surprising contrast to the typical mountainous landscape of Colorado. When you go to the sand dunes, it is possible to backpack and camp on the dunes, which is an awesome experience, but if you are looking for something easier and more family friendly, this is a great alternative. It is a great campground in close proximity to the Sand Dunes, to Zapata Falls, and even more.

Pinon Flats Campground comes with tent sites, RV sites, and drinking water. It is pet friendly, and fires are permitted. The cost for this campsite costs $20.00 to $80.00 a night, depending on your needs.

 

Experience Mesa Verde's unspoiled beauty by spending your nights at Morefield Campground. Here, comfortable camping in a glorious canyon setting is just four and a half miles from the park entrance.

Experience Mesa Verde’s unspoiled beauty by spending your nights at Morefield Campground. Here, comfortable camping in a glorious canyon setting is just four and a half miles from the park entrance.

3. Morefield – Mesa Verde National Park

This is a beautiful campground in the middle of a stunning national parol. These campsites are nestled within trees and brush, giving you privacy and a real sense of wilderness. There are a few hikes that leave straight from the campground, making it as easy as possible to enjoy the outdoors while camping. The Mesa Verde National Park Morefield campground is equipped with cabins, tents, group sites, RV sites, and drinking water.

 

Mueller State Park has over 5,000 acres of spring-fed meadows, forested ridges and massive rocks of Pikes Peak Granite with several ponds that dot the landscape.

Mueller State Park has over 5,000 acres of spring-fed meadows, forested ridges and massive rocks of Pikes Peak Granite with several ponds that dot the landscape.

4. Mueller State Park

This campground is great for families and for backpackers alike. It is located in the Turkey Meadow Loop, fully emerged in the Aspen Trees with the backdrop of Pikes Peak. The campsites have a good amount of privacy, allowing you to experience an excellent camping trip. Throughout the campsite there are bathrooms with flush toilets and plenty of drinking water. It is a cozy campsite with plenty of accommodations and clean amenities.

 

Located just south of Littleton, about 45 minutes south of Denver, Chatfield State Park is a 5,800-acre nature preserve and recreation area situated around the Chatfield Reservoir.

Located just south of Littleton, about 45 minutes south of Denver, Chatfield State Park is a 5,800-acre nature preserve and recreation area situated around the Chatfield Reservoir.

5. Chatfield State Park

Chatfield State Park is located extremely close to Denver, in Littleton, only about 45 minutes south of the capital. It is a 5,800-acre nature preserve and recreation area situated perfectly around the Chatfield Reservoir. This campsite boasts almost 200 tent and RV campsites in four various loops. The majority of these have full hookups while some have electrical hookups. All campsites are also equipped with picnic tables, cooking grills, tent pads and have access to flush toilets, showers, drinking water and even laundry facilities. These campsites cost $36.00 to $41.00 a night.

 

Zapata Falls campground is located seven miles southwest of the Great Sand Dunes National Park. The campground sits at 9,000 feet at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Zapata Falls campground is located seven miles southwest of the Great Sand Dunes National Park. The campground sits at 9,000 feet at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

6. Zapata Falls Campground

Zapata Falls is a Bureau of Land Management Special Recreation Management Area, There are 23 single campsites and one group one. It is located in south Colorado, very close to the previous campsite we mentioned, Pinion Flats, next to the Great Sand Dunes. With great trailheads located at the campground, you have the best access to Zapata Falls and surrounding hiking attractions. Unlike many campgrounds, Zapata falls is open year round, though it is difficult to access in the winter.

 

Golden Gate Canyon State Park is a Colorado State Park located northwest of Golden, Colorado. The 12,119-acre (49.04 km2) Front Range park established in 1960 has 42 miles (68 km) of hiking trails.

Golden Gate Canyon State Park is a Colorado State Park located northwest of Golden, Colorado. The 12,119-acre (49.04 km2) Front Range park established in 1960 has 42 miles (68 km) of hiking trails.

7. Golden Gate Canyon State Park

Golden Gate Canyon State Park offers many tent sites, cabins, yurts, RV sites, group sites, and even a guest house. With accommodations like this, this campground is hard to beat for a family trip. In addition to the main campground, there are 20 backcountry tent sites, for those who are looking for a bit more extreme of an outdoor experience. This campsite costs $18.00-$90.00 and comes with great accommodations like flush toilets, showers, electricity, drinking water and even firewood.

 

Glacier Basin Campground (8,500 feet) is adjacent to Estes Park in the awe-inspiring Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. From lush valleys to craggy peaks with elevations reaching over 14,000 feet, visitors are provided opportunities for countless breathtaking experiences and adventures. Photo by Brian Hamilton

Glacier Basin Campground (8,500 feet) is adjacent to Estes Park in the awe-inspiring Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.

From lush valleys to craggy peaks with elevations reaching over 14,000 feet, visitors are provided opportunities for countless breathtaking experiences and adventures. Photo by Brian Hamilton

8. Glacier Basin Campground

Glacier Basin Campground is located adjacent to Estes Park in Colorado’s stunning Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Rocky Mountain National Park is full of beautiful hikes through lush valleys or stunning peaks, meaning you can make this experience whatever you want it to be. This campsite offers several group and family tent sites as well as RV sites. Each campsite comes with a picnic table, a fire ring with a grate and a tent pad. There are also flush toilets and drinking water provided. This campground costs $30.00-$60.00 per night.

 

Anglers and writers consistently tout Eleven Mile State Park’s large reservoir for its outstanding fishing. When not reeling in a trophy rainbow, brown, cutthroat, kokanee or pike, there are nearly five miles of scenic hiking and biking trails that await exploration.

Anglers and writers consistently tout Eleven Mile State Park’s large reservoir for its outstanding fishing. When not reeling in a trophy rainbow, brown, cutthroat, kokanee or pike, there are nearly five miles of scenic hiking and biking trails that await exploration.

9. Eleven Mile State Park: Rocky Ridge Campground

The Rocky Ridge Campground in Eleven Mile State Park is located west of Colorado Springs, featuring a beautiful reservoir and stunning scenery. Here, you can find access to great hikes and beautiful views as you eat your breakfast and get ready for your day! You have to take dirt roads to get here so be sure to take a car that can handle it! This campground comes equipped with picnic tables, showers, firewood and drinking water, suitable for campers, backpackers, boaters and RVers!

 

The Estes Park Campground at East Portal is a charming campground illustrating idyllic camping in the Rocky Mountains. It is so close, yet feels so far away from the hustle and bustle of Estes Park.

The Estes Park Campground at East Portal is a charming campground illustrating idyllic camping in the Rocky Mountains. It is so close, yet feels so far away from the hustle and bustle of Estes Park.

10. Estes Park Campground at East Portal

Number 10 of the best campgrounds in Colorado is snagged by another Rocky Mountain National Park campground! Estes Park Campground at East Portal is located close to the town of Estes Park in Rocky Mountain National Park, giving you access to beautiful hikes and remarkable views. This campground has drinking water, firewood, picnic tables and toilets. It costs $35.00-$50.00 a night.

You can’t go wrong camping and hiking in Colorado! With the outdoors so close and accessible, it is so easy to go camping frequently. When you run out of spots you know of, head over to The Dyrt to learn where other Coloradans have found the best camping spots.