Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Forest Service3,968,994 acres · USDA Forest Service
Can you sleep here
Dispersed camping is generally allowed
On national forest and grassland, camping outside developed campgrounds is generally permitted unless an area is posted closed or a local order says otherwise. Stay on existing surfaces, camp away from water and trailheads, and check the forest's current orders before you go — fire restrictions change through the season.
Stay limit14 days in most forests — the exact limit is set per forest and district
In an RVDispersed sites are unimproved: no hookups, no water, no dump station, and access roads are often unsurfaced. Designated wilderness inside the unit is closed to all vehicles.
Rule36 CFR 261.58 — occupancy and use, set by forest order
Rules change with fire season and local order. Checked 2026-08-05. Confirm on the managing office’s official page
- Area
- 6,202 sq mi
- Managed by
- Forest Service
- Campgrounds
- 114
- Longest rig
- 100 ft
Where the land is, and what fits
The official Forest Service boundary with every campground we hold inside it. Tell it how long your rig is and the map keeps only what takes it — public land rarely matches the shape people picture, and neither does what you can actually get into.
Map loads as you scroll
Official unit boundary · USDA Forest Service · 114 campgrounds shown
114 of 114 campgrounds
- Alvarado Campgroundto 45 ft · 51 sites · Pull-throughReservations accepted
- Angel of Shavano Campground4 sitesFirst-come, first-served
- Aspen CampgroundMid May (depending on conditions) – Mid October · Reservations accepted
- Baby Doe Campgroundto 45 ft · 51 sitesReservations accepted
- Bassam Guard Station/CabinMay 15, 2024 – Nov. 30, 2024 · Reservations accepted
- Bear Lake CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Belle of Colorado Campground4 sitesFirst-come, first-served
- Blue Lake CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Blue Mountain Campgroundto 35 ft · 21 sitesMid May (depending on conditions) – Mid October · Reservations accepted
- Bootleg Campground4 sitesSeason not published
- Boreas Pass Section HouseSeason not published
- Buffalo Campgroundto 40 ft · 37 sites · Pull-throughEarly May – Late September · Reservations accepted
- Buffalo Springs Campgroundto 40 ft · 18 sites · Pull-throughMid May (depending on conditions) – Mid October · Reservations accepted
- Burning Bear Campgroundto 50 ft · 13 sites · Pull-throughEarly May – Late December · Reservations accepted
- Burning Bear East TrailheadYear round
- Burning Bear West TrailheadYear round
- Cabin Ridge TrailheadYear round
- Cascade CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Chalk Lake Campgroundto 30 ft · 19 sitesFirst-come, first-served
- Cimarron CampgroundYear round · Campsites are non-reservable.
- Cimarron Group SiteReservations accepted
- Coaldale CampgroundSeason not published
- Collegiate Peaks Campgroundto 50 ft · 56 sites · Pull-throughFirst-come, first-served
- Colorado Campgroundto 100 ft · 81 sites · Pull-throughMay 26 – Sept. 4 · Reservations accepted
- Cordova Pass Picnic Area and CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Cottonwood Lake CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Cove Campgroundto 25 ft · 4 sitesMay (dependent on conditions) – Mid October · Reservations accepted
- Crags CampgroundLate May – Late September · First-come, first-served
- Crescent Mining Camp1 sitesMay 15th – October 31st · Reservations accepted
- Davenport Campground12 sitesReservations accepted
- Dawson Cabin1 sitesSeason not published
- Deer Creek Campground4 sitesYear round · First-come, first-served
- Devil's Head Campground4 sitesEarly May – Late September · First-come, first-served
- Dexter Campground4 sitesYear round · First-come, first-served
- Dutch Fred TrailheadSeason not published
- Elbert Creek Campground4 sitesFirst-come, first-served
- Father Dyer Campgroundto 35 ft · 27 sites · Pull-throughReservations accepted
- Flat Rocks Campground4 sitesEarly May – Late September · First-come, first-served
- Flat Rocks TrailheadSeason not published
- Fourmile Campground4 sitesMay (depending on conditions) – Mid October · First-come, first-served
- Garber Creek TrailheadSeason not published
- Geneva Park Campgroundto 32 ft · 26 sitesMemorial Day weekend – Labor Day Weekend · Reservations accepted
- Goose Creek Campground4 sitesMemorial Day Weekend – Labor Day Weekend · First-come, first-served
- Green Mountain Campground4 sitesEarly May – Late September · First-come, first-served
- Halfmoon East Campground4 sitesFirst-come, first-served
- Halfmoon West Campground4 sitesFirst-come, first-served
- Hall Valley Campground4 sitesYear round · First-come, first-served
- Handcart Campground4 sitesYear round · First-come, first-served
- Happy Meadows CampgroundMid May (depending on conditions) – Mid October · Reservations accepted
- Hayden Creek Campground4 sitesFirst-come, first-served
- Horseshoe Campgroundto 40 ft · 19 sites · Pull-throughMid May (depending on conditions) – Mid October · Reservations accepted
- Indian Creek CampgroundLate May – Late September · First-come, first-served
- Indian Creek Equestrian Campgroundto 40 ft · 7 sites · Pull-throughLate May – Late September · Reservations accepted
- Indian Creek TrailheadMay 26, 2023 – Sept. 24, 2023
- Interlaken Historic ResortSeason not published
- Iron City Campground4 sitesFirst-come, first-served
- Jefferson Creek Campgroundto 40 ft · 17 sites · Pull-throughMid May (depending on conditions) – Mid October · Reservations accepted
- Kelsey Campgroundto 60 ft · 17 sites · Pull-throughEarly May – Late September · Reservations accepted
- Kenosha East Campground4 sitesMid May – Late December · First-come, first-served
- Kenosha Pass Campgroundto 55 ft · 25 sites · Pull-throughLate May – Late September · Reservations accepted
- Kite Lake CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- La Vista CampgroundReservations accepted
- Lake Creek CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Lake Isabel Cabin1 sitesYear round · Reservations accepted
- Lakeview Campgroundto 60 ft · 72 sites · Pull-throughReservations accepted
- Lodgepole CampgroundMid May (depending on conditions) – Mid October · Reservations accepted
- Lone Rock CampgroundYear round · Reservations accepted
- Lost Park Campground4 sitesMid May (depending on conditions) – Mid October · First-come, first-served
- Matchless Campground4 sitesFirst-come, first-served
- May Queen Campgroundto 99 ft · 28 sites · Pull-throughReservations accepted
- Meadow Ridge Campgroundto 99 ft · 19 sites · Pull-throughMid May – Mid Sept · Reservations accepted
- Meadows Group Campgroundto 99 ft · 2 sitesMay 3, 2024 – Sept. 22, 2024 · Reservations accepted
- Meridian Campground4 sitesLate May – Late September · First-come, first-served
- Michigan Creek Campground4 sitesMid May (depending on conditions) – Mid October · First-come, first-served
- Mingus Ranch CabinMay – November · Reservations accepted
- Molly Brown Campgroundto 40 ft · 50 sitesReservations accepted
- Monarch Park Campgroundto 45 ft · 38 sites · Pull-throughFirst-come, first-served
- Mount Princeton Campgroundto 45 ft · 19 sitesFirst-come, first-served
- North Fork CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- O'Haver Lake Campground32 sites · Pull-throughFirst-come, first-served
- Ophir Creek CampgroundReservations accepted
- Osprey CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Ouzel Campground13 sitesYear round · First-come, first-served
- Painted Rocks Campgroundto 59 ft · 18 sites · Pull-throughReservations accepted
- Parry Peak Campground4 sitesFirst-come, first-served
- Pike Community Group CampgroundLate May – Mid September · Reservations accepted
- Platte River Campground4 sitesYear round · First-come, first-served
- Ponderosa Group CampgroundReservations accepted
- Printer Boy Group CampgroundReservations accepted
- Purgatoire Campgroundto 45 ft · 23 sitesReservations accepted
- Red Rocks Group Campgroundto 25 ft · 1 sites · Pull-throughLate May – Mid September · Reservations accepted
- Riverside CampgroundMid May (depending on conditions) – Mid October · First-come, first-served
- Round Mountain Campgroundto 30 ft · 16 sites · Pull-throughMid May (depending on conditions) – Mid October · Reservations accepted
- Selkirk Campground4 sitesMid May (depending on conditions) – Mid October · First-come, first-served
- Silver Dollar Campgroundto 30 ft · 46 sitesReservations accepted
- South Meadows CampgroundMay – October · Reservations accepted
- Southside CampgroundReservations accepted
- Spillway Campgroundto 40 ft · 23 sitesMid May (depending on conditions) – Mid October · Reservations accepted
- Springdale Campground4 sitesMay – September · First-come, first-served
- Springer Gulch Campgroundto 28 ft · 15 sitesMid May (depending on conditions) – Mid October · Reservations accepted
- Spruce Group CampgroundReservations accepted
- Spruce Grove Campgroundto 36 ft · 27 sitesMid May (depending on conditions) – Mid October · Reservations accepted
- St. Charles CampgroundReservations accepted
- Sugar Creek Lower TrailheadSeason not published
- Sugar Creek Upper TrailheadSeason not published
- Tabor Campground4 sitesFirst-come, first-served
- Thunder Ridge Campgroundto 60 ft · 21 sites · Pull-throughMay – October · Reservations accepted
- Timberline Campgroundto 45 ft · 25 sitesLate May – Late December · Reservations accepted
- Twin Eagles CampgroundMid May (depending on conditions) – Mid October · First-come, first-served
- Twin Peaks CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Weston Pass Campground4 sitesMid May (depending on conditions) – Mid October · First-come, first-served
- Whiteside Picnic AreaYear round
- Whitestar Campgroundto 99 ft · 67 sites · Pull-throughReservations accepted
- Winfield Dispersed Camping AreaSeason not published
No vehicles past these lines
Designated wilderness is closed to every wheeled vehicle, including bicycles. You can walk in and camp; you cannot drive or park a rig inside one.
- Sangre de Cristo Wilderness179,340 acres
- Collegiate Peaks Wilderness166,226 acres
- Lost Creek Wilderness115,203 acres
- Buffalo Peaks Wilderness41,281 acres
- Mount Massive Wilderness26,490 acres
- Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness23,116 acres
- Spanish Peaks Wilderness19,353 acres
Byways through this country
Places worth pulling over
National parks close enough to pair
Plan it
Drive to Pike and San Isabel the long way
Byway plans the road in, not just the destination — real places along the way, weighted to what you like, with nothing invented.