Dispersed Camping in Colorado Springs

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AndrewS
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Dispersed Camping in Colorado Springs

Post by AndrewS »

Is dispersed camping near High Drive or Barr Trail legal? It seems the area is Forest Service land, but dispersed camping it not listed on the Pikes Peak Ranger District website.

I live in Loveland, but work overnights in the Springs a few nights a week, every couple of months. All I require is a legal place to crash in a sleeping bag from 7am to 1pm, a porta john nearby, a short walk, and free parking.

I prefer those areas, since I'll be trail running there before work. If any locals/dirtbags have recommendations, I'd love to hear them.
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WildWanderer
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Re: Dispersed Camping in Colorado Springs

Post by WildWanderer »

I think your best option right now is Rampart Range Road: you can access it from Garden of the Gods or Woodland Park. It's open for the season and there are several pull-outs that make for nice parking/camping/overnight spots. This is also a popular running 'trail'. I don't know of any legal spots near Barr Trail to camp, and it's frowned upon (lots of signs asking you not to). Bear Creek (High Drive) has a few parking spots at the trailhead, and could be an option, but there are a lot of residences in the area and being there more than a few days could pose a problem. Also note: for the next month North Cheyenne Canyon is closed to vehicles, so more people will be using the High Drive/Bear Creek route to access the area.
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Re: Dispersed Camping in Colorado Springs

Post by cottonmountaineering »

This is a good resource
https://freecampsites.net/

It sounds like walmart might be a good option for what you need though
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WildWanderer
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Re: Dispersed Camping in Colorado Springs

Post by WildWanderer »

cottonmountaineering wrote: Tue May 04, 2021 9:59 am This is a good resource
https://freecampsites.net/

It sounds like walmart might be a good option for what you need though
Agreed, but not the one on 8th street (the closest in the area): I wouldn't consider that a safe overnight spot to park and sleep in my vehicle.
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Re: Dispersed Camping in Colorado Springs

Post by RhodoRose »

fyi, if by "high drive" you're referring to Gold Camp Road, there was a rock slide on the road last week. They're also working on the big parking lot above Helen Hunt Falls during most of May.

https://coloradosprings.gov/parks/artic ... -camp-road
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Re: Dispersed Camping in Colorado Springs

Post by jrs1965 »

There a few pull-offs in North Cheyenne Canyon that might work? Pretty far north, but Mt. Herman Road has a few spots if you don't mind competition from the regulars/homeless...
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Re: Dispersed Camping in Colorado Springs

Post by justiner »

WildWanderer wrote: Tue May 04, 2021 9:51 am I don't know of any legal spots near Barr Trail to camp, and it's frowned upon (lots of signs asking you not to).
Concerning legality, how would it not be legal? Being in USFS and all, I'm wondering what the special consideration for not allowing it would be. I could see camping being inconvenient (ie: no good watersource nearby), but other than "we'd rather everyone camp at Barr Camp" preference, what would stop anyone from camping near Barr Trail?

And this is a legitimate question - Pikes Peak is one of the more industrialized mountains, so it would make sense if there is this special consideration - I just don't know what it is, exactly. If it exists, I'd like to know, to help point others to it.
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Re: Dispersed Camping in Colorado Springs

Post by dwoodward13 »

justiner wrote: Tue May 04, 2021 12:13 pm
WildWanderer wrote: Tue May 04, 2021 9:51 am I don't know of any legal spots near Barr Trail to camp, and it's frowned upon (lots of signs asking you not to).
Concerning legality, how would it not be legal? Being in USFS and all, I'm wondering what the special consideration for not allowing it would be. I could see camping being inconvenient (ie: no good watersource nearby), but other than "we'd rather everyone camp at Barr Camp" preference, what would stop anyone from camping near Barr Trail?

And this is a legitimate question - Pikes Peak is one of the more industrialized mountains, so it would make sense if there is this special consideration - I just don't know what it is, exactly. If it exists, I'd like to know, to help point others to it.
I think there is a confusion on what is constituting "dispersed camping" here? Are we talking about car dispersed camping? That seems to be what WW and the others here are talking about. I can't tell if that's what the OP is asking or not. Because Barr Trail TH is on private land, but he mentions the the Trail itself being on public.

As far as backpacking in on the Barr Trail, other than certain resource protection/rehabilitation areas, I don't think the USFS blocks off areas for camping. Their Barr Trail page mentions camping at the bottom and lists no restrictions along the trail, but just points out the A frame and Barr Camp.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/psicc/r ... ecid=12559
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Re: Dispersed Camping in Colorado Springs

Post by jrs1965 »

Seeing that he's trying to dirt bag a spot to sleep, Barr Trail would not work. You'll have to pay to park. The signs WW had mentions most likely are the signs to discourage the homeless from setting up camps...
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Re: Dispersed Camping in Colorado Springs

Post by AndrewS »

Thanks for the replies. For this instance, I'd define camping as sleeping in a sleeping bag and bivy sack from 7am-1pm. All other equipment is left in my car. No eating or drinking. No bathroom usage. Literally just hiking in, throwing a sleeping bag on the ground, sleeping for 6 hours, and then packing up and hiking back to my car.

Cheyenne Canyon looks like a good possibility. Maybe I'll give the Ranger District a call.
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Re: Dispersed Camping in Colorado Springs

Post by Jim Davies »

North Cheyenne Canyon is a city park and doesn't allow camping or overnight parking. There's also no camping allowed in the Bear Creek watershed (including Forest Service land). The Forest Service areas up Barr Trail are generally legal, but that would be backpacking (and you have to park somewhere). Rampart Range Road is probably your best bet in the immediate area. If you want to go about 40-50 miles away, there are spots on Forest Service land around Wilkerson Pass - some of the roads around Round Mountain campground, or off CO 77 around Tarryall. Of course, homeless people camp all over town (not technically legally), so if you look desperate enough nobody will bother you.
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Re: Dispersed Camping in Colorado Springs

Post by AndrewS »

This is just a lost cause in civil society I guess. I'll begrudgingly stay with my current arrangement. I was just hoping to save 40 minutes of drive time each day.

Thanks all. We can let this thread die in place, like my hopes and dreams.
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