Camping at THs??
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schumi248
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Camping at THs??
Is there a page that lists what kind of camping options are near THs, and if sleeping in your car is allowed??
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TravelingMatt
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Re: Camping at THs??
In practice, mostly everywhere except Longs and maybe Maroon Lake. Other trailheads may be signed for no camping (as Scree of Ages is) but the USFS doesn't really have the staff to go around at 3 am shining flashlights into cars. I presume people still park and sleep at the main ranch gate for Culebra. Not sure about the Barr Trail lot, come to think of it.schumi248 wrote:and if sleeping in your car is allowed??
What you may encounter at the more popular 14er THs, however, is noise from people pulling in to get an extra early start when you'd rather get a couple hours more sleep. The easiest solution to this, where possible, is to park along the road a slight distance away.
You never know what is enough until you know what is more than enough. -- William Blake
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schumi248
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Re: Camping at THs??
Something else that would be useful is info on bathrooms at THs too.
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TravelingMatt
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Re: Camping at THs??
There's usually a Starbucks; you can just go there.
You never know what is enough until you know what is more than enough. -- William Blake
Re: Camping at THs??
Like a previous poster said sleeping in your car usually permissible at most trailheads except for Longs and Maroon Lake.
Bear in mind that camping right at the trailhead is permitted at some places and not others. For example, the Rock of Ages trailhead doesn't allow camping at the actual trailhead, though there are campsites along the road in.
Bear in mind that camping right at the trailhead is permitted at some places and not others. For example, the Rock of Ages trailhead doesn't allow camping at the actual trailhead, though there are campsites along the road in.
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yaktoleft13
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Re: Camping at THs??
That being said, I have slept in my car at both Maroon Creek and Longs with no issues. Just be discrete and not disruptive and you'll be okay
Last edited by yaktoleft13 on Sat May 19, 2018 9:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
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seano
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Re: Camping at THs??
Yes, please be discreet -- roll in late, head out early, don't make a big production of it -- and the Man will leave you alone.yaktoleft13 wrote:That being said, I have slept in my car at both Maroon Creek and Longs with no issues. Just be discrete and no disruptive and you'll be okay
More anecdata... You won't get arrested, but you probably won't be able to sleep at the Maroon TH -- I got tooled by the live-in camp host there last spring. I haven't tried sleeping at Longs. I had no trouble sleeping at the Barr TH in 2009, but I wouldn't be surprised if things have changed. I haven't had any trouble sleeping in my car at other 14er trailheads, which are mostly on Forest Service land.
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Scott P
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Re: Camping at THs??
Just because you got away with it doesn't mean everyone will. When I climbed Longs, a ranger was using a flashlight to look into all vehicles at the Longs Trailhead and they were definitely enforcing the rule about no sleeping in the parking lot. You may get away with it and not be bothered, or you may be caught.That being said, I have slept in my car at both Maroon Creek and Longs with no issues. Just be discrete and no disruptive and you'll be okay
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.
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theuglybear
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Re: Camping at THs??
I was actually just wondering why this site didn't already do that.schumi248 wrote:Something else that would be useful is info on bathrooms at THs too.
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BillMiddlebrook
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Re: Camping at THs??
Because we don't.theuglybear wrote:I was actually just wondering why this site didn't already do that.schumi248 wrote:Something else that would be useful is info on bathrooms at THs too.
Does it make any difference if you know ahead of time whether or not a TH has an established outhouse or not? You'll have to do what you need to do. Somehow.
Proud to be against fascism, racism, xenophobia and stupidity.
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peter303
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Re: Camping at THs??
Or wait for the oneon the summit.TravelingMatt wrote:There's usually a Starbucks; you can just go there.
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TallGrass
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Re: Camping at THs??
Yes, it does make a difference.BillMiddlebrook wrote:Because we don't.theuglybear wrote:I was actually just wondering why this site didn't already do that.schumi248 wrote:Something else that would be useful is info on bathrooms at THs too.
Case in point the TH for Cathedral which does NOT have one some people have started a social trail to "somehow" "do what [they] need to do" as evidenced by the TP either side of the "trail." Maybe if they knew before hand they could have hit a gas station on the way in, even if they were Texas CGladiators.
The one at the upper 4x4 TH for Uncompahgre is reportedly NLA due to poor decomposition of "materials," and the one for Sneffels/Teakettle was slated for the same due to the same per the USFS person I talked with who was cleaning it.
Westcliffe (Crestones, Humboldt, Adams) has two 24hr restrooms with plumbing, one in the park on the south side of town, and one on the main E-W street on the N side next to a little park plot and the Mennonite furniture store. There's a pit john at the Horn Creek TH (Adams), and a few on the way to Lindsey in the state park area before the ranches about halfway from Gardner.
In short, expect there NOT to be any facilities at any TH and plan accordingly.
