Free Camping On Homestake Road | Holy Cross Wilderness

We noticed a number of dispersed spots for camping on Homestake Road when we first drove through on our way to the Missouri and Fancy Lakes Trailheads. So after finishing up our adventures on Halfmoon Creek Road near Leadville, we headed further north to explore more of the Holy Cross Wilderness. Camping on Homestake Road made for an awesome two week home base near several trailheads that lead to some seriously incredible beauty! And the camp spots along this road are great with a nice variety of spots to choose from for tent camping and larger rigs alike.

Quick Info: Camping On Homestake Road

Cost: Free

Ownership: Forest Service; 14 day limit

Directions: From Leadville, follow US-24 W for 18.5 miles. Turn left onto Homestake Road and immediately you’ll noticed dispersed camping options. Watch for private property signs. Our specific spot was about 4 miles down Homestake Road.

Solar: Good – there are opportunities for open or shaded spots

Miles From Town: Homestake Road is about 20 miles from Avon where you can find most services, including a Walmart. Minturn is about 15 miles away but there are less services.

Water: None, but there is a river if you are set up for filtering your own water.

Road Conditions: Dirt road – well maintained but with some potholes and washboard sections

Cell Service: No

Our Experience Camping on Homestake Road

We stocked up on groceries in Leadville before heading up to Homestake Road. It was a Sunday when we arrived and rainy so we were surprised that a good amount of the dispersed camp spots near the river were occupied. As we kept driving we found a nice spot with a trail down to the river that suited us better than a large open meadow spot. So we got all parked and settled in. (Several days later we received a surprise snow storm! Here one day, gone the next 🙂 )

After exploring most of the options for camping on Homestake Road, we found that there were a lot of sites and a good variety. Near the beginning, there is an open round-about like area that looks like it used to be a developed campground. This area is free, only a short drive down the dirt road and you’ll likely have neighbors.

As you continue driving along Homestake Road, there are a variety of small and large spots both open or shaded. There are also a few areas of private property that are clearly marked. Any size rig can find a spot camping on Homestake Road.

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Homestake Road continues up to Homestake Reservoir and it also branches right to several other points of interest so the road is well trafficked. Weekends are much busier than weekdays and holiday weekends are of course super busy! We just happened to be in the area when Labor Day rolled around and we were shocked to count 87 vehicles parked at/near the Fancy Lakes and Missouri Lakes Trailheads! Until I counted, even I thought 87 sounded like an exaggeration but no – there were literally that many!

Back to our particular spot camping on Homestake Road… We had good solar even down in the valley and we had nice views of both woods and an open meadow. From our spot, there was a small trail down to the waters edge. This was super convenient for accessing the river and collecting water. We were able to see several deer while we were here as well as some marmots and chipmunks. Seeing marmots at this low of elevation surprised us but they and their distinct chirp are unmistakable.

While we were here, there was a fire ban and a couple rangers came around to make sure everyone was aware and complying. They were very friendly.

What to Do While Camping On Homestake Road

The setting for spending time camping here was great. Of course, having a river in your backyard is always a treat. There are opportunities for rock hopping in some sections of the river. And nearby are some steep rocks that make for a fun area to scramble around a bit. Any time we arrive at a new camp spot, we enjoy wandering around and getting to know the area.

But I think the best part of camping on Homestake Road has to be the numerous trailheads that lead into the Holy Cross Wilderness! Having multiple trailheads on the same road we were camped on made it super easy to get out and experience the beauty of the area.

During our stay, we were fortunate enough to explore numerous trailheads including: Backpacking Fancy and Missouri Lakes Loop (gorgeous!), Hiking to Lonesome Lake, Backpacking from Hunky Dory to Tuhare Lakes (seriously stunning!), Hiking to Whitney Lake and we even spent a day watching Jeeps and crawlers attempting the gnarly Holy Cross City Jeep Road!

The beauty that we experienced on these trailheads were not just convenient hikes, they were some seriously gorgeous adventures! We were so happy that we ended up camping on this forest road near this particular wilderness. Since we had no real itinerary for our summer in Colorado, we were very pleased that our travels took us in this direction. Beautiful.

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Overall, we really enjoyed camping on Homestake Road! The camp spots, the setting and the nearby recreation opportunities made for a great experience. We fit in as many adventures as we could while we were here but once again, it’s time to move on!

If you would like to read about more great boondocking spots, check out the articles below:

• Fossil Falls
• Camping and Climbing at Logandale Trails
• Kebler Pass Road Boondocking
• Camping Near Sycamore Creek

While we are on the road we stay busy creating hand painted longboards! If you’d like to pick up a unique new longboard, head over to our Lost Coast Longboarding Shop to see our latest lineup. We also design and screen print our own t-shirts and long sleeve shirts.

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