Dispersed Camping Near Fort Collins | Pingree Park Road

Poudre Canyon is a great area to find dispersed camping near Fort Collins and immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the area. From Fort Collins, Poudre Canyon Road, CO-14, is a super scenic drive as it winds its way through Arapaho Roosevelt National Forest along the beautiful Cache la Poudre River. And along the way, it provides access to outdoor recreation such as campgrounds, trailheads, climbing areas and the river itself.

Along the canyon road is Pingree Park Road, a well known area for dispersed camping near Fort Collins located near Kelly Flats Campground. Once the road climbs away from CO-14, the spots are plentiful and the sizes can accommodate tent campers to large RV’s – as long as spots are open. Find out more about what to expect while dispersed camping on Pingree Park Road!

Quick Info: Dispersed Camping on Pingree Park Road

Cost: Free

Ownership: Forest Service; 14 day limit

Directions: From Fort Collins, follow signs for the US-287 N. Keep right and follow signs for US-287/CO-14/Poudre Canyon then merge onto US-287. After 5.9 miles, turn left onto CO-14 W and continue for 26.2 miles. Turn left onto Pingree Park Road and continue along this road until you find a dispersed camp spot that you like.

Solar: Good, but depends on the spot you choose.

Miles From Town: About 38 miles from Fort Collins.

Water: None

Road Conditions: Dirt road is in good condition but is a bit steep and winding.

Cell Service: None

Our Experience Dispersed Camping Near Fort Collins

Northern Colorado has been blowing our minds all summer! We’ve found some great dispersed camping and incredible adventures. Once we were driving along Poudre Canyon Road, we didn’t expect anything less as we searched for dispersed camping near Fort Collins. That’s when we discovered the dispersed camping on Pingree Park Road.

Once we turned onto Pingree Park Road and crossed the bridge, the dirt road began to climb and wind its way up. Before long, we noticed several large pull offs and camping areas amongst the trees. Several of these camping areas had numerous camp spots that would accommodate groups or large rigs.

We continued climbing along the main road until the road mellowed out a bit. After passing up some group spots we found a smaller, more secluded camp spot by some trees and boulders looking out into the woods. Plus we would have space between us and other campers if they decided to join us in the nearby area. So that suited us! We maneuvered our way into our new spot and settled in.

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As we checked out the area a bit more we started to notice how… used this area is. This area is definitely a well known hub for dispersed camping near Fort Collins. There was a lot of toilet paper and potential surprises under the pine needles and near the boulders. And of course other trash as well – easy enough to bring out on the camping trip but impossible to take back with. But besides those complaints, the area was fine for enjoying a few days in the Arapaho Roosevelt National Forest.

While we were camping here, there were several other campers spread out well on the week days. But the weekends were near capacity. Weekdays were peaceful, we even managed to see several deer during our stay. Weekends were not so quiet which is to be expected with the proximity to Fort Collins.

We weren’t here very long, but we got in some little adventures. From one of our hikes we climbed atop a ridge and were able to look down into the Poudre Canyon at the Cache la Poudre River and even the nearby Kelly Flats Campground. All in all, it was a nice stop on our Colorado adventures but not one that we would likely return to.

Thanks for Reading!

We hope you enjoyed this article about dispersed camping near Fort Collins! If you would like to see more of our articles about awesome dispersed camping spots, check out the links below:

• Dispersed Camping Near Frazier Falls
• Boondocking in the Dragoon Mountains
• Camping at Laguna Mountain Recreation Area

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