Dispersed Camping Near Steamboat Springs | Buffalo Pass Road

Buffalo Pass Road is a great option for dispersed camping near Steamboat Springs. There are a number of camp spots of various sizes with beautiful views. Coming up from Steamboat Springs, there is a long stretch of rocky, rough conditions but otherwise the location is pretty convenient. Because some of the camp spots on Buffalo Pass Road overlook the town below, it’s possible to find some cell service. This is a busy forest road popular with mountain biking, hiking and camping opportunities for the locals. Read on to find out what to expect while camping near Steamboat Springs on Buffalo Pass Road.

Quick Info: Dispersed Camping Near Steamboat Springs

Cost: Free

Ownership: Forest Service; 14 day limit

Directions: From Steamboat Springs, take Strawberry Park Road north then turn left onto the 36 North. After 0.8 mile, turn right onto County Road 38. The road is in good condition for the next 3.5 miles until it reaches the Dry Lake Campground (fee). Once you pass the campground, the road gets rougher and dispersed camping is now permitted. There are numerous spots from here all the way to Buffalo Pass and beyond.

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

Miles From Town: About 10 miles from Steamboat Springs

Water: None

Road Conditions: Dirt road is in good condition up to (dry creek campground) but becomes rough and rocky all the way to Buffalo Pass. High clearance would be ideal but we saw everything from big trucks to a Prius and even a Tesla.

Cell Service: Cell service ranges from none, to spotty, to great depending on the camp spot.

Our Experience Camping Near Steamboat Springs

After stocking up on over priced essentials in Steamboat Springs, we started up Buffalo Pass Road. Initially, the dirt road was a bit steep but otherwise in great condition. After we passed the Forest Service Dry Creek Campground (fee) the road got much more rough and rocky. And there was nowhere to turn our trailer around for quite a ways. Once we reached a (really great) camp spot large enough to turn around in, it was occupied by several vehicles. We backed into the next small, steep spot and barely squeezed in so we could figure out our next move.

We left the trailer and went further to check out the road conditions and look for more options for dispersed camping on Buffalo Pass Road. The road remained rough and rocky but there were more spots. Since we towed the trailer this far, we decided to just go for it.

We drove up to a nice big spot with a great view of Steamboat Springs below. The spot was pretty slanted but we finally got the trailer level and got all settled in. The spot was large, had an incredible view and service worked great!

Camp Here Later – Pin it Now!

After spending two nights in this spot we realized just how busy this area was for camping near Steamboat Springs. Both nights we ended up having 7-10 other vehicles in this camp spot with us. Everyone was respectful but it was a little busy for us.

So the next morning we packed up and squeezed into a more private, cozy spot with a great view. And we really enjoyed this camp spot!

This new spot was tucked into the beautiful aspen, with lots of purple flowers and a great view of the valley.

While we were camping near Steamboat Springs on Buffalo Pass Road the gate was still closed. It was supposed to open on June 15th so the area before the gate was pretty busy. And there were a lot of people driving up and turning back around because they thought the gate would have been open. But during our stay, the gate finally opened (June 28th).

A lot of the traffic we encountered while camping near Steamboat Springs was mountain bikers. There are a number of mountain bike trails in the area.

A few weeks later after camping on Buffalo Pass Road, we came back to do a hike near the pass. That’s when we saw just how many dispersed camp spots there had been past the (now open) gate. There were some really gorgeous spots! But be warned, this area gets really busy in the summer months.

Not seeking out these certain mountain biking trails, don’t need cell service or the close proximity to
Steamboat Springs? We would suggest heading further north for dispersed camping that is less popular and arguably more beautiful. Try Seedhouse Road, Hahns Peak area and forest roads north of Hahns Peak.

In the Area

While we were camping near Steamboat Springs, we limited the number of times that we drove up and down the rough Buffalo Pass Road. But one of our favorite adventures that we checked out was hiking the Zirkel Circle Loop in Zirkel Wilderness. It was so beautiful up there!

Another incredible hike, also a bit of a drive, is Lake Katherine in Mt Zirkel Wilderness. It’s a relatively
short hike through beautiful scenery to an incredible lake.

For something a bit closer to camp, there is a great hiking opportunity atop Buffalo Pass near Summit Lake. Hiking Buffalo Pass Lakes Loop can be done as a loop and there are at least four awesome lakes to see along the way.

If you head down to Steamboat Springs, there’s a popular area called Fish Creek Falls that can be done as a short, easy walk to an overlook or can be extended for more up close views.

And lastly, there is a pretty nice little skatepark in town as well. A paved path that is great for longboarding is conveniently located at the same parking area as the skatepark!

Thanks for Reading!

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

• Free Camping Near Truckee | Forest Road 07
• Camping and Exploring Flat Tops Wilderness
• Dispersed Camping in the Dragoon Mountains
• Owens River Road Dispersed Camping near Mammoth Lakes

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