Wise Tips for Camping in Colorado
Are you ready to book your summer adventures? Colorado has some of the best camping options in this country, and everything is within a day’s drive of Longmont! If you’re preparing for a camping trip this year, here are some Wise Tips to ensure a great camping experience.
Book Your Spot Early
Over the past decade, or so, Colorado has become a paragon for camping and our recent worldwide crisis gave this great state more clout. Because of the extreme popularity of camping in the Centennial State, it’s important to book your camping spot early. This is especially important if you’re taking an RV or 5th Wheel Camper. With 43 state parks and a little over 4,000 campsites, reservations fill up quickly. Our Wise Tip for your camping adventure is to make your reservation early – as soon as reservations open up on the campground’s website. A great place to start searching for campsites is the Colorado Parks & Wildlife Website.
Be Adventurous
If you’re a Colorado Native, or you’ve explored much of the state, start looking for new, less explored areas of Colorado. This will help you avoid large crowds, heavy traffic, and contest for campsites. Don’t just head to Estes Park, Gunnison, Colorado Springs, or Summit County for your outdoors adventures. Look up BLM land for dispersed camping in less trafficked areas. Another great tip is to look for camping in areas farther away from the major highways: I-70, I-25, HWY-50, and HWY 160. If you’re feeling up for a challenge, try backpacking into remote areas like the Maroon Bells wilderness. You won’t be disappointed!
Around The Campsite
The high country of Colorado is black bear country. This is important regardless of RV camping or tent camping. You will need to be aware of your food storage, trash, and cleaning process. If you’re taking an RV, make sure all your food and trash are inside when you turn off the lights and go to bed. When tent camping, you can either hoist a food sack into the trees where bears can’t climb to get it, or store your food and trash in a bear canister. You can rent bear canisters from a local outdoor sporting goods store or REI.
If you’re setting up camp near water sources, make sure to be aware of where water can flow. Colorado experiences extreme downpours sometimes, and a sudden flood could wash your campsite away. Check out the trees around camp. Don’t set up camp if any trees appear to be old or dying, or if they’re leaning heavily in one direction. Heavy wind can break off limbs or push trees over if the soil is wet.
And always make sure to follow camping etiquette, especially when around other campers.
Food
Depending on how you’re camping, food can be tricky. If you’re bringing the RV with you, the sky’s the limit! If you’re tent camping with a camping stove, then you’ll want to prepare a little more carefully. Water will be your primary ingredient in most cooked options. There are a lot of dried foods for camping that just require boiling water to prepare. You can also bring non-refrigerated fruits or vegetables, as long as they don’t bruise easily in the bear canister or food-sack. Before heading out on your trip, double check your fuel and water filtering systems. These are essential for cooking and staying hydrated.
Clothing & Gear
When camping in the mountains, the mornings and evenings are chilly and the days can be hot. You’ll want warm, long-sleeved options for the start and end of your days, and shorts and light shirts for the daytime. Bring plenty of sunscreen because the high country sun is brutal. Don’t forget your hat and sunglasses as well. If you are planning on going on a hike while camping, make sure you have sturdy shoes and extra socks (for when you get back to camp). The mountain terrain can tear up weak soles and you may find several water crossings along your path.
Weather Expectations
Colorado’s weather can be unpredictable year round, with 70 degree days in the middle of winter and snowstorms in the middle of summer – especially in the Rocky Mountains. Make sure you’re prepared. It’s fairly standard to have a rainshower in the afternoons and sunshine the rest of the day. If you do come across a few days of cloud cover, be prepared for thunderstorms and lots of rain, with a chance of snow. Always bring rain jackets and extra clothes, just in case. Local forecasts are very reliable when it comes to temperature, but keep a wary eye on the precipitation predictions when planning your camping trip.
Wildlife
As stated above, Colorado is bear country. This is the most important thing to prepare for, especially when tent camping in the wilderness. Even in a populated campground or a small mountain town, bears can be found rummaging through trash cans and walking around in the evenings. Bears, however, are not the only wildlife to be aware of. Moose, elk, mountain lions, and cougars are some of the other potentially dangerous animals you might come across while exploring Colorado. The likelihood of a life-threatening encounter with any of these animals is very, very low, but it’s important to know how to handle yourself around each should you encounter any.
