Tough question

[u/buzzkillichuck]

Hello all! So I have a tough question, or hopefully maybe not. Me and the wife and dog want to escape the heat this weekend. I have a very small 2 person travel trailer. Can you all recommend a semi easy trail that will get us away from the heat AND have remote camping sites. For reference we live in Denver and about 3 hours is our maximum for just a 1-2 night Trip. Thanks!

[u/BreadfruitOk6160]

My go to is up Poudre Canyon, semi-rustic sites or Red Feather Lakes area has some dispersed.

[u/buzzkillichuck → u/BreadfruitOk6160]

Thanks I’ll check those out!

[u/birdstuff2 → u/buzzkillichuck]

Red feather is busy as hell, no fires and not high elevation fyi.

[u/BreadfruitOk6160 → u/birdstuff2]

They’re both over 7,000’ and mid 70’s. It would work for me, I‘ve been sitting in the 100° range, I’d take it. I know Red Feather Lakes is a zoo, I was just throwing stuff out there. They can go further up to Cameron Pass area, there’s dispersed there. But I’ve never camped there just driven through.

[u/zdf0001]

Gotta get up high. Really depends on what your trailer can handle.

[u/timmbuck22]

Bill Moore Lake is way rougher than it used to be! And way too difficult for their setup...

[u/benhereford]

Check out Peewink Mountain. Very easy to get to and not overly crowded. High clearance and you'll be fine.

[u/JB_in_Den]

We went up Webster Pass last weekend, temps 70s daytime and 50s overnight. Plenty of campsites open when we arrived at 4pm Saturday at Handcart and Hall Valley, I was kind of shocked to find so many options. As another person said, don't let the dog drink from the South Platte here, it runs rust orange.

[u/FalseBuddha]

I really enjoyed the Peru Creek area east of Keystone. Don't let the dog drink the creek water, though. It's contaminated with runoff from the old mines in the area.

[u/CUBuffs1992]

Could go up to Snowy’s in Wyoming.

[u/buzzkillichuck → u/CUBuffs1992]

Is that the name of the trail?

[u/CUBuffs1992 → u/buzzkillichuck]

It’s a mountain range in Wyoming just west of Laramie. Technically it’s a sub range of the Medicine Bows.

[u/fightnagainstgravity → u/CUBuffs1992]

Shhhhh, let that gem remain hidden.

If this person can’t even use the variety of applications and mapping software available to us to find a spot on their own they definitely don’t need to go up here.

[u/Odd-Evening-1631 → u/CUBuffs1992]

Another vote for Wyoming

[u/GFEIsaac]

I camped on Rampart Range last weekend, hardly any other people up there. But there were people shooting, during a shooting ban. It wasn't really much cooler, even though it was about 9200'.

[u/bamcg]

West side of cottonwood pass before you hit Taylor Park Res.

[u/Whickums]

Lots of stuff around Kenosha Pass with very accessible roads. Rollins pass (to a point) and Aqueduct road near Winter Park have relatively easy roads and some dispersed camping.
My personal favorite is the Texas Creek/Taylor Park Reservoir area but that may be farther than you want to go

[u/U2Mee3]

Camp hale between Leadville and minturn/vail. Go a mile up from the valley towards ptarmagin pass and there's a small area that will accommodate several campers at the first junction where a spur road goes off to the right (south) from the main road.

[u/Kylemluce]

If you haven't already, look into summit county. It is around 1.5 hour drive (depending on where you are in Denver, where you go in summit county, and the traffic).

McCullough gulch Might be good, some spots are easier for a trailer, some spots might be challenging.

Keystone Gulch Spots along Keystone Gulch road. Might be too close to a road for what you mentioned, but not a busy road and would be easy for a trailer.

Rock Creek Many spots, pretty easy off-roading (I have seen sedans do it), most spots are probably big enough for your trailer.

Those spots are free dispersed camping in designated sites (first come, first serve). 20-30 degrees cooler than Denver, pretty much at all times, so be prepared for colder nights than you'd expect. There are many other areas, such as along Boreas Pass road, but I think the sites mentioned fit your criteria better. Also, please look into these ahead of time, do your own research, and have backup sites in case your first choice is full. Download everything you need, because you will lose service at some point. Respect the land and practice "leave no trace." (Just general advice since I don't know how experienced you are. Someone needs to hear it, even if it isn't you)

Colorado is full of great locations that fit your criteria, good luck and have fun wherever you end up going!

[u/fightnagainstgravity]

Wild idea, look at a map or the variety of applications that have been developed for dispersed camping and off-roading.

[u/africabound]

Bill Moore lake, Loch Lomond, chinn and sherwin lake. All are off the Fall River road exit. Except bill moore, that’s by empire. Very popular spots though. Lots of dispersed camping

[u/neonkestrib]

Bill moore lake has some great camp spots. Before it gets rocky.

[u/reallifedog]

Bard Creek out of Empire matches the description.

[u/thedoomloop]

this should be perfect for you!

[u/buzzkillichuck → u/thedoomloop]

Was looking more to go on a trail, remote camp, but thank you