9 Best Dispersed Camping Near Aspen, Colorado

Last Updated on September 19, 2023 by

Aspen, Colorado’s lovely city, is one of the nicest mountain communities in the state. It is not only known for its majesty and splendor, but it is also a fantastic summer holiday destination due to its location.

Dispersed Camping near Aspen is a fantastic way to extend your horizons and enjoy this lovely area. You will be on your way to getting some of Aspen’s most famous sights, such as the Maroon Rings and even some of the city’s art attractions.

This location is best for endless hiking, riding, and almost any other type of outdoor experience. You can also find excellent campgrounds where you can easily rest and take some time off to explore nature.

If you want to learn about the best dispersed camping near Aspen, Colorado, then we have found some great locations in Colorado that will catch your interest.

What are the Best Dispersed Camping Near Aspen, CO?

1. Silver Bar Campground 

Silver Bar Campground is located southwest of Aspen and has its own soundtrack provided by adjacent Maroon Creek’s dazzling waters.

Hiking and horseback riding in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness are popular pastimes. Considering the weather conditions, hot summer days and cold sunsets are frequently accompanied by late-afternoon thunderstorms.

Aspen is 9 miles from this spot. You should remember that, from the month of May to October, only four ground tents are available. Water, a toilet, and storage room facilities are all available.

Hiking, horseback riding, and fishing in Maroon Creek are all popular pastimes in the Maroon Snow Desert.

From Aspen, travelers can use County Road to Maroon Creek Road for 82.5 miles. You have to enter the traffic plaza via the second exit.

2. Silver Bell Campground

Just minutes from Aspen, the Silver Bell campsite is surrounded by Aspen trees in a semi-mountainous area.

Aspen is 9 miles from here. The Maroon Bells-Snowmass wilderness is one of Colorado’s five primary areas established in 1964. This camping spot is open from May to October, and you will find about 14 campsites, mobile homes on the terrain, tents, and hiking terrain too.

There is no drinking water, but there is a vault toilet for campers to relax.

At the nearby Maroon Creek Visitor Center, you can go hiking and fishing. The route that you have to take is from Aspen County Road, where you need to travel 82.5 miles to Maroon Creek Road (the second exit on the roundabout), then 13 miles to camp.

3. Lincoln Creek Dispersed Campground

Lincoln Creek Dispersed Campground is a popular campground, especially on weekends, where you can expect to find about 20 separate campers located approximately 20 minutes from Aspen because Aspen is 18 miles away from here.

The campers are located behind the Lincoln Creek Route, with some of them having direct access to the creek. No, there isn’t any freshwater or toilet here. The place is also overcrowded.

Please note that there is a limitation for five-night camping here. Also, avoid driving on Lincoln Creek Park/Camp Road, as you will almost certainly receive a ticket.

The road is bumpy; therefore, four-wheel drive is advised. Follow the Aspen Route from Aspen to Lincoln Creek Road to get here. Turn right here and follow the Lincoln Creek Route for a little distance before turning right to camp.

4. Portal Campground

Portal Campground is reached by continuing on Lincoln Creek Road from the Lincoln Creek Dispersed location. This free forest service camp is one of five that are scattered near the Grizzly Reservoir.

You’ll need a lot of space to camp here, but you’ll also have access to amazing outings, fishing experience, and off-roading. Because getting to Camp Portal is challenging, you’ll need an off-road vehicle with high ground clearance.

There are two subterranean bathrooms, despite the lack of drinking water. To get to Portal Camp, follow the track and continue on Lincoln Creek Road for 6 kilometers.

Its distance from Aspen is 17 miles which is why you will find moderate campers here, and there are vault toilets available for everyone. You can only get water from the Grizzly Reservoir.

5. Maroon Bells

The Maroon Bells area is one of Colorado’s most popular spots for dispersed camping. Maroon Bell’s peaks reflect the beauty of Maroon Lake.

On the lake, there is fishing, and there are numerous day trips and night walks nearby. There are three campgrounds to choose from, with silver bar tents or silver bells being the sole options for camping.

]The hues of fall are particularly appealing to all travelers. It’s about a 15-minute drive from Aspen’s downtown area.

6. Independence Pass

At an elevation of 12095 feet, CO-82 is the Path of Independence. On the Aspen side, there is also a free ghost town to visit, with parking just next to it.

This stunning seasonal route connects the Twin Lakes to the east, between Buena Vista and Leadville, and the Aspen to the west, via the Continental Dam.

There are various camps, with Portal Reservoir by Grizzly Reservoir being the most isolated.

It’s an ideal dispersed camping spot.

7. Weller Campground

This is one of the dispersed camping grounds near Aspen which is the White River National Forest site. It is open for 5 days of camping.

This will grant you entrance to the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, which is close by. Aspen is around 7 miles from here. You will find 11 campsites at this location that are available from May to the end of September.

You will get facilities like water and a vault toilet on this campground, where there is also a place for Hiking and fishing in Texas Creek.

Travelers have to visit and make their reservations on the spot.

The route that connects this campground is by taking road 82 from Aspen for 8 miles to the spot.

8. Pearl Pass & Castle Creek Dispersed Camping

This is an excellent site for those who want to trek to the top of the castle or see some of the local wildlife.

There are about seven camps that are dispersed across scenic Castle Creek along the Pearl Pass Road. Pearl Pass is a popular 4WD route that even includes a call to Crested Butte.

To get to the Pearl Trail’s scattered camp, take Castle Creek Road west of Aspen.

Despite its popularity, this region is more populated than the surrounding natural Maroon Bells. The road leading to the scattered camp is filled with potholes; therefore, four-wheel drive is required for anyone wishing to camp here.

Follow Castle Creek Road for about 14 miles, passing through Ashcroft, a historic ghost town. At the crossroads, turn right and follow Pearl Pass. Follow the Pearl Trail for a little over a mile until you reach the campsites.

There will be a total of 16 miles distance of this campground from Aspen. There are no restrooms or washrooms to be found here, which is why you won’t be able to find water as well.

There is a moderate crowd here for camping during the season.

9. Woody Creek

Woody Creek is a small town near Aspen, where you will find a lot of spots for camping. The campground is located in the National Forest, north of Highway 82, on Forest Service Paths 534 and 523.

Although there are no amenities such as water or toilets, certain sites are busier than others. You can camp on Route 534 or a bit further along Forest Service Road 523 after entering the National Forest.

To get there, go west of Woody Creek on Lower River Road (16th County Road) and look for a sharp right turn up a steep slope to the hillside.

This is Forest Service Road 534, and it will take you to Triangle Peak Outlook. Its distance from Aspen is about 13 miles, and there is no source of water or bathroom in this area.

The crowd here will be minimum for camping.

Conclusion

This was a guiding article on finding the best dispersed camping areas near Aspen.

We have found some of the closest areas for camping along with their specific routes.

We shared the details of these camp spots to make it easier for new campers and travelers to understand where they are going.

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