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Camp at Stillwater Pass

Grand Lake, Colorado

4.6/5
based on 5 reviews

Description

Added by Ryan Mckinney

This Dispersed Camping area offers up a great place for group camping and abundant opportunities for wildlife viewing.

Some of my best nights in Colorado were spent in Stillwater Pass. There are numerous campsites with remade fire pits. I found this site when the Timber Creek Campground in Rocky Mountain National Park was full and I did not want to head back to Denver. There is a photo of a white plastic horse and a plastic elk. This is where you turn(hwy 4 aka Stillwater Pass).

Stillwater Pass is a dirt road but does have some damage in parts and gets rocky in others. A vehicle like a Subaru can make it though the pass with some creative driving. This is a big OHV area with trails leading every which way, so keep an eye out for dirt bikes when driving through the pass.

I have seen several moose very close to the campsites I've stayed at. There are elk, mule deer, and whitetail deer in the area too. Make sure to bring your camera! This is also a great place for long exposure night photography.

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Features

Camping
Photography
Hiking
Adult Beverages
Dog Friendly
Family Friendly
Forest
Groups
Picnic Area
Romantic
Scenic
Wildflowers
Wildlife

Camp at Stillwater Pass Reviews

We went up in early June on a Saturday morning and were able to find a pretty good spot, though a lot of spots were already taken. There are a handful with good views of the snow capped mountains in RMNP and many others secluded in aspens. We definitely want to return in the fall to see the color! We found no issues with mosquitos (though we did wear bug spray just in case) and found plenty of wood there that burned easily. If you want a more private spot, keep driving past the open meadow. The dirt road goes for about another 2 miles. There are lots of trails around for some decent day hiking.

Beautiful, large secluded campsites. You really are in the middle of nowhere but close to town for whatever it is you need! So stoked on this place, leave the nature how you find it!

We were in a bind to find a camping spot for our large group when all of the designated campgrounds were full. Thanks to the outbound we found this perfect spot. We camped right after the first meadow down a road to our left but took a sunset drive further down the road to find tons of dispersed camping spots. Super convenient if your are planing to do Grand Lake during the day. Designated campground Stillwater on the water offers great day use beaches too!

I came out mid-morning on a Monday and was able to find a spot easily. I camped with a great view of the mountains in a spot that would've been great for a large group. The ATV trail was a bit noisy, but tolerable. The road was easy to access and I had no trouble in terms of the terrain with my Jeep. I would definitely go back!

I was shocked when I drove up to this spot, it was so picturesque. Once you reach the day-use parking lot there is a road that continues along through the woods. There are tons of secluded spots within the trees, but I kept driving further down the road. You'll eventually come to an opening and there are fire rings set up in a beautiful meadow with a view of the nearby mountain tops. I went during the week and had no problem getting one of the 4 spots in the meadow.

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Catch the Fall Colors on the West Side of Rocky Mountain NP

Hike to Cascade Falls, Rocky Mountain NP

Backpack the CDT Loop in Rocky Mountain NP

Backpack to Lake Verna

Hike to Verna, Spirit, Fourth, and Fifth Lakes

Hike to Lone Pine Lake (Grand Lake, CO)