★ Field-verified · Dave's ownPublic land · dispersedFree
Gilpin County
Drive-up · public land · Gilpin County, CO · 39.91100, -105.59938
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Ask about this camp →Dave's been here. A spot from Dave's own travels on public land — free to camp. Conditions still change, so confirm access, stay limits and fire rules before you go.
A pull-off along a mountainous forest road in the mountains west of Denver. Great view. Good cell service. Limited space. Room for two vehicles. Recommended due to view, and cell service, but property boundary questionable. A good place to sleep if you're just passing through, but not a destination campsite.
USGS topo — contours & terrain
Aerial — USGS / NAIP
Weather outlook
Loading the latest forecast…
Live NWS area forecast (~2.5 km grid, not elevation-corrected). Camp sits at 9,374 ft.
Fire & smokeNIFC · AirNow
Checking active fires & air quality…
Active wildfires from NIFC (within ~50 mi); air quality from AirNow. Always confirm current fire restrictions with the managing office before you go.
Everything you need — measured from camp
Straight-line miles · bearings approx · roads run longer
Nearest of each
- MMechanic5 mi
- @Mail5 mi
- WWater6 mi
- HHardware6 mi
- FFuel6 mi
- GGrocery6 mi
- LLaundry8 mi
- ShShower8 mi
- DDump8 mi
- OOutfitter10 mi
- +Urgent care13 mi
- RxPharmacy13 mi
- PPropane20 mi
- AAir-up20 mi
≤30 mi30–4545+water
The read: water is basically at camp, fuel & food sit about 6 mi out.
One dot per need — the nearest of each kind, straight-line from camp. Places from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Open in Google Maps ↗
The site
Access
Drive-up
Land
public land · dispersed
Elevation
9,374 ft
County
Gilpin County, CO
Coordinates
39.91100, -105.59938
Cost
Free
Nearby & resupply (OpenStreetMap)
- Resupply lookup unavailable — try the map links below.
From the field — what Dave saw, in person
Cell service
Had a signal
Getting there
Any vehicle managed it
Fire ring
No
Toilet on site
No
Tent friendly
Yes
Verdict
Recommended
Nearby restrooms — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)
- Portable toiletEast Portal · ~2.5 mi W · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletKelly Dahl · ~5.6 mi E · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletPickle Gulch · ~6.0 mi SE · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletPickle Gulch · ~6.2 mi SE · USFS
Open this spot elsewhere
Other camps nearby
If this one is full, gated or washed out.
- Gilpin County~0.5 mi
- West Magnolia~5.0 mi
- USFS dispersed camp — Boulder County, CO~5.7 mi
- USFS dispersed camp — CO~6.0 mi
How we know this
Source
Dave's own travels
Confidence
Researched — The record is detailed and internally consistent, and the coordinates land where the managing agency says this site is.
How it was placed
FIELD VERIFIED by Dave Lalande -- he has stood on this site. Coordinates are his own GPX track point, not a geocode. County and state confirmed against the FCC Census Block API (Gilpin County, CO). Everything under 'From the field' is a direct observation; nothing here is inferred from a land record.
Field check
Verified on the ground. Dave has stood on this one. Conditions still change — confirm before you commit.
What we don’t know
A land record can put you within a few metres of a spot. It cannot tell you any of this — so check it yourself, and treat anything below as the open question it is.
- How many rigs actually fit
- Seasonal & winter access
- Current fire restrictions
- Whether any water here is drinkable
- Shade & wind exposure
- Noise and who else shows up
Before you go
Camping at altitude →When the high country opens →Winter vs summer roads →Dispersed camping tips →All field notes →
Been here? Tell us what changed. This page is built from public records, so the fastest way it gets better is somebody who has actually pulled in. Road washed out, site gone, gate locked, or it is exactly as described — all of it useful. Send a report →