Free camping near Central, CO
Yes. 11 of the 35 camps within 25 straight-line miles of Central, CO are listed as free; 21 charge a fee and 3 have no price on record. The closest free one is Gilpin County, 9.3 miles northwest. The closest camp of any kind is Columbine, 2.6 miles northwest, a fee campground.
Dave has slept at 3 of these camps.
All 35 camps near Central, CO
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbine | 2.6 | Fee | — | 2.6 mi to Central | — |
| Cold Springs | 3.3 | Fee | — | 2.8 mi to Black Hawk | — |
| Pickle Gulch | 3.3 | Fee | — | 3.2 mi to Black Hawk | — |
| Gilpin CountyDave slept here | 9.3 | Free | — | 3.4 mi to Eldora | — |
| Kelly Dahl | 9.5 | Fee | — | 1.1 mi to Rollinsville | Open |
| Gilpin CountyDave slept here | 9.6 | Free | Antelope Creek (stream) | 1.1 mi to Tolland | — |
| West Magnolia | 10 | Free | Beaver Lake (water) | 1.1 mi to Nederland | — |
| Echo Lake | 11 | Fee | — | 6.3 mi to Blue Valley | — |
| West Chicago Creek | 11 | Fee | — | 3.3 mi to Georgetown | — |
| Winiger Ridge | 13 | Free | Gross Reservoir (water) | 0.7 mi to Lake Shore Park | — |
| Clear Creek CountyDave slept here | 13 | Free | Leavenworth Creek (stream) | 1.4 mi to Silver Plume | — |
| Caribou Dispersed Camping Area | 13 | Unpriced | Horseshoe Creek (stream) | 2.1 mi to Eldora | — |
| Robbers Roost | 13 | Fee | — | 3.4 mi to Winter Park | — |
| Midland | 14 | Fee | — | 2.1 mi to Winter Park | — |
| USFS dispersed camp — CO | 14 | Free | Horseshoe Creek (stream) | 3.0 mi to Caribou City | — |
| USFS dispersed camp — Boulder County, CO | 14 | Free | Horseshoe Creek (stream) | 3.0 mi to Eldora | — |
| Clear Lake | 15 | Fee | — | 3.2 mi to Silver Plume | — |
| Gordon Gulch | 15 | Free | Glacier Lake (water) | 1.3 mi to Lakewood | — |
| Gordon Gulch Dispersed Camping Area | 15 | Free | Glacier Lake (water) | 1.5 mi to Lakewood | — |
| Mizpah | 15 | Fee | — | 6.0 mi to Empire | — |
| Rainbow Lakes | 15 | Fee | Rainbow Lakes (water) | 3.3 mi to Caribou City | — |
| Idlewild | 16 | Fee | — | 1.7 mi to Winter Park | Closed |
| Guanella Pass | 17 | Fee | — | 5.8 mi to Silver Plume | — |
| Ruby Gulch Dispersed Camping | 17 | Free | Glacier Lake (water) | 2.4 mi to Ward | — |
| Meridian Campground | 20 | Unpriced | Elk Creek (stream) | 5.9 mi to Singleton | — |
| Pawnee | 20 | Fee | — | 2.8 mi to Ward | Closed |
| Deer Creek Cg | 20 | Fee | — | 9.6 mi to Brook Forest | — |
| St. Louis Creek | 21 | Fee | — | 3.0 mi to Fraser | — |
| Byers Creek | 21 | Fee | — | 5.9 mi to Fraser | — |
| Geneva Park | 22 | Fee | — | 7.9 mi to Montezuma | — |
| Beaver Reservoir Dispersed Camping | 22 | Free | Beaver Reservoir (water) | 1.4 mi to Peaceful Valley | — |
| Burning Bear Cg | 22 | Fee | — | 9.5 mi to Montezuma | — |
| Strawberry | 22 | Unpriced | Ranch Creek (stream) | 0.7 mi to Tabernash | — |
| Camp Dick | 23 | Fee | — | 2.7 mi to Hidden Lake | — |
| Peaceful Valley | 23 | Fee | — | 2.3 mi to Hidden Lake | — |
Who manages the camps near Central, CO
Who manages them: 28 on the Forest Service; 6 on an agency our record does not name; 1 on the BLM.
- Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests — 29 camps: 10 free, 18 fee, 1 unpriced
- Pike and San Isabel National Forests — 4 camps: 3 fee, 1 unpriced
- An agency our record does not name — 1 camp: 1 free
- Kremmling Field Office — 1 camp: 1 unpriced
Season read for these camps, today
Today's season read covers 3 of the 35: 1 open, 2 closed, 0 worth a call. It comes from each camp's own record, so a camp with no season word is not counted either way.
Forecast near Central, CO
This is the Weather Service forecast for the town, fetched when the page opens. It is not a forecast for any camp in the table; ground higher up or in a canyon can run colder or windier. It needs JavaScript; without it, see weather.gov.
Camping near other towns close by
The nearest towns that have their own page, with the straight-line miles between the towns.
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Central, CO, not a driving distance — a camp four miles out across a canyon can be an hour of road. Cost is the audited three-state verdict on each camp's own record: free, fee, or unpriced where we could not confirm a price. A blank column is a gap in the record, not a statement that the thing is absent. Camps come from state and federal agency records, not from a visit, except the ones marked. Seasons, permits and fire rules change: confirm with the managing office before you go. Found a fee where we show free? Tell us on the contact page.