Free camping near Fairplay, CO
Within 25 straight-line miles of Fairplay, CO there are 37 camps: 2 free, 27 fee, 8 unpriced. The closest is Horseshoe Campground, 4.9 miles west of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Stone Cabin, 19 miles out. One of them is a camp Dave has slept at.
Who manages them: 34 on the Forest Service; 2 on the BLM; 1 on Federal.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horseshoe Campground | 4.9 | Unpriced | Fourmile Creek (stream) | 4.8 mi to Fairplay | — |
| Four Mile Creek Campground | 5.6 | Unpriced | Fourmile Creek (stream) | 5.5 mi to Fairplay | — |
| Kite Lake | 10 | Fee | — | 4.3 mi to Alma | — |
| Selkirk | 11 | Fee | — | 7.0 mi to Blue River | — |
| Mosquito Peaks | 11 | Unpriced | Cooney Lake (water) | 2.5 mi to Birdseye | — |
| Weston Pass | 13 | Fee | — | 10 mi to Twin Lakes | — |
| Buffalo Springs | 13 | Fee | — | 10 mi to Hartsel | — |
| Michigan Creek | 14 | Fee | — | 8.5 mi to Blue River | — |
| Lodgepole | 16 | Fee | — | 11 mi to Blue River | — |
| Aspen | 16 | Fee | — | 11 mi to Blue River | — |
| Jefferson Creek | 16 | Fee | — | 9.8 mi to Blue River | — |
| Kenosha Pass | 18 | Fee | — | 13 mi to Montezuma | — |
| Kenosha East | 18 | Fee | — | 13 mi to Montezuma | — |
| Printer Boy Campground | 19 | Fee | Tennessee Creek (stream) | 0.9 mi to Leadville Junction | — |
| Silver Dollar Campground | 19 | Fee | Tennessee Creek (stream) | 0.7 mi to Leadville Junction | — |
| Stone Cabin | 19 | Free | Clear Creek (river) | 2.2 mi to Granite | — |
| Father Dyer Campground | 19 | Fee | Tennessee Creek (stream) | 1.3 mi to Leadville Junction | — |
| Belle of Colorado Campground | 19 | Fee | Tennessee Creek (stream) | 1.0 mi to Leadville Junction | — |
| Molly Brown Campground | 19 | Unpriced | Tennessee Creek (stream) | 0.8 mi to Leadville Junction | — |
| Baby Doe Campground | 19 | Unpriced | Tennessee Creek (stream) | 1.1 mi to Leadville Junction | — |
| Timberline | 19 | Fee | — | 11 mi to Montezuma | — |
| Matchless | 19 | Fee | — | 2.6 mi to Leadville North | — |
| Tabor | 20 | Fee | — | 2.7 mi to Leadville North | — |
| Dexter | 20 | Fee | — | 0.9 mi to Twin Lakes | — |
| Camp Hale East Fork | 20 | Fee | — | 6.1 mi to Copper Mountain | — |
| Hall Valley | 21 | Fee | — | 7.6 mi to Montezuma | — |
| Handcart | 21 | Fee | — | 7.7 mi to Montezuma | — |
| Lakeview | 21 | Fee | — | 2.3 mi to Twin Lakes | — |
| Lake View Campground | 22 | Fee | Mount Elbert Forebay (water) | 1.4 mi to Twin Lakes | — |
| Camp Hale Memorial | 22 | Fee | — | 6.9 mi to Red Cliff | — |
| Halfmoon East Campground | 22 | Unpriced | Halfmoon Creek (stream) | 4.8 mi to Kobe | — |
| Halfmoon West Campground | 22 | Unpriced | Halfmoon Creek (stream) | 4.8 mi to Kobe | — |
| Whitestar | 22 | Fee | — | 2.9 mi to Twin Lakes | — |
| Elbert Creek Campground | 23 | Unpriced | Halfmoon Creek (stream) | 5.1 mi to Twin Lakes | — |
| May Queen | 24 | Fee | — | 6.7 mi to Leadville North | — |
| Parry Peak | 25 | Fee | — | 5.5 mi to Twin Lakes | — |
| Chaffee CountyDave slept here | 25 | Free | Fourmile Creek (stream) | 2.8 mi to Buena Vista | — |
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Fairplay, 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.