Free camping near Orchard Mesa, CO
Within 25 straight-line miles of Orchard Mesa, CO there are 23 camps: 17 free, 1 fee, 5 unpriced. The closest is Grand Valley Open Ohv Area, 10 miles west of town. The closest one our audit calls free is BLM public land, 14 miles out. One of them is a camp Dave has slept at.
Who manages them: 19 on the BLM; 3 on the Forest Service; 1 on an agency our record does not name.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Valley Open Ohv Area | 10 | Unpriced | — | 3.1 mi to Redlands | — |
| BLM public landDave slept here | 14 | Free | — | 10 mi to Fruitvale | — |
| Haypress | 19 | Free | Hay Press Creek (stream) | 9.8 mi to Glade Park | — |
| Rattlesnake | 20 | Free | Colorado River (river) | 3.3 mi to Loma | — |
| Big Dominguez Campground | 20 | Unpriced | Big Dominguez Creek - Dominguez Canyon (stream) | 11 mi to Bridgeport | — |
| Beaver Tail 1 | 20 | Free | Colorado River (river) | 3.4 mi to Loma | — |
| Mcinnis Canyons National Conservation Area | 20 | Unpriced | Mee Canyon (stream) | 6.1 mi to Loma | — |
| Bull Draw | 21 | Free | Colorado River (river) | 3.5 mi to Loma | — |
| North Fruita Desert Dispersed Camping | 21 | Free | Lipan Wash (stream) | 9.3 mi to Loma | — |
| Banjo | 22 | Free | Colorado River (river) | 2.7 mi to Mack | — |
| Cottonwood 1 | 22 | Free | Colorado River (river) | 2.8 mi to Mack | — |
| Cottonwood 3 | 22 | Free | Colorado River (river) | 2.9 mi to Mack | — |
| Cottonwood 4 | 23 | Free | — | — | — |
| 18 Road - North Fruita Desert | 23 | Unpriced | — | 11 mi to Loma | — |
| Jumbo Lake Campground | 23 | Fee | Jumbo Reservoir (water) | 0.2 mi to Mesa Lakes | — |
| Spruce Grove Campground - Grand Valley RD | 24 | Unpriced | Mesa Lake (water) | 0.6 mi to Mesa Lakes | — |
| Salt Creek 2 | 24 | Free | Colorado River (river) | 3.3 mi to Mack | — |
| Fault Line 2 | 24 | Free | Colorado River (river) | 4.3 mi to Mack | — |
| Fault Line 1 | 25 | Free | Colorado River (river) | 4.1 mi to Mack | — |
| Mee Canyon | 25 | Free | Colorado River (river) | 6.5 mi to Mack | — |
| Mee 4 | 25 | Free | Colorado River (river) | 6.3 mi to Mack | — |
| Mee 2 | 25 | Free | Colorado River (river) | 5.3 mi to Utaline | — |
| Mee 1 | 25 | Free | Colorado River (river) | 6.3 mi to Mack | — |
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Orchard Mesa, 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.