Frontrange Winter Camp Newbie

[Doug M]

Hi all,

Looking for a suggested spot to test out winter camping.  Would like to be pretty dang close to my car (Suby Crosstrek) in case things don’t go as planned.

Do any of you know a good spot to check out that would be an hour or so from Denver?

[Chris K]

Have you been to White Ranch Park or Reynolds Park? They both have designated campsites 1-3 miles in, depending on which trailhead you start from. White Ranch in particular is very close to civilization should something not go as planned.

You could also go to Staunton State Park. It’s basically car camping but you hike in a little ways. That’s about an hour from the city.

These are both reservation-based designated campsite type places. The Mount Evans and Lost Creek Wilderness areas are also kinda sorta an hour from Denver. Maybe start at the Brookside-McCurdy Trail or Ben Tyler Trail off 285? Or the Wigwam Trail? Someone else here with more knowledge could fill you in on if these or other spots in that direction would work for you.

[Mike B]

Lost creek is good that is also a good early spring trip when all the high country lakes are still in the grip of old man winter.  Also near the Moffat tunnel which is West of Rollinsville they keep the road open all the way to the tunnel. Trails are packed early by the skiers and snowshoe crowd. Took my son on his first winter camp up there and we only went 1/2 mile or so in and got off the main trail a few hundred feet and once the sun went down it was just he and I. In the summer it is really crowded but in the winter you can be all alone only a short way from the car.

[Doug M]

Good to know the road to Moffit is cleared.  I was imagining it wasn’t.  Appreciate the input.

[Doug M]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>Chris, thank you for these options.  They look perfect.  Now let’s see if my gear set up can handle it.</p>

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