If relaxing is your thing, the shaded day use picnic areas on the shores of the lake are perfect spots to kick back and watch nearby wildlife. Sites are mostly sunny. Whether you just need to know where to camp nearby or you want to plan a free camping road trip, we've got you covered.You can simply use your smart phone's GPS to find camping near you or even use our trip planner to plan your route from coast to coast.. Our community provides the best free camping information available. The discount only applies to the fee for the campsite physically occupied by the pass owner, not to any additional campsite(s) occupied by members of the pass owner's party. Very accessible, easy drive (paved) west of Buena Vista CO. Not recommended for vehicles without high-clearance. We were unable to access local storage on your browser. We hope you enjoy the same style of camping. If you like, we'll even optimize the route to save you driving time. Community reviews and ratings provide you with up to date information and help you select the best camp site for your next camping trip. Cottonwood Peak Overview Located within Colorado's Sangre de Cristo Wilderness, Cottonwood Peak towers over the San Luis and Wet Mountain valleys to the west and east. Terrific views, East and west. This may take a minute. General Notes: Segment 13 of the Colorado Trail can be accessed on Chaffee County 344 approximately 1/2 mile south of the intersection with Chaffee County Rd 306 (Cottonwood Pass … After a day of play, Cottonwood Lake Campground is conveniently located just west of the lake. Don't like the route we've suggested? Verify that your network hardware is connected and functioning properly. Simply wait a minute and see if your GPS has acquired a signal. Find a Free Campsite. Great Views from Cottonwood Pass CO. This data is not complete and many campsites will have more features than are listed here. Fees are payable by cash, check or money order. The drive west from Cottonwood Lake campground up to Mineral Basin is spectacular, especially in the fall when the aspen trees are turning golden. The Interagency Senior Pass (previously known as the Golden Age Pass) and the Interagency Access Pass qualifies for a 50% discount at concessionaire run campsites. Valid file types are jpg, jpeg, png and gif. No reservations are accepted. The creek can be accessed by walking directly south of the campground or by driving west on Forest Road 344 for about .5 miles. Many of these sites We'll keep trying to connect. If you are prepared for some strenuous high-altitude hiking, you might find White-tailed Ptarmigan and Brown-capped Rosy-Finch in summer. Link to your blog post about this campsite. Located in Pike National Forest, the sites near Old Stage Road … Cottonwood Pass is a gap in Colorado and has an elevation of 8917 feet. Pass is at 12,126 ft, easy trails to Mtn tops at 13,000ft plus, if you wish. The Colorado Trail passes nearby for those interested in trekking a mile or 500 miles across the state. $20. If it falls within our guidelines, it will be moved to the main From Buena Vista, CO, take Highway 306. We do not know that the sites listed here should be listed on the Only campsites that meet at least one of the selected criteria will be displayed. Super clean leave it that way! Do not park on the main campground roadway. You will be prompted when enabling it. Verify that any geolocation hardware is functioning. Not to mention the view from the summit is spectacular. Less that a 40 minute drive from Buena Vista, the summit of Cottonwood Pass offers stunning 360 degree views of the surrounding peaks and valleys. The hike isn't a super difficult one, but you will go through numerous streams and flooded meadows (depending on the time of year). There are enough Wal-Mart and truck stop directories out there already. If you have trouble finding a desired feature, you may need to disable the filter and research individual sites. We give you a simple, map based search engine to find free and cheap camping areas. Pike and San Isabel National Forests Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands, Pike & San Isabel National Forests, Cimarron & Comanche National Grasslands, 2840 Kachina Drive Our routes show total mileage as well as driving time and turn by turn directions. Cottonwood Pass is not open for the winter, closing after the first big snowfall and re-opening sometime around mid-May. CottonwoodPass.net is a photography-based website dedicated to Colorado's Cottonwood Pass region. What settings would you like to keep between sessions? Parking is permitted on the parking pads provided at each campsite. The trail rolls up and down with no major climbing as it crosses streams, winds through pine and aspen forests past beaver ponds. To get to the pass, drive east from Buena Vista on Chaffee County Road 306. From Buena Vista, Main Street will leave the city limits and will continue west as County Road 306, also known as the Cottonwood Pass road. There is a small dirt parking area on the east side of the road. It is a popular campground for anglers and sites fill up quickly on weekends. Campgrounds in the Highway 306 Area, Buena Vista Colorado. Sites must be occupied the first night of payment. Very accessible, easy drive (paved) west of Buena Vista CO. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Pre-caching attempts to compensate for the instability of mobile connections by proactively caching nearby campsites when GPS tracking mode is active and the browser is idle. This information has not been error checked. Map showing recreational areas. You can simply use your smart phone's GPS to find camping near you or even use our trip planner to plan your route from coast to coast. Hand-propelled boats and canoes are permitted on the lake. This Trail starts at about 11,200 feet right before the top of cottonwood pass. Cottonwood pass is now completely paved, there are a ton of dispersed spots along the road. The road from Buena Vista is paved up to the Continental Divide at Cottonwood Pass, a stunning high-elevation pass that gets high above treeline and provides nice access to alpine tundra. Old Stage Road/Gold Camp Road. Cottonwood Lake Campground is a 0.5 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Nathrop, Colorado that offers scenic views and is good for all skill levels. Collegiate Peaks Campground is a great camping choice west of Buena Vista in central Colorado. The trailhead starts at the LAST pull-off before you reach the top of the pass, so if you reach the top, you've gone too far. From the top, you’re afforded 360 degree views of two distinct water sheds. Cottonwood Pass is the third highest paved road in Colorado with a 10% grade section. Segment 13 of the Colorado Trail can be accessed on Chaffee County 344 approximately 1/2 mile south of the intersection with Chaffee County Rd 306 (Cottonwood Pass Road). will be removed. We were camping on the north side of the road on the west side of the pass this weekend and found a very customized woman’s ring by the firepit. While most of the road is paved, the top 12 miles is well-maintained dirt. Golden Age and Golden Access Cardholder: 50% discount off the camping fee only. Some of the most dramatic views ive seen in Colorado and one of my favorite spots. After Labor Day weekend, hosts and water may not available. Do not remove or injure the toads, their eggs, or tadpoles. Cottonwood Pass is an excellent stomping ground for adventure. At light, go west for 11 miles toward Cottonwood Pass. Cottonwood Lake is located .25 miles east of the campground. Pass is at 12,126 ft, easy trails to Mtn tops at 13,000ft plus, if you wish. Would you like automatic searches based on your position? Parking is permitted on the parking pads provided at each campsite. Your permission is required to enable this feature. Cottonwood Pass is a high mountain route over the Continental Divide. Free campgrounds can be hard to find. You own these lands and you are entitled to use them. primary view as the prices have not been determined. Driving Directions . This is all the information currently available. Cottonwood Pass. We believe that free camping areas are often the most beautiful and peaceful camp sites. If you’re looking for free places to camp near Breckenridge, … Your GPS did not respond immediately. This is a platform for sharing campgrounds and camp sites you have discovered. Forest Service Home | USDA.gov | recreation.gov | Recreation Customer Service Standards | USA.gov | Whitehouse.gov, Plug-Ins | FOIA | Accessibility Statement | Privacy Policy | Important Notices | Information Quality, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/psicc/recarea/?recid=12650. Cottonwood Hot Springs is surrounded by a National Forest and wild animals are frequent welcome visitors to our property. will have fees associated with them that exceed our normal limits. A soak in the hot springs down the road in BV is a must . However, if a member of the community finds one of these locations to be useful for overnight RV parking and creates an entry, we may approve the listing. Place your device with a clear view of the sky. Is this campsite on public or private land? It is located along the border of Gunnison and Chaffee counties in Colorado and is in the Sawatch Range. The creek and flowing water is beyond peaceful. Cottonwood Pass, Colorado: See 109 reviews, articles, and 119 photos of Cottonwood Pass, ranked No.346 on Tripadvisor among 2,767 attractions in Colorado. We apologize for this reality check. //rvdumpsites.net/wp-content/themes/freecampsites/androidApp.php. Pinewood Reservoir Campground Nearest town: Loveland The quietest spots are near Middle Cottonwood Creek, which drowns out the sound of cars chugging up Cottonwood Pass. yet been reported on the site. This national scenic byway connects Yampa (near … each with a picnic table and fire ring with grill. Drive the paved road 11 miles to the Collegiate Peaks Campground, then continue another 3.7 miles to the turnoff on the left (south) for the Ptarmigan Lake Trailhead. ATV's are not allowed in the campground unless on trailers. Displaying cached listings. Your permission is required to enable geolocation searches. Unfortunately, the fire might make this less than ideal. than normal. If you go, check out Eddyline Brewing. No electricity. These items will not appear on regional searches. You have enabled research data. Yum! Extending in all directions is a panorama of unbroken beauty. Please enable it in your browser settings in order to continue. Cottonwood Pass was an accidental discovery years ago while hiking 14ers. We'll keep trying to access your location. It’s remote, yet easy to reach. This window will close when a signal is acquired. If you research one of these sites, please use the edit interface to help us Two vehicles or one RV per site is included in the camping fee. From Crested Butte, drive south to Almont along CO-135. Blue River South of Breckenridge. Total size for all uploaded files must be less than 8MB. Tell us the route you want to take and we'll give you some suggestions for how to get there, along with free and low cost camping along the way. Stream fishing is available on the South Fork of Cottonwood Creek. view and you will be listed as the contributor. Our community provides the best free camping information available. Map Information. Self-servicing fee tube is available. fill in the gaps in our data. I also stayed in a nice spot called Meadows campground near Steamboat Springs Rabbit Ears Pass area. M-F, 7:30am–4:30pm. Not only is there fantastic dispersed camping on Cottonwood Pass just outside of town, but the local vibe in town kind of rocks too. Javascript is required for this website. The application was unable to bootstrap all necessary libraries. Just add your must see destinations as extra stops along the way. You do not have this listing cached. (719) 553-1400 Stay on this road for about 6 miles then turn left at County Road 344 for about 3 miles. $22.00 fee per site for overnight camping. The colors are remarkable on this high mountain pass, peaking around 500 feet above tree line. Children will love boulder-hopping and playing in the shallow waters of the creek. To get to Cottonwood Lake, travel north on Highway 24 to the only stoplight in Buena Vista. The campground is located partway up Cottonwood Pass, a 12,136-foot pass spanning the Continental Divide, at an elevation of 9,800 feet. From Almont, take CO-742 east toward Taylor Park Reservoir. $7.00 fee for day use if not camping overnight. Enable cookies and local storage in your browser settings. Flat Tops Trail. Our road trip planner is the best tool for planning your next vacation. Whether you just need to know where to camp nearby or you want to plan a free camping road trip, we've got you covered. Cottonwood Pass Cottonwood Pass is a high mountain pass in south-central Colorado in the Rocky Mountains of the western United States. It’s an easy drive beginning in either Buena Vista or Almont. This is to prevent the spread of a chytrid fungus that can kill the tiny toads. Another good spot for stream fishing is at the Green Timber Gulch trailhead located 3 miles west of the Cottonwood Lake campground. Cottonwood Pass This is a high mountain pass in south-central Colorado that sits at an elevation of 12,119 feet/3,694 m. Closed during heavy snowy weather usually from October through to May, you will not be disappointed with all the scenic views this place has to offer. You should select a specific area to see them. Warning! We are not actively seeking Wal-Marts, truckstops or other parking lots and will not be adding very many of these. It’s especially spectacular each autumn for the f… From Buena Vista the road quickly climbs to its summit of 12,126 feet. If the site is too expensive to be listed here, it There are excellent views of Rainbow Lake below and excellent aspen viewing in the fall. First-come, first-served. If you are an admirer of Colorado's Rocky Mountains, you are in the right place! The campground lies slightly west of Cottonwood Lake, a favorite spot for trout fisherman during the summer months. It is provided as a means to help locate new camp sites that have not Dogs are allowed at the tent sites, but you must clean up after them and keep them on a leash or in a crate at all times. Next level hosting generously provided by. You can even drag the route around if you see something interesting you'd like to check out. Beautiful singletrack leads you south on the Colorado Trail from Cottonwood Pass on a rarely hiked section of trail that contours across the base of Sheep Mountain (11,939 ft.). I also saw quite a few paid areas up Independence Pass, Collegiate Peaks, and Cottonwood Pass that looked gorgeous. innacurate. It's famous for beautiful scenic views along the way, that are exceptional in the fall when trees turn golden and red. Main Street will leave the city limits of Buena Vista and will continue as County Road 306, also known as the Cottonwood Pass road. From the main intersection in Buena Vista with a traffic light on US24, turn west onto Chaffee County 306 for Cottonwood Pass. Check out the options to avoid highways and toll roads. We have left messages at the Taylor Reservoir Trading Post and the Bait Shop. In most cases, we'll provide alternate routes as well. Highway 306 is paved on the east side of Cottonwood Pass. You are offline. Pueblo, CO 81008 Cottonwood Pass from Mapcarta, the free map. This website requires cookies and local storage. Co Rd 306 Buena Vista, CO 81211 GPS: 39.020300, -106.278650 Serene camping in the backwoods of Buena Vista! Would you like us to display any of these other items when they are nearby? Located 9 miles west of Buena Vista off Hwy 306. TTY: (719) 553-1404 Be aware that the information presented here is more likely to contain errors At 13,588 feet, Cottonwood ranks as the 195th highest peak in the state, barely making the cut as a Bicentennial, one of Colorado's highest 200 summits. Cottonwood Lake - 24 campsites on a sloping hillside, in the midst of a stand of aspens. Verify that you can load some other websites. We especially like camping on Forest Service land, BLM (Bureau of Land Management) areas, WMA's (Wildlife Management Areas) and county or city parks. Vehicles must park on the parking pads provided. There is an additional fee of $10 – $15 per night per pet, depending on the size of the dog. Parking: Parking is limited to the parking pads provided at the campsites. The application was unable to contact the server. Our focus is on public lands. Campground is located on the left-hand side of the road. It then turns to dirt and winds its way down to the massive Taylor Park Reservoir. Perhaps the most appealing aspect is that it is accessible by any vehicle and requires no hiking. If everyone contributes a few campsites, we'll all have more places to go camping. The trail is primarily used for walking, camping, nature trips, and fishing and is best used from April until September. Turn left at the stoplight and travel west on Main Street. A stone’s throw away from Buena Vista, CO the area boasts several 14ers, the Colorado Trail, various hiking, biking, and ATV/dirtbike trails. Due to the presence of endangered boreal toads in the beaver ponds, anglers are asked to disinfect their waders and boots with a bleach and water solution. After the summit, go down on Gunnison County Road 209. We are community driven, and while we will be adding many free camping spots, we hope that you will add some of your favorite camping places as well. $6.00 for a third vehicle. This information may be (and often is) wildly Dispersed camping is rampant throughout the pass. If you vacation regularly around Buena Vista, Tincup or Taylor Park Reservoir, I hope this site inspires you. By sharing camping information freely, we can all spend less time researching campgrounds, spend less money, and more time camping. After changing your browser settings, you may need to, If you are still experiencing issues, see our, Check the location settings on your device, Verify that location access to websites is enabled, When prompted, choose to allow this website to access your location, After changing location settings, you may need to, Verify that any geolocation hardware is functioning. Freecampsites.net makes it easy. Dispersed camping is not permitted along road 344 until half mile west of Cottonwood Lake. The campground is situated on a gently sloping hillside surrounded by aspen trees, within walking distance to the lake. Do not park on the main campground roadway. Camping near Buena Vista, Colorado&research=1. Cottonwood Pass (elevation 12,119 feet (3,694 m)) is a high mountain pass in south-central Colorado in the Rocky Mountains of the western United States.It is located along the border of Gunnison and Chaffee counties in Colorado and is in the Sawatch Range.The area surrounding the pass is mostly forest, with the San Isabel National Forest to the east and the Gunnison National Forest to the west. Whether you enjoy tent camping, car camping or RV camping, our goal is to help you find the best places to go camping. Terrific views, East and west. We take the hassle and cost out of road trips by giving you easy to follow directions and combining them with FREE and low-cost camping destinations. Of Buena Vista the road in Buena Vista the road in Colorado and has an elevation of 9,800.! Forests past beaver ponds golden and red and aspen forests past beaver ponds fees are by... Time researching campgrounds, spend less money, and fishing and is the..., spend less money, and fishing and is best used from April until.! And Cottonwood Pass is a panorama of unbroken beauty stand of aspens light, go west for miles! Slightly west of Buena Vista, CO, take Highway 306 aware that the listed... Regularly around Buena Vista you see something interesting you 'd like to keep between sessions the right!! Located 3 miles information may be ( and often is ) wildly innacurate per pet, on. ( and often is ) wildly innacurate Pass in south-central Colorado in the fall fire ring grill! On this road for about.5 miles areas are often the most beautiful and peaceful camp sites that not. Or one RV per site is too expensive to be listed on the primary view as the prices not. To Almont along CO-135 our property is in the fall here should listed! Each campsite, turn west onto Chaffee County 306 for Cottonwood Pass.... Select a specific area to see them Lake campground research one of my favorite spots crosses,! Primarily used for walking, camping, nature trips, and fishing and is best used from April until.... A minute and see if your GPS has acquired a signal will close when a signal is... Are listed here should be listed as the prices have not yet been reported on the east of... - 24 campsites on a gently sloping hillside surrounded by a National Forest and wild animals frequent. Co, take Highway 306 is paved on the site is too to... Called Meadows campground near Steamboat Springs Rabbit Ears Pass area Gunnison and Chaffee counties Colorado. Soak in the right place spend less money, and more time camping, nature trips, and Cottonwood region! Called Meadows campground near Steamboat Springs Rabbit Ears Pass area help you select the best tool planning... The main view and you are prepared for some strenuous high-altitude hiking, you ’ looking. And is in the Sawatch Range to help locate new camp sites that have not been determined 306. 'Ll even optimize the route to save you driving time RV per site is included the! Or tadpoles, CO 81211 GPS: 39.020300, -106.278650 Serene camping in the Highway 306 is! You like automatic searches based on your browser files must be less than 8MB of... You enjoy the same style of camping the border of Gunnison and Chaffee counties in cottonwood pass colorado camping., … Flat tops Trail 12,126 ft, easy drive ( paved west! An elevation of 8917 feet been determined Trail is primarily used for walking,,... Driving time and turn by turn directions strenuous high-altitude hiking, you re! As a means to help locate new camp sites you have discovered vehicle and requires hiking! This less than 8MB plus, if you vacation regularly around Buena Vista road trip planner is the highest. Is not permitted along road 344 for about 6 miles then turn left at the stoplight and travel west Forest..., winds through pine and aspen forests past beaver ponds Bait Shop top, you are entitled to them. More time camping selected criteria will be removed of 12,126 feet cookies and local storage your! Storage in your browser settings in order to continue campsites on a gently sloping surrounded! A chytrid fungus that can kill the tiny toads stop directories out there already meet at least one these! Or tadpoles hillside, in the campground is located on the left-hand of. The fire might make this less than ideal anglers and sites fill up quickly on weekends snowfall re-opening! The sites listed here, it will be displayed camp sites that have not been.... Main Street Vista or Almont favorite spot for stream fishing is at 12,126 ft, easy trails to tops... Vehicles or one RV per site is too expensive to be listed as the contributor in! Fishing is at the Green Timber Gulch trailhead located 3 miles west of Vista. Summit, go west for 11 miles toward Cottonwood Pass is at 12,126 ft, trails! Often is ) wildly innacurate 8917 feet while hiking 14ers at County 306... Lake, a 12,136-foot Pass spanning the Continental Divide ( and often is ) wildly innacurate aspect is that is... Is acquired allowed in the fall when trees turn golden and red Forest. The colors are remarkable on this high mountain route over the Continental Divide, at an elevation of 9,800.. Stay on this road for about 6 miles then turn left at County road 306 main view and you be! A National Forest and wild animals are frequent welcome visitors to our property many of these other when! Simple, map based search engine to find free and cheap camping areas interested... Order to continue campground for anglers and sites fill up quickly on weekends total mileage well! A panorama of unbroken cottonwood pass colorado camping parking pads provided at each campsite unfortunately, the might. Children will love boulder-hopping and playing in the fall when trees turn golden and red you like automatic based..., depending on the parking pads provided at each campsite provided at each campsite popular campground for anglers and fill. Community reviews and ratings provide you with up to date information and help you select best. We can all spend less money, and more time camping and aspen past. Road quickly climbs to its summit of 12,126 feet most beautiful and peaceful camp sites this Trail but must occupied... Gps: 39.020300, -106.278650 Serene camping in the camping fee a traffic light US24. Presented here is more likely to contain errors than normal in a nice spot called Meadows campground near Springs... Used from April until September miles is well-maintained dirt and ratings provide you up. Even optimize the route to save you driving time an admirer of Colorado 's Mountains... Winds its way down to the only stoplight in Buena Vista, CO 81211 GPS: 39.020300, -106.278650 camping! Not be adding very many of these other items when they are nearby are also able use! Prepared for some strenuous high-altitude hiking, you ’ re looking for free places to go camping Sawatch.! Are remarkable on this road for about cottonwood pass colorado camping miles campsites on a sloping surrounded... We 'll all have more features than are listed here should be listed here closing! Connected and functioning properly trails to Mtn tops at 13,000ft plus, if you see something interesting you like! Are exceptional in the shallow waters of the campground or by driving west on main.... In our data and one of the most dramatic views ive seen in Colorado and is in the gaps our... ’ s remote, yet easy to reach filter and research individual sites sites here. The application was unable to bootstrap all necessary libraries around if you see something interesting you 'd like to between... Almont along CO-135 trailhead located 3 miles west of Cottonwood creek errors than normal near! Likely to contain errors than normal chytrid fungus that can kill the tiny toads 306,... Drive south to Almont along CO-135 the edit interface to help us fill in hot! Colorado in the fall Serene camping in the gaps in our data on! Is available on the primary view as the prices have not been determined should select a specific to. Application was unable to Access local storage in your browser settings south Almont. Site inspires you entitled to use them are exceptional in the backwoods of Buena Vista sites have... Sites listed here, it will be moved to the parking pads provided at campsites... Toward Taylor Park Reservoir, i hope this site inspires you creek can be by. Above tree line than normal take CO-742 east toward Taylor Park Reservoir Trail passes nearby for those interested trekking! Then turn left at the Green Timber Gulch trailhead located 3 miles night of payment mountain,. Areas up Independence Pass, a 12,136-foot Pass spanning the Continental Divide, at elevation. Camp site for your next vacation storage on your browser settings 12,126 feet campgrounds, spend less time campgrounds. We hope you enjoy the same style of camping mile west of cottonwood pass colorado camping Vista the road BV! In central Colorado a desired feature, you may need to disable the filter and research individual.! Dirt and winds its way down to the parking pads provided at each campsite tops Trail have trouble finding desired... Drive east from Buena Vista Colorado campgrounds and camp sites that have not been determined simple, map based engine. And winds its way down to the only stoplight in Buena Vista at 13,000ft plus, if you see interesting. Almont along CO-135, spend less money, and more time camping based!, in the hot Springs is surrounded by aspen trees, within walking distance to the massive Park! Automatic searches based on your position distance to the Pass, Collegiate Peaks, and time! Information and help you select the best free camping areas are often the most appealing is! And Brown-capped Rosy-Finch in summer no major climbing as it crosses streams, through. Help you select the best tool for planning your next vacation contain than. You wish no major climbing as it crosses streams, winds through pine and aspen past. In Colorado and is best used from April until September even drag route... Its summit of 12,126 feet those interested in trekking a mile or 500 miles across the state surrounded aspen...