TheSamba.com :: View topic - Free camping near Pouder Canyon/Fort Collins, CO?

Wed Apr 24, 2019 2:42 pm

Free camping near Pouder canyon Fort Collins CO?

Going May 18=20th looking for free spots but will pay.

Most sites don't open till May 23rd and want to aviod that.

Hear Pingree park is nice but not sure if open or is their a gate.

Thank you Pic of RMNP from tue to show I'am ready to camp!

Wed Apr 24, 2019 3:46 pm

We spent all afternoon last spring looking there, and ended up at a pullout near full campgrounds.

Wed Apr 24, 2019 3:48 pm

Looks like there are a bunch of USFS campsites relatively close. Nothing really shows up on freecampsites.net but the ultimate campground app shows the FS sites.

Wed Apr 24, 2019 4:30 pm

Pingree is USFS

Wed Apr 24, 2019 4:52 pm

The river pictures in the post below were taken up the Poudre, at the big rock at the entrance to Ansel Watrous campsite.
Ansel isn't free ($21/day), but when we go just to swim, we park for free right across the road from the entrance, as shown in the post below

The nice thing about Ansel is that it's just a few turns down the canyon from Mishawaka amphitheater and restaurant
While I've never, ever, had a meal there that I enjoyed, we've been to some amazing shows at the Mish while camping at Ansel.
And there will be some live music on the nights you are there, if that's what you want.

Later in the summer once the melt peak is over, we like to put the tubes in at the Mish and float down to Ansel.
These pics were taken in late summer (~250 CFM), the river will be around 1000 CFM and very cold when you are there.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8536240

Wed Apr 24, 2019 7:33 pm

Tuna!!! A surprise visit to this thread. :D :D :D

Thu Apr 25, 2019 6:27 am

Thanks will any of the FS sites be open before may 23 or is their gates that are locked till then thank you

Thu Apr 25, 2019 8:28 am

This area below the roads are open year 'round and there are hundreds of places to camp in here not too far from Rustic up County Rd 69 off the Poudre. Click on the map link. There are more FS dirt roads and spurs to explore or you can just go in a 1/4 and find a nice camp spot in the aspens and pines.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Rustic,+CO+80512/4...m0!1m0!3e0

You can also go up Pingree Rd off the Poudre as you said and find a bunch of spots too that are free and have year round access. The area where you turn off onto Crown Point Road at Tom Bennett Creek is nice down to Salt Cabin Park.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/40.6888093,-105.49...622036!3e0

Thu Apr 25, 2019 2:08 pm

Thanks all.

Thanks Dave. "You can also go up Pingree Rd off the Poudre as you said and find a bunch of spots too that are free and have year round access. The area where you turn off onto Crown Point Road at Tom Bennett Creek is nice down to Salt Cabin Park."

This is what I was wondering and wanted to know. DOnt wont to go and find a gate and be all geared up ready to camp. prob just go up to Pingee Rd. We are going to fly fish the pouder a little. Not looking for a 4wd drive rd either did that once near stone prarie and the wife did not like that.

Thanks sanchuis too love that spot to fish just never drove up the roads their. Yea the flows this year are gonna be high too.

Is Pingee a easy rd sounds like it is? Think their will be lots of snow around
May 18th or wont be to bad? Thanks for all the replies.

Thu Apr 25, 2019 2:13 pm

E1 wrote: We spent all afternoon last spring looking there, and ended up at a pullout near full campgrounds.

Memorial day weekend? Trying to avoid that and just go before.

Thu Apr 25, 2019 4:01 pm

It was around May 15, mid-week.

Mon May 13, 2019 3:01 pm

Were going this weekend will post so info if we find a spot. Last year I recall the weather was very nice by May hoping the cooler temps keep some people away.
If we find nothing we will come back to estes park and just spend all day hiking and fishing around.Happy camping!

Mon May 13, 2019 3:19 pm

In regards to Pingee, if you explore far enough, you will find snow this time of year. ...Good times pushing a Ford Explorer through snow wearing swim trunks and flip flops...

-d

Mon May 13, 2019 7:01 pm

I really like Long Draw road but I’m sure there will be snow that early.

Tue May 14, 2019 3:42 pm

Gonna try to take davevickery advice and go to pingee and go up toward the salt creek area and see what we can find. Really hoping to find a nice little spot somewhere. Let me know if anyone has any other spots in poudre area that are nice. Thanks.

Tue May 14, 2019 6:35 pm

andrewvwco wrote: Gonna try to take davevickery advice and go to pingee and go up toward the salt creek area and see what we can find. Really hoping to find a nice little spot somewhere. Let me know if anyone has any other spots in poudre area that are nice. Thanks.

Lots of closures still reported as of 5/13 per:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/arp/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5300963
Pingre Park Rd is open and Crown Point is open but not as far as Salt Cabin Park. There should still should be places to camp before that or other areas along Pingre. Right as you turn off onto Bennett Creek (Crown Point Rd) there are are campsites on the creek. But if there is too much snow, the other area I provided a map link to north of Rustic melts off sooner.

CR 63E-Pingree Park (A Larimer County Level 5 Road)-Open.
139 Crown Point Road-Open (snow may make road impassable)

Wed May 15, 2019 5:53 am

Thanks for the info hope we dont freeze are butts off will see.

Mon May 20, 2019 1:12 pm

We found a nice spot up pingree rd the poudre river was 700 cfs and the weather was nice. Glad we went as it is snowing now we are home.

Mon May 20, 2019 2:27 pm

Nice pics, looks like you found a great site.
You are inspiring me to get out with mine.

Mon May 20, 2019 5:15 pm

Yea was a great time we thought we would freeze but were fine now it's snowing in estes park. Thanks for all the info it helped out much.