Federal lands comprise 85% of the Gunnison Valley. YOUR trails, rivers and public lands will be OPEN as the snow melts, but personnel cuts at the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and Park Service mean all of us will need to keep stewardship top of mind this summer. Pack out all trash, and be extra careful with fire. Together, we can keep our backcountry beautiful!
Gunnison and Crested Butte are wild and scenic destinations for a camping trip. Camp close to your favorite hiking or mountain biking trails in spring, summer or fall. The Gunnison Valley offers campsites for those camping in a car, tent or RV. Most car-accessible campsites in Crested Butte and Gunnison are designated sites, meaning that camping is only allowed in sites marked by signs.
Sites fill up quickly, especially during summer weekends. Can’t find a campsite? Browse hotels instead.
While you’re here, please take good care of our beautiful public lands so everyone can continue to enjoy them in the future. Follow the principles of Leave No Trace and be courteous to other campers and public lands users. Keep reading to learn more about where to camp and how to plan ahead for a successful trip.
Camping is a popular activity in Crested Butte and Gunnison. A few campgrounds take reservations, but most sites are first-come, first-served. Sites are extremely limited. Weekends in June, July and August are the busiest times for camping and thus the most difficult times to find an open campsite.
Research camping spots before your trip to avoid surprises—for example, expecting a bathroom at camp but finding out that there are none when you arrive. Decide what amenities you need at camp and where in the valley you want to go, and then select a desired area. Then, make a backup plan for what to do if all the sites in your desired zone are full.
Looking for alternatives to camping? Stay in a hotel or vacation rental near trails and activities across the Gunnison Valley. Use the tool below to search our database of all Gunnison County lodging options. Select the dates of your trip, then click “Check Rates” to view available options during that time.
Browse the map below to find a campsite in Crested Butte, Gunnison or the surrounding area. Click on a site to see amenities and notes about the site, such as whether four-wheel-drive is required to access it.
This guide from the U.S. Forest Service provides detailed information and maps of all designated camping areas in Crested Butte.
There are four different types of camping areas in Gunnison Crested Butte — dispersed, designated, developed and private. Discover which type is the best fit for you.
Dispersed camping is camping outside of a designated campground. This type of camping is available on public lands, such as National Forest or Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands. Dispersed campsites have no amenities. This type of camping is sometimes referred to as “boondocking.” Dispersed camping is first-come, first-served, and is almost always free. To reduce impact on the land, only camp where people have camped before.
Designated dispersed camping, usually referred to simply as designated camping, is dispersed camping in sites that have been marked by land managers. Much of the camping in the Gunnison Valley is designated. With increased use, more dispersed camping zones will move to designated camping only. In designated camping zones, people who camp outside of marked sites can be ticketed (or worse). Having designated sites isolates wear and tear on the land in accord with the principles of Leave No Trace.
A developed campground is a campground managed by an entity that provides amenities. Most developed campgrounds in the Gunnison Valley are managed by the Forest Service. Amenities at developed campgrounds may include toilets, tent platforms, metal fire rings, picnic tables, running water, electric hookups, showers and more. There is usually a fee to camp in developed campgrounds. Some developed campgrounds allow reservations; others operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
A private campground is a developed campground managed by a private company, rather than a government entity such as the Forest Service. Browse private campgrounds in the Gunnison Valley here.
Nearly all vehicle-access camping in the north valley is only allowed in designated sites. This means that in most public lands around Crested Butte, you may only camp in sites marked by a sign like the one in this photo. Visit Crested Butte Mountain Biking Association’s website for a map and more information.
Most of the camping near Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte is managed by the Forest Service. For more information on campground locations and amenities, check out the Forest Service’s Gunnison Basin Camping Guide. Certain developed campgrounds in this area, including the Lake Irwin and Lost Lake campgrounds, require reservations. Visit recreation.gov to learn more and reserve your spot.
AREA |
TYPE |
AMENITIES |
---|---|---|
Gothic/Schofield Pass Road | Designated and developed | Amenities vary |
Upper East River/Poverty Gulch | Designated | Fire rings |
Kebler Pass | Designated and developed | Amenities vary |
Lake Irwin | Designated and developed | Amenities vary |
Washington Gulch Road | Designated and developed | Amenities vary |
Slate River Road | Designated and developed | Amenities vary |
Brush Creek Road | Designated | Fire rings |
Cement Creek Road | Designated and developed | Amenities vary |
The Forest Service manages all the non-private campgrounds in Almont, Taylor Canyon, and Taylor Park. For more information, view the Forest Service’s Gunnison Basin Camping Guide. Some campgrounds in Taylor Canyon, including Rosy Lane and One Mile, require reservations. Reserve your site and learn more at recreation.gov.
AREA |
TYPE |
AMENITIES |
---|---|---|
Taylor Park | Dispersed and developed | Amenities vary |
Taylor Canyon Road | Developed | Metal fire rings, picnic tables, pit toilets |
Spring Creek Road | Dispersed | No amenities |
Public camping areas near Gunnison are managed by many different entities, including the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Forest Service and the National Park Service. To learn more about each campground or area, click its name in the chart below.
AREA |
TYPE |
AMENITIES |
---|---|---|
Mill Creek Road | Dispersed | Pit toilet in main parking lot |
Hartman Rocks | Designated | Metal fire rings, picnic tables, some pit toilets |
Black Canyon National Park | Developed | Metal fire rings, picnic tables, toilets |
Blue Mesa Reservoir/Curecanti National Recreation Area | Developed | Metal fire rings, picnic tables, toilets |
Vehicles greater than 35-40 ft. should not attempt to drive beyond the following locations within each drainage due to lack of turn-around space, rough roads or lack of adequate parking for large vehicles.
Browse the Gunnison Valley’s private campgrounds below. Private campgrounds take reservations in advance, sparing you the trouble of having to search for first-come, first-served site.
Planning on having a campfire during your visit to Gunnison and Crested Butte? Check our Travel Alerts page first to learn about current fire restrictions and other important alerts.
Here are some tips on how to make your trip stress-free and low-impact.
For more information on Leave No Trace ethics, visit the Center for Outdoor Ethics website.
Be sure to check out the other spring, fall and summer activities Crested Butte and Gunnison have to offer. There are hundreds of miles of mountain biking and hiking trails, rivers to raft and fish, rocks to climb, good food to eat, and cool towns to see. Check out our trip planning page to learn more!
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