camping near boulder?

[fta]

hey just wondering if anyone knows any dispersed camping near boulder just in the middle of moving and trying to spend a few nights car camping near boulder untill our place opens up we were thinking near nederland? any help i would be grateful. thank you
kyle

[snowhoe]

Get with Mags he is the man for ya. I dont think he would mind a P.M.

[fiddlehead]

There used to be a place up between Nederland and Wonderview where people camped out for days/weeks at a time. That would be the area i would go for.

[fta]

yea thats what i was thinking thanks for your help.

[tom_alan]

hey just wondering if anyone knows any dispersed camping near boulder just in the middle of moving and trying to spend a few nights car camping near boulder untill our place opens up we were thinking near nederland? any help i would be grateful. thank you
kyle

Kelly-Dahl Campground Boulder Ranger District

http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/arnf/recreat...ellydahl.shtml

http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/arnf/recreat...ydahlmap.shtml

Back in the early 70's you could pack in to the east of the Campground along a stream and there was a Hippie Colony there. We (my family) lived in the campground for around 6 to 8 weeks while my dad finished his Doctorate at the University of Boulder. I was only around 13 or 14 years old at the time.

[Mags]

Most campgrounds are officially closed this time of the year. Esp. the USFS ones. They are gated. Not a problem for most people to lug gear a little ways in, but the local sheriff may or may not be suspicious if a car is parked in th e front gate at the Kelly-Dahl one as it is only a campground (no hiking trails nearby).

An easy place to camp on the sly is Camp Dick in Peacefully Valley.
http://www.go-colorado.com/Camp-Dick-Campground/

The gate is closed, but it is a popular place for snowshoeing/skiing in winter. The campground is just past the closed gate, so not a bad schlep.
Not far from Ned.

A NPS campground that is open all winter is the Longs Peak trailhead one:
http://www.hikercentral.com/campgrounds/115500.html

All these places are 45 minutes to 1 hr from Boulder.

Just outside of Boulder (as in 10-15 minutes) is the private CG of the Boulder Mountain Lodge:
http://www.bouldermountainlodge.com/

You may want to call and see if they have winter service first!

BRING WINTER GEAR where ever you camp. Most of these campground are at least 8k (except for the one just outside of Boulder) in elevation. Brr!

During the summer, there are many dirt roads where you can pull off for easy and unofficial camping. In the winter, the access is gated and full of snow however.

I don't car camp too much near Boulder. Backpacking is another story.

If you want an easy winter backpacking experience, go to Brainard Lake and walk in perhaps a mile at the most and camp in the Pawnee Campground:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/arnf/recreat...d/pawnee.shtml

It is ~15 miles up the road from Ned. You are over 10k ft though, so be prepared!

Finally, if you want to be inside for day or two, there is a hostel in Boulder:
http://boulderinternationalhostel.com/

Kind of expensive for a private room, though!

Finally, I've been known to host a person or two at Casa Mags for a day or two if you really get in a stitch. PM and we can work out the details.

[fta]

thank you for all the great info. ended up finding one open in golden state park. all i can say is brrr

[Mags]

thank you for all the great info. ended up finding one open in golden state park. all i can say is brrr

Ah yes..I always forget about camping in that park. I've done plenty of day hikes there., but always forget there is camping available. It is about 45 minutes from Boulder and is just outside of Golden, CO. It is a little lower, but still gonna be cold. :O Seriously, PM me as you get closer if you need to warm up a bit!


Golden Gate even has an AT style lean-to!





When in the Golden, CO area it is really hard for me to pass up Ali Baba's Grill. It is just outside of the turn off for Golden Gate on SH93. If you can't guess by this name (like an Italian restaurant calling itself Luigi's!), it specializes in Middle Eastern style fare. Like many good ethnic restaurants, it is located in a strip mall. But once you are in, esp if you choose to sit in the side room, the atmosphere and food is killer.

Cool down with a mango lassi, have some fresh hummus and end it with some lamb. Mmm.

Is it good? One friend from Israel (pictured above) swears by the hummus. Another friend who grew up in Iran loves the lassi. A former boss is Persian on his dad's side and his father always insisted on visiting this place. And another friend, from a Lebanese family, told me about the place. Yeah, I'd say it is good.

They do not have a liquor license (as of this writing). If you are really jonesing for a beer, The Spot next door is your traditional bar and grill place. It is popular with the many climbers of Clear Creek Canyon stopping in for a post-climb brew.

[fta]

There used to be a place up between Nederland and Wonderview where people camped out for days/weeks at a time. That would be the area i would go for.

thats really funny because i ended up renting next door to the wondervu.