Camping › Colorado › Stargazing
Dark-sky camping in Colorado
1,603 camps in Colorado under the darkest skies (class 1–2 on our 9-step scale, from NASA night-lights).
Best areas for stargazing
- Around Carbonate188 camps for stargazing within 25 miles
- Around City of Creede176 camps for stargazing within 25 miles
- Around Snowmass Village159 camps for stargazing within 25 miles
- Around Red Feather Lakes117 camps for stargazing within 25 miles
- Around Ouray101 camps for stargazing within 25 miles
Questions
How many campgrounds in Colorado are good for stargazing?
1,603 camps under the darkest skies (class 1–2 on our 9-step scale, from NASA night-lights); 653 of them are free.
When is the best time to go?
The best camping months are Jun–Aug, judged from 30 years of weather at a typical camp: comfortable days, mild nights, little rain. In July expect highs near 74°F and lows near 46°F.
What else can you do there?
Of these camps, 14% also offer hiking, 14% also offer fishing, 9% also offer off-road (ohv).
Every camp, with a 3D fly-over, weather, cell signal and the drive.
Open stargazing in ColoradoThis week's picks
A different handful each week.
River HillFederal campground · Reservable · Cell signalRiver Hill is a popular campground on the banks of the Rio Grande River. Situated in a meadow surrounded by willows, campers come here to fish for trout, hunt and take in the beautiful…
View camp →
Alvarado CampgroundFederal campground · Reservable · Cell signalAlvarado Campground, located at an elevation of 9,000 ft., is a prime location for accessing easy to challenging hikes in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness. The variety of trails lead to high…
View camp →
West Fork CampgroundFederal campground · Reservable · Cell signalWest Fork Campground sits near the West Fork San Juan River in a secluded 10-acre area, just over a mile from Highway 160. Visitors enjoy the area for its hiking opportunities and plentiful…
View camp →
Lottis Creek CampgroundFederal campground · Reservable · No cell signalLocated in the Grand Mesa Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, Lottis Creek Campground is at an elevation of 8,600 feet above sea level. On the shores of Lottis Creek, this newly…
View camp →
Vallecito CampgroundFederal campground · Reservable · Cell signalVallecito Campground is a very popular site and one of the largest within the San Juan National Forest. It sits on Vallecito Creek, adjacent to the Weminuche Wilderness. Visitors enjoy the…
View camp →
Junction Creek CampgroundFederal campground · Reservable · Cell signalJunction Creek Campground is located close to Durango, Colo., near the beginning of the Colorado Trail. Visitors enjoy the area for its excellent hiking and biking opportunities in a scenic…
View camp →
Ohaver LakeFederal campground · Reservable · Cell signalThe Forest Service wants your opinion on reserving sites at O’Haver Lake Campground. Please take a moment to fill out a brief survey at…
View camp →
Lake Fork CampgroundFederal campground · Reservable · Cell signalLake Fork Campground is on the Blue Mesa Reservoir, near the reservoir's dam. It is a part of the historic Curecanti Recreation Area and is an ideal place to stay for days of boat…
View camp →
Free camps for stargazing
Catamount Bridge Boat LaunchFederal campground · Free · No cell signalCatamount Campground and River Access provides a concrete boat ramp, five campsites and vault toilets. Day use is high between May and September and parking may not be available at that…
View camp →- Boiler Creek #1843Federal campground · Free · Cell signal
The Boiler Creek trail is2.28 miles long. It begins at Forest Road 636 and ends at Forest Boundary. The trail is open for high clearance vehicles; OHV, horse and foot traffic.
View camp → - Red Dirt Reservoir Recreation AreaDispersed / primitive · Free · Cell signal
Red Dirt Reservoir is located in the Gore Pass area off HWY134 in the Routt National Forest. It is approximately 40 miles east of Yampa in between the towns of Yampa and Kremmling. This…
View camp → 
Cottonwood SiteFederal campground · Free · No cell signalCottonwood Island is located on the Colorado River and has a boat ramp and picnic site. Construction to improve site includes new vault toilet and loop road for boat ramp will be completed…
View camp →