Winter camping in Colorado offers unique experiences you can only enjoy during this special time of year. Head up to the Rockies and snowshoe or cross-country ski in fresh snowfall blanketing the rugged topography. Or, head down to lower elevations and hike or fish under wide blue winter skies with a chilled (but not freezing) wind rushing through the trees. Pitch a tent, bring an RV, or rent a cabin. Whichever type of camping you prefer, Colorado has exactly what you are looking for in a winter outdoor adventure.
Activities that come along with winter camping in Colorado include snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ice skating, ice fishing, and wildlife viewing. These experiences are exclusive to winters in Colorado, so we recommend booking as soon as possible to secure a prime spot.
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What Kind of Winter Camping is Available in Colorado?
From the mild temperatures of Trinidad Lake State Park in southern Colorado to the snowy campground of Cherry Creek State Park, there are many different styles of winter camping in Colorado.
For snowier mountain areas, this means Colorado winter camping adventures that include snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ice skating, and ice fishing, and also offer campsites with hookups and some cabin rentals for RVers and travelers who want that warm place to come back to at the end of the day.
There are also beautiful Colorado campgrounds in the southern part of the state that see milder temperatures in the winter and are just as beautiful but more serene in the off-peak season. This includes Trinidad Lake State Park, Navajo State Park, and Cheyenne Mountain State Park (see more information on these parks below).
Check Out These Colorado Campgrounds Great for Winter:
1. Eleven Mile State Park
Eleven Mile State Park has one of the state’s largest reservoirs, which is renowned for its fishing. Rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout, kokanee salmon, northern pike, and carp can be reeled in here. The park is open year-round and has superb ice fishing and ice skating when the lake freezes over, making it a great spot for winter camping in Colorado. The park actually hosts three ice fishing tournaments in the winter: the Eagle Claw Shappell Colorado Classic in January, the South Park Ice Masters in February, and the Marina March Madness in March. Fish, ice skate, or hike nearby trails in this park, located in a scenic high-altitude alpine meadow, during the day. In the evening, take in the spectacular Rocky Mountain sunset. There are 326 campsites, including 52 electric sites, most of which are open year-round.
2. Cherry Creek State Park
Just a 20-minute drive southeast of Denver, this Colorado winter camping spot is convenient to many Coloradans. Cherry Creek State Park is a local favorite for urbanites seeking a nearby outdoor escape. While summers can be pretty busy in the park, the off-peak times offer a laid-back and quiet respite in a stunning natural setting. The park comprises a reservoir in a prairie ecosystem with gentle, rolling hills. This topography makes for fantastic cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, and ice skating when it snows. In the winter there are eight full hookup sites and one group camping site available.
Recommended: Winter Cabins Near Great Ski Runs
3. Trinidad Lake State Park
A picturesque setting in the mountains of southern Colorado, Trinidad Lake State Park has a mild year-round climate that makes a great winter vacation. Even during the height of the cold season, you are likely to get plenty of sunshine at Trinidad Lake State Park. In addition to fantastic winter camping, some of the activities available between fall and spring are ice fishing, winter wildlife hunting, hiking, and wildlife watching, including turkey, coyote, deer, and elk. You can also drop a line for small and largemouth bass, rainbow and brown trout, walleye and saugeye, black crappie, channel catfish, yellow perch, bluegill, and wiper. There are 73 campsites, including seven full hookups available, making this one of the great winter campgrounds in Colorado.
4. Crawford State Park
A secluded park near the Black Canyon of the Gunnison on Colorado’s western slope, Crawford State Park is the destination if you want stunning natural beauty and peaceful solitude. Hidden away in the middle of the Colorado Rockies, the park is about a five-hour drive from Denver. Given the remote locale, wildlife-watching opportunities abound with porcupine, mule deer, elk, badgers, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, mountain lions, and a wide range of birds calling the park home. There is plenty of winter recreation to try your hand at – snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ice skating, or ice fishing on the reservoir, making this a fun-filled winter campground in Colorado. The waters are famed for quality perch and crappie. Winter campers can stay at the handful of electric campsites available in the cold months in the Iron Creek campground.
5. Navajo State Park
Navajo State Park is on the southern Colorado border and boasts balmy winter temps compared to high-country parks, offering a different kind of Colorado winter camping experience. The lake’s crown jewel, the giant Navajo Lake with over 150 miles of shoreline, is home to migratory bald eagles and even some Canadian geese in the winter. The lake rarely freezes over, so boaters and anglers can take to the waters all year long. The reservoir is known for its healthy population of large- and small-mouth bass, northern pike, trout, bluegill, and catfish. Campers can also hike nearby trails and spot foxes, deer, grouse, and turkeys. In fact, winter is a fantastic time to visit Navajo State Park. You will share the campground with families of deer that are less shy in the relative solitude of winter. Navajo has three full-service cabins and 118 campsites, most of which are open in the winter.
Looking for Other Warm Places to Camp for Winter? Check out Warm Places to Camp in Winter
6. Cheyenne Mountain State Park
Located just south of Colorado Springs, Cheyenne Mountain State Park serves as an important protected open space area along the southern section of the Colorado front range. The park also borders the plains of Colorado showcasing a stunning transition from peaks to plains. There are diverse wildlife viewing opportunities due in large part to the park being a large tract of undeveloped land that straddles various ecosystems. You can explore the park on its 28-mile network of hiking and biking trails. There is also an archery range, junior ranger program, and geocaching for a fun-filled winter’s day. This Colorado winter campground is best for folks who are looking for a slightly warmer trip. Campers can stay at one of 18 full hookup sites and 4 tent campsites that are available in the winter.
Are you ready for your adventure? Plan your camping trip!