Free camping near Aspen

[bwilkins]

we are headed down near Aspen to do some creeking for the week. Anyone know of some good free camping to set us up for all of the local runs?

[pasta]

No Free camping in Aspen. Closest you could get is Snowmass, Up the Divide road to the Campground lift area. Just ask someone in the village. OR Down valley in basalt you can camp up Basalt Mountain, Or Mount Sopris. Go up West Sopris Creek rd. To the dinkle lake trailheads. Good Luck

[brendodendo]

Up independence pass:
Lincoln Creek road - pass USFS campground and head up road a few miles. Dispersed camping in designated sites #1 -7. The area is a bit disorganized and is HEAVILY used > read trash and poop may be present. Fun cliff jump up around the slickrock hill on the right.

In Aspen proper> Above town on Smuggler Mtn Road. Go past the look-out and into the NF. Road may be muddy and/or closed right now. You will get dirty looks from Aspen Crowd that use this as their morning / noon hike in the woods. Lots of people and dogs. Be heads up on way up or down.

Snowmass area that Pasta posted is good, lots of random traffic.

Carbondale has good random camping as well.

PM me for more details.

[meandj]

just a heads up on the lincoln creek camping... the road up to these campsites is still closed, so the only access is by foot/bike right now. there are some national forests campgrounds that are open and close to aspen. i am not sure the cost, but it shouldn't be too bad (Difficult campground and Weller campground, up independence pass respectively).

[pinemnky13]

Basalt Mountain and then there is BLM land around cattle creek road just look for the signs, or if you going to do Glenwood there is plenty of BLM land near sunlight, go up 4 mile road and you'll find it

[david23]

I'd recommend forking over the $3 or whatever it is a night and just camp at Difficult. You're going to spend more on gas trying to get anywhere "free" than you would just paying for it, not to mention that any of the spots mentioned above are still under a foot of snow and nearly inaccessible.

[whip]

Might want to camp there. They have some great little cabins too. Food and Wine this weekend in Aspen gonna be busy that way. By the way bring your ski's they're gonna run the gondola!

[jeffy]

No free camping in Aspen?

Castle Creek is great. Free.

[meandj]

Difficult campground is at least $10 a night if not more. Go for the free camping by principle. And... no person that is attending Food and Wine will be in search of free camping.

[pasta]

C'Mon David< Mean, Nothing is $10 in Aspen. My Roomie Scottie's bestest Quote( Cab Driver for MtnTaxi) as a fare hands him $10bucks and asks for change."Welcome to Aspen, $10dollars is change"
My first year in town I spent every night at the corner of Bleeker & Aspen dr. In my 83' Chevy van. Difficult is $35 a Night.)