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Are there any reasonably flat and smooth areas to camp near the summit of Pikes Peak?

Something out of site of the Summit House would be nice; however, my recollection is that summit is mostly a large pile of boulder unless you're in the parking lot...

thanks!

-Carson

There is lots of flat dirt up there.

Cars can't stay up there overnight, so that leaves hiking up the Barr Trail or Crags, mostly. The nearest good camping on the Barr Trail is at the A-Frame, which is at timberline about three miles below the summit. You could camp above timberline on the Crags route, but there's no water, and the nearest flat ground that isn't bouldery, or next to the road, along that trail is at least a mile from the summit. The nearest camping on the Crags trail that has anything like a stream nearby is about 5 miles from the summit.

carson_h wrote:Are there any reasonably flat and smooth areas to camp near the summit of Pikes Peak?

Something out of site of the Summit House would be nice; however, my recollection is that summit is mostly a large pile of boulder unless you're in the parking lot...

thanks!

-Carson

Its tough to be out of sight anywhere near the summit. The road goes up the milder slopes above devil's playground and you will be seen anywhere near the road. The other slopes off the summit are really steep and cliffy. The parking lot is nice but almost everywhere above treeline is full of rocks. I guess past devil's playground on the Crag's trail (back down) you can find a few spots. Its very exposed up there but you can find a spot away from the road for sure. But thats quite a ways from the summit block.