Crags TH Camping

Trailhead condition requests, questions, alerts, etc.
Forum rules
  • This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
  • Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
  • Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
  • Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
For more details, please see the Terms of Use you agreed to when joining the forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
Buckie06
Posts: 154
Joined: 10/14/2012
14ers: 56  3  4 
13ers: 18 1 3
Trip Reports (2)
 

Crags TH Camping

Post by Buckie06 »

Hello,
I'm hoping to camp at the Crags TH this weekend, but I noticed the actual designated campground is closed for the season. Does anyone know if they lock the gate, or can I still access the campground? Is the only other option for sleeping at the TH?

Many years ago there was great dispersed camping along the road just before the TH, but I heard they've removed all of that??

thanks
User avatar
cvbuffs
Posts: 24
Joined: 7/26/2019
14ers: 58 
13ers: 7
Trip Reports (1)
 

Re: Crags TH Camping

Post by cvbuffs »

I spoke with host of the campground as I was setting up to camp at the trailhead and he mentioned that the ranger who patrols that TH regularly chased out people sleeping in their cars (this was in late June). He recommended driving a bit further down the road to the end and parking there for the night. No issues in sleeping there and a quick 5 minute drive back to the TH. Hope that helps.
peter303
Posts: 3535
Joined: 6/17/2009
14ers: 34 
13ers: 12
Trip Reports (3)
 

Re: Crags TH Camping

Post by peter303 »

Mueller State Park across the road has year round paid camping. $37 for admission fee and camp fee.
User avatar
JQDivide
Posts: 1350
Joined: 6/25/2007
14ers: 58  33 
13ers: 115 1
Trip Reports (58)
 

Re: Crags TH Camping

Post by JQDivide »

Yes ALL of the dispersed camping has been closed.
Sleeping in your car is doable at TH, just don't make it obvious.

Mueller is an option.
Or Golden Bell Campground on CR 512 is close enough, probably 25 minutes.
User avatar
two lunches
Posts: 1328
Joined: 5/30/2014
14ers: 37  2 
13ers: 59
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Crags TH Camping

Post by two lunches »

there were not a small number of folks sleeping in their vehicles at the trailhead the last time i was at crags in august 2018. it's definitely possible things have changed since then, but i would think there's a much more productive use of park ranger efforts than to kick people out of a parking lot in the middle of the night.
“To walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles.” – Mary Davis
User avatar
huffy13
Posts: 1051
Joined: 8/2/2007
14ers: 22 
13ers: 8
Trip Reports (30)
 

Re: Crags TH Camping

Post by huffy13 »

peter303 wrote: Thu Sep 16, 2021 7:46 pm Mueller State Park across the road has year round paid camping. $37 for admission fee and camp fee.
I highly recommend Mueller State Park as a place to camp. Quiet hours are enforced, its nice to have a place to shower after a long day of hiking, and the camper services building has vending, laundry. There's a bunch of trails that weave around the park that you can explore to help with acclimation. Views of the Sangres and Pikes from the camper services building are breathtaking too.
Seems like the times that I need a mountain the most are the times that I can not get to them.
User avatar
Buckie06
Posts: 154
Joined: 10/14/2012
14ers: 56  3  4 
13ers: 18 1 3
Trip Reports (2)
 

Re: Crags TH Camping

Post by Buckie06 »

Thanks for the responses! Does anyone know of nearby dispersed/free camping within a close drive?
User avatar
Mtnman200
Posts: 1112
Joined: 9/26/2012
14ers: 58  1 
13ers: 440
Trip Reports (85)
 

Re: Crags TH Camping

Post by Mtnman200 »

stephakett wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 2:38 pm there were not a small number of folks sleeping in their vehicles at the trailhead the last time i was at crags in august 2018. it's definitely possible things have changed since then, but i would think there's a much more productive use of park ranger efforts than to kick people out of a parking lot in the middle of the night.
Same thing in October 2020. Nobody bothered me then.
"Adventure without risk is not possible." - Reinhold Messner
User avatar
JQDivide
Posts: 1350
Joined: 6/25/2007
14ers: 58  33 
13ers: 115 1
Trip Reports (58)
 

Re: Crags TH Camping

Post by JQDivide »

Buckie06 wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 3:21 pm Thanks for the responses! Does anyone know of nearby dispersed/free camping within a close drive?
North of there, CR 5 / Manchester Creek Road out of Divide... drive north until you hit national forest. Lost of places, but used a lot by OHVs.
Post Reply